INVASION OF WICHI TERRITORIES IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA
Survival International
Despite governmental promises to recognise their land rights, indigenous
peoples' demands have been repeatedly ignored and the government now has
given the go-ahead for developmental plans without any consultation.
There are some 50,000 Wichi who live in Bolivia and Argentina. In the
dispurted zone known as Lotes Fiscales 55 and 14 (some 600,000 hectares)
live some 5,000 Wichi, linked to small communities of indigenous peoples -
Chorote, Toba and Chulupi. Their small huts made of mud, branches and
leaves adapt themselves well to the high temperatures which reach 50
degrees in the shade during the summer months. During the dry months in
the winter they rely on the fish in the Pilcomayo river. During the rainy
summers they cultivate maize, melons, kidney beans and squashes and
throughout the whole year they hunt deer, armadillos, pecarries and
iguanas whilst gathering honey.
The problems of the indigenous peoples go back as far as the early part of
this century, when creole conquistadores moved into the area with herds of
cattle, goats and sheep. These herds quickly destroyed the delicately
balanced pasture land thus unleashing environmental devastation. The
result has been that the indigenous people in the zone have seen the near
total disappearance of the animals and plants that they hunted and
collected and as a result of this malnutrition and even death from hunger
is well known. As the Wichi say: - Our land has died and we are dying of
hunger.
The situation has deteriorated with the 'developmental' plans of the
government for the zone passed without discussion. A bridge is being built
over the River Pilcomayo (which forms the frontier between Argentina and
Paraguay) next to a small village caled Nopok Wet (Peace). The Wichi have
been told that their village will be replaced by a new border town.
Moreover, the government plans to build a motorway which will cross the
Wichi territory to link this town with Tartagal. All this is part of a
development plan to link Paraguay to the North East of Argentina and,
ultimately Chile to Brazil and the Pacific to the Atlantic.
The indigenous people maintain that the bridge and the
'development' programmes are a terrible threat to their land rights
and the local environment. The government of Salta province has made no
study of the impact this project will have on the indigenous peoples'
villages.
At the bottom of all these problemes is the continuing negative attitude
of this provincial government when it comes to recognising the rights of
the people to their lands. In 1991 the people working with the Survival
project prepared a territorial claim which demonstrated that at least
400,000 hectares within the Lotes Fiscales region were indeed their lands.
Later, in the same year, the provincial government signed a declaration
(N2609/9 1 ) recognising that the land was idigenously owned and promising
that legislation would be passed. The government in Salta which then came
to power did not pursue the matter and allowed the situation to degenerate
dangerously. Shortly after abandoning its responsibilities during the
course of last year, the same administration proposed a territorial piece
of legislation totally against the indigenous position and whose
aprobation will deprive them of large areas of land. On 10th December 1995
a new administration came to power in Salta. If moves are not made soon it
may be too late.
FREEDOM PRESS
http://www.lglobal.com/TAO/Freedom
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