- Details
- L.ELAYA RAJA
- Hits: 2956
To seek the aid of the “residents” to save their “houses”
Once the wealth is exhausted
No one will be there to renew
Everyone has the right
To utilize the resources
But remember within the limit
Who should ask you to save the forest?
Who should ask you to keep the water clean?
Do they only require it?
Are not the children of Mother Nature?
Save the forest to nest the birds…
Save the water to ensure the world…
Plant trees for your
Grandson to harvest the fruit…
L.ELAYA RAJA
Field Assistant
Biodiversity project
ANIFPDCL
- Details
- James Pliny
- Hits: 3402
Kind regards,
James Pliny
'Free trade' shot me dead on the 5th of June.
Now I wear t-shirts made on the moon.
Say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Democracy' shot me dead on an Amazon highway.
Now I have my own party, vote my way.
Say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Progress' shot me dead at the Devil's Bend.
Now I earn money I've nowhere to spend.
Say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Development' shot me dead, left me there to bleed.
Now I see a doctor whenever I need.
Say it was a crime to have protested,
say they should all be arrested,
say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Peru' shot me dead, took me away in a bag.
Now I know how to die for a flag.
Say you'll do a thorough investigation,
say you'll give them compensation,
say it was a crime to have protested,
say they should all be arrested,
say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
In memory of all those who died.
- Details
- James Pliny
- Hits: 2812
First they came for the tribes’ land,
said it was empty and stole it,
but we did not speak up because we were not tribesmen,
and our laws encouraged it.
Then they came for what was under the tribes’ land,
said it was rich and dug it up,
but we did not speak up because we were not tribesmen,
and our economy needed it.
Then they came for the tribes’ culture,
said it was primitive and destroyed it,
but we did not speak up because we were not tribesmen,
and our own culture confirmed it.
Finally, they came for the tribes themselves,
said they weren’t real people and killed them,
but still we did not speak up because we were not tribesmen,
and our science proved it.
There was no need to come for us
because we were on their side.
No longer!
Now we will speak up!
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To The Editor
It’s about the devastation and destruction of indigenous peoples’ lands and cultures around the world. I’d like to release it as a commemoration of the very recent, tragic events in northern Peru - in which policemen and an unknown number of indigenous people were killed. Many are still missing.
It particularly criticises the failure of people to speak out against this devastation and destruction. I offer it as a part acknowledgment of what has happened, and as a rallying-cry for doing all we can to stop it continuing.
It’s called ‘They came’ and is a re-working of a poem with the same title about the Jewish Holocaust, attributed to Martin Niemoller.
James Pliny