Tag Archive for 'land'Page 13 of 35

04
Oct

Panama’s Indigenous resist hydroelectric projects

As part of a massive effort to wean Panama off it’s dependence on foreign energy, there are currently over 90 hydroelectric projects slated for development throughout the country.

Of course, not all of them will be pursued, but then several will–including some that seriously threaten Panama’s indigenous People; for starters, the Ngobe and Naso.

The Changuinola project
“I will not go” says Isabel. “If the company wants to send police to kill me, go ahead.”

The Changuinola project, according Isabel Becker and other Ngobe living in Charco la Pava, Panama, “will displace thousands of villagers and create a 3,500-acre lake in a wilderness area bordering Central America’s largest tract of virgin rain forest.” In slight contrast, AES, the Virginia-based power company behind the project, comfortably asserts that only 140 families would be relocated, and that there is really no …

Published on
October 4, 2007
  0 Comments 1,135 views

03
Oct

Goldcorp Seeks Imprisonment of Mayans

On January 22, 2006, twenty two Mayan indigenous Community Leaders had charges laid against them by GoldCorp, with arrest warrants being issued for seven of them.

Incidentally, the charges were layed the very same day Goldcorp promised to establish a dialogue with the local Indigenous Population–upon the condition that they lifted the 10-day-old blockade they had set up. The Mayans agreed, and took down the blockade; but then on January 24 Goldcorp shamefully reneged on its commitment; and them on February 13, two of the seven were violently detained. The police “illegally entered the men’s homes at 5:20 am, breaking locks, throwing things, turning over beds with sleeping children…” Following this, the other five voluntarily presented themselves and were released on bail. The trial officially began last week.

Below you will find details and background information, followed by a list …

Published on
October 3, 2007
  0 Comments 1,009 views

01
Oct

Onondaga lawsuit may be dismissed

Two of the convenient loop-holes in U.S. law is threatening a lawsuit filed by the Onondaga Nation, Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Onondaga lawsuit is asking the court to declare New York violated federal law when it obtained around 4,000 square miles of land from the Onondaga in the late 1700s and early 1800s. They’re not asking for money, or property damages or even the return of the land. They just want to the state to admit it did wrong. Additionally, they are asking the Court to acknowledge their title to a 40-mile stretch of land that goes from Pennsylvania to Canada.

New York State, however, says the lawsuit/land claim should be disregarded because the Onondaga waited too long to file. There is indeed a time limit for Indigenous Nations to file lawsuits…

It’s also in danger of being cast aside because …

Published on
October 1, 2007
  1 Comment 739 views

29
Sep

Worth More than Gold

This is a trailer to the film Tambogrande (2003), the story of proud fruit growers from Peru’s northern coast who came together to defend their lands and culture from foreign (Canadian) mining interests.

Canadian-based Manhattan Minerals was granted concessions by the government in the 1990’s to extract an estimated US$1 billion in gold, silver, copper and zinc from beneath the streets of Tambogrande.

The people were at no point consulted about this; and even though Manhattan made some significant offers to them, it was just not worth the cost. “The proposed mine for Tambogrande would have comprised a kilometer-wide open pit, and required the relocation of roughly half the 16,000 residents.”

The People simply decided to keep their mangoes–and went on to launch “an innovative campaign to keep the mine out, drawing on traditional music, street art …

Published on
September 29, 2007
  0 Comments 1,080 views

22
Sep

Hundreds of indigenous Awa flee violence

Since Tuesday, over 1000 Awá people have fled their land in the Province of Narino, Columbia, to escape a recent outbreak of violence between the Colombian army and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

As of Thursday, 1,018 Awa–more than half the group under the age of 16–has gathered in the village of Inda Sabaleta, some 25 minutes from their communities.

This recent event marks the 19th time a group of 50 people or more have been displaced in the Province this year.

From the UNHCR - The area is part of the department of Nariño, which in recent years has suffered some of the worst violence in Colombia. Since the start of 2007, there have been 18 cases of mass displacement involving more than 50 people moving at one time within Nariño, forcing more than 10,000 people …

Published on
September 22, 2007
  2 Comments 724 views

22
Sep

Canadian Panel rejects mine, destruction of lake

Some positive news came out of British Columbia this week. The Kemess North Mine Joint Review Panel released its report regarding the Kemess North Copper-Gold Mine–recommending against the Kemess mine, worth $8 Billion, which would turn Amazay Lake into a toxic waste dump. This is quite possibly the first mine in Canadian history the government has made a recommendation against.

On top of that, the Review Panel has also given–or rather confirmed Indigenous Nations in BC have veto power over resource development projects on their respective territories.

This is by all means an historic event for Indigenous Nations in BC. Let’s just hope the government doesn’t simply ignore the Panel’s recommendations and continue business as usual.

Visit tsekehnay.net and see this article on the Tyee for more information.

From the Globe and Mail - The give-me-what-I-want approach is history …

Published on
September 22, 2007
  0 Comments 910 views

22
Sep

No Gold Future in Rosia Montana

Beneath the village of Rosia Montana, located in west-central Romania, there lies a massive deposit of gold ore–over 300 tonnes. The village has been living on top of it for over 2000 years now; but today the village, indeed the entire area is threatened. Canada’s own Gabriel Resources wants to turn it into Europe’s largest open-pit cyanide mine.

If all goes as planned, 2000 people will be relocated; and 5 mountains, 10 Churches, 12 Cemeteries and 958 farms will be destroyed. On top of that, a cyanide lake will be made of a valley neighboring Rosia Montana.

Some are welcoming the mine, however, because it will ease the high level of unemployment and poverty in the village; but a number of people are altogether opposed to it.

It’s not just because of the destruction and displacement or the loss of 2000 years of history and culture. It’s also because of the intended …

Published on
September 22, 2007
  0 Comments 827 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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