Huicholes form alliance to fight mining on sacred land

Huicholes form alliance to fight mining
on sacred land
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Photo Copyright Robert Free..
CANCUN, Mexico -- A Canadian mining company is threatening the most sacred place of the Huicholes, where sacred water is found and where prayers are said for the balance of the world.
The Huicholes, who call themselves Wixarika, make pilgrimages to their ceremonial place in the Sierra Madres across the Chihuahua desert to Leunar in Mexico, their sacred mountain where the sun first rose. A Canadian mining company, First Majestic Silver Corporation, plans to exploit and mine this area. The company is planning to use cyanide to mine the sacred region. This disastrous mining will destroy the ecosystem and the sacred places of the Wixarika.
The Franks Landing Indian Community in Washington State is spearheading a project to bring support to the Wixarika. Franks Landing Indian youths planned to meet with the Wixarika in Cancun, but were unable to secure passports.
Still, Robert Free Galvan of Seattle met with the Wixarika in Cancun, and new alliances were made with other Indigenous Peoples, including Sarah James, Gwich'in from Alaska, and Ofelia Rivas, O'odham from the US/Mexico border.
During an interview with Censored News in Cancun, Wixarika said that the balance of the world will be upset if the Wixarika do not continue their prayers here.
Wixarika said they have gone to their sacred place for a millennium to collect their sacred waters and sacred peyote for ceremonies. Mining will contaminate the water and the land there.
Wixarika said they came to the Cancun Climate Summit looking for alliances, urging people to write letters to the government of Mexico and put pressure on Mexico to halt this mining.
“What this comes down to is an extermination of the Wixarika people," a member of the Wixarika delegation said in a radio interview with Censored News.
Calling for the First Majestic Silver Corporation from Canada to halt the mining plans, Wixarika said their ancestors have told them that they must continue to preserve their sacred sites in order to survive.
The Wixarika sent this message to Canada: "We know that Canadians take care of their natural resources, and we would ask them to allow us to take care of our natural resources."
The issue is of urgent importance.
“We are praying for the equilibrium of the balance of the planet.”
Wixarika said their prayers in this sacred place are essential to keeping the world in balance.
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Listen to this interview at Censored News Blogtalk Radio:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/brenda-norrell/2010/12/06/huicholes-fight-mining-sacred-land
Read more:
Indigenous Wixarika People Demand a Moratorium on Mining in Mexico.
The Indigenous Wixarika People have issued a statement demanding the cancellation of 22 mining concessions and a moratorium on any future exploration or extraction activities in the Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The Vancouver-based company First Majestic Silver purchased the concessions from another Canadian company in 2009, giving First Majestic mineral rights within the Real de Catorce, a semi-arid desert that includes what critics describe as “one of the most important sites of indigenous prayer in Mexico, and possibly the world.”
The Wixarika, who are also known as the Huichol, would agree with that assessment. They explain that, “Since time immemorial, [we] have made the pilgrimage to the sacred land of the Wirikuta, re-creating the long journey that our ancestors made during the creation of the world to arrive at the place where the sun was born in the semi-desert area of the Real de Catorce.”
“Our prayer in Wirikuta is that all and every living being on this planet maintains life, and that our ancient Wixárika culture is maintained and does not disappear, in order that the key elements of knowledge and the candles of life that give meaning to our identity as Wixárika People are renewed.”
Read more ... http://ewwaunel.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/indigenous-wixarika-people-demand-a-moratorium-on-mining-in-mexico
DECLARATION: In Defense of the WirikutaVersion en Español
DECLARATION IN DEFENSE OF THE WIRIKUTA.
Issued by the Wikárika People from the three states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango represented by the community -- San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and its annexed community of Tutsipa - of the municipalities of Mezquitic and Bolaños Jalisco; Tuapurie - Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán municipalities of Mezquitic, Tatei Kie - San Andrés Cohamiata municipality of Mezquitic, Jalisco Jalisco; Uweni Muyewe - Bancos de San Hipólita municipality of Mezquital, Durango and the Wixárika Union from the States of Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango.

RECOGNIZING that the Wixárika People since time immemorial have made the pilgrimage to the sacred land of the Wirikuta, recreating the long journey that our ancestors made during the creation of the world to arrive at the place where the sun was born in the semi-desert area of the Real de Catorce.

CONSIDERING that our prayer in Wirikuta is that all and every living being on this planet maintains life, and that our ancient Wixárika culture is maintained and does not disappear, in order that the key elements of knowledge and the candles of life that give meaning to our identity as Wixárika People are renewed.

ANALYZING the fact that the North American Free Trade Agreement and regulatory laws that have been derived in order to favor the operation of this neoliberal agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada, have only accomplished the deepening of the war of extermination against our native peoples, by way of legal statutes such as the Mining Law that has lead to the situation in which our sacred land in the Real de Catorce Desert is now is the object of 22 concessions granted by the transnational First Majestic Silver Mining Company based in Canada, which makes a total of 6,326 hectares of that has been conceded which include our sacred land.

OBSERVING that the sacred springs where we collect our blessed water are found within the basins of the silver veins to be exploited, running an eminent risk of cyanide poisoning and the drying up of large quantities of water that would be used by the mining industry, in other words the water supply, in agreement with the National Water Commission, will find itself in a level of overexploitation and the capacity for recuperating the water is very low.

CONSIDERING that the damage will irreversibly affect 16 population centers that are found inside the concession area belonging to 6 Ejidos in the zone, as well as numerous localities in low-lying areas that will suffer the negative effects imposed on the water sources (drying up and contamination), such as is the case of El Mastranto, San José de Milpitas, Estación Catorce, Santa Cruz de Carretas, Los Catorce, Las Relaciones, El Barranco, El Garabato, Vigas de Coronado, San Juan de Matanzas, among others, making a total of approximately 3500 people who would be affected. .

EVALUATING that the mining project of First Majestic Silver violates the rights that we have as a recognized people in the 169 Convention of the OIT; and violates the rights established by the Program for the Management of the Wirikuta Nature Preserve, that encompasses almost 70% of the mining concessions and that the Wixárika form part of the Administration Council; and fails to adhere to the laws established by the General Law for the Prevention and Handling of Dangerous Waste; does not respect the statutes of the General Law for Ecological Balance and Protection of the Environment; and the Environmental Law of the State of San Luis Potosí; the Law for Consulting with Native Peoples of the State of San Luis Potosí; as well as an important number of applicable Official Mexican Regulations.

REACHING A CONSENSUS on a generalized position by the Wixárika by way of analyzing the problem during the General Regular Assembly of the Community of San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and its annex of Tuxpan of the municipalities of Mezquitic and Bolaños carried out on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th of the present year; The Extraordinary Assembly of Bancos de San Hipólito Mezquital, Durango which took place on September 4th and 5th of the current year; the Elders Council Meetings of the community of Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán which took place on September 5th in the locality of Las Latas and on September 11th and 12th of the year 2010, carried out in the locality of Pueblo Nuevo1; Meeting of the Interstate Union of Ceremony Centers which took place in the community of Uweni Muyewe on September 11th and 12th of the present year; In the First Forum for Dialogue about Mining in Wirikuta with the network in defense of Wirikuta Tamatsima wa'há carried out in Real de Catorce on September 18th of the present year; The Meeting to ensure the respect of the PACTO DE HAUXA MANAKÁ carried out today at the municipal headquarters of Mezquitic, Jalisco.

WE DECLARE THE FOLLOWING.

We manifest our profound rejection of the mining project of the transnational company First Majestic Silver in the Real de Catorce desert, given that our sacred sites are an invaluable patrimony and of incalculable value to us, our children, grandchildren and all of the descendents of the Wixárika.

We demand the immediate cancellation of the 22 mining concessions currently held by the transnational and the application of an immediate moratorium so that no new permission is given for the exploitation or exploration in the Real de Catorce Desert or in any location that circumvents our sacred sites.

We communicate our profound preoccupation for the inhabitants of Wirikuta concerning the contamination and drying up of their drinking water, the increase in repertory and gastronomical illnesses and even cancer given the poisons used in mining and the effects of chemical residues, we invite them to inform and organize themselves so that they will not have to accept the unlawful imposition that will bring about the destruction of their land that was left for them by their grandparents and that they will leave for their children.

We demand that the country of Mexico immediately implement effective strategies that bring a better quality of life to the inhabitants of Wirikuta, that the be proposals be in harmony with the environment, and not destructive as is mining in which the humble laborers are put between a rock and a hard place by offering them work in exchange for the destruction of their patrimony.

We respectfully ask the municipal authorities of the H. City Government of Real de Catorce not to expedite any municipal permits for the construction or the use of land, as the General Secretary of the H. City Government in Real de Catorce drew attention to during the forum for dialogue which took place on September 18th in Real de Catorce, the Wixárika People and an important number of municipal people that no not want the mine.

We clarify that we will use all the resources necessary to stop this devastating mining project, making use of national and international legal resources that are in our favor as well as non-violent actions of civil protest that are necessary.

SINCERLY

"For the Comprehensive Meeting of the Demands of our Communities of the Wixárika People."

Given at the Municipal Headquarters of Mezquitic, Jalisco

On September 23, 2010
Traditional and Agrarian Authorities of the Wixárika People

On behalf of the indigenous community of San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and its annex Tuxpan of the municipalities of Mezquitic and Bolaños, Jalisco.

Santiago López Díaz
Traditional Governor of the Waut+a

Mauricio Hernández Castañeda
Traditional Governor of Tutsipa

Ramón González López
President of the Office of the Commisioner

José Ángel Díaz Serio
President of the Security Council

On behalf of the Indigenous community of Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán, municipality of Mezquitic, Jalisco.

Jaime Carillo Carrillo
Traditional Governor

Juan Ávila De la Cruz
President of the Office of the Commisioner

On behalf of the Indigenous community of Bancos de San Hipólito municipality of Mezquital, Durango.

Santos De la Cruz Carrillo
President of the Office of the Commisioner

On behalf of the Indigenous community of San Andrés Cohamiata municipality of Mezquitic, Jalisco.

Mauricio Montellano De la Cruz
Traditional Governor

On behalf of the Wixárika Union of Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango.

Eleuterio De la Cruz Ramírez
Union President

Jaime Carrillo López
President of the Security Council

Witnesses

Ramón Bañuelos Bonilla
Municipal President of Mezquitic, Jal.

Fredy Medina Sánchez
Municipal President of Huejuquilla, el Alto Jal.

Ing. Guadalupe Flores Flores
State Delegate of the CDI Jalisco and Colima.
José de Jesús Navarro Cárdenas
Inspector of the CEDHJ

Tirzo Navarrete Rodríguez
Director of the CCDI Mezquitic

Roberto López López
Regional Coordinator of the CEI.

http://noticiasyurata.blogspot.com/2010/10/en-defensa-de-wirikuta.html

En defensa de Wirikuta

English Version

PRONUNCIAMIENTO EN DEFENSA DE WIRIKUTA.

Que emite el Pueblo Wixárika de los tres Estados Jalisco, Nayarit y Durango representado por las comunidades de Waut+a - San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán y su anexo Tutsipa - de los municipios de Mezquitic y Bolaños Jalisco; Tuapurie - Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán municipio de Mezquitic, Tatei Kie - San Andrés Cohamiata municipio de Mezquitic, Jalisco Jalisco; Uweni Muyewe - Bancos de San Hipólito municipio de Mezquital, Durango y la Unión Wixárika de los Estados de Jalisco, Nayarit y Durango.

RECORDANDO que el Pueblo Wixárika desde tiempos inmemoriales acude en peregrinación al lugar sagrado de Wirikuta, recreando una larga ruta que recorrieron nuestros antepasados durante la formación del mundo hasta el lugar donde nació el sol en el semi-desierto de Real de Catorce.

CONSIDERANDO que nuestro rezo en Wirikuta es para que la vida se mantenga para todos y todas los seres vivientes de este planeta, para que nuestra antigua cultura Wixárika se mantenga y no desaparezca, para que se renueven las claves del conocimiento y las velas de la vida que nos dan sentido a nuestra identidad Wixárika.

ANALIZANDO que el Tratado de Libre Comercio de America del Norte y las leyes reglamentarias que se han derivado para favorecer la operación de este neoliberal acuerdo entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá, no han hecho mas que agudizar la guerra de exterminio contra nuestros pueblos indígenas, a través de ordenamientos jurídicos como la Ley de Minería que ha llevado a que nuestros lugares sagrados en el desierto de Real de Catorce hoy sean objeto de 22 concesiones otorgadas a la trasnacional minera First Mejestic Silver de origen canadiense, sumando 6,326 hectáreas concesionadas abarcando nuestros lugares sagrados.

OBSERVANDO que los manantiales sagrados donde recolectamos aguas benditas se encuentra dentro de las cuencas de las venas de plata a explotarse, corriendo un inminente riesgo de contaminación por cianuro y desecamiento por las grandes cantidades de agua que usaría la industria minera, pues el acuífero, de acuerdo a la Comisión Nacional del Agua, se encuentra de por sí en un grado de sobreexplotación y la capacidad de recuperarse es muy baja.

CONSIDERANDO que el daño afectaría de manera irreversible a 16 centros de población que se encuentran dentro de la superficie concesionada pertenecientes a 6 Ejidos de la zona, así como numerosas localidades del bajío que sufrirían los efectos negativos sobre las fuentes de agua (desecamiento y contaminación), tal es el caso de El Mastranto, San José de Milpitas, Estación Catorce, Santa Cruz de Carretas, Los Catorce, Las Relaciones, El Barranco, El Garabato, Vigas de Coronado, San Juan de Matanzas, entre otras, sumando aproximadamente 3500 personas que resultarían afectadas.

EVALUANDO que el proyecto minero de First Majestic Silver viola los derechos que tenemos como pueblo reconocidos en el convenio 169 de la OIT; se viola lo establecido en el Programa de Manejo del Área Natural Protegida de Wirikuta, que abarca casi el 70% de la concesión minera y que el Pueblo Wixárika somos parte del consejo de Administración; se incumple lo establecido en la Ley General para la Prevención y Gestión integral de los Residuos Peligrosos; no se respetan las disposiciones de la Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y Protección al Ambiente; y la Ley Ambiental del Estado de San Luis Potosí; La Ley de Consulta a Pueblos Indígenas del estado de San Luis Potosí; así como una importante cantidad de Normas Oficiales Mexicanas aplicables.

CONSENSANDO la posición generalizada del pueblo Wixárika através del análisis de esta problemática durante La Asamblea General Ordinaria de la Comunidad de San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán y su anexo Tuxpan de los municipios de Mezquitic y Bolaños llevada acabo los días 3, 4 y 5 de Septiembre del presente año; La Asamblea Extraordinaria de Bancos de San Hipólito Mezquital, Durango llevada acabo los días 4 y 5 de Septiembre del año vigente; Las reuniones del consejo de ancianos de la comunidad de Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán llevadas acabo los días 5 de Septiembre en la localidad de Las Latas y 11 y 12 de Septiembre del año 2010, llevada acabo en la localidad de Pueblo Nuevo1; Reunión de la Unión Interestatal de Centros Ceremoniales llevado acabo en la comunidad de Uweni Muyewe los días 11 y 12 de Septiembre del presente año; En el Primer Foro de Diálogo sobre la Minería en Wirikuta con la red en defensa de Wirikuta Tamatsima wa'há llevado a cabo en Real de Catorce el día 18 de Septiembre del presente año; La Presente Reunión de Trabajo para el seguimiento al PACTO DE HAUXA MANAKÁ llevada acabo hoy en la cabecera municipal de Mezquitic, Jalisco.

DECLARAMOS LO SIGUIENTE.

1. Manifestamos nuestro profundo rechazo al proyecto minero de la trasnacional First Majestic Silver en el desierto de Real de Catorce, pues nuestros lugares sagrados son un patrimonio sin precio y de un valor incuantificable para nosotros, nuestros hijos nietos y toda la descendencia Wixárika.

1. Exigimos la cancelación inmediata de las 22 concesiones mineras en poder de la trasnacional y se fije una moratoria indefinida para que no se expidan nuevos permisos de explotación o exploración en el desierto de Real de Catorce ni en ningún lugar circunvecino a nuestros lugares sagrados.

1. Comunicamos nuestra fundada preocupación a los habitantes de Wirikuta sobre la contaminación y desecamiento del agua que beben, del incremento en las enfermedades respiratorias, gastrointestinales o incluso cáncer debido a los venenos usado en la minería y el efecto de sus residuos químicos, los invitamos a informarse y organizarse para que no tengan que aceptar esta imposición criminal que llevará a la destrucción de sus tierras de sus paisajes de lo que les dejaron sus abuelos y lo que les dejarán a sus hijos.

1. Exigimos al Estado Mexicano que de manera inmediata implemente estrategias efectivas que lleven a la mejora de vida de los habitantes de Wirikuta, que sean propuestas armónicas con el medio ambiente, y no propuestas tan destructivas como la de la mina en donde se pone a los campesinos humildes entre la espada y la pared ofreciéndoles un trabajo a cambio de la destrucción de su patrimonio.

1. Pedimos respetuosamente a las autoridades municipales del H. Ayuntamiento de Real de Catorce que no expida permisos municipales de construcción o de uso de suelo, pues como se dio cuenta la Secretaria General del H. Ayuntamiento que nos acompañó durante el foro de diálogo llevado acabo el 18 de Septiembre en Real de Catorce, la población Wixárika y un importante número de personas del municipio que no desean la mina.

1. Aclaramos que haremos uso de todos los recursos necesarios para detener este devastador proyecto minero, valiéndonos de recursos jurídicos nacionales e internacionales que están a nuestro favor así como acciones de resistencia civil y pacífica que sean necesarias.

ATENTAMENTE

"Por la Reivindicación Integral de Nuestras Comunidades del Pueblo Wixárika".

Dada en la Cabecera Municipal de Mezquitic, Jalisco

A 23 de Septiembre de 2010

Autoridades Tradicionales y Agrarias del Pueblo Wixárika

Por la comunidad indígena de San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán y su anexo Tuxpan de los municipio de Mezquitic y bolaños, Jalisco.

Santiago López Díaz
Gobernador Tradicional de Waut+a

Mauricio Hernández Castañeda
Gobernador Tradicional de Tutsipa

Ramón González López
Pte del Comisariado

José Ángel Díaz Serio
Pte del Consejo de Vigilancia

Por la comunidad Indígena de Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán, municipio de Mezquitic, Jalisco.

Jaime Carillo Carrillo
Gobernador Tradicional

Juan Ávila De la Cruz
Pte del Comisariado

Por la comunidad indígena de Bancos de San Hipólito municipio de Mezquital, Durango.

Santos De la Cruz Carrillo
Pte del Comisariado

Por la comunidad indígena de San Andrés Cohamiata municipio de Mezquitic, Jalisco.

Mauricio Montellano De la Cruz
Gobernador Tradicional

Por la Unión Wixárika de Jalisco, Nayarit y Durango.

Eleuterio De la Cruz Ramírez
Pte de la Unión

Jaime Carrillo López
Pte del Consejo de Vigilancia

Testigos de Honor

Ramón Bañuelos Bonilla
Pte Municipal de Mezquitic, Jal.

Fredy Medina Sánchez
Pte Municipal de Huejuquilla, el Alto Jal.

Ing. Guadalupe Flores Flores
Delegado Estatal de la CDI Jalisco y colima.

José de Jesús Navarro Cárdenas
Visitador de la CEDHJ

Tirzo Navarrete Rodríguez
Director de la CCDI Mezquitic

Roberto López López
Coordinador Regional de la CEI.