Questions on US Colombia Relations

Indigenous movement calls for peace in Ecuador

The request was made by leaders of the Council of Evangelical Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Ecuador (Feine) and Conaie President Leonidas Iza, in light of a new opportunity to resume suspended dialogue with the executive branch.

In the Basilica of the National Vote, where the talks took place in the center of the capital, Iza reiterated that despite denigration, criminalization, stigmatization, insult, the indigenous movement persecutes.

In the same vein, he advocated making wills to guarantee the tranquility of the country, which has been experiencing a popular uprising since June 13, and thought about the balance of an intercultural society.

“We don’t accept that they demand peace only from those of us who have been ruled. Peace belongs to everyone. It can’t be that there’s a social class that looks at us from the shoulder down and pretends that’s normal,” he said.

In his opinion, the struggle is precisely due to a lack of peace on economic, health or educational issues, and in this sense he called on those who foresee new mobilizations in the provinces to carry out marches of dignity and rebellion without confrontations.

He also said they are asking for results of the 10-point agenda that will be proposed to the executive branch for a year without resolutions.

The idea is to return to their places and transfer the results of the past few days’ fighting to the bases, he warned.

Regarding the government’s position, he pointed out that his words have changed, but the social organizations maintain their speech reiterating the need to conclude the dialogue based on the progress made at an initial stage. We participate in the process of concluding this dialogue with outcomes to which we invite government agencies. No more excuses, no more conditions, he stressed.

Iza reiterated the call to those mobilized outside of Quito to take a martial stance, always with dignity and rebellion, bearing in mind that they are peoples building better days.

“We ask the public to remain calm. Let’s guarantee this process without losing our sanity, without losing our dignity, always stand up,” he concluded.

Demonstrations in the capital and other cities and a march from Cotopaxi to Quito are planned for the day, while the Bishops’ Conference, as the new guarantor of the talks, will determine the actors, delegates, topics and methods.

jf/scm