ArchivePage 19 of 170

14
Jul

Indigenous Bolivians Declare Emergency Over Brazil Dams

Indigenous People, local communities and labour groups in Bolivia and Brazil have declared an emergency in response to the Madeira River Hydroelectric Complex, a series of four dams along the Madeira river.

The Activist group, Root Force, explains that “Bolivia has [already] denied permission for two of the dams, one to be built entirely in Bolivian territory and the other along the border;” however, Brazil recently began working on the two dams in its territory (map), the Jirau and San Antonio.

Once completed, the dams would “flood and otherwise devastate Bolivian communities upstream, forcing the relocation of 300 known communities, as well as possibly destroying the territory of uncontacted indigenous communities,” says Root Force.

Biodiversity throughout the region is facing an equal threat. According to a fact sheet by International Rivers, the two dams will block the migration routes of …

Published on
July 14, 2008
  1 Comment 811 views

12
Jul

The Century of the Self: Happiness Machines

Happiness Machines is the first of four episodes from “The Century of the Self,” a 2002 Documentary that examines “the rise of the all-consuming self against the backdrop of the Freud dynasty,” or as Director Adam Curtis puts it, “how those in power have used Freud’s theories to try and control the dangerous crowd in an age of mass democracy.”

In “Happiness Machines,” Curtis focuses on Sigmund Freud’s American nephew, Edward Bernays, “the father of the public relations industry.” Bernays was the first to use Freud’s theories to manipulate the masses.

In fact, Bernays argued that such manipulation was necessary in a democratic society. Wikipedia quotes from his book, Propaganda (1928):

The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our …

Published on
July 12, 2008
  6 Comments 1,022 views

10
Jul

Guatamelan Campesinos Face Kidaps, Multiple Attacks

Rights Action has sent a media alert concerning the safety of members belonging to the National Committee of CUC (the Campesino Unity Committee) and more than 100 Maya Keqchi families from the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala. Since June 30, they’ve faced multiple attacks and kidnappings by paramilitaries associated with the bio fuel agribusiness, Ingenio Guadelupe.

See below for Rights Action’s alert, followed by a letter you can send to the Inter American Development Bank, who promotes the bio fuel industry in Guatemala.

CUC National Committee Members Attacked by Gunfire and Kidnapped

Biofuel Agrobusinesses Violently Repress Communities

Rights Action is extremely concerned for the safety of members of the National Committee of CUC (the Campesino Unity Committee), and for the safety of members of the Maya Keqchi communities of La Isla, Caserio el Mirador Semao, Corazon de Mais, and Teleman Punto 15, all in the municipality …

Published on
July 10, 2008
  0 Comments 735 views

10
Jul

Six Nations Halt Construction at Five Sites

On Monday, about 150 Six Nations People stopped construction at a number of development projects in Brantford, ignoring last month’s court injunction that prohibits “native protests.”

“Our people have been patient and today our patience has run out,” said Butch Thomas, a Seneca sub-chief. “Any new development in this area or on our land has got to stop. Today is the first day of taking back our territory.”

The Canadian Press notes,
[This is] the first time the Confederacy chiefs — men such as Allen MacNaughton, Ron Thomas and Butch Thomas — had come out publicly in support of the land protesters.”

One woman suggested the men had been urged to make a stand by the Six Nations clan mothers.

The chiefs were joined by several clan mothers, Mohawk Nation members and one elected band councillor. At times, there may have been more than 200 involved.

“This …

Published on
July 10, 2008
  0 Comments 669 views

10
Jul

Indigenous Communities Oppose Deep Sea Mining

During the last week of June, indigenous representatives from the Bismark Sea region of Papua New Guinea held a three day gathering to discuss deep sea mining and what dangers they may face as a result of this experimental mining process.

The Canadian mining company Nautilus Minerals recently gained a contract from the government to pursue such a mine, off the East New Britain Coast.

After three days of talks, the representatives emerged as the Bismarck Solomon Seas Indigenous Peoples Council, with a plan to oppose Nautilus’ and any other deep sea mining project in their territories until their concerns are heard and properly addressed.

The newly-formed council also issued a statement, which was subsequently “endorsed by the Ramu River Authority, Simil Hondulwa Evangelical Alliance of PNG, New Ireland Students Association of University of Technology, Sea Turtle Restoration Project, Alemewo Foundation, the Catholic Church, Madang …

Published on
July 10, 2008
  1 Comment 793 views

09
Jul

The Walk4Justice Needs Your Support

Setting out on June 21, the “Walk4Justice” is now well on its way to Ottawa. That means there’s at least sixteen more stops before they reach Parliament Hill in September, where they will present a petition and demand a full public inquiry into the “scandal” of missing and murdered women in Canada.

Over the past 40 years, at least 3000 women have been murdered or reported missing. That’s roughly one woman for each kilometer the Walk4Justice will complete in its two month march.

To make sure they reach their destination, the Walk4Justice is going to need your help. Please see below for a full list of things you can do (following a press release from the Walk4Justice working group, and links providing more news and background.)

To contact the W4J Working Group, send an email to walk4justice2008@yahoo.ca — or phone Gladys Radek at (778) 839-0072; Rose Shah’traa …

Published on
July 9, 2008
  4 Comments 656 views

08
Jul

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake is a 41-minute documentary that illustrates the Algonquin community’s decades-long struggle to have their land and resource rights recognized by Canada and the Province of Quebec. You can find the video below…

On June 26th, Algonquin representatives and supporters from the Barriere Lake Solidarity Collective peacefully occupied the offices of Barriere Lake MP Lawrence Cannon.

The aim of the occupation, at least primarily, was to demand the MP meet the Algonquins to discuss the recent “Coup D’etat” involving Barriere Lake’s Tribal Council.

During their 2006 election, Jean Maurice Matchewan was re-elected Customary Chief, “but a small faction ran a parallel leadership selection, claiming to have adhered to the Customary Governance Code,” writes Martin Lukas of Barriere Lake Solidarity. “Indian Affairs refused to recognize Matchewan, and then put the community under Third Party Management – which mandates that …

Published on
July 8, 2008
  1 Comment 882 views

Video activism and the Chiapas Media Project

In the following presentation, Claudia Magallanes-Blanco from the University of Western Sydney talks about the role of video activism as a world-wide tool for empowerment and the Chiapas Media Project, a collaborative effort based in Mexico that provides indigenous Zapatistas in Chiapas and peasants in Guerrero with training and equipment to produce their own videos.

Since forming in 1998, CMP has distributed over 6000 videos, including: Zapata’s Garden, a film that looks at the society the Zapatista’s are building; …


I Am A Defender of the Rainforest

Known as ‘Soy defensor de la selva’ in Spanish, I am a Defender of the Rainforest is an award-winning documentary that was filmed, edited, and directed by members of the Sarayaku community in southern Ecuador.

The film shows how the …


Underreported Struggles #19, October 2008

In this month’s Underreported Struggles: 400,000 Guatemalans Reject Development Model, Philippines Indigenous People Unite for the Land, Riot Police Target Algonquin Blockade, Chagos Islanders Denied the Right of Return, and 17 other stories …


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