San Jose Costa Rica, January 05, 2019. Petition with local support

GENERAL CURIA ROME.

Dear Vincent Anesthasiar.

A cordial and grateful greeting to the support of the indigenous struggle of the Bribri de Salitre people in defense of their ancestral territories.

We answer the two questions that they send us.

Through the Committee of Support for Indigenous Autonomy, we commit ourselves to keep you informed about the events in the indigenous territories.

In Costa Rica there are 24 indigenous territories. At the moment, Salitre, Térraba and Rey Curré, are the territories where the recoveries of their ancestral lands are being carried out, some cases are very advanced, others are beginning; all part of the Autonomous Territorial Affirmation Process, based on the Costa Rican Indigenous Laws and the International Human Rights Agreements of Indigenous Peoples.

In the territory of Salitre, where most of the recoveries are taking place, progress is made, albeit slowly. Some recoveries are already consolidating, and they have the support of the Council of the Authorities of Mother Earth, (Ditsö Iriria Ajkônuk Wakpa name in Bribrí language) in all the death threats persist, the facts that intimidate them, the transit in indigenous NO vehicles through the territory, bullets into the air and the absence of support from government authorities.

Vincent, the Bribri people who fight for their rights, has the support and is part of the NATIONAL FRONT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (FRENAPI), which is supported by the Committee of Support for Indigenous Autonomy, composed of many social organizations, in JPIC account. We agree to exercise a healthy international pressure on the Government of Costa Rica. We believe it is a successful method, to seek to deter violence and achieve justice in indigenous territories. Therefore, we suggest that the letters be addressed to the Embassies of Costa Rica, as well as to the following instances:

Presidential House, Mr. Carlos Alvarado. President of the Republic despachopresidente@presidencia.go.cr

Mr. Michael Soto Rojas

Ministry of Public Security.

despachoministro@seguridadpublica.go.cr

contralo@seguridadpublica.go.cr

Mrs . Marcia González Aguiluz

Ministry of Justice and Peace.

info@mj.go.cr

Mr. Fernando Cruz Castro

President of the Court of Justice

fcruz@Poder-Judicial.go.cr

contraloriapj@poder-judicial.go.cr

Ms. Catalina Crespo Sancho

Defender of the inhabitants

despachodhr@dhr.go.cr

National Front of Indigenous Peoples

frenapi@yahoo.com.mx

The Government of President Carlos Alvarado preaches the defense of Human Rights, and we want to think that this is one of its objectives, but they make us doubt in the absence of pertinent action.

We will keep in touch.

Vicky Acuña Montero JPIC. Claretians. Costa Rica

Committee to support the Indigenous Fight

Testimony of Mariana Delgado Morales, recovering Bribri.

"This is how we continue here in the struggle, although abandoned and forgotten by the government and with the threats of these farmers who want to strip us of our only resource, the land, we will not bow down or surrender ever."

Mariana Delgado Morales, indigenous Bribri, recovering farm in Río Azul de Salitre. The group consists of 4 women and 12 children under 12 years of age. January 5, 2019