Nicaragua
Board Member de Yatama (indigenous organisation in La Moskitia, Nicaragua) and lawyer. Mark represented the youth on the Board and is also secretary of Yatama. He died on the 3rd of January 2020.
I am miskitu, originally from the community of Bihmuna, Tawira territory. We are a people different to other Indigenous Peoples as we were never conquered in the era of the conquest of America. Moreover we had a kingdom, the Kingdom of the Moskitia, whose king was Miskitu. It is because of that that we consider that the spaces and rights that the Nicaraguan state give us is very little compared with what we are really due.
My inspiration is our history, our past, the fight and the achievements of our ancestors. This motivates me to keep fighting because I want to see my people excel, live in peace, develop according to our customs, choose our leaders in our way and not remain oppressed, that they don’t exploit our resources because it is our heritage, that our communities live in harmony, equality and freedom. If achieving this means giving my life, I would do it without thinking, just as many other Miskitus feel and think that.
My role in our communities is to raise awareness, unite them more, work hand in hand to bring their voices and demands wherever I go and to accompany them in all processes when I am there.
Indigenous and community leaders from 20 tropical forest countries went to Europe to tell decision makers how they are key allies to fight climate change. They have five demands to enable them to keep protecting the world’s forests. The coalition of indigenous organizations travelled by bus to Cologne, Brussels, London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. They […]