Radio Mundo Real

Mario Palacios, Chair of the National Conferation of Communities Affected by Mining of Peru (CONACAMI) told the National Radio Coordinator that by the end of this year, the indigenous peoples who live in Peru will found their own political party. The party will be aimed at pushing the demands of the native peoples and of the different Peruvian indigenous movements. He said the political force will be created by August or September.

The Conference of Native Peoples will take place in those months. There, not only the group’s profile, but also the names of candidates will be discussed.

Palacios said that, even though they had been talking about creating a political party for a while, the importance of its creation was confirmed at the 4th Continental Summit of the Abya Yala Peoples and Indigenous Nationalities – held on May 27 through 30 in Puno.

CONACAMI leader said during the interview with the National Radio Coordinator that the indigenous party would fill a void in the proposals submitted so far by the Peruvian political parties, as the demands of the native peoples were not contemplated there.

“We need another model of democracy”, said Palacios. He added that the agenda the indigenous would like to put forward referred mainly to lands and the respect of natural resources, damaged by the actions of transnational corporations.

The announcement takes place while the indigenous of the Peruvian Amazon are holding protests and blockading rivers to demand the Congress to repeal the nine decrees that violate the rights of the indigenous communities over their territories.