The 1993 Temoaya Declaration

Declaración CONIC Temoaya 1993

"Allowing native languages, cultures and different traditions to perish...

must henceforth be considered a basic violation of human rights.

We might even say that there can be

no human rights unless cultural authenticity is preserved...

Let us organize a watch, and let us sound the alarm

as soon as a civilization, a language or a culture is in danger.

This promise, which is made by the

international community as a whole ... represents

the historic scope of the International Year which is opening here this morning.

In respecting [indigenous peoples],

defending them, in helping them to take their place in the community of

nations and in international life, it is perhaps the world itself that we are protecting."

U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali 
in the speech to the U.N. General Assembly inaugurating 1993 
as the international Year of the World's indigenous Peoples

At the Second Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, delegates of the Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent (CONIC) called the world's attention to "cultures in danger." More than 300 representatives of Indigenous Nations and Organizations from throughout the Western Hemisphere gathered at the Otomi Ceremonial Center in the mountains outside Mexico City during the second week of October, 1993.

Representatives of Indigenous Populations from throughout the Americas asserted their presence within the international community by sounding the alarm that their cultures are indeed in danger of disintegration and extinction. In answer to Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's pledge to "organize a watch" for threats to cultural survival, the representatives identified genocide and ethnocide as the most pressing issues of their communities. Delegates at this historic meeting noted that the United Nations' designation of 1993 as the International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples is nearly past and little benefit has been realized by Native Peoples.

For the past three years, increased communication, strategic planning and coalition building of Native Peoples throughout the Americas has undergone a political evolution resulting in a grassroots network, The Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent - CONIC. This coalition of native organizations was established soon after the historic gathering in Quito, Ecuador in July 1990 called the First Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples. Since then, Native Peoples of the Americas have continued to meet. Together they have shared their common histories, social and political struggles, and aspirations for more self-determined futures. After successfully mounting counter celebrations to the 1992 Columbus Quincentenary, Native People started planning this Second Encounter.

CONIC was established to implement a process by which the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas can work in solidarity politically, socially and spiritually. Presently, CONIC is comprised of 26 major Indigenous Organizations and Nations, as well as many smaller, localyl-based groups from throughout the North, South and Meso America. As a representative body, CONIC is an inclusive organization, encouraging the participation of other grassrooots native nations and organizations.

The Second Encounter

"We are here today, coming together as Indigenous People, because of our shared understanding of the need to strengthen our own movement-the unique movement of Indigenous People for territory, autonomy, and cultural survival...

We are only now beginning to realize the long-held dream that someday, our own people will be speaking for us in international forums, no longer through the means of intermediaries. We hope that other sectors of society will support us, recognizing that Indigenous Self-determination is ultimately of benefit, not only to Indigenous Peoples, but to all of the inhabitants of Planet Earth. 
-Atencio Lopez, General Secretary of Kunas Unidos par Napbguana

A ceremonial eight-mile procession from the town of Temoaya to the Otomi Center inaugurated the Second Continental Encounter (Encuentro 11). This historic meeting was planned and organized by CONIC in conjunction with Mexico's Frente Independiente de Pueblos Indios (FIPI) (a coalition of Mexican Indigenous Peoples and Organizations). Local, national and international Indigenous Delegates met and conducted discussion groups deliberating critical issues, formulating strategies and consolidating the frame work for a continental Indigenous Peoples movement for autonomy.

The relationship between the organizations of the North and the South of the continent is seen as the fulfullment of an ancient prophecy: the re-encounter of the Eagle and the Condor. The spiritual energy brought to the conference by the grandparents, elders and spiritual guides as well as members of the Dignity Journeys helped to create a ceremonial presence at the conference.

Holding the event in Mexico boosted the consolidation of Mexico's Indigenous Movement bringing much needed attention to their political struggles. About 20 delegates from tribal groups in the U.S. and Canada participated in the plenaries and workshops. Simultaneous translation (Spanish-English) helped bridge the language barrier, although most participants spoke their Indigenous Languages as well. Allies supporting autonomy for Indigenous Peoples were also present at the Second Encounter. Finally, the contributions of time and energy of the many volunteers from both Mexico and the United States helped bring about the success of the event.

1) SPIRITUALITY AND TRADITION--A lead role in efforts to heal and renew Mother Earth must be assumed by Indigenous Peoples. Sacred places, ceremonial centers, artifacts and ancestral remains must be returned to Indigenous Nations. The governments within the United Nations must legally recognize and unequivocally guarantee protection of the spiritual practices of Indigenous Peoples.

2) MOTHER EARTH, TERRITORY AND HARMONIOUS DEVELOPMENT-The Indigenous Leaders present reaffirmed their commitments to strengthen traditional world views, cultural identities and the spiritual relationship, with Earth Mother. The group identified that Nation-state governments must clearly demarcate Indigenous Territories if an harmonious development was to occur.

3) SELF-DETERMINATION, LEGISLATION AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS-The laws of the countries of this hemisphere must recognize our legal jurisdiction over our territories and cease violations of laws enacted to protect Indigenous Peoples. As a long-term objective, CONIC proposes the restructuring of Nation-states to provide true "pluricultural" governments which recognize the co-existence of autonomous Indigenous Nations.

4) WOMEN, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY-This group recognized women as the source of cultural pride and the preservors of traditional native culture throughout the hemisphere. Many Indigenous Women determined that the future well-being of their families and their own autonomy depended on achieving their economic development goals, for which outside financial resources and training was necessary.

5) YOUTH, CULTURE AND EDUCATION-Educational programs and curriculum must be based on the philosophy and world view of Indigenous Peoples. Nation-states must support Indigenous Language instruction and, in consultation with Indigenous Peoples, establish art and cultural centers.

In addition to the roundtables, a day was set aside for organizational meetings to consolidate regional, national and international alliances, and to build support for and to help protect Indigenous Communities throughout the hemisphere. More comprehensive reporting of the sessions is presented later in this document.

"We need to be very strong and clear as Indigenous People

about what we want for our communities, in order to be able to forge

an alliance of equals with the popular movement and other sectors of society.

-Margarita Ruiz, coordinator of FIR

A dynamic continental movement of Indigenous Peoples has evolved after years of continued struggles for democracy and many regional battles to protect life, territory and environment. Unlike previous political initiatives, the current movement has originated with grassroots Indigenous Communities. This historic coalition of Indian organizations coalesced initially during 1991-1992 as Indigenous Groups began to coordinate adamant opposition to festivities designed to celebrate Christopher Columbus' "discovery of the New World." The Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent (CONIC) was established during this period and has been gaining strength ever since.

CONIC is committed to developing alliances with other sectors of society. CONIC believes that through alliance-building Indigenous Peoples can protect themselves against the numerous acts of genocide and ethnocide that have continued into the mid-1990s. Communication systems must be established to help bring many vulnerable Indigenous Communities out of isolation, thereby building protection against violence and repression.

In this way, CONIC members can sound the alarm when a community finds itself under attack. By its very structure as a democratic, representative political body, CONIC empowers its communties, by bringing Indigenous Voices and concerns before national, regional and international political and legal bodies.

During the Second Encounter CONIC agreed to mobilize resources to convene two planning meetings during the next nine months. The first meeting will take place in Bolivia during the Spring 1994, and will be hosted by the Coordinadera de Mujeres Indigenas. The second meeting will be hosted by the Consejo de Organizaciones Mayas de Guatemala, and is scheduled to be held in Guatemala this Summer 1994. The two meetings will be held to organize the Third Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, where CONIC members will formally organize themselves under a constitution.

ROUNDTABLE SESSION ONE

SPIRITUALITY AND TRADITIONS

At the center of the cultural and political identity of Indigenous Peoples is found spirituality and diverse ceremonial traditions borne of the Earth. The Great Spirit teaches compassion, respect and reverence and shelters Abya Yala (the Land of Abundance). Our world view unites us with the natural world. Hence, our life philosophies differ significantly from the conquest and domination mentality of the Euro-Americans.

... From this point, we are prepared to fight until the end, including giving up our lives, because we feel that our Mother Earth is worth more than our lives.
Quote from the First Encounter, Quito, Ecuador-1990

According to Mayan elders the Earth is called "The Mother of All Nourishment." However, the equilibrium between human societies and the natural world to which the Mayan refer has been broken. Mother Earth is being profanely violated in a cruel and systematic manner. Industrial society perpetuates the concept of human superiority, or more specifically, the white man's superiority and domination over the Mother of All Nourishment, and the rest of all humanity as well. This pattern of thinking is not only arrogant and vain, but also lacks compassion, spirit, and hope for continued life.

Today's highly technical industrialized society, with centralized wealth and power, mandates conformity to economic models that provoke resource exploitation, over-consumption and the destruction of Earth Mother. As Indigenous peoples, we now stand and cry out an alarm to the world: The Mother of All Nourishment Is In Danger. We plead to all humanity that the end of the 20th century does not need to be the end of the world. However, it must witness the end to a civilization of conquest and domination that has forcibly imposed itself upon Indigenous Peoples and the natural world.

The future of all living beings and the health of Mother Earth lies in the teachings of ancient spiritual ways and the holistic world view of Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, the great challenge for Indigenous Peoples is to gather together a spiritual energy which will move the world. We must examine our traditional technologies and organic economies to bring forth viable and sustainable alternatives for the 21st century. Such alternatives must include spirituality, ritual and reverence for Earth Mother, thus, producing an organic and holistic world view for all of humanity.

With great joy, hope and pain we debated and dialoged until finally we reached consensus on the following points:

1 . It is vitally important to rejuvenate, strengthen, and continue our cultural and spiritual existence. We must continue to practice our rituals and ceremonies which consummate our relationship with Father Sun, Mother Earth, Grandfather Fire, and Grandmother Moon. We agree to provide unlimited support and respect to the many different traditions, customs, and spiritual practices of the Original Peoples of the world.

2. We will assert our rights and assume our responsibility to educate our children in their indigenous traditions, languages, and heritage, and work to strengthen their cultural and spiritual identity.

4. We demand that Nation-states, national and international agencies and private institutions return sacred documents, artifacts, and ceremonial regalia to the rightful tribal. nation. Additionally, we demand the immediate repatriation of our ancestral remains for proper and customary re-interment.

5. Nation-states must return our sacred places and ceremonial centers. These places constitute the living and sacred heritage of our Peoples and are used to reaffirm our spiritual understandings, Furthermore, we demand the right to manage and decide the proper care and use of such sacred places and ceremonial centers.

Finally and most importantly, we conclude: It is a basic pre-requisite to the recovery and strengthening of our spirituality and tradition that the healing and renewal of the sacred Mother Earth must occur.

Indigenous People's Environmental Ethic

When you are going to cut down, you must ask permission of the spirits of the forest. You must study the cycles of renewal to help regenerate what you have used. You must ask permission and give offerings to the Earth Mother before opening any wounds in her body with the sharpened steel of your plow. You must study the agricultural calendar and protect the well-being of the other living beings who accompany you in this life.

When you are going to alter the course of a stream in order to water your crops, you must first ask permission of the water spirit, and you must be careful to not let the stream dry up as a result of your actions. If you are going to hunt or fish. you must respect the natural cycles of reproduction.
Everything is connected. When there are trees, there is rain, when there is rain, there is food, and when there is food, there is health, peace, life and happiness.

ROUNDTABLE SESSION TWO

Mother Earth, Territory and Harmonious Development

The importance of each blade of grass, each tiny insect and each river stone was always highlighted by our elders in their sage advice to us. All of the changes made by humans upon the natural environment in the interest of survival were always carefully regulated.

Since the sounding of alarms for an Earth in peril at the Earth Summit in 199 2, increased significance has been given to the Earth-based wisdom of our peoples and our ecologically sustainable livelihoods. Ancient Native traditions and technologies historically viewed by industrial societies as primitive or backward, are now being re-evaluated by many progressive organizations as alternative or preferred means of development.

Concurrent with this new attention given to Indigenous knowledge, is the continued and brutal plunder of Native lands, the illegal appropriation of our resources and the forced acculturation of tribal populations. Furthermore, the Earth-based knowledge of ecological sustainability, now sought after, is being rapidly extinguished by an expanding cash economy (capitalism) facilitated by constitutional amendments mandating privatization, pro-growth economic policies that encourage free-enterprise, and the anticipated passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, (NAFTA). This dichotomy, as well as the dire need to protect and preserve our cultures, territories, economies and the Earth Mother herself, were the subjects of this roundtable work session.

As in the First Continental Encuentro in 1990, participants in the Mother Earth, Territory and Harmonious Development Roundtable gave tribute to our worldview and sacred relationship with Earth Mother. We do not consider ourselves as owners of the landit is our Mother. She has always provided sustenance for our ancient cultures. Our spiritual relationship with the Earth is founded upon the principals of Respect Reverence and Reciprocity - - we always give back to the Earth more than we take.

Through Earth-based ritual and ceremony, we reaffirm our spiritual relationship with the universe and fulfill our innate responsibility to assist Earth Mother's rebirth and renewal of EVERLASTING cycles of life. Thus, the basis for respect and harmony with Mother Earth can only be found in the profound, spirituality of our Peoples. However, that spirituality can only be preserved among a free and liberated people that have full autonomous control of our territories and resources. Such preservation of our Earth-based spiritual understanding and autonomous control over our territories is not only important for the survival of Indigenous Peoples, but is also critical to the ecological well-being of the Earth itself. The Worldwatch Institute states that the homelands of Indigenous Peoples.

... regulate hydrological cycles, maintain local and global climatic stability and harbor a wealth of biological and genetic diversity, Indeed, Indigenous homelands may provide safe havens for more endangered plant and animal species than all the world's nature reserves. Native peoples, moreover, often hold the key to these vaults of biological diversity. They possess a body of ecological knowledge encoded in their language, customs, and subsistence practices, that rival the libraries of modern science.

The principals of Earth-based morality and ecological ethics are important reasons why humanity is beginning to turn its attention to the plight of our Peoples. In the struggle to overcome the perils of ecological distress and social malaise, there is an urgent quest for Earth-based ethics and a new spirituality that can lead humankind beyond the present greedy industrial society. The Worldwatch Institute continues:

A more self-interested appeal appears to be in order: supporting Indigenous survival is an objective necessary, even to those callous to the justice of the cause. As a practical matter, the world's dominant cultures cannot sustain the Earth's ecological health - a requisite of human advancement - without the aid of the world's endangered cultures. Biological diversity is inextricably linked to cultural diversity.

In recent years, the demand for our homelands by Nation-states and multi-national corporations has accelerated at an alarming rate. With this illegal intrusion and resulting plunder of our territories, we have witnessed a corresponding decay of our cultural identity and a disintegration of many of our societies. When we, as Indigenous Peoples lose our homelands, we also lose our cultural and spiritual identity as well. Thus, for Indigenous Peoples, the defense of our land and territory is the same as the defense of our identity.

Participants at the roundtable concluded that to effectively eliminate the continued plunder of our territories and the physical and cultural genocide of our Peoples, it is absolutely necessary to undertake a profound reorganization of territory and land tenure at the continental level. Accordingly, we demand that all aboriginal homelands of Indigenous Peoples be returned for their independent and autonomous control. Additionally, said land must also be demarcated with great precision.

At this historic Second Encuentro, we, as Indigenous Peoples, reaffirmed our commitment to strengthen our traditional world view, cultural identity and our spiritual relationship with Earth Mother. We strongly encourage Indigenous Peoples to assume a lead role in a continental environmental movement designed to protect and regenerate Mother Earth. Of priority, we must dedicate ourselves to the recovery and rehabilitation of lands and forests. Thus, we demand an immediate halt to the continued poisoning of Mother Earth. We urge all Indigenous Peoples to say a definite NO to the continued use of agrochemicals, herbicide spray, and the dumping of toxic and nuclear wastes in our territories. We also encourage Indigenous Peoples to strengthen their vigilance over our lands in order to stop the continued destruction that results from timber, mineral and oil expropriation. Additionally, we demand a halt to the continued damming, diversion and pollution of the Earth's rivers and streams. Such action promotes desertification and threatens all of humanity.

As the Original Peoples of this continent, we adamantly denounce the pro-growth economic models that continue to cause environmental degradation. In recent years, the imposition of such foreign economic models have also left a wake of misery, marginalization and dependency among our Peoples. Many of our communities have lost their freedom and self-determination. Thus, we call upon Indigenous Peoples of the continent to establish alliances with other sectors of society to rehabilitate our Indigenous Economies or work to create alternative economic models that are not based on continued resource exploitation, over consumption and ecological degradation.

We demand that national and international agencies establish a new relationship with Indigenous Peoples. Such a relationship must abolish paternalistic policies of the past and eliminate intermediary institutions while affording greater respect to the traditional governments of Indigenous Peoples. Additionally, we call upon the Nation-States to ratify Convention 169 of the ILO and the International Treaty of the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoplesof Latin America and the Caribbean. For governments that have already ratified such accords, we insist that they be fully enforced.

During the final months of 1993--The International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we herewith express our consternation and dismay with the pitiful response to this historic year on the part of the United Nations and its member States. At this late date, we, the Indigenous Peoples, can only conclude that a "New Partnership" will not be established and concrete benefits to help overcome the poverty and marginalization. among our Peoples will not be realized. Accordingly, we call upon the United Nations to establish the Decade for the Development of Indigenous Peoples. The purpose of the decade shall be to place issues of Indigenous self-development on the international agenda.

As Indigenous Peoples, we are confident that our societies will again prosper and flourish. In this regard, we encourage other Indigenous Peoples to look to the example of the Kuna Peoples of Panama. Their experience teaches that sustainable development of an Indigenous territorial ecosystem is only possible when Native Peoples have complete autonomy within their territory. Clearly demarcated territories and a free and liberated Peoples with autonomous jurisdictional control are key prerequisites for harmonious, sustainable development that affirms our cultural and spiritual identities.

ROUNDTABLE SESSION THREE

Self-determination, Legislation, and Indigenous Rights

We are now fully aware that our definitive liberation can only be expressed by means of 
the full exercise of our self-determination--without indigenous self-government and 
without control of our own territories, autonomy cannot exist.
-Quote from First Encounter, Quito, Ecuador-1990

Indigenous Peoples attending the Second Continental Encounter recognize and are grateful for the many significant strides that Original Nations have attained in the areas of legal protection and self-determination. However, we lament that in the reality of daily life, the observance of our basic human and aboriginal rights have been progressively deteriorating and our territories and autonomy continues to be intruded upon. The new challenges and strategies prompted by such circumstances was the focus of this roundtable session.

Over the past three years, we have witnessed increased intrusion into and plunder of our territories and natural resources, escalating violence against our Peoples, and the continued violation of laws enacted to protect Indigenous Peoples. It is clear that Indigenous Peoples must implement strategies resulting in the development and/or enactment of laws, covenants and other legal instruments at the continental and international level to protect the autonomy of indigenous nations. Accordingly, we resolve the following:

Participants of the Second Encounter ratify the resolutions of the First Continental Encuentro of Indigenous Peoples passed in Quito, Ecuador, and recognize them as being as applicable today as at the time of their original enactment.

1 . As the Original Peoples of this continent, we demand that all national and international documents and legal instruments, particularly those developed and/or enacted by the United Nations, recognize and refer to us as Peoples, not as populations.

2. We demand that the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as articulated at the 10th Meeting of the United Nations' Working Group on Indigenous Peoples, be ratified by the UN without revision or amendments.

3. We demand that the Organization of American States (OAS) and countries of this continent immediately dismantle the Interamerican Indigenist Institute, and, with consultation of Indigenous Peoples, develop and ratify an Interamerican legal instrument that provides the recognition of Indigenous Rights and autonomy.

4. We demand that the laws of the countries of this hemisphere and international law, fully recognize and honor our legal jurisdiction over our territories and peoples. Many countries continue to encroach into indigenous territories, ven though many of the countries of having entered into or enacted laws forbidding such encroachment. In response, we denounce the practice of "juridical integrationism" and hereby assert our sovereign authority as aboriginal nations to legislate and enforce Indigenous Laws within our territories.

We unanimously conclude that CONIC develop support and undergo the required administrative procedures necessary to gain full recognition as members of full-standing by the United Nations as Indigenous Peoples and nations. We further urge that this effort be completed and presented to the United Nations in 1998 during the celebration of their 50th anniversary.

As First Peoples, we are well aware that there continues to exist certain "de facto autonomies in Panama for example, where Indigenous Tribal groups of Peoples have reassumed the power of self-government. Autonomy is a fundamental aspect of Indigenous rights which has been kept out of our grasp for centuries. To date the international community, especially the United Nations, has failed to recognize the autonomy of Indigenous Peoples.

For instance, Covenant 169 of the International Labor Organization and the treaty of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean have yet to be ratified by some Nation-states. And, for countries that adopted the aforementioned documents, the rights established therein are often disregarded. Additionally, Mexico failed to consult with Indigenous Organizations and Peoples even though they are required to do so according to the 4th Article of the Mexican Constitution. In fact, violations of existing laws, abatement of human rights and outright violent supression of Indigenous Peoples continues to this very day.

The voracious appetites of the modern governments for natural resources has resulted in irreparable damage to lands upon which the Western Hemisphere's Indigenous Peoples must subsist and to which they hold a sacred bond. The United States government and the free-lance brokers of industrial and agricultural toxic wastes are actively seeking contracts with unsuspecting, economically depressed tribal communitie. Acts of violence against Indigenous Peoples have sky-rocketed. Recently a group of gold miners in Brazil murdered and mutilated 73 Yanomami People within the Yanomami ancestral territories. Sadly, the lack of response and unwillingness to protect the rights and lives of the Yanomami reflects the attitude of the majority of governments in the Western Hemisphere towards their Indigenous Populations.

CONIC members demand that the United Nations recognize our existence, human rights and rights as sovereign Peoples. As sovereign Peoples, further, we demand full-membership within the United Nations.

Ultimately, the members of the Commission of Indigenous Nations and Organizations embark into the future with confidence of our continued survival and with conviction to lead our lives as Indigenous Peoples. We urge that the United Nations designate the next 10 year period (1994-2004) the DECADE OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS. In turn, CONIC members commit to actively develop and implement the goals and objectives to frame and actualize our future self-determination.

The struggle to develop and enact international instruments recognizing and protecting the sovereign rights of Indigenous Peoples has been significant. At the roundtable participants urged again the immediate enactment and implementation of the terms and conditions of both the International Labor Organization's (ILO) Covenant 169 and the International Treaty of the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean. The current draft of Covenant 169 contains language proclaiming the rights of Inidgenous Peoples as "distinct" peoples. The member-governments of the United Nations, and especially governments of the Western Hemisphere have consistently challenged any language recognizing the distinction of Indigenous Peoples. This recognition is vital to our pursuits of self-determination.

Towards our goal of autonomy, we recognize that certain advances have occured. A majority of the countries of the Hemisphere have acknowledged the rights of Indigenous Peoples withing their constitutions. However, the very same governments have failed to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples within their judicial systems. Also, a majority of the national governments have refused to ratify the above international treaties which will protect the lives and territories of Indigenous Peoples. There are many examples of national governments violating the national and international agreements which protect the rights and territories of Indigenous Peoples. As example, Mexico signed the agreement, but has since violated it.

An inter-American legal instrument to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples has been proposed by the Organization of American States-OAS. CONIC demands that the OAS and the national governments of the region guarantee the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in the development and implementation of this document. The logical first step towards creating a new protective document is the dissolution of the unilateral Inter-american Indigenist Institute, a creation of the OAS. In its place we recommend a bilateral organization comprised of representatives of the national governments and representatives of the many Indigenous Nations.

We recognize the importance of such legal changes. We know that such changes are the result of on-going efforts by Indigenous Groups at the the local, regional, national, continental, and global levels, demanding that national governments amend their constitutions, and support international treaties. We also recognize that historically the national governments tend to decide arbitrarily and unilaterally to infringe and curtail the rights of Indigenous Peoples. As such, we support and encourage continued efforts by Indigenous People of the Hemisphere to actively promote initiatives recognizing the indigenous and aboriginal rights to assure the well-being of their people and the integrity of their cultures.

One of our greatest challenges is created when national governments invoke legal interpretations and philosophies which ultimately accept that we are a distinct peoples but are not allowed to govern ourselves according the Indigenous Laws. The concept of legal relativism, prevalent throughout the Hemisphere, at first recognizes Indignenous Rights, but denies legal jurisdiction within Indigenous Lands to the local Indigenous Populations. It is our belief that such inequities must be addressed and resolved.

We must begin valuing, reclaiming and practicing our traditions from this very day, including exercising our right to live according to traditional indigenous laws. This is especially important when considering the impacts on the land by western development and western legal practices. The struggle of the Original Peoples of Kuna Yala (in Panama) is good proof of effective Indigenous Self-government. Autonomous self-government must be developed in every region of the Western Hemisphere. Autonomy is a fundamental aspect of Indigenous Rights. It is essential that we begin practicing it immediately. Furthermore, each Indigenous Group, and each Indigenous Nation must assert its own autonomy according to the age-old traditions of its culture and philosophy. Towards this end we consider it of vital importance that CONIC commit to organizing an intercontinental convention of indigenous representatives to begin discussing the future building of autonomy within Indigenous Nations throughout the hemisphere.

ROUNDTABLE SESSION FOUR

Women, Family and Community

There was a sense of joy at being present at this Encounter and discovering the strength of 'women who pass on to their daughters the messages of their grandmothers.' We need to continue as the conservers, preservers and diffusers of our culture.

From remote times, our Peoples established the family as the basic unit of social organization. The roles of men and women, youth and elders were different in function, but equal in importance. Historically, women have carried a great burden of responsibility in our communities. The continuity of our culture depends on the strength and conviction of indigenous women who educate their sons and daughters in traditions and customs.

The world view of Indigenous Women is a holistic one, one that does not divide and separate. Indigenous Women know the pain of being mothers, often single mothers, whose children may become alienated. Even recognizing the real inequality and social mistreatment of women, many of whom are illiterate and malnourished, Indigenous Women still look for harmony with men, not confrontation.

As Indigenous Women we must recover the secrets of our ancestral wisdom, valuing ourselves spiritually, morally and materially. With spirituality as our strength, and utilizing the experience and wisdom of our elders, the participants of this roundtable concluded that Indigenous Women need to work in creative ways to generate options for a better life. We insist that funds be channeled specifically for the purpose of strengthening indigenous families during 1994, designated by the United Nations as the "Year of the Family." And furthermore:

1 . Women see that solutions to problems in the culture and community begin with the family. We need to build closer relationships with our children, instilling in them a sense of pride in being Indian. Pride in their culture will help to counter the tendency of our youth toward alienation from their own people. In recent years more Indigenous Youth are leaving home because of conditions of poverty and lack of opportunity.

2. Focusing on the complementary nature of men and women within the community with our tolerance and intelligence we can attempt to change the sexist attitudes of men. We cannot overlook the mistreatment that men continue to extend to women. We are all daughters of the Sun and of the Earth Mother.

3. Serving important leadership roles in our communities, as well as being mothers, counselors and community members, women are the principal force behind the conservation, preservation and diffusion of our culture. We must seek support for teaching the community to read and write in our own languages, and educating our children within the family in our own culture and mother tongue. We must encourage our sisters to recover our original dress and wear it with pride.

4. Indigenous women of CONIC resolve to develop our political awareness, translating that to concrete actions. For instance, in the economic realm, we must help women working in traditional crafts to develop markets, training them to protect their rights, so they will not need intermediaries to advocate for them. We need to promote women's organizations, in coordination with family and community, as well as to communicate with native women of other Original Peoples in order to exchange valuable experiences.

ROUNDTABLE SESSION FIVE

Education, Culture and Youth

Indigenous youth are concerned about the problems of 
our communities ... with every plunder, and every loss of land a young person is 
denied a future, a child will grow up without living in their own community or within their own culture.

According to recent demographic data, children and young people comprise the highest percentage of the total indigneous population in North, Central and South Americas. Indigenous youth, however, are often deprived of a childhood. Within the harsh reality of poverty and powerlessness that so many our native communities must struggle to survive, our children assume responsibilities of adulthood very early. Education is often forsaken when survival of families requires that all must work, even the children. Very early on youth become aware of the problems facing their communities. Accordingly, as indigenous youth, we are concerned less with youth-related issues and are more concerned with the problems facing our communities and our Peoples as a whole.

Indigenous Peoples are faced with the great challenge of responding positively to the restlessness of our young people. We understand that the survival of our families and communities is dependent on cultivating within our youth a firm sense of their cultural identity. Therefore, all projects initiated for Indigenous youth must be developed within the framework of our cultures. Additionally, we realize that the problems confronting indigenous youth are directly related to the larger struggles of basic human rights, recovery of territory, and autonomous development. Thus, the solutions faced by our youth are integral to the solutions needed to resolve the problems confronting Indigenous Peoples as a whole.

The attacks on our cultural values via the schools and the mass media have created a conflicted sense of identity and a tendency toward alienation among Indigenous youth. Ancestral principals are taught in the home. Non-indigenous values are learned in school. Cultural values are ignored in the schools or dismissed in favor of more European based educational models. We now find that internal conflicts between traditional and non-traditional systems of belief and values is disrupting and in some cases disintegrating age old traditional cultures throughout the Hemisphere.
In response to our concerns the following positions were reached:

1 . We understand that the cultural identity of our children must be established at home. It must be strengthened and reinforced in school. It is necessary to establish education systems and institutions which actively integrate the philosophy and world view of our peoples. Additionally, such educational systems must include curriculum that teaches our own history and features heroes and leaders of our Peoples.

2. We demand that nation-states establish education programs designed to professionally train Indigenous Peoples as educators. Furthermore, scholarships must become available for Indigenous students at all levels of education.

4. We demand that art and cultural centers be established to support and recover the cultural values of our Peoples. Additionally, we urge that resources be provided to enable our elders to conduct seminars and workshops for our youth, thereby ensuring the continuity of our ancient cultures.

RESOLUTIONS

The participants of the Second Meeting (11 Encuentro) of Indigneous Nations and Organizations, in a plenary session with over 300 individuals present, adopt the following resolutions.

1 . Protests towards the government for not enforcing the Covenants and International Treaties which it has signed, such as Covenant 169 of the ILO and the Treaty of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.

2. Categorical rejections of the reforms of the 27th article of the Mexican Constitution. These reforms open the door to the plunder of Indigenous territories and are in violation of Covenant 169, articles 13 to 19, regarding territorial rights.

4. CONIC salutes the efforts towards unity among the Mexican Indigenous Organizations that have consolidated themselves here at this 11 Encounter. Additionally, CONIC hopes that through such consolidation that their struggles to implement Indigenous Rights in Mexico will be strengthened.

For the purpose of promoting harmonious sustainable development based on community values, we, the Indigenous People of the Second Continental Encounter, strongly denounce and oppose the North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement On Trade and Tariffs (GATT) for the following reasons:

1. It will have an adverse effect on Nature.
2. it will allow exploitation of the indigenous work force.
3. It will violate the indigenous intellectual property rights with respect to medicinal flora and fauna.
4. It will adversely effect efforts of Indigenous Peoples to build self-determination and indigenous rights.
5. It favors large multi-national agri-business over small-scale agriculture.
6. As written the North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement On Trade and Tariffs (GATT) can be construed to allow the development and exploitation of a child labor force.

CONIC resolves, strongly denounces and opposes the Human Genome Diversity Project and further demands that the project immediately cease and desist in its efforts to collect human genes from Indigenous Peoples.

Source: The Temoaya Declaration--1993.  A Report of the Second Continental Meeting of Indigenous Nations and Organizations.  The Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent. Temoaya, Mex. Oct. 13, 1993.