The next passing of the new law of the Political-Territorial Division of the Amazonas State, Venezuela, by the Legislative Assembly

In 1995, nineteen Indigenous communities from the state of Amazonas with the Regional Organization of Indigenous Communities of Amazonas (ORPIA) and other Indigenous organizations went before the Supreme Court of Justice to demand the nullification of the law of the Political-Territorial Division of the state of Amazonas for its violation of the communities constitutional and legal rights. In December of 1996, the court ruled in favor of the Indigenous communities. They overturned the previous law and ordered the Legislative Assembly to make a new law that would guarantee the right for political participation of the Indigenous communities of Amazonas. In February, 1997, Indigenous organizations put together their own Congress to talk about the Political-Territorial Division and to hand over their proposals to the Legislative Assembly.

After the sentence, the Legislative Assembly utilized different mechanisms to evade what was established by the Court and in the month of November of 1997 it approved the first discussions of a law project that does not take into account the Indigenous proposal. It violates once again their right to political participation and does not recognize the rights of the Indigenous communities that make up for more than 50% of the total population of the state of Amazonas.

The Proposal of the Indigenous Communities:

The Indigenous organizations elaborated a law project that came out of discussions with different ethnic and Indigenous communities. It proposes the creation of 8 municipalities in which their rights to political participation are respected and the exception ruling previously noted in Article 77 of the Constitution of the Republic is guaranteed. The project is based in the principles of community participation in local affairs, decentralization of resources and respect for the territories occupied by the Indigenous communities. In the same form, they propose the creation of a special regime to run the municipal government in the Yanomami territory.

Recommended Actions: Send Faxes and Urgent Action Letters in Spanish or your own language. Help support these demands:

*Express your concern over the act of the State Legislative Assembly of not taking into account the proposed Political-Territorial Division presented by Indigenous organizations.

*Ask that the rights of the Indigenous communities be respected in the new law of the Political-Territorial Division of the state of Amazonas in accordance with what was indicated by the Supreme Court of Justice.

*Demand that the Legislative Assembly take into account their passing of the proposals presented in the law project of the Political-Territorial Division presented by the Indigenous communities.

Send Letters To:

1) Dip. Humberto Raidán
President and other members of the Legislative Assembly
of the State of Amazonas
Av. Aguerrevere, Puerto Ayacucho
Estado Amazonas-Venezuela.
Telefax: (58)(48)212445 and 213855

2) Sr. Bernab=E9 Guti=E9rrez Parra
Gobernador del Estado Amazonas
Av. Rio Negro-Puerto Ayacucho
Estado Amazonas-Venezuela.
Fax: (58)(48)210371

3) Dr. Alfredo Ducharme
Magistrado Ponente
Corte Suprema de Justicia
Av. Baraltt. San Jose de Avila.
Caracas, Venezuela
Fax: (58)(2)5638113

Please send a copy to:

Guevara Oficina de Derechos Humanos
Vicariato Apostolico
Puerto Ayacucho-Estado Amazonas
Venezuela. Fax: (58)(48)211545

Sample Letter:

Sr. Bernabe Gutierrez Parra
Gobernador del Estado Amazonas
Av. Rio Negro-Puerto Ayacucho
Estado Amazonas-Venezuela
Fax: (58)(48)210371

Dear Sr. Parra,

Please receive my respectful regards. I am writing to you to express my concern for the rights of the Indigenous communities in the state of Amazonas. I have learned that the Legislative Assembly has continually avoided respecting the proposals of the Indigenous communities in the area. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling in their favor, the Assembly continues to ignore the community's right for represenation and participation in the political decisions in the area.

As an individual in solidarity with the Indigenous communities on Venezuela I support the following demands:

-The Legislative Assembly in the state of Amazonas must take into account to proposals of the Political-Territorial Division made by the Indigenous organizations.

-That the rights of the Indigenous communities be respected in the new law of Political-Territorial Division of the state of Amazonas as agreed to by the Supreme Court of Justice.

I hope that you will show your solidarity with the Indigenous communities of Venezuela and support their demands. Please let me know of the steps you are taking in this regard.

Sincerely,