The Problem:

The indigenous Kuna communities of the Wargandi Comarca (Indigenous Territory) of Panama face the following challenges:

Specific:

1. Limited knowledge of legal rights and responsibilities.
2. Limited social capacity to address legal issues.
3. Lack of resources for legal advocacy.
4. Social and geographic marginalization

General:

1. Racism
2. Extreme Poverty
3. Lack of Social Capacity
4. Lack of Political Power
5. Misappropriation of Land and  Natural Resources

How do you know the problem exists?

1. I have witnessed and studied the problems first hand.
2. Reports from national and international agencies.

-          Panamanian Government

-          USAID

-          United Nation

3.  Published Academic Research

4.  Newspaper Articles

What caused the problem?

The problem has its roots in the history of Spanish colonialism in the Americas.  Since the very first conquistador set foot in the New World, Indigenous People have faced a long history of massacre, rape, displacement, forced religious conversion, plunder, racism, and marginalization by Europeans and their descendants.

When did the problem begin?

There is no clear starting point, but the problem has existed ever since western societies began to displace indigenous territory and resources.

Support, documentation, proof.

1. My recent research and interaction with these communities indicates that they are vulnerable to a number of threats institutional and legal threats. Threats include territorial incursions by colonizers; unsustainable, unfair and unethical dealing with lumber companies; deforestation; insufficient government investment; and cultural misunderstanding and mistrust that have built up over time due to lack of positive interaction and dialogue.  Countless national and international agencies, both governmental and non-governmental have interacted with the Kuna and other indigenous groups in Panama over the decades, yet over 97% the indigenous population continue to live in extreme poverty.  Panama ranks 9^th highest in income disparity globally as measured by the GINI index.  Panama, which is smaller than the state of South Carolina, and has a population of only 3.5 million, is home to some of the most technologically and economically advanced institutions in the world, yet pockets of extreme poverty persist, especially among the indigenous population.  Not only do the indigenous of Panama live in absolute poverty, they face constant threats and challenges to their physical and cultural wellbeing.
2. The indigenous people of the Wargandi Comarca are impacted as well as all those with whom they interact.
3. The nation of Panama is impacted, and the environmental issues are a global concern.
4. The global community is impacted by ongoing deforestation and loss of cultural heritage.
5. A variety of stakeholders including  other  indigenous Kuna, Embera, and Wounan communities to whom the Darien is the ancestral habitat; latin colonizers, who for decades have received government incentives to clear and cultivate the land; timber extractors, who operate extensively with weak regulatory oversight; mineral prospectors seeking the next bonanza, and more recently small and large scale development projects.
6. The Wargandi indigenous communities and all those wishing to interact with them in an open and fair way.
7. Panamanian society and democracy will also benefit indirectly through improved relations with its indigenous people as well as advancements in conservation in development.
8. Supporters of VRI will benefit from knowing there are making a difference.
9. The global community will benefit from increases in justice, preservation of culture, and the conservation of natural resources, and biodiversity.

Who is impacted by the problem?

Intended target audience?

The purpose of the Wargandi nonprofit organization is to provide legal and institutional support to the indigenous Kuna communities of the Wargandi Comarca in the Darien Province of Panama.  The Wargandi Comarca is a 75,000 hectare semi-autonomous territory which is home to three separate indigenous Kuna communities in the remote headwaters of the Chucunaque River.  These villages of Morti, Wala, and Nurra have a total population of around 2000 individuals, and are accessible only by a day’s journey by backbreaking off-road vehicle, humid, sun scorched hiking, and cramped, unstable canoe rides.

Economic, geographic and ethical dimensions of the problem?

1. The Wargandi Comarca, while not situated immediately on the border with Colombia, is located in one of the most isolated regions of the Darien.
2. Though the Kuna have occupied the territory for centuries, the Wargandi Comarca was not officially recognized by the Panamanian Government until the year 2000. Thus the Kuna of the Wargandi have historically remained largely isolated from both the main Kuna community of San Blas, as well as from interaction with Panamanian Nationals. They have sustained themselves primarily from the rainforests and rivers, and have not developed the political sophistication of their San Blas relatives.
3. Ongoing deforestation is most pronounced in the Darien Province, which boarders Colombia in eastern Panama, especially in the northern region where some reports indicate a loss of 50,000 hectares a year.
4. The Pan-American Highway terminates in the dense rainforest of this mysterious region in which are entangled the conflicting interests of a variety of stakeholders.
5. The Colombian border region of the Darien is also a hotspot of drug trafficking, bringing with it significant police and military activity.  Despite of and at times because of all this activity, the Darien remains the poorest region of Panama, with poor to non-existent health services, and widespread malnutrition.
6. The Wargandi communities will continue to be exploited and will continue to falter in addressing legal threats.
7. The natural resources and environment of the Wargani Comarca will continue to be degraded and lost.

Who else is addressing the problem?

There are currently no nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting the Wargandi communities in any capacity, much less in helping them to develop and strengthen their legal and institutional capabilities.  Globally, there are a number of nonprofits that have missions that are similar, but not identical to that of VRI. Some of these are:

1. Earth Rights International
2. Cultural Survival
3. Rights Action
4. Rainforest Foundation
5. Wiser Earth

What have the outcomes been?

The Panamanian Government maintains irregular and inconsistent relations with the communities, and provides only minimal resources.  Occasional small scale, short term development projects have been implemented by either the government or nonprofit organizations, but more often than not these projects are abandoned or fail due to inadequate investment and oversight.

What is missing or needs to be done differently?

Too often conservation and development programs are initiated and managed through external top-down mechanisms that do not adequately understand or address local concerns.  In attempts to protect biodiversity, access to traditional food sources may be restricted, or communities may be displaced, causing local communities to bear the cost of initiatives that have been forced upon them, even when those communities have not  been the traditional causes of the degradation that is being addressed (Chan 2007).  In addition to living in key areas of environmental insecurity, rural and indigenous communities are also by far the poorest and most neglected segments of Panamanian society.  This makes effective, sustainable engagement of these communities by both government and civil society a task that stretches the institutional imagination and capacity.  The local community stakeholders need to be engaged and supported in addressing legal and institutional concerns on a longterm basis.

Why VRI is needed:

There is an acute need for long term, consistent legal advocacy and  capacity building within the Wargandi Comarca.  This kind of support only possible through the unique knowledge, capabilities and resources of this nonprofit.

What condition/situation it will ameliorate (what problem it will solve)?

Lack of legal and institutional knowledge and capacity.

How will it be known that benefits are derived?

1. Specific indicators will be identified and created to measure the progress.
2. Periodic evaluation will assess the level of progress being made in specific projects.
3. Successful completion of concrete objectives.
4. Feedback from community and success in achieving goals.
5. Specific indicators will be identified and created to measure the progress.
6. Periodic evaluation by BOD will assess the level of progress being made in specific projects as well as success of VRI  in relation to mission.