For diversity and Pluralism
09/10/2000
- Opinión
In Ecuador, racism, in addition to being widespread, is structural.
Its expression runs through not only individual relationships, but
collective relationships as well. Therefore, in response to the
invitation of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador
(CONAIE) and the Latin-American Agency of Information (ALAI),
representatives of hundreds of organizations, peoples, movements and
entities celebrated the National Forum for Pluralism and Diversity in
Quito last September 28-30. This forum served as preparation for the
"World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Forms of Intolerance" (UN/South Africa, 2001).
The event resulted in a broad-based plan for action and proposals,
principally related to a societal project that, founded in the vision
of pluralism and diversity, would serve as a basis for the eradication
of all forms of discrimination derived from racism, xenophobia and
intolerance.
By all accounts, overcoming these negative practices requires both the
adoption of economic and social policies that promote a greater
balance, as well as the promotion of both individual and collective
ethical behavior based on the recognition of diversity.
In fact, it is the indigenous movement, with CONAIE in the forefront,
that has drawn together in the last decade expressions, protests and
proposals of alternatives to the existing model. In addition, they
have maintained viable outlets for the existence of rights for the
discriminated communities, such as the recognition of their lands and
territories and the expression of their cultures and world views.
They have raised their voices against corruption, arbitrary
privatization, and increasing exclusion, and have proposed global
solutions to the country's crisis.
For their part, the Afro-Ecuadorian organizations participating in the
Forum supported the importance of the adoption of a legislation that
would establish sanctions for racial discrimination - since although
the Constitution guarantees non-discrimination and recognizes
collective rights, not only have those rights historically been
ignored, but living conditions have worsened due to the forced
application of the neoliberal model.
The analysis of the impact of xenophobia was approached from two
perspectives: that relating to the conditions of emigration, which
occurs in ever-growing numbers and results in deportations without
respect for human rights; and internal regionalism, whose racist
overtones affect local migration. Special attention was given to the
rejection of "Plan Colombia", which renders vulnerable those
indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian communities in the border region, as
well as those from Columbia seeking asylum.
Intolerance was placed in the context of the conditions created by the
combination of racial discrimination and xenophobia with other forms
of discrimination - against gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic
status, and religious affiliation, among others. An urgent call was
made for the application of the constitutional principle that
guarantees non-discrimination on all of these grounds.
At the conclusion of the Forum, the participants from all over the
country called for the unification of voices and actions in order to
put into effect, here and now, a project for a plurinational country
in which everyone is free from discrimination.
The Many Faces of Racism
In Ecuador racism is a constituent part of all social, cultural and
economic relationships. In addition to manifesting itself in the
marginalization of indigenous and afro-Ecuadorian communities, both
socioeconomic and with regard to their cosmovisions, it splits all
human relationships via a classification system which, depending on
origin or ethnic mixture, assigns a specific place to each person.
"Racism has been institutionalized as a strategy of the dominant class
against the poor and those of different nationalities and cultures, in
order to govern according to their interests". The biases expressed
in the application of the Constitution and justice; in education
centered in the promotion of dominant values; in non-inclusive
practices; in the minimization of the indigenous culture, creation and
science are all expressions of the institutionalization of racism by
the dominant class.
"Racism is a weapon that the neoliberal system maintains in order to
expand its economic power throughout the world, and therefore it has
been in a constant process of perfection and institutionalization.
Ecuador and Latin America live under ideological colonization under
these criteria; one current manifestation is the hype about scientific
advancement that surrounds the discovery of the human genome, whose
covert aim is to create a quality human prototype and banish the rest
of the societies and cultures of the world" (report of the discussion
groups).
The process of globalization has been conceived on racist and
discriminatory bases; thus large countries and corporations are
parting out the geopolitical areas of the world among themselves,
arguing that they are the only ones with the capacity to save and
develop it.
The consequences of this hegemony, like social exclusion, are
presented as an inevitable fact which the southern communities - and
especially the discriminated sectors - must accept as fate.
Similarly, the process of internal political "reorganization", put
forth in Ecuador under the pretext of the modernization of the State,
promotes the idea of relegating sectors which face discrimination to
local, sectoral, or specific areas. Large economic, legal or political
decisions are left to technicians, experts and the elite. Even in the
local arena, municipal measures tainted by racism have occured.
The limits imposed on democratic participation in economic and
political activities and decisions, as well as the marginalization of
organizations' proposals and political action, are expressions of
racism, which in the process serve to marginalize women, young people
and those not in power.
A Good Constitution but Bad Practices
Thanks to the proposals of the indigenous movement and others, Ecuador
has successfully included in its Constitution the most advanced
principles of nondiscrimination. However, little has been done to
equip citizens with mechanisms to apply them, and therefore, social
practices are plagued by racist behavior protected by impunity.
Among the examples given it was evident that even today there exist
public places that do not permit the entrance of indigenous people;
schools that require indigenous children to cut their traditional long
hair and that prohibit indigenous dress, places of employment, housing
and public places prohibited to Afro-Ecuadorians.
Along the same lines, it was pointed out that churches and the
dominant religions also practice racism. Among other things, they put
their economic interests before the needs of the people, and align
themselves with politically and economically powerful groups, while
demonizing the indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian worldviews and
spirituality.
Because of this, educating the country with a transcultural focus,
oriented towards living together peacefully and the recognition of
diversity, emerges as an urgent necessity.
Among the measures that can be taken to concretize this proposal, the
social role of the media stands out, which were called upon to promote
a vision of equality, in opposition to the "explicit dissemination of
racism" which many of them reflect, both in prioritizing the
perspectives of the dominant sectors, and in presenting a distorted
image of communities and sectors which face discrimination, and of
their proposals and demands for rights.
Transforming the world: a task for everyone
In a frank debate, the Forum analyzed endoracism, the overvaluation of
the urban to the detriment of the rural, ideological discrimination,
and internalized racism, which distort transcultural relations and
minimize the richness of syncretic expressions, which have the virtue
of uniting a group in recognition of a multitude of creative
manifestations.
Also discussed were the expressions of racism and discrimination
evident in evaluating forms of organization, which tends to weigh
negatively against those that emerge from cultures that are not
dominant or in vogue.
This permitted the participants to visualize that the eradication of
racism is multifaceted, that it is everyone's responsibility to help
eradicate it through concrete actions, for which, they said,
identifying the problem is a first step.
Xenophobia, a new word for old facts
"The word is new but the facts are old," said Manuel Ganzhi, leader of
the Fenocin, when clarifying at the Forum the meaning of xenophobia.
In fact, the term, which is usually related to "hatred of foreigners,"
in Ecuador is nuanced by a favorable reception toward people from the
North and a discriminatory attitude toward the migration of poor
sectors.
Nonetheless, our central preoccupations revolve around the problems
faced by those who immigrate from here to the North and the xenophobia
they face in those countries, along with the local consequences of
this phenomenon. Among these consequences we can identify: the
abandonment of land; rupture of family structures; economic
exploitation by intermediaries; traffic in human beings; the absence
of legal documents with which to leave the country; death,
disappearance, and illegal detention along the way; and deportation.
There was also a focus on the difficulties faced by immigrants from
the interior of the country; the devaluation of the rural; and the
regionalism that affects the country in general. To resolve this, it
was proposed to the State that it:
-- Attend to basic services like health, education, employment, and
housing, to forestall emigration;
- Request that ACNUR carry out campaigns directed at the needs of
migrants and refugees;
- Start campaigns to reclaim the identity of migrants;
- Through the embassies, ensure that the rights of migrants in other
countries are observed;
- Adopt mediums to guarantee an equal redistribution of wealth;
- Form a Monitoring Commission for the situation of immigrants;
- In conjunction with ACNUR, ensure that international conventions on
human rights are complied with.
That organizations begin campaigns of reclaiming the identity of
migrants and, in a general way, of valorizing Andean philosophy; and
create a Monitoring Commission or a citizens' vigilance on the
situation of migrants.
(In)tolerance
Tolerance is defined as respect for the integrity of a human being and
towards nature (pacha mama), while intolerance is tied to the
distortion of these human values in order to privilege the economic
interests and the hegemony of a single group. In this sense, the
neoliberal capitalist system is exclusionary and intolerant, starting
with its own definition of interests.
In the face of this situation, the proposal to create new social
systems and to promote a culture of encounter which facilitates social
change was born. This change takes into account the integrality and
the integrated cosmovisions of all people and of nature.
Working from these values, it is urgent to develop a vision of the
human being which integrates the social and individual and aims at
eradicating the consequences of intolerance which are expressed, among
other ways, in the devaluation of certain people and the violation of
their identities.
Therefore, with the intention of promoting an egalitarian world, the
Forum expressed the need for overcoming the following forms of
intolerance: intergenerational; gender; sexual orientation;
socioeconomic status; religious affiliation; and others. With this in
mind, it was proposed:
- To strengthen pluralist identities:
- The promotion of a culture of encounter based on the human
being, primarily through intercultural processes.
- The adoption of public policies which make the Constitutional
principle of respect for diversity viable
- Take advantage of the resources which the country possesses; the
Ecuadorian constitution, which is the second best and most diverse
in the world; the processes organized by social groups and
movements; and the social mobilization on a local, regional, and
national level. Work with local governments to promote changes in
attitude in the face of situations of intolerance.
- Promote value-based education, understood as those values with
ethical criteria of diversity and pluralism
- Propose a joint project with the media for the promotion of these
values.
- Support the Campaign for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence of the
United Nations, as well as the campaign of the Third Decade of
struggle against racism, xenophobia, and other forms of
intolerance.
Combatting racism with a focus on gender
The combination of gender-based discrimination and racism has
generated one of the most dangerous oppressive machineries in the
world, whose consequences have crystallized in systematic
discrimination, as well as in the consolidation of sexist stereotypes
which affect all the rest.
This especially affects indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian women, "who
suffer all kind of discriminations, double or sometimes triple, for
being women, for their ethnicity, and for sexual orientation. Sexist
stereotypes have created an image which objectifies black women as
destined for domestic labor or sex work."
"We indigenous women are beginning to create a space for participation
and decision-making power at national and international levels, and to
seek recognition for our contributions to development, culture,
religion, language, and indigenous science and technology. In the
same way, we are making visible our participation and contribution
toward the definition of the political projects of our peoples and
nations," Carmen Tene of CONAIE emphasized.
In Ecuador, people have been reluctant to accept those who are
different, but the old structures which keep the excluded from
entering into society are beginning to break down. This is the case
with those discriminated against because of their sexual orientation
and affected by the construction of stereotypical gender roles, which
have been considered by many to be unchangable.
Synthesis of conclusions of the "National Forum for Pluralism and
Diversity", Quito September 28-30 2000.
https://www.alainet.org/en/active/979
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