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Land Rights
Our work with Indian peoples has for years drawn connections between indigenous land rights, environmental protection and human rights. In most indigenous cultures, separating these issues makes no sense. Our Mission Statement points out the intersection of these threats to indigenous peoples: "Indian nations and tribes and other indigenous communities throughout the world are afflicted by poverty, poor health and discrimination. Subjected to grave human rights abuses, many Native communities are under siege. Indian land and natural resources are often expropriated or degraded, and sometimes destroyed. When indigenous peoples are deprived of their ways of life and their ties to the earth, they suffer, and many have disappeared completely."
Our projects with the Six Nations on their land claims in upstate New York, with the Yukon Inter-Tribal Watershed Council in Alaska and the Yukon Territory, with the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre Tribes of the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana have all been designed to address the over-arching issues of land, environment and human rights. And more recently, the Center has begun a new project with the support of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation to create a new framework of law relating to Indian lands and resources. This new framework of legal principles will be put forward to replace the present system of discriminatory, racist, and unjust legal rules relating to Indian lands.
Please use the navigation on the left to read more about any one of these projects.
Center Helps Prepare Indigenous Leaders in Brazil for Future Policy Work
One of the largest indigenous organizations in South America, Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations from the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), has for the first time in its history, elected an indigenous woman to serve in its top post.
Líder de la Comunidad Agua Caliente Lote 9 Recibe Premio Ambiental Goldman 2017
(SAN FRANCISCO) - La Fundación Ambiental Goldman anunció hoy que Rodrigo Tot ha sido nombrado como uno de los seis galardonados del Premio Ambiental Goldman 2017, el premio más importante a nivel mundial para líderes y activistas ambientalistas de base.
Guatemala: Agua Caliente case moves forward
In February 2015, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights transferred Agua Caliente’s petition to Guatemala, formally launching the first phase of the procedure.
Panel Discussion Highlights Need to Safeguard Indigenous Peoples’ Collective Ownership Rights
On October 9, the Center hosted a panel discussion to highlight Indigenous Peoples’ land rights and the impacts of development activities financed by the World Bank. The event, “Indigenous Peoples’ Lands and Development: World Bank Interventions and Lessons Learned”, was held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC.
Inter-American Development Bank to Investigate Harmful Wind Power Project in Mexico
A massive wind farm project, partially funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is under investigation by the IDB’s Panel of Investigators for negatively impacting seven indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Center is providing legal assistance to the communities to ensure that there is an independent investigation of the project and that their concerns are properly addressed by the IDB’s Board of Directors.
Death Valley tribe appeals vote on new constitution
October 25 | Pahrump Valley Times article by Mark Waite is a must read for every tribal leader.
Appeals
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Maya Q'eqchi' Land and Resource Rights
Extractive industry and conservation projects are threatening the Maya Q’eqchi’ communities’ special relationship to their traditional lands and resources in Guatemala.
Mohawk Nation Land Claim
In February 2005, the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs (a traditional Haudenosaunee government), the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe , and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne signed an agreement with Governor George Pataki to resolve their historic claim to lands in Northern New York.
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Multilateral Development Banks
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) and some national development banks play a central role in the approval of large-scale development projects, such as dams and forestry initiatives, which have had devastating effects on indigenous peoples and other local communities. The Center works to ensure that these financial institutions respect the environment and human rights of indigenous peoples in all their development activities.
