Political and Economic Marginalization Fuels Indigenous Protests in Latin America

  
In countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, indigenous groups account for more than 50% of the national population. Despite their majority status, however, Indians do not enjoy many rights in these societies, at least in part because they lack economic and political power.

According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), indigenous peoples represent 10% of the total population of Latin America, yet they make up 25% of the population living in poverty. Problems include the expropriation of Indian lands by settlers and landlords; the relegation of Indians to poor agricultural lands; and the inability to meet such basic needs as food, housing, health care and education. These factors threaten the survival of indigenous communities and turn their territories into zones of conflict.

Recently, four Indian women in Ecuador were killed in a clash with soldiers during protests against the government's economic policies. More than 30,000 Indian protesters marched on Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, took over a university campus and blocked highways in the northern and central regions of the country, cutting off supply channels to several cities.

The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador (CONAIE) organized the protests in response to the government's introduction of an economic package that would have doubled the price of cooking gas, raised gasoline prices from 80 cents to $1, and increased the cost of public transportation by 76%. President Gustavo Noboa declared a state of emergency to deal with the resulting protests.

In Chile, conflicts between indigenous communities and the authorities have involved agriculture and the logging industry. In early January, clashes broke out between Mapuche Indian communities and the police in south-central Chile. The Mapuche protesters denounced the encroachment of logging companies onto traditionally indigenous lands.

According to Santos Millao, a leader of the indigenous community, "the conflict will not be resolved through repression. It's no longer even a legal problem; it's become a political demand." Chile's Minister of Planning and Cooperation, Alejandra Krauss, noted that the right to private property is enshrined in the Chilean Constitution and proposed that "those who believe that they have ancestral rights to certain lands should file a legal challenge instead of opting for violence."

It has not been easy for Latin America's indigenous peoples to gain access to political action and representation. Despite the fact that many of the region's national constitutions and international agreements recognize the multiethnic nature of its societies, little awareness exists of discrimination. Without justifying the violent actions of some indigenous groups, it is easy to see how frustration with their situation has radicalized some of their members.

Canada is an example of a country that has made strides toward embracing the concept of ethnic and cultural diversity and translating it into concrete action. Canada originally adopted the principle of multiculturalism to help assimilate immigrants, notes political scientist Will Kymlicka, but the same principle has been applied to respond to the needs of its indigenous population. Although Canada's Inuit and other indigenous peoples face ongoing socioeconomic and cultural challenges, the Ottawa government has shown its willingness to grant them political recognition and economic support, extending as far as the creation of an autonomous territory in the nation's far north. Latin America has much to learn from this example.