April 21, 2008

Racist article of the year

'Most racist' article attacked Native peoples in ParaguayThe Most Racist Article of the Year Award for 2007, given by the human rights organization Survival International, goes to a Paraguayan newspaper that published an editorial describing Native people as "a cancer" and as having "filthy habits." Indigenous advocates also point to economic aspects and severe oppression as being parts of the reason for the media attack.

SI's award is a new feature of its "Stamp it Out" campaign, which aims to challenge racist depictions of tribal people in the world's media. The winner, La Nacion of Asuncion, received a certificate March 21, inscribed with a quotation from Lakota Sioux author Luther Standing Bear: "All the years of calling the Indian a savage has never made him one."
The details:The targets of the article's vitriol are mainly Ava Guarani people who ended up living in a public park in the capital city of Asuncion for nine months, between January and September of last year. According to activists and attorneys involved in the issue, this group of families and others were supposed to be able to move into territory purchased for them--after their ancestors were forced off much of the same land--but problems have arisen in finishing the purchase arrangement.

These details did not appear in the editorial, titled "Indians in Uruguay Square," published in La Nacion Sept. 13, 2007.

"A Neolithic Indian camp right in the city center is unthinkable, but there it is, like a dangerous cancer, spreading bad smells, destruction and contamination," wrote Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb, author of the editorial and owner of La Nacion and the new Crowne Plaza Hotel in Asuncion. "The city's being punished for no reason, and it shouldn't have to pay for it. The Indians have to learn to live like people, or get back to the jungle."

2 comments:

oqpo-odbo said...

Is the new reservation located near George W Bushs' 100,000 acre Ranch?

Just wondering if there is a connection.

oqpo-odbo said...

Decided to do some googling concerning this topic.

The Guarni (Indian) are from the Tri-Border Area (TBA means the area of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil) which is reported to be the area of the 100,000 acre Bush family Ranch. So there is an Indian connection to George dubai Bushs' purchase.

Also the Governor of Alto Paraquay, Erasmo Rodriquez Acosta says that it is rumored that Bush has 173,000 acres (70,000 hectares) through the Fundacion Patria

...The region is part of the triple frontier of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, which share the mighty Parana River. It is the same river that ends in the Atlantic Ocean with the name of Rio de la Plata. This river and its affluents have been journeyed during the last 9,000 years by the settlers of the Rio de la Plata basin.

Medicinal and nutritional plants were domesticated by the Guaranis in its subtropical forest. According to the myth of the GuaranĂ­ Creation, the Parana River means also the symbolic place where the cultural hero "Kuarahy" tended a bridge of arrows to cross the river, saving the life of his twin brother from the malignant devils.

Since the 16th Century, this same place was the mandatory gate for Spaniards to colonize South America. The first Jesuit Missions settled here before moving towards the south, after the constant rebellion of natives.

Finally, this is the same forest that hid, for five centuries, those Guarani Indians who fled from the Spanish-Paraguayan villages.

SOURCE: http://www.archimuse.com/publishing/ichim05/AlejandraPena_en.pdf ...