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 …

The Shan Herald reports that the first construction phase of the Tasang Dam is nearing completion. According to a source from the Thai/Burma border, Chinese dam builders have been at the site since last November, and have so far installed about 90% of the dams pillars.

The Tasang is the largest of 4 dams currently planned for the Salween River, in Shan State, Burma. Once the Tasang is operational, thousands of Karen, Karenni, Mon, Shan, Wa, Pa-O, Lahu, Padaung, Akha, Lisu and Palaung - face displacement at …

January 4th of this year marked the 16th anniversary of the day more than 300,000 Ogonis participated in “a mass non-violent protest against the devastation of their environment by the heartless multinational, oppressive, genocidal, and apartheid-like policies of both the Nigerian authorities and Royal Dutch Shell towards them.”

Soldiers and mobile police responded to the protest by firing tear gas and live ammunition into the crowd, killing four youths. Over the next year, acts of genocidal violence were repeatedly committed against the Ogoni.

Three years prior to this, Ogoni …

Honor the Earth, a group that’s comprised of representatives from the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and the Indigenous Women’s Network (IWN) is currently accepting proposals for funding to help Native-led organizations in Canada and the US who work in the areas of: Environmental & Energy Justice, Community Development, and Youth. The grants range from $1,000- $5,000. Proposals are due January 15th, 2007.

Please visit this page for a full explanation of the application procedures.

[PLEASE DISTRIBUTE FAR AND WIDE]

Request for Proposals
Honor the Earth is currently soliciting …

Last Monday, the Klabona Keepers won a temporary injunction against Shell Canada, forcing them to halt road construction for the coalbed methane project their pushing on Klabona Territory (Tahltan).

The injunction will only be in effect for about a week, when a Canadian court will can hear the application for a second injunction against Shell; but Rhoda Quock, a Tahltan elder and spokeswoman for the Klabona Keepers says “we are treating this injunction as a significant victory and the best way we can celebrate the 10th Anniversary of …

A cross-border, investigative report was published last month by Eco Justice Canada (formally Sierra Legal) which details the amount of toxins released - and the impact it’s all having on the people living in Canada’s Chemical Valley–the region of Sarnia, Ontario.

Populated by at least 71,000 Canadians and three 3 Indigenous Nations, there is a total of 62 large industrial facilities currently in operation. On top of that, in the immediate vicinity on the other side of the US/CAN border, there are 16 more.

According to the report, …

From August 31 to September 2, around 300 young people from the Tupinambá, Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe, Pataxó and Tuxá (state of Bahia), Tupinikim (state of Espírito Santo) and Xukuru (state of Pernambuco) peoples gathered at the 3rd seminar of Tupinambá young people at Serra do Padeiro in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

The Tupinambá (also known as the Tupi) have recently begun strengthening their struggle, encouraging its young people to organize themselves.

Based on the theme “Organized Youth, Strengthened Community,” the youth naturally focused on matters of organization, aswell as topics like public …

For 37 days now Members of the Lepcha tribe of Sikkim, mostly youth, have been on an indefinite fast (satyagraha) demanding the immediate scrapping of atleast 6 of the seven hydro dams proposed for development in the region of Dzongu— the homeland of the Lepcha people. The Lepcha say these projects will “devastate the region from head to toe.”

As noted here, the government of Sikkim has in the past been negotiable; having been one of the first States in India to ban plastic bags, the Sikkim government …

There was an important gathering in Caracas last week—Indigenous People from all over Venezuela came together for the First Meeting of Indigenous and Socialist Indigenous Warriors.

The focus of the gathering was to build a movement of people who hold a “Revolutionary Conscience and Spirit of Real Solidarity.”

Among many attendants, was Nicia Maldonado, the Minister of “People’s Power for Indigenous Peoples” who explained in an interview that indigenous communities have begun creating groups called “seed” indigenous warriors– young people between the ages of 7 and 15 years old. These groups must …

Between Two Worlds is a collaboration between the filmmaker, Ariel Lopez Segovia, the Mapuche community of the Lago Budi area of Chile, and the US-based NGO Pachamama Conservation, which for the past 7 years has been working closely with women artisans to preserve their traditional craft, building deep relationships with Mapuche elders and youth, as well as elected leaders and support organizations.

Still in the production phase, it is the first documentary about the Mapuche people produced for an English-language audience. All interviews are in the Mapuche language Mapudungun or in Spanish, with English narration and subtitles.

These interviews tell the …