Kaqchikel guide is elected as Indigenous Mayor
By: Ligia María
Translated from Spanish; original version below. If the link below does not work, is because the news service is making some changes. It will be working shortly.
Versión original en Español, abajo
Solola, January 3th ,2010. Antonio Mendoza Tun, is the indigenous Mayor of municipality of Sololá for the period 2010-2012, after been elected on November 30th, for 77 Sololatecas Communities. His prime function will be guiding the municipality and find solutions to the problems.
Following is an extract of an interview with the new indigenous Mayor.
What is the principal reason of your success?
I am from community of Vasconcelos, Xajaxac, where I have worked in several developing projects. Maybe that is why people propose me in order to represent them; and because of the confidence that people have in me, I got elected.
How representative is the charge you are assuming?
The election of indigenous authorities is opened, and is made through communal assemblies. It is a practical democratic process, with the direct participation of the community.
The assembly, in each community, is the highest authority. It represents the communion of the municipality and is management according with the mandates they are agree in a jointly way.
Which is the prime labor of an indigenous Mayor?
To resolve the most common necessities, you should not have economics or personals ambitions, and you have to keep what is regulated by the municipality, above all, it is important reject the opportunism.
You have to accept and respect the principles, rights and obligations.
What are your principals’ functions?
To be a guide, give advise and resolve problems, after municipality’s necessities are heard, to lead the fight against the discrimination, exploitation, and expropriation of material goods that belong to the municipality.
Also to defend the rights of the Indigenous Pueblos, to file a civil lawsuit either authorities or particulars that commit abuses; to watch for the fulfillment of agreement 169 of the OIT, and representing the indigenous community in order to get support from the government .
What is your opinion about the contamination of Atitlan Lake?
The Kaqchikel pueblo is concerned. The Lake is a being that we are not taking care of. We are proposing solutions like better management of water, to put and improve drainages, to build plants for treatment of solid and liquid scraps, make latrines and install a plant to elaborate organic fertilizer.
Serious and direct campaigns need to be created in order to educate the population. The Kaqchikel community is ready to work in an organized way, so everybody benefits.
Source: http://prensalibre.com/pl/2010/enero/03/358926.html
Spanish version. Versión en Español.
GUIA KAQCHIKEL ES ELECTO COMO ALCALDE
Solola, Enero 3 de 2010. Antonio Mendoza Tun, ha sido electo como alcalde de la Municipalidad de Solola durante el período 2010-2012, luego de ser electo el 30 de Noviembre pasado, por 77 comunidades sololatecas. Su principal función será guiar la Municipalidad y encontrar una solución a los problemas.
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link. Si el link no funciona es porque la agencia de noticias está haciendo algunos cambios. Estará listo en dos semanas.
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