Indigenous voices in the CAN

13.9.08

Native peoples of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru launch representative office in Andean Community bloc.

Almost a year after its creation was approved, the Andean Community regional bloc inaugurated an advisory body representing the indigenous peoples of its member nations.

The Consultative Council of the Indigenous Peoples began operating on Sept. 8, with indigenous representatives from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, who will serve on the body to promote economic, social and cultural issues affecting these peoples.

Ecuadorian Andrés Arango Barahona, who will head the council for one year said: "The installation of this advisory body allows us to work so the role of indigenous organizations to not be a simple accompaniment to the integration process, but rather have an active role."

The body can express its opinion to the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers or the Andean Community General Secretariat and is invited to meetings with government experts and other working groups tied to indigenous rights.

The CAN´s president, Freddy Ehlers said that the indigenous council has the same functions as the business and labor consultative bodies in the regional bloc.

Regional organizations include the Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean; the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations in the Amazon Basin; the Andean Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations; and the Continental Liaison Office for Indigenous Women in South America will be represented as observers. —Latinamerica Press.

Labels: Indigneous, Indigneous Women, South America