Message from Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje, ahead of CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia

I am a Siona Aboriginal leader, communication and journalism professional, audiovisual supervisor, interactions organizer in the Putumayo Indigenous Zonal Company, and director of the Waira 104.7 FM radio station. For me, it is an enjoyment to be able to get involved on behalf of the Colombian Amazon.

We, as a Peoples, have actually always cared for our territory from our social and genealogical techniques and from our spirituality. Nevertheless, the existence of 3rd parties in our region creates and increases environmental pollution prices; We are presently experiencing a drought in the Amazon River. Because of this, we call on mankind so that states cease the ecological licenses they approve to multinationals, as this aids these outsiders to extract the natural resources that should continue to be on earth. Our Mai Yija (Mother Earth) is weeping and also calls for us to take care of her.

Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje is an Aboriginal leader, political leader, and journalist from the Siona Peoples in the Colombian Amazon. He is presently the Interaction Organizer for OZIP and director of Radio Waira 104.7 FM, which represents the 11 Indigenous Peoples of Putumayo who are participants of the Indigenous Company of the Putumayo Area.

As a main delegate to the CBD COP16, we search for nationwide and international rooms that are direct and permit the engagement of our native leaders, so that we can be in the decision-making spaces which this adds to the defense of our Amazon territory.