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May 2010 : the last of Colombian Indians ?
A recent report published by the Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia (ONIC) alerts the international community on the alarming situation of these South American indigenous communities.
According to the organization, 64 out of the 102 Colombian native Indian communities are threatened with extinction.
Among other possible causes : on the one hand, a 50 year old inner armed conflict which, since 2002, is believed to have caused the death of 1 400 Indians and the eviction of around 74 000. On the other hand, a economic development simply ignoring the rights of Indians. The most severe threats involve oil, hydroelectric dams, oil palm plantations, and of course poverty, and difficulties of access to health and eduction.
An appendix of the report (p.60) includes two maps precisely locating the sixty-four endangered communities, with estimates of the number of people these communities still represent. They show for example that ten of these communities count under a hundred people : the Yamalero, the Makaguaje, the Pisamira, the Tsiripu, the Eduria (Taiwanno), the Piaroa, the Wipiji, the Muiname, the Yaruro, and the Dijo peoples. Most of their languages are understudied, some aren’t studied at all.
The ONIC launched an awareness raising campaign in March on the situation of the indigenous peoples of Colombia, peoples the organization considers under the responsability of the entire humanity.