The Wixarika (Huichol) people of Mexico have submitted a third letter in their series of communications with the Mexican presidential branch urging the cancellation of mining concessions within their sacred territory known as Wirikuta.
Keeping the pressure on strong, the Wirikuta Defense Front and the Regional Council of he Wixarika wrote to the President: “We trust that your government will not permit that this case moves backwards from the point where the previous administration has left it; your repeated declarations in favor of human rights and announced dedication to combat the causes and effects of global warming imply that you will not permit that the interests of mining companies affect this land that is patrimony of humanity and of Mexico, fundamental to the existence of our people.”
Since September of 2010 the Wixarika people have fought tirelessly to prevent the destruction of the sacred Wirikuta territory at the hands of mining companies and agro-industry. The Wixarika reference studies which confirm that mining projects in this area are “absolutely unviable given the conditions of the aquifers and the fragility of the areas exception richness in flora and fauna.”
They urged the president to respect their peoples right to be informed on these projects that would greatly affect them, and reiterated the following demands, among others:
- The cancelation of mining and agro-industrial concessions in Wirikuta
- The federal recognition of the Protected Nature Reserve in Wirikuta
- UNESCO Recognition of Wirikuta as a World Culture and Natural Heritage Site
- A meeting with President Peña Nieto to set a common agenda
The letter enumerates the success the of the Wixarika nationally and internationally in gaining support for their protection. “During this process, we have found widespread solidarity from organizations, Mexican civil society, people from all over the world, as well as institutions and official bodies such as the UN High Commission for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples, and the Mexican Human Rights Commission, who have all officially pronounced in favor of true and effective protection of Wirikuta and continue to work towards that end. “
Cultural Survival launched a campaign in partnership with the Wixarika in October of 2010. See our campaign, here.
Read the original Spanish text here, and an English translation, below:
The Regional Wixarika Council for the defense of Wirikuta has submitted a third letter to the executive branch.
In light of the possible visit by the Federal Executive and members of his cabinet regarding the implementation of the National Campaign against Hunger that took place in the community of Pueblo Nuevo, Mezquitic, Jalisco, the Regional Wixarika Council and the Wirikta Defense Front has published the following press release on their third letter to the president:
“Third letter to the president of Mexico from the Regional Council of Wixarika and the Wirikuta Defense Front, June 10th 2013.
In this document, the Regional Wixarika Council, represented by traditional and civil society authorities from the communities of San Sebastián Teponahuaxtlán and Tuxpan de Bolaños, Santa Catarina Cuexcomatitlán and Bancos de San Hipólito again express their demands which are:
1) Elevate Wirikuta’s protection as a Natural Protected Area to a federal denomination, in respect of the collective rights of our people of our brothers who inhabit the area.
2) Cancel the mining concession in Wirikuta due to their illegality, as urged by the National Human Rights Commission in their recommendation 56/2012 which has been accepted on all terms by the federal authorities.
3) Shut down the agro-industry projects that are gravely destroying the flora and fauna, draining aquifers, and causing irreversible damage to our sacred territory
4) Inscribe Wirikuta in the UNESCO list of Natural and Cultural Heritage Site, retracting the previous recognition of Wirikta as only “intangible heritage” due to the fact that the site includes ecosystems of great value.
5) An immediate end to the dangerous misinformation campaign brought by Hector Moreno, municipal president of Real de Catorce and nullify his role as President of the Wirikuta Reserve.
6) Schedule a meeting as President of the State of Mexico in order to establish a common agenda to bring solution to this serious problem.
