Chapter 6 - Present Struggles: Forests

The Compania Administradora Comercial Sociedad Anonima is a descendant of the Sociedad Agricola y Forestal Suxaola which, with north American capital, took over lands - abandoned by another company in 1947 - that lay on Talamanca territory, Costa Rica. When the government granted the company a lease to develop 10,000 acres of forest in 1983, various Talamanca Indian associations protested to members of Parliament, many of whom received them favourably. A little later a government commission was sent to investigate the peoples' complaints.

"Since time immemorial we, indigenous people, have been the object of the plundering of our lands, of disregard for our basic rights and all manner of abuses within full sight and tolerance of the Government, Legislative Assembly and the Judicial Power. Nevertheless, according to natural law and legitimate right we are the first inhabitants of this continent.

"Any and every time we have tried to defend this right we have become victims. We consider that we are human beings and have the right, at least, to possess land on which we can survive in peace and tranquility. For thousands of years we have lived on these lands of Talamanca and we have survived war with the Spanish and their diseases. Today we have decided to resist whatever foreign force intends to deprive us of our lands.

"Apart from this, the Indigenous Law No. 6172 has been a victory for us and all indigenous peoples of Costa Rica, and we demand the complete respect and fulfillment of this law.

"Nevertheless, a few days ago (24 May) the indigenous people of the communities of this reserve had the surprise and unpleasant news that these lands were not theirs but belonged to a foreign North American company called Administradora Comercial S.A., who have mutilated the land for an area of 10,000 hectares.

"At the same time and without the agreement of the Asociacion de Desarollo Integral de la Reserva Indigena, even less the Committees which exist in the area, the said company brought in lorries, tractors and workers and immediately began to open roads with the object of felling trees for lumber and make money out of them indiscriminately.

"In view of this and seeing the indigenous people so affected by these North American filibusters we immediately began to speak with them about the problem and, finding out their aims and objectives, we told them to leave within 24 hours and get out of the place. In this way we paralysed the lumber work of this company.

"The company known as Administradora Comercial claimed to have exploited lumber within the indigenous reservation and alleged they had owned the rights for 35 years.

"Nevertheless we indigenous people of Talamanca have acquired this right for many centuries of occupation of the land as the legitimate owners, for which reason we do not recognise enforced foreign rights.

"In the light of what has been written above and noting the statements of the said company to show that these lands had been handed over before the reserve had been created and as they think they have a right, we wish to make very clear the following points:

1. This company has violated the Law of Indigenous Reservations No. 6172 of 20 December 1977.
2. They did not appeal on its publication in the Gaceta Oficial.
3. We indigenous people have lived for centuries on these lands and for this reason we are the legitimate owners.
4. The exploitation of lumber will alter the hydrological and ecological balance and other factors which we are not willing to permit.

For this reason:

1. We demand that the Central Government annuls the concessions given to foreign companies within the reserve.
2. We demand that the institutions of the State investigate these matters and give a judgment with respect to them.

"If there is anything at this time which can be called justice there cannot be said to be social justice among those in the reserves without permission and which alter social peace in the ethnic social group.

"It is not possible to speak of respecting human rights because this is not even respecting the fundamental rights of a human being, which in this case is the right we all have to live in peace.

Alejandro Swaby Rodriguez: Comite Pro-Defensa Derechos Indigenas de Talamanca
Guillermo Rodriguez Romero: Presidente Asociacion Reserva Indigena de Talamanca
Jose Maria Paez Segura: Sindicato Federdcion de Pequenos Agricultores de Talamanca
Cipriano Mendez: Comite Indigena Pablo Presbere
Severiano Fernandez Torres: Asociacion de Educadores Indigenas de Talamanca
Felipa Morales Moralés: Comité de Artesanos de Talamanca
Donald Rojas Maroto: Presidente Asociación Indígena de Costa Rica
Jose Carlos Maroles: President of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples"

Source: Moody, Roger ed. The Indigenous Voice: Visions and Realities. 2nd Edition. Utrecht: International Books, 1988. p.222-223. Taken from Boletín de la Asociación Indígena de Costa Rica Nos. 4/5 Marzo/Abril 1983, published in IWGIA Newsletter, October/December 1983.