Underreported News of Struggle for August

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Underreported News of Struggle for August

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With Indigenous Peoples Day swiftly passing by, Indigenous People throughout the world continue to be subjected to a seemingly endless barrage of offenses by militias, governments, and corporations alike. Efforts to assimilate the People into mainstream society has increased twofold this month, while corporations increasingly work to criminalize, alienate, and divide communities; even make them into
enemies to their own ways of life.

At the same time, indigenous peoples and movements continue with their efforts for Justice and accountability, for their rights to be respected—and to ensure their land, identities, and histories remain intact.

News of Struggle for August

August 30

Expansion of Agricultural Frontier Endangers Native Communities

Encroached upon by the expanding agricultural frontier and facing the
indifference of the state, indigenous communities in the northeastern
Argentine province of Chaco have problems of access to water, food and
their natural medicines, and are heading towards extinction.

Ute Mountain Tribe opposes Desert Rock

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council took a stand against the new power
plant called Desert Rock to be built on the Navajo Nation’s
reservation. The Ute tribe unanimously passing a resolution opposing
construction of the proposed power plant.

Mangyan Societies Threatened by Strip Mining

Last week the Guardian published the details of a proposed strip mining
operation, which is planned for the highlands of Mindoro Island, where
several Mangyan societies, including the Buid, subsist. The paper
indicates that a vast strip mine will clear vegetation and top soil
from 37.5 square miles and force the relocation of at least 5,000
indigenous people from their homes and farms. The object is the wealth
from nickel and cobalt in the rock strata.

August 29

People Affected by Dams Stop Hydroelectric Works in Brazil

More than 400 people occupied the entrance of the hydroelectric central
Foz do Chapecó, in the Uruguay river, in the border between Rio Grande
do Sul and Santa Catarina state, to the south of Brazil. The
demonstrators demand the federal government and the consortium in
charge of the works to meet with them. The activists are members of the
families that will be affected by the works of the dam. According to
the website of the Rural Landless Workers’ Movement (MST), the works
will affect nearly 3,500 families.

Ashaninka threatened, prepared to take action

On a recent expedition to supervise the Peru-Brazil border, the
Brazilian Ashaninkas received death threats from a task leader of the
Peruvian company Venao Forestal—raising concerns about the possibility
of violent clashes in the future. Venao is also manipulating and
creating conflict among the Ashaninka, exploiting them for wood.

Phillipines - Scores hurt as residents, militiamen clash at mine site

Scores of tribal men and women were injured as paramilitary forces
clashed with villagers in upland Kasibu town who were manning a
barricade to prevent the entry of a mining company in the area
Wednesday afternoon.

Achuar Block 39 New Oil Wells on their Territory

Achuar indigenous communities in the northern Peruvian Amazon were
celebrating a major victory over the oil industry after the Argentine
company Pluspetrol agreed to forego drilling 39 proposed new wells on
Achuar land.

Grants for Indigenous communities effected by mining

The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and the Western Mining
Action Network (WMAN) have begun a grant program for Indigenous
communities and grassroots organizations in the U.S. and Canada who are
working on issues related to mining.

August 28

Chiapas: more evictions from Montes Azules

Mexican federal agents and Chiapas state police evicted several
families Aug. 19 from the predios (collective farms) of Nuevo Salvador
Allende and El Buen Samaritano, in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve.
Six family heads were detained, accused of environmental crimes and
property damage; another 39 were taken to a shelter in the town of La
Trinitaria. The relocation was undertaken after the residents of the
predios—Tzeltal and mestizo peasants—refused to negotiate with the
Agrarian Reform Secretariat, asserting that they had been living in the
zone for 30 years. (La Jornada, Aug. 19) The following day, two other
small communities were similarly evicted from the reserve. (La Jornada,
Aug. 20)

Aug 27

Violence against Indigenous People in West Papua

Reports have recently come out of West Papua that indigenous people
from the Muyu tribe have clashed with employees of Korindo, the Korean
and Indonesian owned logging and oil palm company—resulting in the
destruction of four Korindo company trucks, and the death of atleast
one local Papuan.

Aug 26

House-to-house raids in Alice Springs Indigenous Community

Two of the senior women who toured major cities speaking out against a
uranium waste dump on their traditional lands have been raided by the
AFP on warrants issued by a Federal Magistrate in Canberra, their
furniture slashed with knives, belongings damages, laptops and mobile
phones seized, and phones tapped. I was told by one of the women that
the warrant gave 12 hours access to her home, and that she was told
that the measures were justified because of the security crackdown for
APEC ministers. One of those women is an elderly grandmother.

August 24

First Nations Leadership Council Supports Protection of Amazay Lake (pdf)

A mining company, Northgate Minerals Inc., proposes to open a new open
pit mine five kilometres from their existing mine and submerge the
acidic waste rock and tailings into Amazay Lake, totally annihilating
the aquatic life in and around the lake. Amazay (meaning mother caribou
in the Sekani language) is a six-kilometre long fish-bearing lake that
has been an important gathering place throughout the history of the
Tsay Keh Nay People.

Zimbabwe: Woza Activists Arrested During Door to Door Raids

Police in Bulawayo reportedly abducted six women and a baby from the
organization, Women of Zimbabwe Arise during early morning raids. WOZA
coordinator Jenni Williams said the group received an alert around four
in the morning from the children of the arrested women, saying police
officers were going door-to-door arresting the activists.

Aug 23

Chilean Authorities Approve Mining Exploration in National Park

The Reserva de Vicuña National Park, in Chile’s 1st Region, is amid
great controversy; the Environment Regional Commission granted a
license to Sociedad Contractual Minera Vilacollo SA, to carry out
exploration activities in the reserve. Several actors have criticized
the decision, including the Aymara National Council of the Arica
community and the Indigenous Human Rights Commission. The groups claim
the authorization was illegal and benefits mining corporations instead
of indigenous peoples and biodiversity. Representatives also oppose the
project and threat to take measures if the project goes on.

Social movements invade Brazil mine facility

Brazil’s largest mine company Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) said on
Wednesday that the Landless Workers Movement (MST) and the Movement of
People Harmed by Dams invaded and took over one of its subsidiaries and
took two employees as hostages. The company said after Minas Gerais’
State Police stepped in to negotiate with the movement leaders, the
hostages were released.

Shell blockaded in Sacred Headwaters

On Tuesday, Aug 21 Shell attempted to resume its coalbed methane
operation in the Sacred Headwaters, despite previous warnings of a
possible conflict if they attempt to do so. 100 People promptly came
together and set up a blockade, preventing Shell from entering. Now an
injuntion is being sought by Shell against them.

Aboriginal people need to be part of mainstream: PM

Aboriginal people must become part of Australia’s mainstream society if
they are to have a future, Prime Minister John Howard has warned. “And
that is whilst respecting the special place of Indigenous people in the
history and the life of this country, their future can only be as part
of the mainstream of the Australian community,” he said.

August 21

Peru: toxic pollution linked to US corporation

Peru’s President Alan Garcia, “afraid of foreign investors,” is sitting
idly by as a U.S. corporation devastates the city of La Oroya.
Missouri-based Doe Run’s toxic lead smelting operation has children
breathing sulfur dioxide pollution up to 300 times the level permitted
by the World Health Organization.

August 19

Zapatista Communities under siege

Zapatista communities are increasingly subjected to violence and
threats, incicated by two recent events. The first, a Mother’s house in
the community of Francisco villa was ominously burned to the ground.
The whole community is being threatened, because some want them off the
land. The second incident occurred in the Municipality “Olga Isabel,”
where a father and son were confronted by 13 armed individuals, members
of the absurdly named “Organization For the Defense of Indigenous and
Campesino Rights.” A short while later, the father was shot 6 times.

August 17

Australia Legislates Assimilation/Invasion

Well, the bills which grant the government of Australia power to
encroach upon, invade, and determine the lives of Indigenous People in
the Northern Territory came to pass in a near-unanimous vote of 56 to
6. Also See here for Voices of Resistance

Aug 15

Fort Chipewyan rally calls for oilsands moratorium

People in Fort Chipewyan, a community of 1,200, say they have noticed
an unusually high number of deaths from cancers in the past year,
including colon, liver, blood and bile-duct cancers. Chief Roxanne
Marcel of the Mikisew Cree First Nation said she and other aboriginal
leaders want the Alberta government cease approving oilsands
development permits, at least until a health study is done. “Our
message to both levels of government, to Albertans, to Canadians and to
the world, who may depend on oilsands for their energy solutions, that
we can no longer be sacrificed any longer,” she said.

Mexican Peasants Said ‘No’ to La Parota Dam

This past Sunday an assembly was held in the Acapulco municipality of
Guerrero, Mexico to decide upon the fate of La Parota Dam…. This
occurred a little over a week after Senator Felix Salgado Macedonio
said the People who would be effected by the completion of La Parota
must be allowed to do just that: decide on whether or not la Parota may
be completed.

August 8

Rohingyas shown they cannot be safe or free anywhere

For Years, Malaysia has been considered a sort of a safe haven for
refugees coming from Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, Nepal and
elsewhere — but now the government of Malaysia is making it clear that
most of these refugees will not be finding any safety or freedom in
this country.

Tribal People in India Want to Protect Indigenous Way of Life

Tribal villagers from the eastern state of Orissa in India claim the
planned expansion of a mine and mineral refinery in their region
threatens their way of life. So they sent representatives to London to
ask shareholders at Vedanta Resources’ annual meeting for help. They
did not get it. Now the villagers’ last hope is a ruling from India’s
Supreme Court. The villagers want the court to ban any commercial
development in the region.

August 4

China Bans Reincarnation of Tibetan Lamas

The Times of London reports that the China has issued a new ban
designed to prevent Tibetans from recognizing reincarnations of the
living Buddha without the approval of the Chinese government. The
edict, which will enter into force on September 1st, states that the
“so-called reincarnated living Buddha” is “illegal and invalid” without
the approval of the government,

August 2

Paraguay: Rural activists in danger

The export-oriented development model based on agriculture present in
Paraguay leaves large areas of land in the hands of very few
individuals or companies, which not only affects campesino communities
but also indigenous ones who face the loss of their land and forced
displacement. Large plantations are also managed by illegal groups —
often tied to the political class — where there are marijuana fields
and clandestine runways for contraband trafficking, including the
illegal logging trade. Amid this, thousands of Campesinos are
displaced, murdered, tortuered and ‘disappeared’. The traffickers and
the politically powerful are the ones behind it.

Uncontacted tribes flee “Red Gold Rush”

A group of previously-uncontacted Tribal People from the East Coast of
Peru have recently appeared at a village in Brazil. The people fled
from their territory, it is thought, because of illegal logging
activities on their land. Loggers are currently sweeping through it, in
search of an exceedingly rare kind of Mahogany tree, commonly referred
to as “red gold”

August 1

The Mohlohlo Facing Encroachment, Refuse to Leave

The Mohlohlo, a People located in Limpopo, South Africa—are currently
facing the steady encroachment of Anglo Platinum. The mining company
apparently ‘negotiated’ for the land on which the Mohlohlo live on, in
exchange for their relocation. However the Mohlohlo say the negotiation
was fraudulent, and they have for some time now refused to leave.

Underreported struggles is a monthly round-up of largely
overlooked news that focuses primarily on the struggles of Indigenous
People around the world. If you would like to view previous months, please click here