August - CAPI - Asunción, Paraguay
Center staff traveled to Paraguay for a workshop with CAPI (Coordinadora por la Auto-determinación de los Pueblos Indígenas) and to visit communities affected by the Yacyreta Hydroelectric Project, financed by both the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
July - ONIC - Bogotá, Colombia
Center staff made a trip to Colombia for a human rights workshop and dialogue with Colombia's National Indigenous Organization (ONIC). During the workshop, Center staff provided information on the Inter-American System of Human Rights, international law relevant to indigenous peoples, and other useful advocacy tools. The training also served as a spring board for future collaborations, which include plans to assist ONIC in building the capacity and strengthening ties between indigenous lawyers.
June - CECONAMA - Lima, Peru
Center staff traveled to Peru for a training with CECONAMA, a Peruvian indigenous organization whose member communities have been seriously affected by the Camisea Natural Gas Project and are now evaluating the possibilities for improving their situation.
May - CEJUDHCAN - Rann, Nicaragua
May 10 - The Director of the Washington D.C. Office, Armstrong Wiggins, and Lottie Cuningham of CEJUDHCAN lead a seminar in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region of Nicaragua with Indigenous and ethnic lawyers, members of the Bilwi Civil Society, and members of the RAAN Indigenous organization. This seminar was convened to analyze and discuss the advances and goals of the negotiation processes associated with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In addition, the seminar was designed to raise awareness about the need for a more effective defense of the collective and territorial rights of the indigenous peoples of the Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast. The 40 participants that attended included representatives of non-governmental agencies, indigenous and other ethnic lawyers, indigenous organizations, the Public Prosecutor for Indigenous Peoples, and the Magistrates of the Appellate Court.This activity was extremely successful and was attended by 95 percent of those invited. Indigenous lawyers reaffirmed the importance of having this type of event for collectively discussing their perspectives regarding the difficulties that face indigenous peoples throughout the Americas, and develop a means to exert greater leverage regarding the national and international developments that affect them.
April - CEADES - La Paz, Bolivia
April 13-14th 2007, Center staff traveled to Bolivia to carry out a national training with indigenous leaders in La Paz. The idea of doing a national training for indigenous leaders from Bolivia arose from comments made to us by indigenous representatives about the lack of Bolivian indigenous participation in the OAS draft Declaration process. Subsequently, our collaboration with Bolivian indigenous leaders lead to the idea of doing a national training for indigenous leaders in Bolivia regarding the draft American Declaration process, and indigenous rights within the Inter-American System.
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During the two-day training, indigenous participants were given materials and training regarding the Inter American System of Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, and the draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. They were also given more limited information on the UN Declaration.