Indigenous grassroots mobilize at KlimaForum 10 Cancun

Photo Rebecca Sommers. Click on poster below to enlarge.
Indigenous grassroots delegate Ofelia Rivas, O'odham, with Mayan elders at KlimaForum 10

Message from Maya Elders Circle (below)

Message from Rebecca Sommers at KlimaForum 10 Cancun:
After traveling for 2 weeks prior of the UNFCCC from Maya community to Maya community in the direct local regions area around Cancun, Tulum etc, spreading the infos about the UNFCCC, alternative spaces, and REDD, the communities send their precious Elders that arrived at Klimaforum 10. They did at night a Moon prayer, and in the morning a prayer to the Sun.
These Elders shared a lot of wisdom regarding Climate Change, some of what I will never forget.
Myself and Maya workpartner Gabriel Mason Chulium worked for 3 days with these Elders to explain the basics of the UNFCCC, UN system, UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Climate Change at other parts of the world outside of their own, and explained also REDD.
The Elders, some of them spoke nearly no Spanish, worked very hard to establish their own vision statement to Mexico, and the UNFCCC.
Some youth was with them, to ensure that everything was clearly explained and translated and written down the way they wanted it.
After the Elders left, the communities send their youth, that will go back into their communities and spread the things that they have learned.
Gabriel and myself, grandma Ofelia Rivas (who was the co-chair of the Indigenous Caucus at Cochabamba) are doing the same training with them right now, and we expect that the youth will also create their own message/declaration, that should come out in the next days.
This is all very local.
The next info is, that it seems that on the 3rd and 4rth about 400-500 not UNFCCC registered IPs (excluded) will gather at Klimaforum 10, from Abya Yala (North, central and South America), to create their own response to the system.
REDD will be a major part of this.
Greetings, Rebecca
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November 27th 2010
From the ELDER CIRCLE of the Indigenous Peoples Maya, at Klimaforum10, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Shared vision of our knowledge and of our feelings about the UN Conference of Climate Change
The Maya communities of the state of Quintana Roo, México: Tihosuco, Chan-chen primero y Dos Ojos (Ejido Jacinto Pat).
1. We, like all of the indigenous peoples of the world, are the guardians and protectors of Mother Earth, which cannot be sold, given away, nor rented, because she belongs to everyone and not just to a few.
2. We demand that the governments respect our traditional knowledge, for example: Coexisting in harmony with Mother Earth, with responsibility and justice.
3. As native peoples we feel defrauded and marginalized by the lack of respect for our rights, that’s why we demand: No to discrimation, and the disposession of our lands. We preserve and our natural resources!
4. We demand self-determination.
PROPOSALS
1. To have the right to continue practicing our traditional system of cultivation as our ancestors did, with care and respect for our land.
2. We demand: No to the use of genetically modified seeds, chemical fertilizers, insecticides or polluting herbicides, that are the principal cause of the destruction of our land and the contamination of our aquifers.
3. We are tired of the injustice aimed at our traditional ways and customs. We say: No more false illusions, no more laws that prohibit the rational use of our forests and jungles.
4. We beg and insist the United Nations and the governments, especially Mexico: No to progamms that are false solutions, like REDD, which is a threat, because it authorizes those who are polluting the earth and air to continue to pollute, causing global warming.
We who subscribed are youth and the Council of Elders, with wisdom and our feelings.
Eulogio Puc Tamay
Mauro Poot Dzib
Justino Canul Alamilla
José Guadalupe Poot Dzib
Gabriel Mazón Tun
Nelli Poot Rodríguez
Emilio Poot Dzib
Donato Chan y Moo
27 de Novembre del 2010

Del circulo de los Sabios Indigenas Maya, en el Klimaforum10, Puerto Morelos, del Estado de Quintana Roo, México

VISION COMPARTIDA CON SABIDURIA DE NUESTRO SENTIR SOBRE EL CONFERENCIA DE LA ONU SOBRE CAMBIO CLIMATICO
Los pueblos Mayas del Estado de Quintana Roo, México: Tihosuco, Chan-Chen Primero y dos Ojos (Ejido Jacinto Pat).
1. Nosotros, como todos los pueblos indígenas del mundo, somos cuidadores, protectores de la Madre Tierra, por lo que no se vende, no se regala, ni se renta, porque es de todos y no solamente para algunos.
2. Exigimos a los gobiernos que respeten nuestra sabiduría tradicional, como por ejemplo: la convivencia y la armonía con nuestra Madre Tierra con responsabilidad y justicia.
3. Como pueblos nativos, nos sentimos defraudados, marginados al no respetar nuestros derechos, por lo que exigimos: No a la discriminacion, mucho menos asi al despojo de nuestras tierras. Conservaremos y preservaremos nuestros recursos naturales!
4. Exijimos nuestra libre determinacion.
PROPUESTAS
1. Tener derecho de seguir practicando nuestro sistema de cultivo tradicional que nos proporcionaron nuestros ancentros, con cuidado y respeto a nuestra tierra.
2. Demandamos: No al uso de semillas transgénicas, fertilizantes químicos, insecticidas o herbicidas contaminantes, que es la principal causa del deterioro de nuestra tierra y contaminacion de nuestros mantos acuíferos.
3. Cansados de la injusticia a nuestras tradiciones y costumbres. Decimos: No más falsas ilusiones, no más creaciones de leyes que prohiben el uso racional de nuestros bosques y selvas.
4. Pedimos y exigimos a las Naciones Unidas y gobiernos, especialmente de México: No a los programas de falsas soluciones, como REDD, que es una amenaza, porque esta autorizando a aquellos que están contaminado la tierra y el aire, para aumentar y continuar contaminando, causando el calentamiento global.
Los que suscribimos : jóvenes y consejo de ancianos con sabiduría de nuestro sentir.
Eulogio Puc Tamay
Mauro Poot Dzib
Justino Canul Alamilla
José Guadalupe Poot Dzib
Gabriel Mazón Tun
Nelli Poot Rodríguez
Emilio Poot Dzib
Donato Chan y Moo
.
Klimaforum Cancun camping info: http://10.klimaforum.org/