UP THE WIPHALAS, DOWN THE REFORM!!

Dear traveler, today you are passing through this route, in which we are constantly demonstrating, providing information and making our situation in our territory known. So we ask for a little bit of your time and support us.

The indigenous communities of the province of Jujuy are carrying out a historic struggle and claim for the legal recognition of the territories we have inhabited since time immemorial.

When the Argentine Republic began to form in 1810, the indigenous peoples asked for their ownership of their territories to be fully recognized. This did not happen even though we were no longer a colony. This loss of rights was due to the laws of the republic that did not recognize lands of indigenous peoples and only recognized individual private property.

In the Puna, the region where the communities present in the third Malón of peace are from, there is a lack of recognition throughout the 19th century, which led to the claims for the territory to the uprisings of 1874 and 1875, when more than 100 Puna residents died. These claims demanded recognition that the territories are indigenous.

Already in 1946 members of many communities walked for three months to

Buenos Aires, to demand the restitution of the lands from the Perón government. Not receiving a response to the request, the grandparents were expelled from Buenos Aires in the train cars.

Consequently, in 1949, the national state expropriated the lands and they became the responsibility of the provincial state as prosecutors.

In 1994, the reform of the National Constitution established that lands must be delivered with community titles to the communities. Only 12% received the community title.

During the governments of Gerardo Morales, no community title was delivered.

But what happens now? Why have the communities decided to march at this time with a third Peace Festival?

It is because the provincial government has carried out a reform of the Constitution of Jujuy without consulting the indigenous communities and in particular those who occupy the territories of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc where the lithium is found.

So, this new provincial constitution gives the state many legal tools to sell natural resources to private companies or promote projects of various types in the ravine and puna territories, without the consent of the communities. That without having your community property title we find ourselves in a vulnerable situation, with the possibility of suffering eviction, looting, among other abuses.

We indigenous communities pre-exist the Argentine nation because our ancestors lived here before the arrival of the Spanish. That is why we mobilize peacefully on the road waiting to be heard.

We hope to have your understanding and support. Tell your family and friends why the indigenous communities of Jujuy are fighting.

We deserve respect and rights. Thank you very much for your attention.

I UP THE WIPHALAS

DOWN THE REFORM!!