[Versión español]

They murder students and are slaves to the petroleum companies

National Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador

From the front page of CONAIE April 7, 2006

The confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador condemns the assassination of the student Jhonny Mostesdeoca, which happened yesterday in Cuenca. We express our grief and solidarity to his family. We Ecuadorians cannot tolerate this regime which is brutally repressing the indigenous movement, the student movement and everyone who attempts to defend the dignity and solidarity of the country. How can Alfredo Palacio and his racist spokesperson, Enrique Proaño justify this crime? Will they continue to lie as they have been all along? Is their subservience to the United Status and their own private businesses worth more to them than the death and serious damage they have caused to dozens of patriots?

Palacio and his ministers lie to the country. The negotiations with the US are paralyzed without having closed on hardly any themes, because the North Americans demand a veto of the Hydrocarbon Law, to protect their petroleum companies. From all sectors of the country, there is a virtually unanimous demand that this law be defended. The law simply guarantees that a portion of petroleum resources goes to national development, and that our natural resources do not continue to be stolen in the same way. Defending the Hydrocarbon Law is the responsibility of all Ecuadorians. The law demands that at least 60% of petroleum profits stay in the country, so that transnational companies cannot take them. For this reason, the subservient government is under pressure from the US, and planning to veto the Hydrocarbon Law.

The government is trying to hide what Occidental Petroleum has made public. Without informing the State Procurator, his ministers meet in secret with the US Occidental Petroleum Company to negotiate and not declare the expiration of the contract. For this reason the process is unjustifiably extended, and the laws are ignored in order to make a pact to evade their obligations and to protect the interests of the petroleum companies.

To ask for dignity of this regime, of this president in transition, is too much. To ask for the resignation of his racist and incompetent spokesperson Enrique Proaño is useless. It doesn't even matter that the actual Foreign Minister has had to contradict him, because of his absurd lies.

CONAIE reaffirms that the social sectors, the indigenous, students, workers and farmers are coordinating national actions to overthrow this regime which has no dignity or respect for life. We will not permit the signing of the FTA, or the handing over of our country to the interests of the US. As the Government of the Nationalities and Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador, we defend the life and future of all Ecuadorians.

Shuk shunkulla, only one heart;
shuk makilla, only one fist,
shuk shimilla, only one voice

CONAIE