On March 4th, the Italian textile consortium Benetton filed a lawsuit in an Argentinian court that seeks to evict a Mapuche community from the land known as “Santa Rosa.” In February of last year, the Mapuche reclaimed the land after being violently evicted 5 years earlier.

The company claims the tract of land should be returned to them because the Mapuche didn’t listen to the order of Provincial Judge Omar Magellan, who forbade the community from making changes (that irreparably damage) the land.

So what are the changes? A gate, a henhouse, an orchard, a lamb stockyard, a mud oven, a small bridge over a creek and a potato farm. Oh and they brought a horse too. In other words, they’ve done only what they need to sustain themselves on the land.

In any case, the community doesn’t seem all too concerned about the possible eviction. To quote Real World Radio,

In statements cited by Agencia Pulsar, Atilio Curiñanco, a member of the Mapuche communities Santa Rosa Leleque, said that even though the situation is very hard, they are not …

Six of the seven members of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation were sentenced yesterday to six months in jail for opposing unsanctioned development on their Traditional lands. (video)

KIFN has yet to make any formal statements about the ruling, but Deputy Grand Chief Glen Hare, representing the 42 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation, has spoke out in support of the Six.

“In one breath we hear Ontario talk about the importance of First Nations sharing in the wealth of the province’s resource revenues, and in the next breath they ignore Supreme Court of Canada rulings that say we need to be consulted by companies wanting to exploit our lands,” said Deputy Grand Chief Hare. “Meaningful consultation involves mutual respect, not telling First Nations where you’re going to drill for ore or clear-cut forests. That’s
not how good neighbours behave.”

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy has also suspended all bilateral talks with the Province of Ontario.

“The extreme positions of the Government of Ontario to support jailing First Nation leaders is an insult to the so-called ‘new relationship’ …

With Tibet exiles attempting to return home, the Chinese government is in the midst of conducting a “people’s war” of violence and propaganda against Tibetan Buddhists and anyone who supports the Dalai Lama. Since this began, about one week ago, anywhere up to 300 demonstrators have died and hundreds more have been detained. By the looks of things, the situation is going to get a lot worse in the coming days.

What you Can do to Help

Students for a Free Tibet ask you to “contact your local government officials; call for UN intervention in Tibet and demand the International Olympic Committee withdraw Tibet from China’s Torch relay.

While the international public and media have been appropriately horrified by China’s clampdown, it is imperative that our national governments speak out in support for Tibet and condemn China’s actions. Please call and write to your Elected Representatives and urge them to push their governments to strongly condemn China’s crackdown in Tibet. For a sample letter, click here.

Click here to send a message to your U.S. Congressional Representative.
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In the last month, two of the four States that opposed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People issued “apology resolutions” for the historical crimes they committed against indigenous people. First it was Australia on February 13th; and then America threw up an apology of it’s own a couple weeks later, on March 1st.

It’s particularly interesting considering how both States continue to utilize the very same policies they claim to be so sorry about. Or perhaps, that’s not why they’re apologizing?

The Australian Apology

Focusing primarily on the “Stolen Generations,” this apology came as the first official act of the recently elected Prime Minister of Australia. It seems to have been relatively well received by indigenous and non-indigenous alike, however it’s been repeatedly stated that any such words must be followed by actions otherwise the apology has no real meaning. Most people are saying the People should be financially compensated; but I for one think a political overhaul is what’s really needed.

As for the apology (video) itself, one couldn’t help but notice the …

13 West Papuans involved in a peaceful demonstration yesterday have been charged with subversion and rebellion under Indonesian law. The group was arrested for carrying and waving the Kejora (Morning Star) flag which the government has banned from public display.

It must be stated, however, that under the law of Special Autonomy, the People of West Papua are guaranteed the right to express their cultural practices and political aspirations. The Kejora Flag is a symbol of autonomy and independence for West Papuans.

A media alert prepared by Nick Chesterfield, an Independent Human Security and Media Consultant to the West Papua Movement says the group is currently being questioned by the Criminal Investigation personnel of Manokwari police. “Serious and grave concerns are held for the potential for torture or ill-treatment whilst in the hands of the Police and intelligence, as all activists have caused a deal of international humiliation to the Indonesian security forces through creative and peaceful expression of their legitimate aspirations over the past few weeks.”

Braving the likelihood of being violently oppressed, West Papuans have held …

Around 100 villagers gathered in front of the German, Austrian and Swiss embassies on Tuesday to protest against the construction of the Ilisu Dam on the River Tigris. Once completed, the controversial project would submerge the ancient town of Hasankeyf (it’s 12,000 years old) along with 200 nearby villages, displacing up to 78,000 people.

The government started to move ahead with the dam in the late 90s, but it was soon met with massive protests which led several companies to withdraw from the project. Nevertheless, the Turkish government remained eager to complete the dam.

Tuesdays protest was a relatively calm event, Holding signs and shouting slogans, the group delivered a letter signed by 1,500 people from the threatened villages which demanded the three governments to withdraw their funding from the dam.They also warned that they will be forced to seek asylum if their homes are destroyed.

“Hasankeyf is our history, our culture and our memory,” the protestors said in the letter, stressing that instead of a dam, the region needs better development of tourism and agriculture.

Bethiye Kepti, who lives in the …

The Canadian Government along with the Province of British Columbia announced on Friday that they will accept the recommendations made by the Kemess North Mine Joint Review Panel.

Last September, the Panel rejected Northgate Minerals’ mine expansion proposal because they felt ‘the benefits of the project outweigh the risks of significant adverse environmental, social and cultural effects.’ If Northgate was allowed to proceed, they would have turned Amazay Lake, held Sacred by the Tse Keh Nay Peoples, into a toxic waste dump.

In a Press Release dated March 7, Leaders from the Union of B.C.Indian Chiefs, the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, and the First Nation Summit expressed relief over the Government’s decision:

“It should have been an easy decision for both governments. No government should as a matter of public policy authorize the destruction of lakes,” Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nation Summit said. “Nevertheless, the decision was made for the right reason. In that respect, this decision can be a catalyst for First Nations, governments, and the mining industry in B.C. to establish working relationships so we …

Following up the story published last week about Via Campesina’s “week of mobilization for Agrarian Reform and against the violence of big land-owners”, the women of Via Campesina and the Landless Workers Movement of Brazil organized several other actions to report—most notably, against the transnational companies Monsanto, and Syngenta.

On Friday, hundreds of women entered a research plant near Brazil’s capital of Sao Paolo, destroying a greenhouse and an experimentation field for the MON810 strain of GM corn. Patended by Monstanto, the strain was recently banned in France over concerns that it harms the ecosystem. Brazil recently cleared MON810 and one other GM strain for commercial use.

A spokesperson for Via Campesina told Reuters that “the authorization of these varieties shows once more that (President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s) government favors agribusiness and big foreign companies, abandoning land reform and family farming.”

The Oread Daily reports that Via Campesina also “said the companies behind the engineered corn had presented studies that were “completely inadequate and insufficient to guarantee the safety of these products in terms of human health.”

Via …

Indigenous groups in Costa Rica have reaffirmed their opposition to El Diquis, a hydro-electric project the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) plans to build in the southern province of Puntarenas. The government of Costa Rica recently declared the project a “National interest”.

Ivannia Villalobos explains on her blog that, while El Diquís “was presented publicly by the ICE about two years ago, it’s in fact another version of the so-called ‘Boruca Hydroelectric Project’ which was first proposed in the early 70’s.”

As it’s currently proposed, El Diquis would flood the Traditional Lands of the Terraba and Chinakicha Nations. Forcing their displacement, the project would also compromise and infringe upon both Peoples’ beliefs and cultures. Over 200 historical sites; including Burial Grounds, Sacred Sites, and Ancient Ruins—would all be destroyed by the flood.

The dam would have a further, indirect effect on the Curre, Boruca, Guaymi, Bribi, Ujarras, Cabagra and Salitre Peoples; who together represent nearly one half of Costa Rica’s indigenous population.

Under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and ILO Convention 169 - both of which the …

Luwaran reported on February 23, that a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Central Mindanao has warned Canada about pursuing a gold mining operation in South Upi, Maguindanao. Inhabited by Tirurays, Maguindanaos, and settlers, the situation was described “as a ‘tinderbox’ that could bring about both bloodshed and sufferings to the people.”

The article continues,

The NGO’s spokesman, who requested anonymity, told Luwaran that the Canadian firm, which is still unnamed as of press time, has a tie-up with a powerful politician in Maguindanao, who claimed the town as part of his personal turf.

The spokesman said the Tiruray tribesmen would oppose the mining operation with everything they have, including resorting to the use of force if necessary.

“This is our last habitat and if the rivers are polluted, the trees cut down, and the earth moved usunder, then where will our life’s future be. Our traditional belief is identified with mother nature, especially the forest, mountains, rivers, and the [pristine] environment.”

He said in said town there are armed men belonging to the Lumad Military Force, which used to fight off loggers …