Brazil Dam Project Halted

The Belo Monte dam project (which was also the subject of the preceding post) has been halted, at least temporarily.

Judge Carlos Castro Martins barred any work that would interfere with the natural flow of the Xingu river.

He ruled in favour of a fisheries group which argued that the Belo Monte dam would affect local fish stocks and could harm indigenous families who make a living from fishing.

The government says the dam is crucial to meeting growing energy needs.

Judge Martins barred the Norte Energia company behind the project from "building a port, using explosives, installing dikes, building canals and any other infrastructure work that would interfere with the natural flow of the Xingu river, thereby affecting local fish stocks".

Norte Energia, of course, plans to appeal, so this is by no means over.

Indigenous in Iraq

This is an issue in Iraq we almost never hear about:

The Senate Appropriations Full Committee legislated support for Iraq's indigenous Assyrians, including Chaldeans and Syriacs. The Full Committee supports the Art. 125 process towards the establishment of a province in the Nineveh Plain. Policy submitted by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), received Full Committee support, asserting:

The Committee continues to recognize the importance of providing targeted assistance to ethno-religious minorities in Iraq to help ensure their continued survival, especially those living in the Ninevah Plains region. The Committee directs the Department of State to submit a report, not later than 90 days after enactment of this act, detailing U.S. efforts to help these communities, including assistance consistent with Article 125 of the Iraqi Constitution; assistance in building an indigenous community police force in the Ninevah Plains; and efforts to support NGOs in the region.

Brazil Approves Mega-Dam, Displacing 40,000 People

Dam building seems to be one of the most consistent threats to Indigenous lands; Brazil just approved a new mega-dam project in the Amazon.

In the face of fierce opposition from indigenous peoples, social movements and scientists, IBAMA issued an environmental licence on 1 June, which will enable the Norte Energia consortium to start construction work.

COIAB, an alliance representing many indigenous organizations in Brazil’s Amazon said it ‘rejected IBAMA’s decision vehemently and with profound indignation’, stating that the government will not consult with indigenous peoples and treats their interests with ‘an authoritarianism never before seen in our young democracy…. In truth it wants to destroy indigenous communities with its model of development.’

This photo, of "Chief Raoni crying when he learned that the President of Brazil approved the Belo Monte dam project on the Xingu indigenous lands," really is worth a thousand words in getting across how devastating this is for the communities, and honestly just breaks my heart.

Israel - Palestine

It's all about indigeneity and who gets to define it. A photo essay "delineating the borders and porous entries between spaces.''

Individual Voices:Israelis and Palestinians on how the two sides can share the Holy City.

Wampanoag Powwow in Bermuda

In 1675-1676, during and after King Philip's War (that link goes to Jill Lepore's book The Name of War, which is an excellent read), victorious colonists sold members of the defeated Wampanoag tribe into slavery in Barbados. (Slave owners and traders tended to prefer slaves who were not native to any given area, as it decreased the likelihood of successful escapes.) Centuries later, the descendants of those Wampanoag people still celebrate their Native American heritage.

"Development" and Human Rights Abuses

An independent United Nations expert has released a report detailing current problems facing Indigenous populations; resource extraction and "development" projects are "the most significant sources of abuse of [Indigenous peoples'] human rights worldwide":

“In its prevailing form, the model for advancing with natural resource extraction within the territories of indigenous peoples appears to run counter to the self-determination of indigenous peoples in the political, social and economic spheres,” the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples James Anaya told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Anaya also pointed out that more understanding of Indigenous concerns could help resolve some of these conflicts.

“The lack of a minimum common ground for understanding the key issues by all actors concerned entails a major barrier for the effective protection and realization of indigenous peoples’ rights,” he added, praising a new Peruvian law compelling private companies to consult indigenous communities before going ahead with major projects such as mining.

Cherokee Freedmen Agreement Reached

Apparently, the Cherokee Nation, the Freedmen, and the U.S. government have reached an agreement on the issue of citizenship for the Cherokee Freedmen.

"We've agreed to everything," Freedmen attorney Jonathan Velie said. "We've agreed upon an order between the Cherokee Freedmen, Cherokee Nation, the (federal) government ... to essentially reinstate the citizens into the Cherokee Nation, so that they may vote equally with fellow Cherokee citizens."

The agreement was reached as a preliminary hearing was held in federal court in Washington, D.C. to decide whether the September 24 election for principal chief of the 300,000-member Cherokee tribe could proceed without Freedmen votes.