27 December 2004

THE RAIZAL PEOPLES’ UNWAVERING MARCH TOWARDS OBTAINING SELF-GOVERNANCE

By Dulph W. Mitchell

Once again on Wednesday, December 22, 2004, a Prayer March (in silence), in their struggle towards self-governance was carried out by the Raizal People (Recognized and denominated, for the first time, by the Colombian State as “Comunidades Raizales” in article 310 of its reformed Constitution of 1991 and determined by the Colombian Constitutional Court as an “... ethnic group formed by the descendants of the primitive settlers of the islands.” in its Sentence C-086 of 1994, and stated likewise in its Sentence C-052 of 1999, “The Court admitted that the natural territory of the native community of the archipelago are constituted by the islands, cays and islets that are located within said territorial area.”

The Archipelago of San Andres, Providence and Kathleena, ancestral territory, heritage and habitat of the Raizal People who were enslaved and brought here some 400 years ago, is located one hundred ten miles east of the Nicaraguan Coast and three hundred miles northwest of the Colombian mainland, which territory was determined and declared by Royal Order of Carlos IV, Spanish King, in November 1803, on a request made to him by the inhabitants, as, “...the islands of San Andres and that portion of the Mosquittia Coast as from the Cabo Gracias a Dios, inclusively, up till the Chagres River…” that since then, Colombia has been gradually and happy-go-luckily ceding to neighboring countries, without consulting them or having their expressed agreement and consent.



Without any shadow of a doubt, from the many written papers in their possession, issued by the Colombian authorities on various occasions and relevant to their various and incessant claims for justice, the Raizal People are aware of the fact that the Colombian State already has a clear knowledge of their rights to self-governance based on ownership of territory, language, customs, religion, traditions, and that they should be specially protected because of their ethnic and territorial status, based not only on internal but also international legal instruments, however, the State refuses to admit this reality and is rather following an erroneous policy of out-dated sovereignty, as in the days of the conquistadores, which causes total disapproval, an increasing state of uncertainty that embodies an underground time-bomb that could most probably end up, sooner or later, in a violent volcanic-like eruption among the people of the Archipelago.


COLOMBIA: THE RAIZAL PEOPLE’S PRIORITY IS THAT WE DECIDE OUR OWN FUTURE, NOT YOU. STOP TAKING OUR ISLAND AS YOUR PRIVATE BACK YARD.

The Colombian State is well known internationally for not taking precautions when forewarned about the possibilities of sinister occurrences and only tries to solve serious problems after they have happened. In this their last March of 2004, the Raizal People, this time some 1500 plus: men, women, youth, children and older folks in buses, took to the streets again to show their determination in their struggle for self-governance. They wish to let the Colombian State know that its processes of dealing with them is obviously erroneous, because the matter concerns serious threats to their safe enjoyment of their human rights, including threats to their cultural survival and physical well-being as a people.


The Raizal People praying outside the local Government’s Office Building

The Raizal People have the right to the legal recognition of their varied and specific forms and modalities of their control, ownership, use and enjoyment of territories and property.

The Raizal People have the right to the recognition of their property and ownership rights with respect to lands, territories and resources they have historically occupied, as well as to the use of those to which they have historically had access for their traditional activities and livelihood. (Proposed American Declaration).



The building of an undesired and very very expensive Pedestrian Walkway, the buying by foreigners of all the lands in the area of this already infamous Walkway apparently imposed by the personal interest of President Alvaro Uribe, when there are: no hospital, complete lack of many other priority services, also a Development Plan, not approved by the people, but based on decisions taken without any consult, direct participation and expressed approval and consent of the Raizal People, when article 330 of the Constitution and Decree 1320 of 1998, guarantees this. Moreover, the daily uncontrolled mainlander immigration increase which does not help to solve the serious overpopulation problem, is far from showing in any way the willingness of the Colombian State to focus its planning in the area of the Archipelago to establish territorial spaces within the administrative structure that will be beneficial to the harmonious territorial development of the Raizal People. Finally, we wish to remind the Colombian State that there are internal and international instruments and actions to protect the land, and fundamental rights of the Raizal People who have declared that they are going to continue praying, protesting, and marching until their rights are recognized and some acceptable agreement between both parties is finally accomplished.

Report on the March of Raizal Natives of San Andres on 19 November 2004

On Friday, November 19, the Raizal People marched the streets of San Andres Island, the capital of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providence and Kathleena. It was a Prayer-Walk, accompanied by slogans of protest related to respect toward their human rights, and specially concerning their rights to Self-determination. Claims were made against the territorial displacement the native people of the Archipelago are suffering as a result of the unending neo-colonial policies of the Colombian State, involving overpopulation, corruption, persecution, genocide, cultural assimilation, etc.

The march was successful. For the long period the native people had not made a demonstration, it was pretty good. Since the year 2002, the time tear-gas was used upon them by the Colombian Forces, affecting old folks and children, at a Sunday Afternoon Outdoor Prayer Meeting, when they protested against the suspension of their Governor Dr. Ralph Newball, they had ceased from making demonstrations

There were some 1000+ people, even though they are accustomed to have demonstrations with thousands of people participating. But the most interesting thing is certainly the standing commitment of all those who were present: men, women, youth and children.

The best of all is that, there were, at least one foreign "journalist" present. Some foreign tourists (Canadians, etc.) also joined in to ask questions and to learn more about the “existence” of the Native People of the Archipelago, and the problems they are facing by the illtreatments imposed upon them by the Colombian State. Some of them accompanied the demonstration while filming and taking photos.

There were lots of Colombian Police and Security Force (DAS) filming the Prayer Walk. It is seen that they have nothing else to do on these islands. And it is most certain that they will harass the foreigners that took photos and filmed the event, whenever they arrive at the airport on their departure.

Pastor Raymond Howard, Vice-president of AMEN-SD, was in the front line leading the crowd as it marched from the Mount Zion Baptist Church (Perry Hill) through the streets of the section of North End, in front of the many commercial stores and hotels, in front of the governmental offices, offices of justice, police station, etc. He walked around with a large walking stick, as Moses did. He was accompanied by his son, by Jairo Rodriguez, Eduardo Peterson and others. He showed faith, he showed determination, and he showed a firm belief in what he was doing. Then came near behind in a next row following, was Pastor Alberto Gordon, President of AMEN-SD, then Pastor German McNish, Professor Oakley Forbes, Professor Dulph Mitchell, Mr. Luis McNish (SAISOL Foundation), Pastor Ullis O’Neill, Pastor Stimson Pomare, Pastor Enrique Rodriguez, the Pastor of the Christian Mission Church of North End, Job Saas (INFAUNAS Foundation), Juvencio Gallardo (KETNA), Harry McNish, Leno Duffis (Hill Farmers), capitan Olige Mitchell, and a lot of other people.

The demonstration was carried out in a peaceful manner. During the walk, they stopped at four different locations to pray. There were shouts of many slogans of protest and plea for justice, and for self-determination.

There were lots of elders, some walking, and others riding in the many buses that were provided for their transport that followed right behind the crowd. Amongst the crowd, you could distinguish Mr. Rozentan “Jim” Williams Stephens, an 86 year old man, who decided to state his voice of protest, that the young generation of the Raizal People may have a dignified life and may recover the lands and the territory of which the community was dispossessed and displaced by the Colombian State. There was also, Mr. Bristol “Little man” Pomare Watson of 84 years, who could scarcely walk, due to arthritis, but he was determined to still try to show everyone on which side he was firmly standing.

The youth was also present at the march and so were the children and a host of women, who could not hide their despair as they prayed in favor of the struggle which should help to guarantee a better future for their children.

The farmers and seamen were there also. Mr. Felix Mitchell Jr., Carlos Pusey and Bill Francis were aboard a pick-up with loud-speakers, and led the crowd in the shouting and “singing” of slogans and hymns of praise. The demonstration ended with a concentration of the crowd, in front of the Coral Palace (Local Government Offices) where many prayers were uttered. They finally ended with the collection of an offering to help sponsor Mr. Peter Bent’s radio program, “Clear Talks” The only radio program in English.

You could clearly distinguish the absence of fear on the faces of the people and the pride in themselves as they stood up publicly for their rights to SELF-DETERMINATION.

Finally, Pastor Raymond Howard, encouraged the crowd to bear in mind that the struggle has to continue and informed them about the many demonstrations that will have to be made. He invited all the Raizal people to get back "on the streets" to stand up for their rights to dignity and freedom, which can only be attained by the means of Self-Determination.

10 July 2004

Taino DNA Studies in Puerto Rico

Indigenous Puerto Rico: DNA evidence upsets established history, by Rick Kearns, reprinted with permission, from Indian Country Today, 06 October, 2003....

Posted: October 06, 2003 - 1:34pm EST
by: Rick Kearns / Correspondent / Indian Country Today

History is written by the conquerors. The Native peoples of North America know this all too well, as they are still trying to bring the truth to light. Now, their long-lost Caribbean cousins are beginning the same process.

It’s an uphill battle.

Most Puerto Ricans know, or think they know, their ethnic and racial history: a blending of Taino (Indian), Spanish and African. Students of the islands’ past have read the same account for over 300 years; that the Native people, and their societies, were killed off by the Spanish invaders by the 1600s. It was always noted though, how many of the original colonists married Taino women or had Taino concubines, producing the original mestizaje (mixture) that, when blended with African, would produce Puerto Ricans.

Those first unions, according to the conventional wisdom, explain why some Puerto Ricans have "a little bit" of Native heritage. Mainly we are Spanish, we are told, with a little African blood and far-away Taino ancestry.

But the order of that sequence will have to change.

Dr. Juan Martinez Cruzado, a geneticist from the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez who designed an island-wide DNA survey, has just released the final numbers and analysis of the project, and these results tell a different story.

According to the study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, 61 percent of all Puerto Ricans have Amerindian mitochondrial DNA, 27 percent have African and 12 percent Caucasian. (Nuclear DNA, or the genetic material present in a gene’s nucleus, is inherited in equal parts from one’s father and mother. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from one’s mother and does not change or blend with other materials over time.)

In other words a majority of Puerto Ricans have Native blood.

"Our study showed there was assimilation," Martinez Cruzado explained, "but the people were not extinguished. Their political and social structure was but the genes were not.

"The people were assimilated into a new colonial order and became mixed … but that’s what Puerto Ricans are: Indians mixed with Africans and Spaniards," he asserted.

"There has been an under-estimation of the Amerindian heritage of Puerto Rico, much larger than most historians will admit," he said.

Martinez Cruzado cited the historical descriptions of life in Puerto Rico during the 17th and 18th centuries as an example.

"These accounts describe many aspects that are totally derived from Taino modus vivendi, not just the hammocks but the way they fished, their methods of farming, etc.," he related. "It is clear that the influence of Taino culture was very strong up to about 200 years ago. If we could conduct this same study on the Puerto Ricans from those times, the figure would show that 80 percent of the people had Indian heritage."

Another historical moment that should receive more attention involves the story of a group of Tainos who, after 200 years of absence from official head-counts, appeared in a military census from the 1790s. In this episode, a colonial military census noted that all of a sudden there were 2,000 Indians living in a northwestern mountain region. "These were Indians who the Spanish had placed on the tiny island of Mona (just off the western coast of Puerto Rico) who survived in isolation and then were brought over," Martinez Cruzado said. "They became mixed but there were many Indians who survived but eventually mixed with the Africans and Spaniards. These Mona Tainos must have had a further influence as well".

Martinez Cruzado noted how many customs and history were handed down through oral tradition. To this day on the island, there are many people who use medicinal plants and farming methods that come directly from the Tainos.

This is especially true of the areas once known as Indieras, or Indian Zones.

He also pointed out that most of these Native traditions probably do come from the Tainos, the Native people who appeared on the island circa 700 AD. But there were other waves of migrations to Puerto Rico and the entire Caribbean area.

Through the extensive study of the Puerto Rican samples, Martinez Cruzado and his team have found connections between island residents and Native peoples who arrived before and after the Tainos. He pointed out how a few of the samples can be traced back 9,000 years from ancient migrations, while others correspond to the genetic makeup of Native peoples of the Yucatan, Hispaniola, Margarita Island and Brazil among others. These latter genetic trails point to the presence of other Native peoples who were probably brought to the island as slaves from other Spanish or Portuguese colonies after the 1600s.

While island scholars will have much work to do to catch up with these "new" facts, the genetic detective work for Martinez Cruzado is also far from finished. As word spread of the remarkable survey, other scholars from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela began to invite the Puerto Rican scientist to present his findings. They also want him to assist in similar projects in their respective countries.

"We started a very similar survey in the Dominican Republic last year," he stated. "And archaeologists from Venezuela and Cuba have invited me to do the same and I intend to go … I hope to have a proposal ready to collect samples in both of those countries and do a Caribbean-wide study. They already have evidence of migrations from both sides, north and south."

In the meantime, while Martinez Cruzado and his colleagues will focus on the history of Pre-Columbian migrations, people in the current Taino restoration movement (such as Nacion Taina, The Jatibonicu Taino Tribal Nation of Boriken, Taino Timucua Tribal Council, the United Confederation of Taino People, and others) are hoping that many of their compatriots reflect on the following quote: "The DNA story shows that the official story was wrong," Martinez Cruzado said. "This means a much larger Amerindian inheritance for Puerto Ricans."

And if some folks in the Dominican Republic and Cuba are right, the same will hold true for their histories.

Replies: 1 Comment

out of six siblings of my parents who have curly black or brown hair, hazel eyes,fair sikned w/ slight freckle. i was the only one to have taino features. bronze skin,stright black hair,deep dark eyes. They use to tease me and say that i was found,(smile). now they are jelous that i carry the blood and the features of our Tainos.

Emilio Ortiz said @ 08/31/2004 04:10 AM AT

30 March 2004

Los Cocos, Dominican Republic: Threats to an Indigenous Community

Cheryl Kolander of Mama D.O.C., Inc., has supplied the following alert and letters as a follow up to previous efforts to bring attention to the threatened dispossession of this community in the Dominican Republic...

LOS COCOS LIVING SCIENTIFIC PRESERVE - PROPOSAL 29-3-2004

The Los Cocos traditional living community is a small enclave of indigenous heritage people who live upon and within the coastal dune ecology of the central north coast of the island of Hispaniola.

This proposal is that both the dune ecology and the indigenous living community that is a part of it be preserved as a World Heritage Site, for future generations of the world, and for anthropological and scientific study.

The site is roughly 1.5 km from east to west, and aprox. 0.5 km from north to south. The north side is bounded by a rock strewn and often violent surf, a thin sand beach, a strip of costal dune woodland, grass pastures over sand dunes, and a mangrove swamp, ending with a small river. On the west is the lagoon of this river, half way to the east is the indigenous life style community of Los Cocos, and the far western end passes through private, equally undeveloped land, through to the river called Camu.

The ownership is claimed by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, who “bought” it from the sugar mill, which was also owned and run by the government at that time. Records do not go back further than the 1950’s, so there is no documentation on how the government’s sugar mill asserted title originally.

For over 50 years, a small part of this natural area has been settled by employees of the sugar mill and their families. According to oral tradition, they were given rights to live on the dunes by the overseer of the sugar mill in the late 1950’s. At that time the mill, by law, had to provide land for its workers to live on. The document that formalized this permission was created, but over time has been lost.

The people who live in Los Cocos now have almost all been born there and lived there all their lives, have had children and now grandchildren there. While they moved to the current location of Los Cocos because of the permission given to the family by the mill, their former location was within this same dune complex.

They live through a mix of hunting and gathering with some rudimentary agriculture. All the houses are traditional Carib-style bohios, constructed of local traditional materials, using traditional methods. They live without electricity, hot water, fancy clothing or extraneous possessions. They live as one large extended family, which they are. The traditional ways of knowledge remain strong and are being passed down to the upcoming generation. Of particular importance to the rest of the world is the incredible body of traditional medical knowledge based on the often unique local plants of this dune ecology.

In addition to the last remaining traditional living people in this ecology, there are numbers of rare birds that have survived in this costal zone. In particular is the Guaco, which is a type of green-backed heron. It eats only land crabs, and is considered by the locals to be endangered. “Mama D.O.C.” is happy to report that sightings and nesting has increased in the last two years, since we convinced the people not to capture and eat them anymore.

Besides the dune ecology, which is nowhere protected along the north coast, the natural area contains many acres of mangrove swamp. This is host to may other indigenous birds, amphibians and butterflies. Adjacent to the mangroves are lowlands that fill with water when rains are strong. Waterbirds then flock to these shallow wetlands.

The sea off-shore is strewn with coral reefs, some old and some still living. The black spined endangered sea urchin multiplies on these reefs. While a rare occurrence, turtles still pull up on the beach to nest. Conch and lobster can be found on the outlying reefs.

On behalf of the conscious and caring world community, this petition is being circulated. The community of Los Cocos has only been uncovered as an anthropological wonder and an ecological heritage since 1999. The study of the traditional lifestyle of the inhabitants has only just begun. The cataloging of the rare and endangered elements of the increasingly rare dune ecology has yet to be accomplished.

Please pass this information on to whomever you know interested in the fabled peaceful and ecological lifestyle of the Carib native (supposed to be extinct), and any organization interested in the preservation of endangered cultures, birds, plants and animals.

This is the last of its kind. It needs and deserves to be preserved.

Proposal prepared by Cheryl Kolander for “Mama D.O.C.” Inc., non-profit for Natural Health, USA. http://www.mamadoc.org/
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MELSEDITA AND HER DAUGHTER

Melsedita lives at Los Cocos. Her chosa is part of the complex headed by her mother Maria. Her sister Melida lives next door; while father Enrique lives nearby, but a bit apart, with his friend Mario, the guitarist known as “Cucaracha”, next door to him.

This complex is part of the Natural Living community of Los Cocos. This culture is lived by the descendants, in unbroken tradition from their pre-Columbian ancestors. The Chosas are traditionally built, wood frame covered with different parts of the local palm trees. The chosas of Los Cocos rest on the sand, under coconut palms, within the expanse of the Dune Ecology of the proposed Los Cocos Natural and Scientific Reserve.

Melsedita has never received much of an education. Schooling is not compulsory in her country; in fact, it costs a great deal. Yet she can learn. When a visiting guest artist taught knitting, Melsedita learned it so well that she immediately made the little vest her daughter is wearing in the photo. At my next visit she presented me with a purse, quite charming. She now works producing some of my Aurora Silk line of naturally dyed silk therapeutic garments.

Melsedita does not want to move. Her life depends on where she now lives. With little knowledge of the outside world, she knows she would drown there. Here, at Los Cocos, no matter how limited the intellect, one can live simply and sincerely. She is part of the large family of Los Cocos, all of whom are related either by blood or by marriage. All of whom are supportive family. All of whom live simply, with very little money, and off the land and sea around them.

Mama D.O.C. supports Melsedita in her need, along with the others of Los Cocos, to continue to exemplify this natural living Carib native lifestyle. There is no other living example of this traditional life in the dunes by the sea on the coast of the great Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

The Church of Peace and Love (in the Ghetto of Your Mind) supports the karmic balance of protection to these people. This location, the last remnant of natural living native descendants of the race Columbus is supposed to have exterminated, live not 100 miles from his first landfall. They are now facing an exact repeat of the colonialism that took away their land and their life before. How horrible that now, those who have survived all this time undetected are facing a second and final extermination. I personally believe all white people in the western hemisphere have a karmic obligation to do what ever one can towards preventing this destruction. Let’s let these people live, and let’s learn from them.

For they have much to teach. Aurora Silk and other web-based businesses now sell herbals entirely based on the knowledge transmitted by Nicolas Perez-Brito, elder of Los Cocos, an expert in the local use of all the herbs of the area. When Nicola is in the United States, he gives lectures to anthropology students about his culture. Over a dozen anthropologists have come to Los Cocos in the last five years, seeking out this remnant culture.

Melsedita has met them all. She is delighted that her simple life is acknowledged as meritorious. She welcomes visitors who come to enjoy, learn and experience first hand a different, a very gentle, way of being.

Written by Cheryl Kolander 12 April 2004

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LETTER TO POPE JOHN PAUL II

Your Honored and Esteemed Eminence,

This letter is written on behalf of a small group of indigenous peoples who yet survive in their traditional lifestyle, not far from where Columbus landed. On the island lived in by their ancestors for thousands of years, this lone group has survived in unbroken culture since the beginning of the Conquest until now.

Now a new-conquest threatens to take their small remaining homeland from them. Their homeland is the costal dune ecology of the north coast of the Island of Hispaniola.

Since their discovery in 1999, I have been studying their culture and documenting their lifestyle. For six years I have worked with this group of indigenous people. Anthropologists have visited, and many more have expressed intent and desire to document this group. No one who has visited doubts but that these are “Indios” in the true sense of people, of indigenous heritage, who live with and off the land and the sea, without much stuff, and without much money. And, in the case of the Caribbean indigenous culture, who care and share within the immense extended family in a way that exists rarely still on the planet, (and which is in complete harmony with the concept of Christian fellowship).

These people are trapped in a kind of genocide, for their lifestyle, if not their persons proper, are in the line of fire of the new “Conquistadors”. These new land grabbers are the moneyed interests of our time who are intent on turning every square meter of coastline, on this island and worldwide, into prime real estate for European and North American vacation “homes”. These large houses, which are rarely occupied, would completely destroy the natural ecology of this intact dune system. And to make the land saleable, the government bank insists on requiring the removal and destruction of the remnant native cultural group that yet lives, peacefully and in harmony with nature within this ecosystem.

This natural system has survived as long as it has, because this prime real estate was and is surrounded by a nasty, mosquito infested swamp.

These people have survived displacement and denial for 500 years. Is there a way to stop it now?

This is what I beg you.

All the information about this situation in detail can be found at www.mamadoc.org. Two years ago we proposed an alternative economic solution to the whole dilemma. As an independent entrepreneur of 35 years experience, I and my staff are ready to work with the entire area to develop an economic base, which only needs to expand “Mama D.O.C.’s” ongoing “Mission” work (Mission, in the sense of the California Missions). The text of this proposal is posted in both Spanish and English on the site. I have personally presented it to the government owned Central Bank, two years ago, but the proposal was denied. Recently, the Dominican radio reported that the current buyer may have negated his deal, as it required the land be entirely cleared of its 4,000 people and their 400 homes. Since the people are themselves standing up to say they do not want to be relocated, (at least not under the poor terms offered by the government bank), this deal may have fallen through. Thus we may have another opportunity to convince the government bank that investing in people and their abilities is a better bet than creating instant slums and pushing people from poverty into destitution.

The people of the village tell me that the Archbishop of Santo Domingo has personally become involved in the effort, to some extent. A copy of the proposal, including the details of the financial aspect, was hand delivered to his office at the same time the proposal was presented to the bank. The more that can be done on behalf of these people, the better. It is important to understand that these are not just “a bunch of poor people”, whom in our Christian charity we feel moved to help. It is that the part of these people who yet cling to their native heritage, who live almost exactly as their forbearers did 500 years ago, that to these people especially we owe a debt of nurturing. That like an almost extinct bird or exceptionally rare plant, they deserve our conscious and conscientious protection.

Please help. I was directed to write you by a Franciscan priest who happened to call me. I believe God can direct everything and miracles happen when we pray.

In supplication to your grand office and great wisdom, with great thanks and

with love,

Cheryl Kolander March 29, 2004

05 March 2004

4th Annual Garifuna Day Street Festival

The Garinagu Empowerment Movement (G.E.M.) A non-profit organization, is holding it's 3rd Annual Garifuna Day Street Festival on April 10th 2004....

The Garinagu Empowerment Movement (G.E.M.) A non-profit organization, is holding it's 3rd Annual Garifuna Day Street Festival on April 10th 2004. This is a FREE event celebrating the journey of the Garinagu people. It is a full day of MUSIC, CULTURE, and FOOD! The festival will take place in Los Angeles, CA. on Avalon Blvd. Between 41st and 43rd Street from 9:00AM to 7:00PM PST. This is a particularly significant event because for the first time, Los Angeles County is recognizing April 10th as an OFFICIAL HOLIDAY. And it will be celebrated EVERY YEAR henceforth. You can find more information at www.geminaction.com, www.belizeanartist.com, or www.greenlightmedia.net.

Please help in spreading the word among your respective groups even if you are unable to attend yourself. Forward this email to everyone who is interested in learning more about or supporting the Garifuna culture.We appreciate your support and will see you at the festival!!!

For information by phone, you can call our information hotline at (323) 778-9888.
Engel Thedford
Street Festival Coordinator
http://www.geminaction.com/
Engel.Thedford@j2global.com

Replies: 1 Comment
Have a great festival!
I am with you in spirit.
Member of Santa Rosa Carib Community
Arima, Trinidad
Presently in San Marcos, Texas
Camille Stephenson said @ 04/10/2004 06:23 PM AT

20 February 2004

Destruccion de los restos humanos de los Tainos en Boriquen

En la Calle Agueybana de la comunidad Parque del Monte del municipio de Caguas en la isla de Puerto Rico existe un yacimiento arqueologico donde se encuantran descansando los restos humanos de nuestros ancestros nativos, los Taínos, qienes dieron origen a nuestra cultura y que son nuestras raices, nuestro partrimonio nacional....

Las grandes impresas con intereses creados se han propuesto construir sobre los restos de nuestros ancestros, negocios tales como un "fast food" o negocio de comida rapida. Para nosotros, los decendientes de los ancestros Taínos, es un insulto el que grandes intereses economicos quieran destruir, no solo nuestro patrimonio nacional, si no tambien interumpir el descanso eterno de las almas y espiritus de nuestros ancestros Taínos. No podemos permitir que personas mediocres, a quienes poco les importa nuestra herencia pre-historica, destruyan con grandes maquinas los huesos humanos de nuestros familiares, nuestro tesoro sagrado. Por esta razon les invitamos a unirse en voz de lucha y protesta para que por favor nos ayuden a conservar los restos humanos de nuestros ancestros que han descansado en este mismo lugar desde su muerte antes de que llegaran los colonizadores Europeos. Por este medio, Pedimos y suplicamos apoyo internacional de todas aquellas personas, tribus, grupos, afiliaciones que quieran brindar su apoyo, su ayuda. Nosotros los sobrevivientes de nuestros antepasados Taínos nos oponemos firmemente a la destrucción de los huesos humanos de nuestros ancestros y nos oponemos al disturbio de sus almas porque intereses economicos los pueden obtener en otro lugar y no en nuestro cementerio Taíno. Por ahora no tenemos un e-mail pero pueden llamar al 787-743-6304 y preguntar por Rene Melendez, portavoz para los ancestros. Para información al dia y retratos visite:
www.indio.net/aymaco

11 February 2004

Destruction of Taino Remains in Puerto Rico

The human remains of our native ancestors, the Taínos, who gave origin to our culture and our roots, our national patrimony, lay resting in an archeological site found at Calle Agueybana of Comunidad Parque del Monte in the municipality of Caguas, Puerto Rico....

The large enterprises with created interests have proposed to construct over the remains of our ancestors, businesses such as fast food. For us, the descendants of the Taíno ancestors, it is an insult that large economic interests want to destroy, not only our national patrimony, but also interrupt the eternal rest of the souls and the spirits of our Taíno ancestors. We cannot allow mediocre people, who do not care about our pre-historic heritage, destroy the human remains of our ancestors who have rested in this same place since their death and before the arrival of the European colonizers. We urge international support from all individuals, tribes, groups and affiliations to help us. We, the survivors of the Taínos, firmly oppose to the distruction of the human remains of our ancestors and we firmly oppose the disturbance of their souls. Economic interests can be obtained anywhere else, but not over our Taíno cemetery. We don't have an e-mail yet, but you can call 787-743-6304 and ask for Rene Melendez.

For updated information and pictures got to:
www.indio.net/aymaco