17/12/2009

Venezuelan Constitution vindicated aboriginal rights

Caracas, Dec 16 ABN.- Since the first National Constitution in 1811, when the Republic came to existence, the rights of the native peoples had never been recognized. Now, the Constitution passed in 1999 gathers natives' needs and vindicates their rights to land, which ancestrally belong to them, to education and culture.

The statement was said by the aboriginal representative to Venezuela's Parliament, Deputy Nohely Pocaterra, and recalled that historically native people have been one of the most excluded sectors in Venezuela.

“The Constitution came to do justice in this aspect. President Chavez did justice, he heard the call of the people, of aboriginals, peasants, the poor,” she affirmed.

Similarly, the lawgiver highlighted articles of the Constitution, such as article 9, which recognizes aboriginal languages as official languages in Venezuela. For this reason, these have to be respected nationwide, since they constitute cultural heritage of the Nation and of humanity.

Meanwhile, article 119 obliges the State to recognize the existence of native peoples and communities; their social, political and economic organizations; their cultures; customs and traditions; languages and religions; as well as their habitat; and their native rights to the lands that ancestrally and traditionally they occupy and which are necessary to develop and guarantee their way of life.

“This aspect shapes when the institution in charge of Civil registry services Saime gives us papers that recognize us as aboriginals, as well as Venezuelan citizens,” stressed Pocaterra.

Likewise, the Deputy said that in health matters, native people were excluded and separated from this right for years, until the Bolivarian Government took office.

“Historically, we have been the keepers of the frontiers, but the previous Governments used to turn their back,” she said.

Finally, she stressed that even though the Constitution vindicates their rights, it is still needed to adapt it to the current process in order to strengthen different aspects as, for instance, the ownership of the lands and habitat of collective lands.