Indigenous affairs meeting ends with pact on pushing state programmes

Tomado de Sunday stabrok de 28 de September 2008

The first three-day Regional Meeting of Government Authorities on Indigenous Affairs of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) concluded on Friday with a multilateral agreement that includes the acceleration of state programmes to address indigenous issues.
The meeting considered public policies relating to indigenous people in order to identify priorities to be addressed for the 1.5 million indigenous people living in the Basin, including 420 different tribes living in isolation and initial contact. The agenda will be released in detail tomorrow.
According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai reported that the deliberations were very harmonious and reached a consensus. “In relation to land and territories, a renewed commitment was made and I am sure that the delegates have actually been exposed to the experiences of all the other countries, including Guyana which has made very significant success in addressing Amerindian lands in our country,” Sukhai was quoted as saying. She was speaking at a post-meeting session at the International Convention Centre on Friday night. Also present at the session were delegates from other ACTO member states Suriname, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.
GINA said the meeting also examined the status of efforts to address indigenous issues in each participating country and a commitment was given to move forward in hastening that process.
The meeting was facilitated by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several state agencies, including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission and the Guyana Forestry Commission, whose representatives made up the Guyana delegation.
ACTO is an international organization that promotes sustainable development of the Amazon Basin. It was created by the signatories to the 1978 Amazon Cooperation Treaty for the promotion of harmonious development of the Basin. In addition to delegates from member states participation also came from the Amazonian Parliament (PARLAMAZ), the Coordinating Body for the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA) and the Associacion De Universidades Amazonicas (UNAMAZ).

Nota del Editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500 Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo, conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra del 17 de febrero de 1966.