DECLARATION

International Encounter of Original Nations and Indigenous Peoples of

Abya Yala

In Exercise of the Right of Self Determination

Ixim Uleu, Maya Territories [Guatemala]

August 12, 2014

Original Nations and Indigenous Peoples of Abya Yala:

Terena of Brazil; Nahuizalco, Pushtan, Indigenous Communities of Texacuango and Central El Salvador; Izkaloteka, Zuni, O'otham, Xikano of Turtle Island, Abya Yala North; Yukatek Maya of Mexico and the Maya Pueblos articulated in the CPO: K'iche, Mam, Kaqchiqel, Ixil, Achi, Q'eqch'i, Akateka Poptí, Q'anjob 'al Chuj, Sakapulteco; having assembled in COUNCIL in the territories of Txeljub' - Quetzaltenango, Quiche Aj Q'umaraq, Iximche ' - Chimaltenango upon the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, we affirm and record the following:

The Original Nations of our continent are clear that we are currently facing a fourth cycle of plunder under the guise of a false premise of economic development, where colonial governments and transnational corporations are robbing our territories without our consent by imposing projects including mining operations, hydroelectric plants, petroleum extraction, monoculture agribusinesses, and many more.

We note with great concern the humanitarian crisis that is being generated in the northern territories of Abya Yala, Turtle Island via the criminalization of migration across international borders of the states. This crisis has been manufactured by political interests and colonial government states in order to divert attention away from the root causes of the Human Rights issues of colonialism that demand true reform as articulated by the migrant communities themselves.

Before this situation, we DECLARE:

In the exercise of the right of self-determination, self-government and sovereignty of our Original Nations as articulated in the framework of norms, treaties, national and international conventions, we as Original Nations are in the process of regeneration as Indigenous Peoples while we strengthening our mutual relationships at the continental level in order to put a halt to the false economic development schemes being imposed upon our territories without free, prior and informed consent. Today, in the fertile soil of the Maya Nations, we plant the seed of the Council of the United Nations of the Original Nations of Abya Yala.

We denounce the lack of legitimacy of the representation of self-appointed indigenous peoples or those appointed by successive governments states who do not represent the legitimate demands of our peoples as in the case of the upcoming "World Conference on Indigenous Peoples" which is nothing more than a plenary assembly of the UN member states. We demand that these governments instead comply with the relevant international covenants and treaties in full recognition, respect, and protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Likewise, we reject the representation of the Central American Indigenous Council (CICA) because they do not represent us as Indigenous Peoples, instead they represent the interests of successive national governments and oligarchies. We demand an audit of the investment of the funds allocated to this institution on behalf of our Indigenous Peoples.

The mechanisms of Indigenous representation underwritten by the government states of North, Central and South America are illegal and illegitimate because they were not elected by our indigenous peoples or Original Nations according to our laws, so their opinions do not have our support and consent, such as the case of the Central American Indigenous Council (CICA). As Indigenous Peoples we engaged are in the reconstitution of our original nationalities therefore we shall decide for ourselves the representation of our delegations as Original Nations.

We add our support and solidarity with the decision of the North American Indigenous Peoples Caucus (NAIPC) at the continental level of Abya Yala, Turtle Island and will not participate in the "World Conference of Indigenous Peoples" because this initiative does not represent the legitimate interests of our Indigenous Peoples and Original Nations, but the discriminatory and racist interests of the states and multi-national corporations. We demand that the international community comply fully with the international conventions and treaties in recognition, respect, and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.

We demand of the colonial government states of the Americas not to unjustly criminalize the humanitarian crisis that has led to the migration of our relatives north towards the USA. The international borders of the colonial states are racist impositions of the illegal colonization of Abya Yala. As Original Nations, we Indigenous Peoples are free to traverse through our ancestral territories as Indigenous Peoples and Nations. We do not acknowledge or submit to the false international borders of the states that have been imposed by colonialism.

We welcome the fruit of the efforts of our relatives from El Salvador for achieving constitutional recognition for Indigenous Peoples and join with them in calling for the national government of the state and the present administration to ratify ILO Convention 169 and other conventions on Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We condemn the policy of the government of Brazil of dismantling the constitutional rights of the Indigenous Peoples to impede the process of territorial demarcation, and the reopening of cases of demarcation already granted, in order to encourage private landowners and transnational mining companies and hydroelectric dams with the intent of imposing these projects on Indigenous Peoples' territories in violation of the right of free, prior and informed consent.

Finally we join the call from the V Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities of Abya Yala in calling upon Pope Francis and the Vatican State to address the issues of violation of our Human Rights, particularly the right of Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples, in order to institute collective corrective measures in rejection of the Doctrine of Discovery, since this doctrine continues to serve as a mantle of camouflage that upholds and immorally legitimizes the continuing colonization and neo-colonization of our Indigenous Peoples and the territories of our Original Nations.