Indigenous Leaders from Around the World Meet at COP21 in Paris

Kayapo Chief Raoni Metuktire of Brazil and Kasike Roberto Mukaro Borrero,
President of the United Confederation of Taino People meet in Paris. 

Paris, France (UCTP Taino News) - About 250 indigenous leaders who engaged in a series of unprecedented consultations in the Arctic, North America, Asia, Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Russia and Eastern Europe, and Africa finalized their proposals to COP21 on Monday. The delegates are now actively lobbying governments to include the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the COP21 agreement. The indigenous leaders are also calling on countries to adopt a goal of keeping the global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming with the view of further lowering it to one degree Celsius. According to experts, the disastrous and possibly irreversible tipping point of climate change is 2°C. Among this historic and diverse gathering of indigenous leadership are Chief Damon Corrie of the Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization (CADO) and Kasike Roberto Mukaro Agueibana Borrero, President of the United Confederation of Taino People. 

UCTPTN 11.30.2015

Taino Attends Keystone XL Rejection Celebration in South Dakota

Taino Community member Heriberto Guaragua'niki of the Guainia Taino Tribe
addresses Keystone Rejection Victory Celebration in South Dakota
on behalf of the United Confederation of Taino People

Mission, South Dakota (UCTP Taino News) - Taino community member Heriberto Guaragua'niki Martinez attended the "Success through Prayer" Keystone Rejection Victory Celebration in South Dakota on November 14, 2015. The event was hosted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and featured many speakers including grassroots leaders like Faith Spotted Eagle and various supporters who advocated against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Martinez, a member of the Guainia Taino Tribe was asked to officially represent the United Confederation of Taino People at the event by UCTP President, Roberto Mukaro Borrero. 

The UCTP actively protested against the proposed pipeline in solidarity with North American Indigenous Tribal Nations on the front lines of the fight against the Keystone KXL. Organizers of the event including elder Chief Duane Hollow Horn Bear requested that Martinez share remarks with those gathered. Martinez shared historical information about the Taino and he recounted how community members attended marches and wrote letters to government officials against the pipeline. He also shared how the Boricua community, including Taino People, recently defeated a gas pipeline proposed for the island of Boriken (Puerto Rico). 

On November 6, President Barack Obama denied the permit to carry tar-sands crude oil from TransCanada Corporation into the United States through the proposed KXL pipeline. The "Success through Prayer" Keystone Rejection Victory Celebration was held at the Sinte Gleska University. 

UCTPTN 11.18.2015