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| Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca | |
|---|---|
| Name | Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca |
| Abbreviation | CRIC |
| Formation | 1971 |
| Type | Indigenous organization |
| Headquarters | Popayán, Cauca |
| Region served | Cauca Department, Colombia |
| Leader title | Governor |
Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca is an indigenous regional organization based in Popayán, Cauca Department, Colombia, founded in 1971 to coordinate political, territorial, and cultural strategies among indigenous peoples of the Cauca highlands. The organization has played a central role in interactions with national actors such as the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, the Ministry of Interior, and political movements including the Movimiento 19 de Abril (M-19), while engaging with social actors like the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs. CRIC's work encompasses territorial defense, collective rights, intercultural education, and negotiation with state institutions and armed groups.
CRIC emerged from agrarian and indigenous mobilizations in response to land dispossession linked to large estates and extractive projects in the late 20th century, following precedents set by organizations such as the Asociación de Cabildos Indígenas del Norte del Cauca and land struggles across Latin America. In the 1970s and 1980s CRIC consolidated strategies of resguardos and indigenous return influenced by legal frameworks like the 1973 Agrarian Development Law and international instruments such as the International Labour Organization Convention 169. During the 1990s and early 2000s CRIC engaged with constitutional reform processes surrounding the Constitution of Colombia (1991) and participated in regional peace initiatives alongside actors like the FARC and the ELN. CRIC's historical trajectory includes alliances with human rights organizations, dialogues with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and participation in national mobilizations such as the Paro Nacional (Colombia).
CRIC is organized through municipal and regional cabildos that elect authorities at multiple levels, mirroring traditional indigenous governance structures found among the Nasa people, Páez people, and other communities. Decision-making occurs in assemblies and through a governor and councilors who coordinate with entities like the Consejo Nacional Indígena de Colombia and municipal administrations in Popayán, Santander de Quilichao, and other localities. Administrative and juridical functions interact with the Colombian Constitutional Court, regional ombudsmen such as the Defensoría del Pueblo (Colombia), and planning bodies including departmental secretariats in Cauca. CRIC maintains liaison roles with international bodies such as the European Union and bilateral agencies for project cooperation.
Membership comprises multiple indigenous nations and cabildos in Cauca, notably the Nasa, Páez (Nasa Páez), Misak, Yanacona, Amerindian groups, and other traditional authorities from municipalities including Toribío, Caldono, and Silvia. CRIC's constituent communities manage resguardos and coordinate with institutions such as the Instituto Colombiano de Desarrollo Rural and local registries for collective property recognition. The organization engages with sectoral actors including the Ministry of Culture and the National Learning Service for training and cultural programs.
CRIC has led mobilizations and dialogues on issues ranging from land restitution and territorial autonomy to intercultural education and public health, often aligning with national movements like the Indigenous Guard and social coalitions during national strikes. The organization has negotiated accords with state actors such as the Presidency of Colombia and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (Colombia), and participated in national policy debates before the Congress of Colombia. CRIC's advocacy has included filing tutela actions before the Constitutional Court of Colombia and engaging with human rights mechanisms like the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Central to CRIC's agenda is the defense and administration of resguardos and collective territories against pressures from agro-industry, mining interests, and illicit economies including coca cultivation associated with armed actors. The organization has used legal instruments under the Constitution of Colombia (1991) and rulings by the Constitutional Court of Colombia to secure titling and protection for ancestral lands, while implementing local management plans in coordination with the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute and regional environmental authorities such as the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Cauca. CRIC also interfaces with international norms like ILO Convention 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to assert prior consultation rights against projects promoted by corporations and state entities.
CRIC promotes intercultural education, bilingual programs, and cultural revitalization through cabildo-run schools, traditional medicine programs, and festivals that engage with institutions such as the Ministry of Education (Colombia), the Pontifical Xavierian University, and cultural networks across Colombia. Initiatives include curriculum development for ancestral knowledge, support for indigenous radio and media connected to outlets in Popayán and Cauca municipalities, and collaborations with NGOs and research centers like the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social for documentation of languages, music, and rites. CRIC's cultural projects often seek funding and technical assistance from international foundations and agencies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
CRIC's relations with state institutions have ranged from negotiated accords and consultative processes to confrontations over territorial incursions, forced displacement, and violence linked to paramilitary groups and insurgencies. The organization has filed complaints with the Defensoría del Pueblo (Colombia) and engaged in peace dialogues with actors like the High Commissioner for Peace (Colombia), while facing security challenges involving the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia and criminal organizations. CRIC's strategic use of legal avenues—through the Constitutional Court of Colombia and international human rights bodies—has produced jurisprudence influencing indigenous rights in Colombia, even as tensions persist with national and private sector projects in Cauca.
Category:Indigenous peoples in Colombia Category:Organizations established in 1971