Demand #2: Consent
Global indigenous leaders are calling for 5 demands, in this series of playlists we explore each demand in turn.
Demand #2: Consent
When decisions are made about their forests and ancestral lands communities have the right to free, prior, and informed consent. They should also be allowed to say no when governments and corporations threaten their livelihoods.
Indigenous peoples are the best guardians of the forest, but they are under siege from a great and growing hunger for new sources of food, fuel, mineral wealth and water.
Indigenous Kichwa community of the Pastaza province in the Amazon have been fighting the construction of a hydroelectric dam that will have a serious impact on the Piatúa river and the communities that live on its banks. It is also recognised as one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet. This documentary, from indigenous […]
UN Special Rapporteur of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples meets the Standing Rock Sioux leadership and community in March 2017 after months of protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. On the 10th anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the campaign has come to represent the struggle of indigenous peoples the world […]
Having lived for millennia in the forests of the ‘Amazonian Trapezoid’, today the Amacayacu National Park, indigenous communities there are now treated as an obstacle to conservation. Their rights have been systematically violated since the National Park was created in 1975.In April 2015 the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism signed an agreement to carry out the construction of a tourist trail, but without previous consultation of local communities. This infrastructure project would include the construction of extensive walking routes and amenities along an 8km route through pristine forest, communities and rivers.The Tikuna, Yaguas and Cocamas who live in San Martín de Amacayacu have denounced the violation of their right to free, prior and informed consent. As such they have urged the Colombian government to stop the construction activities and carry out the consultation process.
Despite their customary land being recognised by the Indonesian Government in 2012, the Seko community have been defending their land against large-scale energy development for the last 3 years. In 2016, 14 community leaders were criminalized, including 1 woman. They were sentenced for at least 7 months. They oppose a large scale hydro-electric power plant, […]
Even a well-managed, recognised forest faces constant challenges but innovative drone GPS technology, cooperative campaigning, local government support and eco-tourism are helping the Setulang people thrive. They have shown that community rights, the environment and development go hand in hand. Setulang boasts clean water, sustainable fishing and hunting, building materials, fruit and traditional medicine, a […]
The Indigenous Quest sheds light on the massive forest loss in Kalimantan caused by big multinationals to clear land for palm oil plantations. These forests are known as the lungs of the earth, as they provide the most oxygen while harboring carbon dioxide. This short documentary tells the story of Mr. Japin, an indigenous farmer […]