-Caveat Lector- Colombian Indian Tribe Seeks Asylum in Spain Reuters 29-APR-99 BOGOTA, April 29 (Reuters) - An entire Colombian Indian tribe petitioned Spain for political asylum on Thursday, saying they were victims of government discrimination and were trapped in the cross-fire of their country's bloody civil war. Tribal spokesman Gilberto Achito said all 2,500 members of the Embera-Katio community, whose traditional lands lie along the upper reaches of the Sinu River in northern Cordoba province, were ready to leave Colombia. A delegation from the tribe presented a letter requesting asylum to the Spanish Embassy on Thursday. The embassy could not immediately be contacted for comment. It was not clear whether the asylum request was mainly intended as a publicity stunt or whether the tribe would withdraw the request in exchange for government assistance. A group of some 50 Embera Indians, many wearing traditional clothes and faces painted with vegetable dyes, also stormed the National Planning Department in Bogota to protest the lack of government policies specifically aimed at helping ethnic groups. "There are no guarantees for us to live in our territory safely. We have taken the decision to leave our lands and leave the country because we cannot continue living here," Achito told reporters. At least three Embera-Katio Indians have been murdered so far this year by suspected Marxist guerrillas or ultra-right death squads. Like the majority of Colombia's Indian groups, the Embera-Katio have asked all groups involved in the three-decade war to stay off their land and respect their neutrality. Much of their territory, however, spreads across a strategic mountain range linking Cordoba with northwest Antioquia province and has become a major transit route for both rebels and their right-wing paramilitary rivals. The Embera-Katio also say they have been forced off some of their land by a government-approved hydroelectric project. Last year, the Indians won a court case granting them compensation for hardship caused by the so-called Urra project but so far no deal has been signed and no money has been handed over. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
