Sustainable Technology Models by mario osava rio de janeiro, mar 2 1992 (ips feature) -- the upcoming united nations conference on environment and development (unced) will present the opportunity for numerous parallel meetings, three of which will permit visitors a trip back in time as well as to the future. in rio de janeiro, site of the meeting, several kilometres separate parallel meetings from official ones. one goal of the parellel meetings is to focus world attention on primitive populations and their relationship with nature. another is the introduction to ultramodern technology. in one of the city's western neighbourhoods, 60 native people from the country's interior have constructed a ''kari-oca'' hamlet, which means ''house of fish'' in indian language. some 700 native indian representatives worldwide are expected to be hosted at the hamlet. the kari-oca will also be a demonstration of indian technology, sustainable development practiced for thousands of years, as an example to humanity. ''now, many will realise that in order to survive, we cannot continue to destroy nature,'' said marcos terena, coordinator of the ''500 years of resistance'' inter-tribal committee, which is organising native peoples participation in the unced conference. the hamlet will be ready in late may when brazilian and other native communities will assemble to discuss their problems and the positions they intend to present to the body of the unced meeting to be held between june 1 and 12. for its creators, kari-oca will serve to emphasise that the future is linked to the past. it is a contribution from indigenous groups and their way to participate in modern civilisation. the hamlet's construction is in keeping with the group's engineering practices. the construction site, supplied by the municipality of rio de janiero, is a wooded area chosen for its proximity to unced headquarters. to construct larger houses, or ''ocas'', where meetings will be held, 60 specialised workers from the alto zingu region of western central brazil were hired. wood for the building is supplied from the same re (story received incomplete) source: en.unced.general, pegasus electronic conference.  |
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