Indigenous Protest on Day 3 in Ecuador
Quito, Nov 18 (Prensa Latina) Thousands of Ecuadorian indigenous people are on their third day of protest against signing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US and in favor of a Constituent Assembly.
Indigenous people, summoned by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), reached the National Congress and Independence Square, in front Carondelet Palace, Government House.
President Alfredo Palacio accepted to dialogue with CONAIE leaders, who urged him not to sign the FTA, to formalize the idea of a Constituent Assembly and declare expiration of US Oxy oil company´s contract.
CONAIE´s head Luis Macas spoke of the damages, especially for natives, the FTA signing with Washington would bring.
This organization legally submitted a proposal for the defense of Collective Rights and Previous Consultation of indigenous peoples.
CONAIE´s president has reiterated in his speeches the FTA will ruin production, the national economy and mainly agriculture, as security and food sovereignty will be lost.
Macas emphasized that transnational oil extraction implied pollution, land and territory movements, diseases and death, which will intensify if the market is opened further.
CONAIE ratified it would continue protesting until the government refuses to sign the FTA and Oxy is expelled from Ecuador.
This article originally appeared in Prensa Latina