The information that follows was provided by the mayoral secretary of the Municipality of Cañar during an 8 September 2003 telephone interview.

The current mayor of Cañar is Dr. Victor Cárdenas Ordoñez, while the mayor in 1999 was Galo Ordoñez Gárate.

The Ingapirca Castle Commission (Comisión del Castillo de Ingapirca) ceased to exist nearly three years ago, and was replaced by the Institute of Ingapirca of the Cañari People (Instituto de Ingapirca del Pueblo Cañari). The Institute is currently presided over by licenciado Manuel Duche. Before the Institute replaced it, the Commission was presided over by Dr. Eduardo Crespo.

A public statement from Antonio Vargas and José Lema, the presidents of two indigenous organizations of Ecuador, indicate that the local indigenous community was taking possession of the Ingapirca site as of 12 March 2001 (COPPIP 23 Mar. 2001; Llacta 23 Mar. 2001). A 17 April 2001 report published by Diario Hoy of Quito states that uncertainty over custody of the Ingapirca site developed by 22 March 2001, after indigenous groups had claimed the right to its administration and refused to recognize the Ingapirca Castle Commission as the manager of the site. The report indicates that until 22 March 2001 the site was managed by the Ingapirca Castle Commission, headed by Eduardo Crespo (Diario Hoy 17 Apr. 2001). Eduardo Crespo reportedly asked the national government to define a more inclusive custodial arrangement which had, until then, included the following under the Ingapirca Castle Commission:

-the Culture Houses (Casas Culturales) of Cañar and Azuay,

-the Provincial Council (Consejo Provincial),

-the Municipality of Cañar,

-universities,

-representatives of the Ingapirca parish,

-the Union of Indigenous and Peasant Peoples of Cañar (Unión de Pueblos Indígenas y Campesinos de Cañar),

-the Institute of Cultural Heritage (Instituto de Patrimonio Cultural),

-the Chambers of Tourism of Cañar and Azuay,

-the Central Bank Museum, and

-the National Confederation of Indigenous People (CONAIE) (ibid.).

A 1996 report names Galo Ordoñez Gárate as the then-president of the Ingapirca Castle Commission and of the canton council (municipality) of Cañar, reportedly having won the latter post by a narrow margin over the rival Pachakutik political group candidate (Diario Hoy 1 July 1996).

A precise date for the formal transfer of organizational responsibilities could not be found among the sources consulted within the constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Conferencia Permanente de los Pueblos Indígenas del Perú (COPPIP), Lima. 23 March 2001. Antonio Vargas and José Lema. "Indígenas Cañaris Adminsitrarán Castillo de Ingapirca." http://webserver.rcp.net.pe/convenios/coppip/Ingapirca.htm [Accessed 5 Sept. 2003]

Diario Hoy [Quito]. 17 April 2001. "Congreso quiere mediar en Ingapirca." http://www.hoy.com [Accessed 8 Sept. 2003]

_____. 1 July 1996. Susana Klinkicht. "No hubo Inti Raimi en Ingapirca." http://www.hoy.com [Accessed 8 Sept. 2003]

Llacta, Quito. 23 March 2001. Antonio Vargas and José Lema. "Indígenas Cañaris administran Castillo de Ingapirca." http://www.llacta.org/organiz/coms/com28.htm [Accessed 5 Sept. 2003]

Municipality of the Canton of Cañar. 8 September 2003. Telephone interview with mayoral secretary.