Stories about Indigenous from March, 2011
Taiwan: Nuclear Waste on Orchid Island
In 1974, the Taiwan Atomic Energy Council decided to store nuclear waste on Taiwan's Orchid Island, where the indigenous Tao people have lived for generations. More than twenty years have passed, the radioactive waste barrels have eroded with rust and it seems that no one is ready to take care of the problem.
Colombia: Indigenous Communities Protect their Food Security
Indigenous communities in Colombia are taking steps to protect their food security. Not only are they educating their communities to eat what they grow on their vegetable gardens instead of buying expensive food brought from outside but they are also protesting new laws and regulations limiting their access to milk.
Bolivia’s Conflicting Stance With the USA on Coca Chewing
The 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs ordered the elimination of chewing coca leaves within 25 years of the treaty going into effect. Bolivia has again resurfaced as a proponent to eliminate this UN ban. The US moved to block Bolivia’s request, further citing that an amendment to the article shows Bolivia’s lack of cooperation in the fight against the drug trade.
Paraguay: Photo Blog Reveals Dangers of Childbirth
Most Paraguayans are not aware of the high rates of death from childbirth and abortion in the country. These issues are rarely reported on mainstream media. This is why running into Rodrigo Alfaro’s photo blog post on death from childbirth in Paraguay is horrifying and shocking --even for a Paraguayan.
Bangladesh: Seeking Constitutional Recognition Of “Indigenous” Population
Bangladesh Watchdog reports that thousands of ethnic minorities in Bangladesh are demanding constitutional recognition of their existence as “indigenous” population.
Brazil: Criminalization of Guarani-Kaiowá Leaders
Israel Sassá comments [pt] on the criminalization process that is taking place against the leaders of the indigenous Guarani Kaiowa community in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. According to him, members of the community are accused because they have been camping along federal roads after illegal farmers have stolen their...
Paraguay: Netizens Discuss Indigenous Issues on Facebook
Netizens share information and discuss indigenous issues in a Facebook group called “Por una vida digna para los indígenas del Paraguay” [es] (For a dignified life for the indigenous people of Paraguay), as journalist Sofía Masi reports in Despierta…Paraguay [es]
Peru: The Peruvian Amazon
What does the Amazon mean to Peru and, in turn, Peru to it? Juan Arellano answers these questions with a brief historical summary of the Peruvian Amazon and a compilation of what some bloggers have written about the Amazon region in Peru.
Taiwan: Social Media Makes Indigenous Voices Loud and Clear
Stories about the Taiwanese indigenous population's struggle for identity, sustainability and dignity are missing from the country's public sphere, as a result of relative social and political domination by the majority Han Chinese population. Now, thanks to social media, indigenous youth are making their voices heard and reconnecting with their traditions.
Panama: Spanish Journalist Deported
Spanish journalist Paco Gómez Nadal was deported after he was detained on February 26 during an indigenous protest against a law reforming Panama's Mineral Resources Code. In spite of the promise made by President Ricardo Martinelli to repeal the law that reforms the mining code, some Panamanians have not forgotten that the issue of the deported journalist remains unresolved.
Mexico: Subcomandante Marcos on President Calderon's “War from above”
On February 14, 2011, the website enlaceZapatista published "About the Wars: A Fragment of the First Letter from Subcomandante Marcos to Don Luis Villoro, beginning the correspondence about Ethics and Politics." The letter immediately started circulating on blogs and through links on Twitter.
