28
50.11. Also, the first livestock estate in the area was established at a place known as
Alwáta Etkok; it was managed by the Chaco Indian Association, which in turn was
managed by the Anglican Church. Said estate was known as The Pass and today it is
known as Estancia Maroma. The indigenous people who inhabited these lands were
employed on that same estate. The Loma Verde and Ledesma estates, were
established several years later, and the indigenous people of the area worked on
them.32
iii.
Resettlement on Estancia El Estribo
50.12. In 1979, the Anglican Church began a comprehensive development program
for the indigenous communities settled at Makxlawaya, known as “La Herencia” [“The
Heritage”] Program. This project included purchase of land for new indigenous
settlements, supplying agricultural, public health and educational support. Between
1980 and 1985, in the framework of this project, they purchased three areas,
encompassing the Sombrero Piri, La Patria and El Estribo estates.33
50.13. After the purchase of Estancia El Estribo, the Anglican Church fostered
resettlement of the indigenous groups from Makxlawaya on the new estate. In early
1986, the members of the Yakye Axa Indigenous Community moved to El Estribo
due to their very bad living conditions on Estancia Loma Verde, where the men either
received no wages or these were very low, the women were sexually exploited by
Paraguayan workers, and they did not have enough food or health services.34
50.14. Estancia El Estribo is in an area of Mennonite colonies, far from the place of
residence of those who would move there. Furthermore, the natural environment
and resources of the estate, which are typical of the northern Chaco, are different
from those of the place of origin of these indigenous groups.35
50.15. Resettlement on Estancia El Estribo did not improve living conditions of the
members of the Community. The area of the estate is 25,000 hectares and the
population was over 3,000. Crop yields were low, there were no animals to hunt in
32
See anthropological report on the “Yakye Axa” (Loma Verde) Community of the Enxet-Lengua
people. Anthropological Studies Center at Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” (file with
appendixes to the application, appendix 9, volumes 1272 to 1277); testimony of Tomás Galeano rendered
before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March 4, 2005; testimony of Stephen
William Kidd rendered before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March 4, 2005,
and expert opinion of Bartomeu Melia i Lliteres rendered before the Inter-American Court during the public
hearing held on March 4, 2005.
33
See anthropological report on the “Yakye Axa” (Loma Verde) Community of the Enxet-Lengua
people. Anthropological Studies Center at Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” (file with
appendixes to the application, appendix 9, volumes 1272 to 1277), and testimony of Stephen William Kidd
rendered before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March 4, 2005.
34
See anthropological report on the “Yakye Axa” (Loma Verde) Community of the Enxet-Lengua
people. Anthropological Studies Center at Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” (file with
appendixes to the application, appendix 9, volumes 1272 to 1277); assessment report on “La Herencia”
program prepared by the Paraguayan Anglican Church, 1985/1986 (file with appendixes to the application,
appendix 33, volumes 1488 to 1486), and testimony of Stephen William Kidd rendered before the InterAmerican Court during the public hearing held on March 4, 2005.
35
See assessment report on “La Herencia” program prepared by the Paraguayan Anglican Church,
1985/1986 (file with appendixes to the application, appendix 33, volumes 1488 to 1486), and testimony
of Stephen William Kidd rendered before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March
4, 2005.