Administrative System of Indigenous Communities Advised by ASCIM

The indigenous communities advised by ASCIM are primarily administered through a community statute. According to the statute, the Community Assembly is the highest authority in the community. The Community Assembly, held once or twice a year, includes all men and women over the age of 18. The community also has the option to hold extraordinary Community Assemblies. The Community Council usually convenes the assembly, although a group of at least 10 members may also initiate the process to call for one.

The Community Council is elected during the Community Assembly and represents and manages the community between assemblies. The method for nominating candidates varies by community. In some cases, each village within a community nominates a candidate for election. In others, a group of relatives or other associations defines the candidates. In all cases, it is important that the members' interests are represented through the various councilors on the Community Council.

The Community Council meets monthly for regular meetings and also holds extraordinary meetings as needed. Once the council is formed, typically consisting of 7 to 9 members, they elect a Council President from among themselves. In addition to the Council President, communities also have a Community Administrator, who is generally elected by the Community Assembly. While there is no clear-cut definition of the roles of these two positions, in practice, the Administrator is typically responsible for institutional matters such as the administrative office, warehouse, health, education, community estate, agriculture, and livestock. Meanwhile, the Council President tends to handle community matters, such as mediating interpersonal conflicts and addressing other member-related issues.

The community statutes sometimes outline a division of tasks among the Community Council members, though implementing this in practice can be somewhat challenging. Below are some example functions of the Community Council:

• Manage the community’s assets and services.
• Legally represent the community.
• Collect questions from members to present at the Community Assembly.
• Represent the community’s interests.
• Promote harmony, health, agricultural production, and youth development within the community.
• Oversee the implementation of the community statute and decisions made at the Community Assembly.
• Convene Community Assemblies.
• Employ individuals for services within the community (secretary, storekeeper, health promoter, tractor operator, etc.).

Cooperation between indigenous communities and ASCIM is based on agreements and budgets prepared annually. Therefore, a key function of the Community Council is to decide, on behalf of the community and within a certain framework, the form and financing of advisory and cooperation services.