RUNA

comisión ARI Alfabeto Runasimi Inka

Argentina Bolivia (Brasil) Colombia Chile Ecuador Perú

- Translated from Spanish -   Letter to The Quechua people - the Runas From: Commission ARI, Alphabet Runasimi Inka Matter: Self-determination of Quechua People and a Universal Writing for their language.   South America - April 2003   All plans are always full of hope! It should be easy ask the Quechuas if they want a united writing - or they want to go on with their many local writings. But that task is not easy. The reality is that the Quechua people is characterized for their lack of organization and for missing cooperation between the nations where the Quechuas live. There are no up to date demographic reports on volume of population, organization - and less on who are their natural authorities. For example, we have information on where the dialects live and from where they traditionally come - but they are old data. Systems of bilingual and intercultural education exist - but organized on national level and in no way related nor harmonized to the neighbour country handling an other part of the same Quechua people . We are conscious of political differences and organization in each country - and in consequence of that we understand a need for each country to organize under own conditions. From this starting point we could unite us in order to create a forum with the objective to discuss and make decision of the proposal of a united writing - but ALL the dialects of ALL the countries - please. Loyalty and submission Obviously if somebody pay a person to assist or compensate his expenses in order to participate in a event, we are in front of a simple employment where the one that receive have to work and demonstrate his loyalty to the person who is going to pay. That is like a common agreement between a boss and his employee _ and so it has always been. ARI is paying much attention to this point: Who is paying who - and for what are they paying. For this reason it would be a very awkward matter if the Quechuas needs to receive a payment in order to maintain their own matters. They could very easy loose their credibility. This case the native people have learned bitterly - during centuries. Legitimacy and Auto-decision. The commission ARI does not dispose of funds. All that we have done of work and travels etc. until now is paid from our own resources. Therefore, we are not going to pay tickets, stay neither compensation to the commissioners. However, we understand that it would be very difficult for our leaders to travel and participate in meetings in any place of the Andes. It is very expensive in relation to the available resources in the Q. people. It is only the same Quechua People who should pay their leaders in order to participate as their representatives! There is not another way! MINKA - work and reciprocity Our intention is to organize the "Hatun Rimanakuy" (congress) in one of the 6 countries in the same way as a host take responsibility for a party - the invited (the delegates) need to arrive for their own account. The host is neither going to pay their transport nor their used time. He invites to a party and the party is free for everyone invited. If the Quechuas care for their language and their culture they need to work and contribute themselves. The same Quechuas have to work hard - but too work intelligent - please. Naturally ARI will look for eventual funds for the construction of a united alphabet _ but, if we achieve these funds, they would be reserved for a work of the professionals like ‘chaskis’ (messengers), Kamachiq (commissioner), experts and employees who help in the process but do not have permission to take decision on behalf of their people . I repeat:  "That is the same Quechuas who have to maintain their leaders." Visions for the future To ensure the survive and use of Quechua language uniting the 15-20 local writings in one and maintaining the dialectal diversity will have a very important impact on the culture. This lack of a united writing for example prevent us to write this message in RUNASIMI in order to be read and understood by ALL the Quechua-people of the world. The truth is:  Unfortunately exists more books in different languages about the Quechua language  than books written in the same Q-language. There do not exist any significant production of literature in Quechua because of lacking united spelling. The purpose of a universal spelling is more cultural than educational. But mentioning the creation of libraries of literature we do not forget school books and systems. Systems of bilingual education exist in different conditions in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. A united writing will permit the Quechuas to educate to their own youngs in order to take responsibility of their culture and serve their Q-society as bilingual teachers, nurses, doctors, policemen, administrative personnel etc, etc. communicating in Quechua with the Quechuas and serving like a link of connection to their government. Advances of the process Internal ARI is taking contact with many ‘Ayllus’ (clans), cultural and political Quechua groups - connecting them in a net of communication. External the Commission ARI with the plan in hand has searched for solidarity and support in order to carry out the process of consultation. We have turned us to the involved governments: Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru in order to present this desire from the Quechuas. We have visited and corresponded with foreign representations of nations like the Danish government, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Icelandic, Japanese who all are very well_known for their high level of democracy. We have also consulted international organizations like UNDP (PNUD), World Bank, IADB (Banco BID, UNESCO, UNICEF, Andean Community, European Union and the Permanent Forum of United Nations. Our results unfortunately are not very inspiring. (Details in the appendixes) A steep Road The convention of the ILO (OIT) 169, recognize and guarantee the right of native peoples to assume a self-decision in certain cultural and social matters. Attention:  They need to assume their rights. Nobody will be given nothing - the world is the other way around. A right we have to conquer. The Spanish invasion was possible as consequence of a fight between Huáskar and Atahualpa. Remembering this, we needed to say with firmness: The mandate of Commission ARI is to unite - NOT to separate. We put emphasis on the basic task of unite. For this reason we do not enter in national politics, we don’t judge neither consider in disagreements, quarrels, scuffle, brawl, fights, conflicts nor intrigues and disputes between the Quechuas - we pass above. We are interested in the jointed benefit for the Quechuas. Attitude of ARI We recognize that the "language" always has been a "political tool" of the dominant groups. For this reason I can declare as responsible commissioner of ARI that we are willing listen to experience of leaders from other cultures - but the decision is and will remain the Quechuas.   Klaus L commissioner of ARI Alphabet Runasimi Inka with mandate from the Q congress in Argentina 2000

updated 14/07-2004