Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje is an Indigenous leader, politician, and journalist from the Siona Peoples in the Colombian Amazon. The Siona People are under many threats to their existence. He is currently the Communication Coordinator for OZIP and director of Radio Waira 104.7 FM, which represents the 11 Indigenous Peoples of Putumayo who are members of the Indigenous Organization of the Putumayo Area. Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje is part of Cultural Survival's Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 delegation in Cali, Colombia.
Message from Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje, ahead of CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia
I am a Siona Indigenous leader, communication and journalism professional, audiovisual director, communications coordinator in the Putumayo Indigenous Zonal Organization, and director of the Waira 104.7 FM radio station. For me, it is a pleasure to be able to participate on behalf of the Colombian Amazon.
We, as a Peoples, have always taken care of our territory from our cultural and ancestral practices and from our spirituality. However, the presence of third parties in our territory generates and increases environmental pollution rates; We are currently experiencing a drought in the Amazon River. For this reason, we call on humanity so that states cease the environmental licenses they grant to multinationals, as this helps these outsiders to extract the natural resources that should remain on earth. Our Mai Yija (Mother Earth) is crying and also calls for us to take care of her.
As an official delegate to the CBD COP16, we look for national and international spaces that are direct and allow the participation of our indigenous leaders, so that we can be in the decision-making spaces and that this contributes to the protection of our Amazon territory.
Amazonian Indigenous movement in the fight and resistance for life!
