The Native Federation of Madre de Dios River and tributaries (FENAMAD) has denounced the governments actions toward granting mining concessions to indigenous lands in Peru, and have announced they must resort to self-defense in order to defend their right to the land.

They say the concessions are for one, a violation of the constitution and the ILO convention. But it is also causing conflict, and principally contributing to the “plundering of our territories, contamination of rivers and watersheds, destruction of the forest, fleeing animals” and putting pressure on hunting, causing difficulties …

Recently, the Enawene-Nawe, a people indigenous to the Juruena River basin in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil, invited Greenpeace to visit them and document their ways of life, which Greenpeace had previously expressed an interest in doing.

Greenpeace accepted, and set out, accompanied by OPAN (Native Amazon Operation) members and 2 european journalists. But upon arriving on August 20, 2007—farmers, land owners, and politicians of the Brazilian municipality of Juína (Mato Grosso state) ‘warned’ them that they will not be permitted to visit the Enawene-Nawe.

Maybe ‘warned’ is speaking too …

With Indigenous Peoples Day swiftly passing by, Indigenous People throughout the world continue to be subjected to a seemingly endless barrage of offenses by militias, governments, and corporations alike. Efforts to assimilate the People into mainstream society has increased twofold this month, while corporations increasingly work to criminalize, alienate, and divide communities; even make them into enemies to their own ways of life.

At the same time, indigenous peoples and movements continue with their efforts for Justice and accountability, for their rights to be respected—and to ensure their land, identities, and …

A couple days ago, Survival International released a report comparing the arguments used to justify the assimilation and dispossession of the Kalahari Bushmen with those used to defend the transatlantic slave trade. A great deal of the rhetoric used by the government is profoundly similar.

This comparison may come as a shock to some, but I want to make sure you realize this is just a drop in the bucket of the historical and contemporary experiences of indigenous People throughout the world…. The same logic and reasoning used to justify …

“The land is very important to us. It is very sacred to the Western Shoshone People. It represents life, and to take our land is to take our life. And I find it quote appauling that a country like the United States is legitimizing the theft of Western Shoshone land.”– Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone grandmother

The following 25 minute video focuses in on the struggles of Carrie and Mary Dann, two Western Shoshone Grandmothers who have since 1972 been working to protect their lands from the United States’ gradual encroachment and utter usurpation.

Their Nevada Territory—in fact two-thirds of the State …

On Friday, The Organization of Indigenous People (OIS) submitted a petition to the Surinamese government and the French ambassador to Suriname, calling for an end to activities in the recently created two million hectare French Guiana Park

The French Army has recently begun ordering Indigenous People to stop all hunting and fishing in a disputed area along the southeastern border of Suriname. Reports have also been coming in that the French Army has been destroying property.

From caribbeannetnews.com - OIS-president Nardo Aloema was quoted as saying by …

A community from chubut province has filed a criminal action lawsuit against Luciano Benetton, whom they hold responsible from usurping Mapuche lands.

From Real World Radio A member of Santa Rosa Leleque community, Mauro Millan, said in an interview with Mas Voces radio station that Benetton is Argentina’s “largest estate-owner” and that he owns 300 thousand hectares only in Chubut.

The plaintiffs estimate that the business group owns 970 thousand hectares in the Patagonia, where it produces 10 per cent of the wool used for its clothing.

Millan reminded that in …

For as long as Indigenous People have been defending themselves from the encroachment of modern civilization, there has been a steady debate regarding the so-called need for indigenous people to modernize themselves, “lest perish by the sheer weight of their own irrelevance.”

We can talk more about this another day. For now here are a couple recent stories about how technology, specifically satellite imaging, is being used to assist indigenous people… (I am actually hearing about the utilization of satellite technology for this ends. See my post Protecting Shipibo Territory for another example.)

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A few days ago the Enawene Nawe set up a road blockade in protest to a series of hydroelectric dams which will destroy their fishing grounds, which they depend on.

Today they dismantled the blockade and have begun travelling to the capital of Brazil to meet government officials.

From Survival International - The Indians mounted the blockade on 31 May to protest against plans to build a series of hydroelectric dams along the Juruena river, which they say will destroy their vital fishing grounds.

According to local press reports, several neighbouring tribes …

I just posted the following over at my blog on gnn.tv, and thought I’d also share it here. As a side note, I’m also working on several writings focusing on what I briefly mention here, and I found a few good ones from others too. If that sounds good, please stay tuned.

Some under-reported Indigenous Struggles
and our need to be aware of them

In my day to day research I encounter many stories about different actions and events around the world which seem to go largely unnoticed.. I think it’s important that we are aware of them, particularly so we …