BRASILIA - Activists and lawmakers representing Latin America's indigenous communities are meeting in the Brazilian capital to study the possibility of creating a regional alliance of Indian legislators.
"We want it to be a real coming together of Indian legislators from throughout the continent who support the consolidation of indigenous participation in our countries," Francisco Rojas Birry, an independent senator from Colombia, told EFE.
Rojas Birry, one of five indigenous lawmakers from his country attending the two-day meeting that began Monday, noted that similar initiatives had not been successful in the past.
"Many still do not understand the importance of the participation of indigenous peoples in the construction of a better society," the senator said.
Rojas Birry added that the planned legislative alliance would also help Indians have a greater voice in decisions made by the Mercosur trade bloc and the proposed Free-Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
Mercosur comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, while the U.S.-sponsored FTAA envisions free trade throughout the hemisphere from 2005.
According to the senator, society in general should participate in negotiations on trade pacts, and this includes indigenous peoples. "Indians do not currently have a means to adequately express their concerns during these talks," he said.
Marcos Terena, an Indian leader from Brazil and one of the event's organizers, cited the suspicions of corruption that surround the region's traditional policymakers.
"We want to make the society of the white man aware that the Indian has the right to participate in a different way," Terena said.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.