Indigenous Peoples

KENYA:

Indigenous communities in Kenya face discrimination exhibited by poor policies, legislations and statutory laws that make it hard for them to access their economic, social and political rights. While other dominant communities are actively involved in governance processes, the voice of the indigenous peoples in Kenya is still unheard, as they have not yet recognized their rights as indigenous people. They are disengaged from most aspects of socio-economic and political events that have a direct bearing on their lives. This has resulted into marginalization and violation of their rights, in most cases, without their knowledge, leading to underdevelopment and high levels of poverty amongst others.

 For this to be addressed there is thus a need for an organized way for them to clearly and more purposely engage with the state and other stakeholders mainly through education, information sharing, exchange of ideas and lessons, advocacy, lobbying, and awareness campaigns to increase their awareness hence active participation in decision making processes for better economic and social engagement. 

NICARAGUA

The Rights of the Mayagnas (Sumo) Indigenous Peoples of Nicaragua

By Vera Narvaez-Lanuza

When the iron race of the Spaniard’s seeds

were sown in America’s wombs and grew,

there was a mix of great Castille’s heroic deeds

with an indigenous mountain fortitude, too.[1]

To Columbus by Ruben Dario[2], 1892.

As described by one of most illustrious Nicaraguan poets of the nineteenth and twentieth century in his poem dedicated to Christopher Columbus, the people of Nicaragua have been in a constant uphill struggle against foreign domination, first by Spain, then by Great Britain and furthermore by United States of America. Nicaragua has been a disputed land, its habitants subjugated, discriminated, enslaved, tortured and even exterminated. But its people, who cannot forget the battles of the past and the sacrifices made by those Caciques or Indian chiefs and warriors, still fight in the ongoing struggle for recognition, protection and enforcement of their rights. Nicaragua might be seen as a “bellicose” country, always subjected to international disputes. These disputes are nothing more than expressions of freedom of an oppressed, neglected and impoverished people since the terrible times of the conquest until the present day. For its strategic location for commerce, this country[3] was subject to two European invasions that marked the cultural, social, political and economic situation of the present Nicaragua. The Spaniards in the Pacific and the British in the Atlantic contributed to the creation of new ethnicities, cultures, languages and ideologies that currently prevail in its society. The natives of Nicaragua, before the majority of the population, have been reduced to just minorities that represent the ancient identity of the Nicaraguan people. In this cyber space I will be addressing the problematique of Indigenous peoples’ lands in Nicaragua, especially the demarcation process established by Law No. 445, focusing mainly on “Title Clearance Stage”, which constitutes the last step and the most challenging stage in the demarcation process of indigenous territories in order to ensure the effective protection of indigenous peoples in Nicaragua.

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[1] Darío, Rubén, 1867-1916 [Selections, English & Spanish 2005] Selected Writings/  Ruben Dario; edited with an introduction by Ilan Stavans; translated by Andrew Hurley, Greg Simon and Steven F. White. P.cm.- (Penguin Classics) ISBN: I-4362-950I-7 at page 110.

[2] Ilan Stavans describes Ruben Dario as the Nicaraguan homme de letters and indisputable leader of the Modernista movement that swept Latin America at the end of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth. Ruben Dario characterized himself as: “I am good for nothing else, I believe in God, and I am attracted to mystery. I am befuddled by daydreams and death; I have read many philosophers yet I know not a word of philosophy. I do espouse a certain Epicureanism, of my own sort: let the soul and body enjoy as much as possible on earth, and do everything possible to continue that enjoyment in the next life. Which is to say, je vois la vie en rose.” See Dario, supra note 1, at Introduction.

[3] The Republic of Nicaragua is bound on the north by Honduras, on the south by Costa Rica, on the east by the Caribbean Sea and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Nicaragua is a tropical country located between 11 and 17 north latitude. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and covers an area of 130,000 Sq. Km. considered the largest area of arable land in the region with 12.1 million acres, of which 8.9 million area ideal for agriculture and 3.2 million for cattle ranching. Lago de Nicaragua (Lake Nicaragua), a large freshwater lake, borders the Pacific Ocean, Low mountains and hills, covered whit pine separate the populated west from the eastern half of the country. The east is covered with woodlands (along the coast) and tropical rain forests. In fact, one third of the country is forested. Natural resources include gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and timber. Permanent Mission of Nicaragua to the OAS Updated: 8 May 2008, available at <http://www.oas.org/children/members/Education%20&%20Culture/description_of_nicaragua.html>

 Nicaragua and its people....

 North Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua....... Bilwi... Puerto Cabeza

 Awas Tingni Community.... North Atlantic Coast

 Mayagna (Sumo) Children playing in the river.....

Mayagna (Sumo) Children at School.

 Estanzuela Waterfalls,,,, Pacific side..Esteli, Nicaragua

 Mayagna child..... in Awas Tingni...

North Atlantic Coast Jungle... Nicaragua

 Rama Indigenous People along the "Rio San Juan" Saint John River (border with Costa Rica) South Atlantic Coast.

Rosita-Bonanza- Central side of Nicaragua

Watch our documentary trailer: "Awas Tingni"

Visit our web-page if you would like to volunteer:      

http://www.volunteerintern.com/

Vera Narvaez-Lanuza
Indigenous Peoples Researcher
LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights Candidate 2010-2011
Saint Thomas University, School of Law
Miami Gardens, FL, USA
vnarvaezlanuza@stu.edu

http://www.volunteerintern.com/