The Ngöbe people living along the Changuinola River in Panama have been facing the destruction of their villages, farms, food supply, access to clean water, and way of life as a result of the government of Panama’s decision to build a hydroelectric dam on their river. The government contracted with AES-Changuinola, a subsidiary of the Virginia-based energy giant AES Corp., to not only build the dam but also to manage the relocation of the Ngobe people whose homelands will be flooded.
Indigenous and environmental organizations in Indonesia ask us to send polite letters to government officials. Please use this Indonesian heading:
Mohon Tambang di NTT Dihentikan. Hak Masyarakat Setempat Perlu Dihormati
(Halt mining in East Nusa Tenggara. Respect rights of indigenous communities)
Ask them to:
Manganese mines are causing misery for the Manggarai Indigenous People on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara. In Kampung Sirise, dust from the enormous open pits blankets vegetation around the mine. The miners have dumped rocks and tailings on land prepared for food and commercial crops. Fish from the nearly ocean are no longer safe to eat. The Manggarai people, who live directly below the mine, now suffer from breathing difficulties. Exposure to manganese dust and fumes is especially toxic for children, who may suffer impaired motor skills and cognitive disorders.
Indonesia is a nation made up of thousands of islands just north of Australia. Flores and Lembata are beautiful, forested islands where Indigenous Peoples live in small communities as fishermen, farmers, weavers, and craftsmen. Amazing animals, including the Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard, live in this area.
Mining and other extractive industries are among the most destructive activities on the planet, especially for indigenous and farming communities. The minerals, metals, fuel, and timber that extractive industries seek are very profitable, so resisting them requires hard work.
Although mining companies are powerful, they are also vulnerable. There are ways to stop them. It may take years, but the results are worth it. At stake is the cultural survival and well-being of your community, your environment, and your ability to make a living — now and for years to come.
"On behalf of the Pastoral Nomadic Indigenous Samburu Community of Northern Kenya: the local leaders, the elders, the counselors, the mothers, the children and our Member of Parliament, The Hon Raphael Letimalo, please accept our heartfelt indigenous greetings: Supa! We convey our gratitude to you and your team of experts for your visit to our pastoral region of Samburu East.
After 13 years of litigation and 122 years of waiting, the United States government is finally paying Native Americans for profits earned on 54 million acres of Native land held “in trust” by the federal government since 1887. The $3.4 billion settlement of the Cobell v. Salazar class-action suit was announced December 8th by Blackfeet Nation banker Eloise Cobell, Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Attorney General Eric Holder.
Five Penan communities in Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo have filed a suit against the Malaysian government and three forestry companies operating in the Penan territory. Decades of illegal logging have destroyed most of the Penen's original forest home, and they are fighting to keep what remains. In the suit, to be heard by the High Court of Sarawak and Sabah, the Penan are demanding title to 300 square miles of their lands, a cessation of logging there, and damages. The suit is the latest development in an ongoing campaign by Cultural Survival's Global Response program.
Five rainforest communities of Malaysia's Middle Baram region are suing the Sarawak state government and the Malaysian timber giant Samling for non-respect of their native customary rights. They are demanding land titles for an area of 80'000 hectares, the nullification of four timber and planted-forest licences, plus compensation for damages.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
