Panama: Village of the Damned

This story explicitly mentions several points that were touched on in our class discussion this week. The Ngabe are Panama’s largest indigenous group, and “since the time of the conquistadors… have been pushed to the margins of the country.” Of course, this statement has dual meanings, because while the author is talking about land in this case, the same is true on social, cultural, and economic levels. In class we talked about indigenous peoples in the United States and in Guatemala that are now being forced by the government off of the same land that they were forced onto by the government. This is precisely what is happening in Panama. What was previously considered expendable wasteland is now fiercely coveted for its mineral wealth. The Ngabe, like most other groups in their position, has nowhere else to go. And beyond this, their land is a vital site for cultural preservation. Backlash against a violent crackdown on protestors has compelled the President to enter negotiations with the Ngabe. It seems increasingly unlikely, however, that the government is actually considering a compromise—an unlikelihood enhanced exponentially by the corporate interests behind the government’s position. Both sides say they will not back down, but this is not a fair fight, and the ongoing history of the Americas does not leave much room for hope.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2012/03/20123208464402131.html