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Talking to Indigenous Americans in Amazon
Democracy Now! speaks with Indigenous leaders at U.N. climate summit in Belém for climate negotiations, in greater numbers than ever before, taking center stage at COP30.
These Indigenous leaders are calling “to end the persecution of our land defenders,” says Diana Chávez, member of the Pastaza Kichwa Nation, with Pakkiru, an Indigenous organization based in Ecuador’s Amazon. “We’re fighting to keep our territories.”
- What is the Amazon rainforest?
- Native Kichwa (Quechua) languages
- Pakkiru (Kichwa) | Cultural Survival
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
HOST AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman. We’re broadcasting from Belém, Brazil, the gateway to the Amazon, where the U.N. climate summit is taking place.
“The answer is us.” That was the slogan as hundreds of Indigenous leaders from the Amazon and across the region gathered in the streets of Belém Monday (Nov. 17) outside the U.N. climate summit venue, where delegates from over 190 countries continue negotiations. These are some of the voices from the streets of Belém.
INDIGENOUS LEADER 1: [Translated] We are here fighting for our land, for our wildlife, for our birds that are facing extinction. We are here at this COP for results. We ask that Brazilian President Lula come and demarcate the land so that the illegal miners don’t enter our land and our river.
INDIGENOUS LEADER 2: [Translated] We are here claiming our rights, defending our forests, defending our animals, where we have survived all these years. We need to be recognized by the world as great guardians of the forest.
AMY GOODMAN: As Indigenous protests continue here in Belém, the government of Brazil has announced the creation of 10 new Indigenous territories in response to demands from protesters. There are more than 900 Indigenous delegates accredited here at [COP30], the highest number at any U.N. climate summit.
We’re joined now by Diana Chávez. She is a member of the Pastaza Kichwa Nation, head of international affairs and organizations for Pakkiru, which is based in Ecuador’s Amazon, arrived in Belém three weeks ago. Can you talk about where you’re from in Ecuador? More
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