How can indigenous communities stand against green energy colonialism in Mexico?

Aralez invites international friend and guest; Rosa Marina Flores Cruz to speak about the themes of energy sovereignty and solidarity. This session will explore how the Assembly of Indigenous Peoples in Defense of the Land and the Territory (APIIDTT) are trying to address energy transition and energy sovereignty through community organization. This is in the context of a region influenced by green energy colonialism and its impact. Taking the form of an interview, we will explore what we can learn from the struggle and in what way we can strengthen meaningful solidarity practices.

For the audio click here

Bio Rosa Marina Flores Cruz

Rosa Marina Flores Cruz is an afro-Indigenous Binnizá woman part of the APIIDTT, she holds a Master in Rural Development and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences. Her work issues are energy, gender, and environmental justice. Also, she is part of the Futuros Indígenas Network, which works on changing the hegemonic narrative about Indigenous peoples and climate change.

Watch, read and listening tips:

Read: 

> ‘La mayoría de parques eólicos en el Istmo están instalados en tierras comunales’, R Bessi & E López. Link to article

> ‘The ‘solution’ is now the ‘problem:’ wind energy, colonisation and the ‘genocide-ecocide nexus’ in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca’, A Dunlap. Link to article

> ‘Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt’, J. Gibler.

Watch:

> Bettina Cruz – #HazQueSeVean (video about the struggle, incl. Eng subs) Link to video

> Frontline Report: Indigenous Resistance to Megaprojects in Mexico and Hawaii Link to video

In deze sessie zullen we dieper ingaan op hoe neokolonialisme zich voortzet en wat we daartegen kunnen doen als sociale bewegingen.

Als er over dekolonisatie wordt gesproken, wordt nog te vaak alleen gedacht aan racisme en uitsluiting binnen westerse landsgrenzen. Maar kolonialisme was een internationaal systeem waarin hele volkeren werden uitgebuit en grondstoffen werden weggetrokken uit de ‘Derde’ en ‘Vierde’ Wereld. Dat systeem is nooit opgehouden.

Voor audio kan je hier klikken.

Bio Chris Kaspar de Ploeg:
Chris Kaspar de Ploeg (1994) is onderzoeksjournalist en organizer. Hij werkte met tientallen verschillende grassroots organisaties rondom racisme, kolonialisme en neokolonialisme en is mede-oprichter van Aralez, een grassroots-organisatie voor dekolonisatie. Als schrijver is Chris verbonden aan Platform Authentieke Journalistiek. Hij publiceerde in onder meer Follow the Money, OneWorld en De Groene Amsterdammer, en is auteur van Oekraïne in het Kruisvuur.

Kijk-, lees- en luister tips

Book:

Vijay Prashad – Washington Bullets

Online articles: 

Ha-Joon Chang – Kicking Away the Ladder: the Real History of ‘Free Trade’ klik hier

Jason Hickel – Aid in reverse: how poor countries develop rich countries klik hier

Documentary: 

John Pilger – The War on Democracy klik hier

Further reading/watching:

Info Decolonial Learning Sessions
The goal of the decolonial learning sessions is to build a larger and more sustainable activist community and network which can exchange and learn more about decolonial theory and practise. During the online lectures and interactive Q&A sessions, participants will be provided with perspectives on decolonization, activist movements, colonial history, different forms of oppression, spirituality, and how neo-colonialism is manifesting today. The program is meant for those who are interested in being part of, social movements, activism or who want to learn more about the ongoing global struggle for decolonization and dismantling forms of oppression. The goal for the learning sessions is that they are accessible for people with or without academic backgrounds. The program consists of both a recorded part and an interactive Q&A with participants that is not recorded.

Would like to donate for the learning sessions? IBAN: NL67 TRIO 0320036073 t.n.v. Stichting Aralez Mention “Decolonial Learning Sessions”

How do we articulate demands that remedy colonial climate disruption and enables just transition processes?

We will start this session with some historical perspective on reparations and the call for historical culprits of climate disruption to pay its climate debt. We will reflect on justice making and how different pillars of justice-making are situated, who has agency and which processes and focus belong to each strand.We will look at some examples of reparative justice struggles and where they stand. We will close with imagining restorative justice together.

For the audio click here

Bio Chihiro Geuzebroek

As an interdisciplinary artist/activist Chihiro focuses on restoring and restory-ing our relationship with earth and each other. She is the director of the climate justice documentary Radical Friends and has worked on audio visual shorts for Fossil Free Culture, Code Rood, Shell Must Fall, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace. She curated and produced installations for the exposition People Powered movement vs Shell 2020. She was co-founder of Climate Liberation Bloc(2017) and Aralez(2020). Her work currently exists of training movement, organizing, public speaking and writing.

Kijk-, lees- en luister tips

Talk: 

>Developed countries owe climate debt 2009 Link democracy Now interview 
> An introduction to reparations, Esther Stanford Xosei  / Link talk

Podcast:
> Wangui Wa Kamonji explores African Indigenous knowledge for restorations & resilience
Link podcast

Readingtips:
> “Decolonize Wealth, Edgar Villanueva 2018

Case study:
> “Michigan to pay $600M in Flint water crisis settlement; victim compensation fund created
Link article

> Land back Q&A In conversation with four Indigenous leaders Link article