Indigenous Peoples

On March 11, 2021, the parallel event took place within the framework of the 46th session of the UN Human Rights C

Within the project “Campaign of political incidence at the international level for the protection of human rights defenders from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras”, presented by PBI Catalunya and financed by the Provincial Deputation of Barcelona (DIBA), the journalists Xavier Sulé and Marta Saiz are publishing a series of articles resulting from extensive conversations with human rights defenders accompanied by PBI in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

On August 9, the International Day of Indigenous Peoples was commemorated under the theme “COVID-19 and the resilience of indigenous peoples”, recognizing the effort of indigenous communities to seek their own solutions to the pandemic through knowledge and traditional practices1.

“We oppose development that reduces our forests, that destroys our lands” (…) With the pandemic we will have to live the rest of our lives. “

Jorge Sibas, leader of the Brörán people and Costa Rican defender.

Obtilia Eugenio Manuel defends the rights of the Tlapanec people in the state of Guerrero and founded the Organisation of the Me’phaa Indigenous People (Organización del Pueblo Indígena Me’phaa, OPIM). In November 2019 she received Mexico’s National Human Rights Prize in recognition of her “significant trajectory in effectively promoting and defending” basic human rights. PBI accompanied Manuel between 2005 and 2011.

How and when did you start defending human rights?

On June 22, 2019, PBI accompanied EDUCA (Servicios para una Educación Alternativa) at Oaxaca’s first ever “Guelaguetza” against mining, in the municipality San Martín de los Cansecos. Various communities from the Valles Centrales in Oaxaca joined together to commemorate the state’s annual “Rebellion Against Mining Day” and to reaffirm “¡Sí a la vida, no a la minería!”(Yes to life, no to mining!)

Photo credits: Reforma

During the past few months, PBI along with other national and international organisations, has called attention to the extraordinary risk people defending their territory against economic projects are living through in Mexico and across the whole region of Latin America.  During the past weeks these warning have become a reality in Mexico, and unfortunately, the situation we foresaw is beginning to take place.

From PBI we observe certain important actions from AMLO´s new government that favour the protection of human rights defenders in Mexico, however at the same time we have noted a few tendencies that concern us.  In this article we look at a few achievements and challenges for the new government and the reactions from Mexican and international civil society about the first few weeks of the MORENA government.

PBI interviewed ProDESC to learn more about consultation processes. Alejandra Ancheita is a lawyer, founder and Executive Director of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Project (ProDESC), an organization that defends human rights, specifically the right to land, territory and natural resources of agrarian communities, indigenous peoples, and labor rights.

The past few months have witnessed significant change in Mexico given the election of a new President and the promises and commitments his new government have already laid out.