CONTINENTAL COMMISSION ABYA YALA: Letter of Invitation to Chiapas, Mexico

CONTINENTAL COMMISSION ABYA YALA

Call to Convene in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, in manifestation before the upcoming official visit of Pope Francisco to Mexico

February 9-10, 2016

Dear sisters and brothers:

On behalf of the organizations, communities and Indigenous Peoples of Mexico, we are inviting you to participate in a Continental Meeting of Indigenous Peoples, to be held in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico from February 9-10, before the visit of Pope Francisco to this city now scheduled for February 13-15, 2016.

This meeting is the continuation of two that have preceded, the first being the V Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities of AbyaYala held at La Maria Piendamó in Cauca, Colombia in November of 2013, and the second held on September 23, 2015 in Lenape Nation Territories [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - United States of America].

We are proposing to realize our meeting of Indigenous Peoples four days before the arrival of Pope Francis with the objective to declare and make visible our demand that Pope Francis clarify his position as head of Vatican State and make a commitment to rectify the role of the Roman Catholic Church in the establishment of the "Doctrine of Discovery of Christendom" for over five hundred years in this continent of Abya Yala. This doctrine is the philosophical-political-legal and ideological principle upon which the ongoing illegal and immoral Continental Colonial Regime came to be established which was first introduced by the Spanish Crown and then succeeded by all of the nation states of the Americas when they emerged as independent republics.

The primary objective of this gathering of Indigenous Peoples is to produce a document that will be presented to Pope Francis and disseminated through all channels of information and communication in Mexico and worldwide.

A delegation of Nations of Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island Abya Yala North [the United States of America] has confirmed their presence at the encounter in Mexico.

As Indigenous Peoples and Nations of Abya Yala we make the following proposals:

1) Request a direct dialogue in urgent manner with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican to address our concerns and proposals for rectification of the violations of our collective human rights and territorial rights, including the right of Self Determination as Peoples, equal to all other peoples.

2) Demand that Pope Francis as head of the Vatican act on his call for forgiveness for complicity in the ongoing genocide against our Indigenous Peoples being committed in overt colonization Abya Yala [America] in affirmation and support for the full respect and recognition of indigenous cultures and rights.

3) Recalling that the request for forgiveness by his Holiness Pope Francis as head of the Vatican is not sufficient, if there is no justice, reparation and guarantees for the international recognition of the full and effective exercise of our right to self-determination as Nations of Indigenous Peoples.

Tentatively, among other issues to be discussed and confirmed on the agenda of our gathering:

-8 February, arrival of delegations.

-9 February AM Introductions and establishment of Working Group.

-9 February PM video presentation prepared by the Continental Commission Abya Yala.

-10 February AM Press Conference.

-10 February PM evaluation of event and commitments for follow through.

Dear brothers and sisters, we appeal to your conscience, because we are not in condition to offer support for airline ticket costs, lodging and food. However our sisters and brothers in Chiapas have offered their homes as accommodation and have offered to work voluntarily for the meeting to be a success.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any concerns, observations, comments or suggestions you might have. We shall see you soon!!!

Contacts:

Araceli Burguete: araceli_burguete@yahoo.com.mx Celular 521-9671141768.

Margarita Gutiérrez Romero: margargut@yahoo.com.mx.

Saúl Vicente Vázquez: binizaa2002@yahoo.com.mx

[Arizona]: Tupac Enrique Acosta: chantlaca@tonatierra.org

Sincerely,

Margarito Ruiz Hernandez, National Indigenous Movement MIN-Mosol.

Margarita Gutiérrez Romero, National Coordinator of Indigenous Women of Mexico CONAMI-COEMICH.

Saul Vicente Vazquez, a former member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues-UFIC.

TONATIERRA

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