Wed, 23 Mar 1994 From: NGONET Liaison <ngonet@chasque.apc.org>
Yellowjack Resources Ltd. -a Canadian company- is mining
gold and diamonds in Southern Venezuela. NGONET has received
the following statement from the Venezuelan NGO AMIGRANSA,
issued by the indigenous communities living in the area.
El Pauji, November 21, 1993
These are our words of concern for what is happening:
They don't allow us to mine and they tell us "It is
important to protect the river, it is necessary to protect
the forest." Then they forbade us to mine because they say
that it destroys the river and destroys the forest. We
respect and accept. We left the mines. And now who can
explain to us why they went into "The Abismo", the great
forest, with much more destructive machines than our mining
pans?
Why do they take the Indians out of the mines, Venezuelan
Indians? Why, after excluding the Indians do they permit
foreigners to exploit that which they forbid us? We are
talking about The Abismo, an important water source. Perhaps
the most important because it is the source of the Icabaru
River, the tributary of the Caroni River.
We never mined in The Abismo. These lands were given to us
by the National Agrarian Institute; only to be used for
agricultural purposes. Our small holdings do not exhaust or
destroy the forest. Our people know that The Abismo is their
guarantee of life for our children. Now they know much more.
Now they know that The Abismo is the source of fauna. It is
the source of flora. The Abismo is the source of water. Our
people knew it long ago, and therefore we never lived in The
Abismo. The Abismo is the "protector zone". This means that
it may only be used for its agricultural, forest, faunistic,
tourism and recreational resources. It cannot be used for
mining.
So we do not understand. Why did they give mineral
concessions? Who can explain that to us? Who can answer why
they did this? We denounce that the communities of Betania,
Pampatameru, Apoipo are suffering from the degradation of
the River Surucun. We denounce that a Canadian company is
destroying the headwaters of the River Surucun. We denounce
that a group of "garimpeiros" is mining in The Abismo.
Now our people cannot fish. They cannot drink the water. Our
people are suffering becasue the river is the principle
source of life. The conservation of The Abismo guarantees us
life because there is our hunting ground. There is our
fishing. There are our small farms. But it is not only The
Abismo. The communities of Playa Blanca and of Buena Vista
de Uaiparu are suffering due to the degradation of the Bajo
Amarillo River, the degradation of the Uaiparu River because
of the mines of El Infierno.
We do not understand what is happening. We feel
disrespected. They do not consult us. They ignore us. We
denounce that the tropical rain forest, that is The Abismo,
is in grave danger. And if the rain forest is in danger, the
existence of all living things of the planet is also in
danger. These are our words of concern for what is
happening.
We want our words to move those responsible to enforce the
laws and to do something concrete and effective. If the
government does not take the necessary measures to preserve
The Abismo, we will take ours. By chance do they hope that
the same will happen to us as what occured to our brothers
the Yanomamis in Amazonas? Afterwards there will not only be
words of concern. There will be extreme measures. It will be
life or death. That will be our reply for what is happening.
We are disposed to defend The Abismo body to body. These are
our words of warning.
Signed:
Adolfo Fernandez Chief of Waramasen (Pemon Tribe of Indians
of Southern Venezuela)
Followed by 250 additional signatures of members of the
Indian communities of Guaiparu and Betania of the Gran
Sabana and Upper Caroni
If you need any further information please contact AMIGRANSA
or NGONET at the following addresses:
AMIGRANSA Maria Eugenia Bustamante / Alicia Garcia Apdo.
Postal 50460 Caracas 1050-A Venezuela
Tel: +58 2 623484 / 746069 Fax: +58 2 921884
NGONET Ricardo Carrere Casilla Correo 1539 Montevideo 11000
Uruguay
Tel: +598 2 496192 Fax: +598 2 419222 E-mail: