Felix Díaz, the indigenous leader of La Primavera Qom community in Formosa, was yesterday hit by a black 4×4 whilst riding his motorbike in what appears to have been a pre-meditated attack. The truck fled the scene before gendarmes were able to detain the driver.

Díaz survived the incident, which happened on Ruta 86, a few kilometres from his home in Laguna Blanca, but is currently in intensive care at the hospital in Laguna Blanca.

Speaking to the Red Latina Sin Fronteras about the attack, Díaz said: “It wasn’t an accident. It was because of our territorial claim. In Formosa it is common that those who demand their rights are killed. The governor and national government are responsible.”

It is alleged the truck belonged to the Celía family, a powerful land-owning family who are friends with Formosa governor Gildo Insfrán, and have been involved in the appropriation of territories the Qom community lay claim to. The family are alleged to have already been involved in violent episodes involving the community since the territorial dispute began in 2010.

The dispute hit a violent crescendo on 23rd November 2010 after four months of protesting the construction of a university on their ancestral lands, community members were violently removed by police and armed civilians. The incident resulted in the death of Qom community member Roberto López and policeman Heber Falcón. Police also burned the community’s makeshift homes, and took their belongings and identification cards.

Led by Díaz, the Qom brought their struggle to Buenos Aires, where they camped out on 9 de Julio and Av. de Mayo for months, bringing their territorial claim onto the public’s agenda.

A hearing into the territorial claim of an indigenous group took place on Wednesday in the Supreme Court. The long-standing land dispute has come to court after the provincial government usurped members of the Qom community in Formosa, northern Argentina, in 2010.

Community leader, Félix Díaz, represented the Qom people and their ownership claim to 609 acres of ancestral land. Public defender, Julián Langevín, asked that the court “recognise the rights of the Qom community,” while the Centre of Legal and Social Studies (CELS) asked the high court to end “abuses of the usurpers of the land.”

A minister from Formosa, the president of National Institute of Indigenous Issues (INAI), and the Rector of the University of Fermosa were also questioned.

The Qom indigenous group, La Primavera, is a tribe of around 5000 people from the impoverished province of Formosa. The community came into the public eye last year after a five-month encampment at the cross section of 9 de Julio and Av. De Mayo, and a seven-day hunger strike.

In the encampment they were demanding basic indigenous rights, after police brutally supressed a roadblock held by the Qom in Formosa. One member of the Qom community and one policeman died during the incident which was over an on going land dispute.

The clash started when the provincial government of Formosa had tried to evict the indigenous tribe in order to build a university on their land. The Qom put a roadblock in protest to the usurpation of land, lasting 4 months. After a judge ordered the tribe members to leave, despite their official right to the land, the police repressed the demonstrators by burning their temporary houses and belongings.

These acts of suppression motivated members of La Primavera to move their plight to the capital and set up the encampment. In May of last year, leader Félix Díaz finally met with officials from the Interior Ministry, the Secretary of Human Rights, and the president of the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (INADI). The meeting resulted in the construction of a ‘Table of Dialogue’.

The representative for the toba-qom community La Primavera, Félix Díaz, said “the camp could possibly be lifted this week.” It was after signing a document with the national government to work on their demands. They maintain the territorial claim.

About 50 members of the community of La Primavera, in the northern province of Formosa, set up camp in the center of the capital four months ago.

The community demands the return of lands they were evicted from last November after a police crackdown.

They also demand an investigation into the murder of Roberto López commoner during the repression.

Leader Félix Díaz said that “after the act was signed with the Government, there will have to be an assembly to decide when to lift the camp”.

The indigenous leader recognized the agreement as a positive sign. However, remarked they are waiting for “the promises to be met”.

The national government and La Primavera community leaders agreed to form a commission. This move should make room to ensure the safety of members of the community.

It will also need to act on the territorial dispute that keeps the toba-qom group in the province of Formosa.

After a week of partial blockage to a central avenue of Buenos Aires, Minister of the Interior Florencio Randazzo, met with Díaz and other community members.

Story courtesy of Agencia Púlsar, the news agency of AMARC-ALC.