1995-10-01a- CIA Conference Report: THE CHALLENGE OF ETHNIC CONFLICT TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORDER IN THE 1990S GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES 01-Oct-95

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the past. Indians in Bolivia and Peru are likely to pro- levels. One excellent example is the August 1993 mur-
test any attempt to reduce coca production in that der of a number of Yanomami Indians by Brazilian
country if they are not matched with the development miners in the Brazil-Venezuela frontier area This
of an alternative source of comparable income incident had international implications for several rea-
Because most producers in both countries are Indian sons. The Brazilian miners apparently attacked the
and because coca production and consumption are so Indians in Venezuelan territory, which makes the cci-
strongly linked to Indian culture, the issue of reducing dent of interest to that state, and the Indians have close
production may be seen as one more effort on the part ties to cultural and environmental organizations in the
of the white-mestizo state to keep Indians from full United States and Europe as well as within Brazil,
participation in the national economy. Nevertheless, itself. Thus, the impact of this incident extended far
the immediate prospects for large-scale violent ethnic beyond the rain forests of the upper Orinoco River,
conflict do not seem great in the Andean countries. where it took place. It threatened to reinforce Brazil's
already negative image as a country that permits or
Lowland Indian~$even promotes environmentally destructive develop-
Lowland Indians, unlike their highland counterparts, ment, ignores or violates the boundaries of national
have been little influenced by European culture. Con- parks and cultural or biological reserves, mistreats
tact between these indigenous groups and the state has Indians, and has laws that favor concentration of
been relatively recent. Most peripheral or lowland wealth in the hands of a small elite while millions of
areas have been opened up for development-bring- poor barely survive in urban slums or on tiny farms.
ing military, colonists, and developers into direct con-
frontation with their long-term Indian occupants- These conflicts between native peoples and the state in
only during the past half-century. Latin America have parallels in other parts of the
world, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma,
The incorporation of peripheral territories, formerly Thailand, and the Philippines in Southeast Asia. In
considered empty and useless, into the effective these countries logging, mineral exploitation, resettle-
national territory of the Amazon states-Brazil, Suri ment programs, nd land development have displaced
name, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, or threaten to displace native populations.with econo-
and Bolivia-has inevitably disrupted the cultures of mies based on shifting agriculture or hunting and
the unacculturated or partially acculturated native gathering. Some African ethnic conflicts have similar
inhabitants of the region. The unfortunate results of root causes, but longstanding disputes among ethnic
these contacts are well documented. They include: the groups are more often responsible for setting off
spread of deadly diseases to highly susceptible popu- hostilities.
lations, loss of land, forced acculturation to Western
life styles, and incorporation into the cash-based econ- s This incident illustrates the difficulty of preventing conflict
omy. In addition, many Indians have been killed by between Indian groups and outsiders where valuable resources are
the military, colonists, miners, and other intruders of at stake. The Indians live in isolated areas where both military and
their teritry.cnithes,00mn sin other ar of police protection is difficult to provide, even if the national govern-
their territory. In the 500 years since the arrival of ment wishes to provide it, which is not always the case. And,
Europeans in the Western Hemisphere, the number of because of certain taboos or customs of the Indians, it may be diffi-
Indians in the Amazon Basin has been reduced from cult for outsiders to assess exactly how serious a conflict may be.
For example, the estimates of Yanomami killed in the August 1993
an estimated 6-12 million to about 200,000. The pro- raid ranged from 20 to 73, with the final number probably lying
cess has nearly reached its conclusion, since few, if closer to the lower end of-the range. The Yanomami believe that
any, refuges remain where native peoples can avoid mentioning the dead will bring back their spirits to haunt the living
and their counting system does not extend beyond two; therefore, it
contact with bearers of national culture. is extremely difficult to get them to reveal basic numeric data on an
incident such as the miners' raid.
Despite the declining numbers of lowland Indians,
contacts between them and outsiders have the p.otential
to produce conflicts that can escalate to international
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