Crystallex International

The Gran Sabana Indians returned Sunday they seized weapons at 43 Army officers who detained in Urimán.

For many, the end justified the means: with the retention of 43 REDI officials Guiana, Pemon community of Urimán conquered, over fifteen agreements, especially with regard to mining, respect for their rights.

Voices parliamentary and rights agree that human mockery of FANB stands as evidence as to the defense capability of the military components. Anyway, this weekend will go down in history as an icon of indigenous struggle.

The images of the soldiers tied turned the world, putting on the table the violation of indigenous rights and the need to regulate mining. Photos courtesy

Natalie Garcia

The Pemon people knew national attention. For the second time in less than a year and a half disarmed and detained members of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB). The first occasion was in Musuk Pa, (Angostura municipality), where officers allegedly found the illegal mining practice, and the more recent Urimán within Canaima National Park, Gran Sabana municipality, where 28 soldiers and 14 officers remained in custody Indian for three days.

Alvarado: "The problem is the corruption that is in the fanbase ... the attitude of the Indians shows his despair at the situation and is a powder keg that could explode more violently."

The protest action was initiated (Thursday) after meetings between captains and the general consensus and community, who tired of military abuses, airline restrictions, supply of food, fuel and local crisis decided to bet on a strong rally, compelling the government to sit down and answer.

That was how fluvial took command of the Army and underwent military twenty. Hours later, he was sent a contingent of support and it was also captured, disarmed and tied.

In total, 43 staff knew the "fury pemón". One of them had to be evacuated on Friday, with a lesion. But the rest was not until yesterday when he could be free.

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Coupled with this measure, the airports in Santa Elena de Uairen (capital of the municipality Gran Sabana) and Canaima, in the western sector of the park of the same name, were taken.

The situation became difficult, and despite the mediation of some authorities could not be a common point until Saturday, when sitting with Maj. Gen. Wilmer Barrientos, Operational Strategic Command (CEO), the state governor Francisco Rangel Gomez , the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Aloha Nunez, and other representatives, ended the protest in exchange of fourteen agreements including allowing mining in ancestral communities and an end to violations of their rights.

Some points, such as the presence of executive vice president in the appointment, Nicolas Maduro, the annulment of Decree 8413, which reserves to the state gold mining, or the dismissal of Maj. Gen. Cliver Alcala Cordones, commander of the Strategic Defense Region Integral Guiana (REDI-Guiana) were not complied with.

Simon: "As part of the agreements Canaima are covered, hopefully met. Maj. Gen. (Cliver Alcalá) told us that if anything, would call on the phone. "

Balance indigenous
However, the provisions of the agreements set a precedent for the people Pemon, and flexible mining decree, which since its enactment in September 2011 is the headache of deposits operators and communities living in mining .

Despite this gap between reality and the legal document, the validity of the mining permit is only for the people of the municipality Gran Sabana pemón long as mining is practiced outside the riverbeds and away from Canaima National Park.

According to Ramon Simon, captain of Canaima, this point is delicate and, in turn, a commitment that Indians should discuss it internally, for example, Urimán, where there was the demobilization of the military, is within the national park and its income is only by mining concept.

"We will have to discuss these things internally to meet, because many communities living in mining but are within the park. If you look, we have to see how we do it all and make that clear, "he explained.

In relation to the requirements of Canaima, Simon believes they are "covered" because their main concern is the issue of fuel supply and restrictions on air operations. If both parameters are met, the destination may be quiet again.

Yes and no
Alexis Romero, who led the struggle for indigenous rights in Musuk pemón Pa, imprisoned for denouncing military officials allegedly involved in illegal mining in 2011 and is now maintained under presentation scheme, considers that the minutes signed on Saturday is a step forward but not a real triumph for the Pemon.

Using self-criticism, the leader now based in Gran Sabana, reflects that although there is some writing, the record shows that the government is not usually good adherence of the agreements, and to show you: he, who was complainant was be reported and charged.

De Grazia: "In 2011 there was a similar situation in Musuk Pa and was the government that agreements disrespected. This does not mean contempt as agreed (on Saturday), but a warning. "

"In my view, the agreement is not as good as I wanted," he says, but does not cease to be positive. "I think we fell into error, because the government began to promise and captains believe in these promises, but we will see the development of the situation," he added.

Romero also said that while it may have taken more advantage of the protest, the meeting with the authorities made it clear that before any government action "will rise again", which itself can be a guarantee to continue to claim the ancestral struggle of Indians.

On one of the honor points for the Indians, the dismissal of Maj. Gen. Cliver Alcala, said this could not be achieved because the CEO commander, Major General Wilmer Barrientos, has the same range, therefore, the decision to remove from office REDI chief must come from the presidency of the republic.

Despite this, Cliver Alcala Cordones said he had to publicly apologize to the community, in the midst of the meeting, but said "not feel offended Indians" days ago at a meeting where apparently disowned their problems, apologized.

Sobering situation
for the deputy to the National Assembly and Bolivar state committee member of Petroleum, energy and mining of parliament, Americo De Grazia, who has been an agreement is positive and can serve "a lesson" to the fanbase, and that he believes it is important to achieve peace through the meeting of the parties.

Despite this, the parliamentary leader of La Causa R shown suspicious. Create, like Alexis Romero, that the agreements signed with the Pemon people not necessarily be fulfilled, and to argue your question goes back to what happened in 2011 in Musuk Pa. "This is not a disparagement, but an alert," said .

It found that while before the indigenous struggle was against the Spanish empire, now it is against Chinese rule and the "Bolivarian bourgeoisie" who try to take the path to the ancient inhabitants to clinch the gold deposits and other strategic metals in the state Bolivar.

"If the Chinese mines, why not for the Pemon, for Venezuelans. And there could be mining in accordance with the environment because other countries have shown, such as Canada, Peru, to name a few, "he said.

Americo De Grazia believes that the core of the conflict is not only indigenous peoples but with bolivarenses involved in mining, is that "there is a mafia disguised Guiana level mining clutter using to enrich themselves, and in this high government allows to explore and promote Chinese interests abroad. "

Therefore, rather than encouraged-order at its discretion, anarchy, and often the violation of human rights for no attention to the real problem.

Notes deputy that his desire is to serve as a reflection what happened, because the retention of the military "ridiculed" the fanbase and this "can not brighten anyone" because it is the armed forces of an entire country.

Future worrying
Marino Alvarado, lawyer, human rights defender and general coordinator of the NGO Venezuelan Program of Education-Action in Human Rights (Provea), considers that the concern of the events and issues of corruption military background are all levels and the criminalization of those who are victims of violations of their rights by the fanbase.

"It seems that no one wants to find the root of the problem. There is a permanent outrage and actions like those of the natives show how desperate they are. "

A Alvarado is concerned that after these agreements, the government fails again, as it has done previously-and unleash on indigenous peoples more radical actions. "This time disarmed, but it is a powder keg that could explode more violently. They retained the military, but not always well. "

Details the lawyer that the military used force and abuses imposed as a way of safeguarding their margin of corruption, and that is why "not appropriate for senior officials to end. It's like what happens to the border with Colombia: Thousands of liters of smuggled fuel in front of the Army National Guard in front and nobody does anything. "