Indigenous People in Mexico City Demand Right to Decide Natural Resource Policies Rosa Rojas - La Jornada
go to original February 3, 2014

The people of Milpa Alta have cared for their forests and defended their territory since before the Spaniards arrived and before the government of the Mexican State was constituted; thus, the original peoples now demand that the new relationship with the Government of the Federal District (GDF) must not only be one of respect and recognition for their autonomy and self-determination but that environmental policies must be decided by the people. These proposals were made last week during the first meeting of communities, towns and [Mexico City] neighborhoods convened by the National Indigenous Congress, Federal District [Mexico City] Region, and the community of Milpa Alta.*

Julian Flores Aguilar, representative of communal properties [lands owned and worked collectively] in Milpa Alta, welcomed the participation of 350 fraternal delegates and 32 effective delegates from 28 towns and neighborhoods in the Federal District. He recalled that Milpa Alta has more than a century of being Zapatista, that it is an adherent to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandón Jungle of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation [EZLN], and that Subcomandante Marcos was here for several days during his tour of the country.

Francisco Pastrana, also a member of the representation of communal properties, said that the GDF now has a very "aggressive" policy on the environment, because the authorities intend to retain the natural resources "excluding the people in order to open the doors to private investment."

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

*Milpa Alta [High Field] is one of the 16 delegations [boroughs] that make up Mexico's Federal District. Located in the southeast tip of Mexico City, in the foothills of the Sierra de Ajusco-Chichinautzin, Milpa Alta separates the state of Morelos and Mexico City.

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