INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Indigenous Issue

In Mexico less tan 10% of the population (15 million people) are indigenous people (People who asume an ethnic identity as a base of their culture) they are decendent from the mesoamerican society. Mainly these ethnic groups come from the zapotecos, mayas, nahuas, purépechas, mixtecos, yaquis, kikapúes y otomíes.

Because they live in Mexico, their human rights must be respected, protected and promoted by the government, and must be included in the supreme document (Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos) which rights are recognized in the 2º article.

Because of globalization most of this ethnic groups, live in bad conditions, although many help from public institutions and organisms, it still exist a high degree of marginalization, discrimination, malnutrition and extreme poverty which is leading to the extinction of their culture.

Indigenous people have as many rights as a normal citizen in theory and because of the international threaties, but in practice it is very difficult to protect them from discrimination. Institutions can protect their property, patrimony, income, human rights, they can now vote, but these also modify their customs.

The indigenous colective problems must be priority issues, and the government must recognize their dignity, diversity, traditions, aspirations, protect their lands, territories and other natural patrimonies, give education and give access to public information. But not only the government,  citizens must learn to stop discrimation, have tolerance, try to understand indigenous people and have good realtions withe them, because they are people with human rights and they share territory with us.