Second Malón de la Paz
Encyclopedia
The Second Malón de la Paz was a protest march of aboriginals
of northwestern
Argentina
, demanding the restitution of their ancient lands. It started on 7 August 2006 in the province of Jujuy
.
Malón is a word derived from Mapudungun
and refers to a surprise incursion, as practised by the native tribes attacking creole settlements in the past. Therefore the expression means "Peace Incursion". The first Malón de la Paz
was a 2,000 km march from Jujuy to Buenos Aires
in 1946, to present land and human rights claims to President Juan Perón
.
The Second Malón de la Paz was triggered by the long delay and refusal of the provincial government of Jujuy to comply with a judicial order granting the indigenous communities 15,000 km² of land. An assembly of members of different communities gathered in Abra Pampa
, 200 km north of San Salvador de Jujuy
(the same place where, 60 years before, the first Malón started). Following the resolutions of the assembly, a number of delegates from the communities scattered around the province marched from the Quebrada de Humahuaca
to Purmamarca
(60 km north of the provincial capital).
After a new assembly, on 8 August around 1,000 people blockaded National Routes 16 and 9
, and demanded to be heard by governor Eduardo Fellner
. The blockade is slated to last indefinitely.
The 1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution
recognized the rights of the "originary peoples" to own their ancient lands. According to the delegates of the communities, in 1996 the national government started sending funds to Jujuy to handle the surveys and paperwork needed to make the lands property of the originary communities, but only 7 out of 123 collective property titles have been granted to them.
On 2 May 2003, justice ordered that the papers had to be delivered within no more than 15 months. The provincial government appealed the decision. The originary communities were displeased by this, and sent a letter to President Néstor Kirchner
. The drastic measure of blocking national roads was called by the press "an ultimatum" to the provincial authorities.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
of northwestern
Argentine Northwest
The Argentine Northwest is a region of Argentina composed by the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán.-Geography:The region had 5 different biomes:* Sub-Andean humid Sierras of the east...
Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, demanding the restitution of their ancient lands. It started on 7 August 2006 in the province of Jujuy
Jujuy Province
Jujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:...
.
Malón is a word derived from Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
and refers to a surprise incursion, as practised by the native tribes attacking creole settlements in the past. Therefore the expression means "Peace Incursion". The first Malón de la Paz
Malón de la Paz
The Malón de la Paz was a march of indigenous peoples of northwestern Argentina to the capital, Buenos Aires, demanding the restitution of their ancient lands, in 1946. The participants marched about 2,000 km to present their claims to President Juan Perón....
was a 2,000 km march from Jujuy to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1946, to present land and human rights claims to President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
.
The Second Malón de la Paz was triggered by the long delay and refusal of the provincial government of Jujuy to comply with a judicial order granting the indigenous communities 15,000 km² of land. An assembly of members of different communities gathered in Abra Pampa
Abra Pampa
Abra Pampa is a town and municipality in Jujuy Province in Argentina., and is the capital of the Department of Cochinoca.-References:...
, 200 km north of San Salvador de Jujuy
San Salvador de Jujuy
San Salvador de Jujuy , commonly known as Jujuy and locally often referred to as San Salvador, is the capital city of Jujuy Province in northwest Argentina. It lies near the southern end of the Humahuaca Canyon where wooded hills meet the lowlands....
(the same place where, 60 years before, the first Malón started). Following the resolutions of the assembly, a number of delegates from the communities scattered around the province marched from the Quebrada de Humahuaca
Quebrada de Humahuaca
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow mountain valley located in the province of Jujuy in northwest Argentina, north of Buenos Aires . It is about long, oriented north-south, bordered by the Altiplano in the west and north, by the Sub-Andean hills in the east, and by the warm valleys in the...
to Purmamarca
Purmamarca
Purmamarca is a town in the Tumbaya Department of the Jujuy Province in Argentina.- Etymology :The name of the town can be interpreted as the combination of Aymara language words purma and marca , though desert in that language can refer to uncivilised or not touched by human hand, thus the name...
(60 km north of the provincial capital).
After a new assembly, on 8 August around 1,000 people blockaded National Routes 16 and 9
National Route 9 (Argentina)
National Route 9 is a major road in Argentina, which runs from the center-east to the northwest of the country, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy...
, and demanded to be heard by governor Eduardo Fellner
Eduardo Fellner
Eduardo Alfredo Fellner is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician, currently President of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies and until 2007 governor of Jujuy Province....
. The blockade is slated to last indefinitely.
History
The first Malón de Paz was not well received by the national government. Although the marchers got the attention and support of the people in the way, as well as formal acknowledgment by President Perón, they were soon expelled from Buenos Aires empty-handed. Only three years later, in 1949, the national government expropriated some lands to be granted to the indigenous communities, but the cession was never performed.The 1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution
1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution
The 1994 amendment to the Constitution of Argentina was approved on 22 August by a Constitutional Assembly that met in the twin cities of Santa Fe and Paraná...
recognized the rights of the "originary peoples" to own their ancient lands. According to the delegates of the communities, in 1996 the national government started sending funds to Jujuy to handle the surveys and paperwork needed to make the lands property of the originary communities, but only 7 out of 123 collective property titles have been granted to them.
On 2 May 2003, justice ordered that the papers had to be delivered within no more than 15 months. The provincial government appealed the decision. The originary communities were displeased by this, and sent a letter to President Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
. The drastic measure of blocking national roads was called by the press "an ultimatum" to the provincial authorities.
See also
- Demographics of ArgentinaDemographics of ArgentinaThis article is about the demographic features of Argentina, including population density, ethnicity, economic status and other aspects of the population....
- History of ArgentinaHistory of ArgentinaThe history of Argentina is divided by historians into four main parts: the pre-Columbian time, or early history , the colonial period , the independence wars and the early post-colonial period of the nation and the history of modern Argentina .The beginning of prehistory in the present territory of...
- Indigenous peoples of the AmericasIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...