Human face of human rights

(source : Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
extrait de l’article “A day in the lives of four indigenous leaders from Latin America”)



The following stories are excerpts from the life experiences of four indigenous leaders who participated to the 2007 Spanish version of the OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme. They wanted to share their story and a day of their lives just before they met: a day in the jungle, the mountains, the city and the desert. A day in which each of them devoted energy, passion and joy –the whole of their lives- to the protection of their rights…
Community of Mazaramu , Ecuador : a day with Manari Ushigua, Zapara president
My name is Manari Ushigua, son of Shimanu (a shaman) and president of the bi-national organization Zapara.
As a child, my father forced me to leave the Amazonian jungle where I was born to go and find out what those surrounding us do so we could better defend ourselves. Our ancestors claim we were a strong and numerous people in the past. Now only a few hundreds remain on our land and our last shaman passed away in 1997. Our ancestors still talk to us in our dreams.
During the past years, the installation of oil wells has eroded our land and killed our animals. When all the Zapara got organized and decided we would not disappear- despite our legends telling us otherwise - we began defending our rights. In 2001, we succeeded in having both the Zapara language and culture recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as oral and intangible heritage of humanity.
April 10, 2007 : Today begins a long trip towards the Llanchamacocha community. This is a forest region accessible only by light aircraft and canoes. After arriving at a community close to the aerodrome, we left on four cable ferries towards Llanchamacocha. Fallen trees stop us half way and force us to spend the night without shelter.
On the second day, we finally arrived in Llanchamacocha where representatives of indigenous communities are gathering. That same night, in the light of a fire, they tell us their fears: multinationals had just arrived and they dreaded constructions in their habitat and on their sacred places, and changes in their way of life.
In the future, as the Akamaru (the president of the organization), I will provide a training and compile information on the situation we are facing. This will perhaps help us to survive.