The representatives of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas gathered during the second Annual Forum of Connectivity in Ottawa, Canada on March 24-26, 2003 and expressed the following: To join our voices to the millions of peoples around the world, including the voices of the peoples in United States, the voice of our sister Rigoberta Menchù Tum, 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner and other indigenous organizations to condemn the genocidal American invasion against the Iraqi people. This genocide is a crime against humanity and violates international law as well as human and legal rights. This is a criminal invasion and it is killing innocent children, women and the elderly. It lacks any kind of legitimacy and cannot be justified as it violates all declarations to live in peace. It violates the self determination and sovereignty of peoples and the consensus reached by most states represented in the United Nations. The representatives of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas strongly request that all those responsible for these criminal acts be brought to the International War Crimes Court and be condemned internationally. We urge the United Nations to call for an emergency meeting of the Security Council to condemn the United States government, and its allies decision to go to war and we call for an immediate cease fire, while re-establishing diplomacy to end this conflict. Furthermore, we reject any new government imposed by the United States as it will only justify its presence in Iraq to protect its own geo-political and geo- economic interests. We encourage all the peoples of the world to maintain their unity and to strengthen their mobilization against this injustice, to show their love for peace, fraternity and intercultural dialogue. We all shall reject the unilateral use of weapons to impose colonialist agendas and try to eliminate the cultural diversity of the world. As indigenous peoples, we do not condone war, violence, or any other conflict that destroys our Mother Earth. On the contrary, we promote dialogue as our principle and we do not reject peace. As indigenous peoples, we have suffered genocide throughout our history and for that reason we want to congratulate all those states that chose the option of peace and respect for human life. Therefore, we request all those states to make their best efforts to re-establish the multilateral order as a legal instrument against this neo-imperialist disorder. Ottawa, March 25th 2003 Firmas: Asociación de Radios Comunitarias. ARCG. Guatemala
Asamblea Anacional Indígena Plural por la Autonomia. ANIPA. México
Abya Yala Nexus USA
Bachillerato Integral Comunitario Ayujk Polivalente. BICAP. Bolivia
Consejo Indígena de Centro América . CICA. Guatemala
Central Independiente de Obreros Agrícolas y Campesinos.CIOAC. México
Coalición Obrero Campesina y Estudiantil del Istmo, COCEI.
Comisión de Juristas Indígenas de Argentina. Argentina
Coordinadora Mapuche de Neuquen. Argentina
Conferencia Permanente de Pueblos Indígenas COPPIP. Peru
Comision Juridica para el Autodesarrollo de los Pueblos Originarios Andinos. CAPAJ.Peru
CONAIE, Departamento de Comunicacion.
Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indigenas . Panamá Brazil
Fundación Rigoberta Menchu. Guatemala
Foro Permanente sobre Pueblos Indígenas. ONU
Instituto Indigena de Propiedad Intelectual, INBRAPI. Brazil
InforCauca . Colombia
Information Network of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. INIPA. Canada
Liga Maya Internacional . Guatemala
Universidade Federal de Mato Groso. Brasil
Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas de México, CNMI. México
Movimiento Chirapaq. Peru
Mujeres Mayas de Jovel. México
Maya-Ixil, Proyecto Enlace Quiché . Guatemala
Oficina para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas. Guatemala
Quechua Network. USA
Promama de Derechos Indígenas, Instituto de Estudios Indígenas. Chile
Prensa Indígena Internacional. Canada
Resurgimiento Ancestral Indígena Salvadoreño. El Salvador
Red Nacional de Trabajadoras de la Información y Comunicación-REDADA.Bolivia RED Kechwa. USA
SAPINCHIKMANTA Radio Programa en Quecha y Castellano. Ayacucho
Servicios para el Desarrollo, Pueblo Nahñu - Mexico
Unión Nacional de Mujeres Kunas. Panama