Discrimination Against Indigenous Peoples-Migrant Workers in Maricopa County, AZ

 
TONATIERRA

Comités de Defensa del Barrio (CDB)

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: May 27, 2013

Contact: Rafael Reyes (480) 518-5500 Email: rreyes13@cox.net

Discrimination Against Indigenous Peoples-Migrant Workers in Maricopa County, AZ

The decision of Judge Murray Snow regarding practices of racial profiling by the Office of the Maricopa County Sheriff  against "Latinos" is another step in the long march to defend the civil rights of all peoples.  In the national context of U.S. society, this struggle began with the dismantling of the systemic discriminatory racial profiling which favored “WHITE” European Americans with ethnic preferences in electoral, educational, economic, cultural, and legal systems.  The struggle for equality continues, and includes many chapters, but the narrative always begins with the universal recognition of the fundamental principles of human dignity and compassion.

In the context of international law and as Indigenous Peoples, we recognize that human rights are inherent.  The United States is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  These two facts are legal realities that must be considered in order to comprehensively assess the Human Rights context of the judge Snow’s recent decision beyond the domestic frame in defense of "Latino" constituencies.

As migrant workers of Abya Yala,  [the Americas] Original Peoples with the inherent right of our own cultural identity as Nican Tlacah, we do not identify as "Latino."

On September 13, 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  The United States was one of four governments that opposed the declaration, including the anglophile states of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand who as derivatives represent immigrant sovereignties that are residual republics of the colonies of the British Empire.

In light of Judge Snow’s decision and the case of the US Department of Justice investigation of the issues of racial profiling and discrimination on the part of the Office of the Maricopa County Sheriff; in view of the fact that in both cases there has been NO MENTION of the systematic practices of racial profiling against Indigenous Peoples in particular in terms of violations of Civil Rights, Human Rights and Indigenous Rights in the general review of police operations in Maricopa County, we now DEMAND RESTITUTION of the RIGHT of LAW, in terms recognition, respect and protection of our individual and collective rights as Migrant Workers of Indigenous Peoples without discrimination and criminalization in all parts of our continent of Abya Yala.

"Stopping Mexicans to make Sure they are legal is not racist. If you have dark skin, you have dark skin! Unfortunately, That is the look of the Mexican illegal."

Files of Maricopa County Sheriff J. Arpaio

quoted on page 28 of U.S. District Court Case 2:07-cv-02513-GMS

Document 494 12/23/11
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Links:
February 7, 2012
Memorandum to the US Justice Department
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 November 8, 2012
Comités de Defensa del Barrio
Commision de Derechos Humanos