A Legal Assessment of the Efficacy of Consultation with Indigenous Peoples

A Legal Assessment of the Efficacy of Consultation with Indigenous Peoples
Author: Catarina Woyames Dreher
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024
Genre:
ISBN: 9783031505416

This book offers a novel perspective on consultation with indigenous peoples in projects of natural resource exploitation. Engaging with current debates in international law, the study introduces a multi-dimensional perspective on consultation understood to include self-determination and cultural rights. It analyzes evidence from several countries across the Americas and Africa and presents an original and in-depth case study of Brazil. The book assesses judicial and legislative cases, drawing on relevant literature, international treaties and supplementary information gained from expert interviews. This supports the work's broader objective to explore legal facts as well as to evaluate the empirical evidence in light of theoretical considerations. It thereby expands the understanding of consultation as a right under national legal systems and considers practical ways on how to enforce domestic redress for avoiding legal indeterminacy. The conclusions of the analysis contribute to not only a better understanding of the subject matter but also showcase ways of how to improve the realities on the ground. The book puts forward a range of recommendations directed at national authorities, international organizations, development lenders and civil society to help improve the unsatisfactory present circumstances. The intended audience encompasses legal scholars, students, practitioners and journalists, as well as anyone interested in research on the realization of indigenous peoples' rights and the role of international law in the 21st century.

A Legal Assessment of the Efficacy of Consultation with Indigenous Peoples

A Legal Assessment of the Efficacy of Consultation with Indigenous Peoples
Author: Catarina Woyames Dreher
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2024-01-05
Genre: Law
ISBN: 3031505395

This book offers a novel perspective on consultation with indigenous peoples in projects of natural resource exploitation. Engaging with current debates in international law, the study introduces a multi-dimensional perspective on consultation understood to include self-determination and cultural rights. It analyzes evidence from several countries across the Americas and Africa and presents an original and in-depth case study of Brazil. The book assesses judicial and legislative cases, drawing on relevant literature, international treaties and supplementary information gained from expert interviews. This supports the work’s broader objective to explore legal facts as well as to evaluate the empirical evidence in light of theoretical considerations. It thereby expands the understanding of consultation as a right under national legal systems and considers practical ways on how to enforce domestic redress for avoiding legal indeterminacy. The conclusions of the analysis contribute to not only a better understanding of the subject matter but also showcase ways of how to improve the realities on the ground. The book puts forward a range of recommendations directed at national authorities, international organizations, development lenders and civil society to help improve the unsatisfactory present circumstances. The intended audience encompasses legal scholars, students, practitioners and journalists, as well as anyone interested in research on the realization of indigenous peoples’ rights and the role of international law in the 21st century.

Serious Business

Serious Business
Author: Beyond Consulting
Publisher:
Total Pages: 43
Release: 2003
Genre: Indigenous peoples
ISBN:

The Prior Consultation of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America

The Prior Consultation of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America
Author: Claire Wright
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019
Genre: Human rights
ISBN: 9781138488069

This book delves into the reasons behind and the consequences of the implementation gap regarding the right to prior consultation and the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America. In recent years, the economic and political projects of Latin American States have become increasingly dependent on the extractive industries. This has resulted in conflicts when governments and international firms have made considerable investments in those lands that have been traditionally inhabited and used by Indigenous Peoples, who seek to defend their rights against exploitative practices. After decades of intense mobilisation, important gains have been made at international level regarding the opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to have a say on these matters. Notwithstanding this, the right to prior consultation and the FPIC of Indigenous Peoples on the ground are far from being fully applied and guaranteed. And, even when prior consultation processes are carried out, the outcomes remain uncertain. This volume rigorously investigates the causes of this implementation gap and its consequences for the protection of Indigenous Peoples' rights, lands, identities and ways of life in the Latin American region. Chapter 8 and 18 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http: //www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Consultation Or Consent

Consultation Or Consent
Author: Robert J. Miller
Publisher:
Total Pages: 57
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN:

This article explores the current international law movement to require nation/states to consult with Indigenous peoples before undertaking actions that impact Indigenous nations and communities. The United Nations took a significant step in this area of law in September 2007 when the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration contains many provisions requiring states to confer and consult with Indigenous peoples, and in many instances to obtain their “free, prior and informed consent.” This article undertakes an original and detailed investigation into how the free, prior and informed consent standard emerged in the drafting of the Declaration.But the article also points out that consultations and obtaining the consent of Indigenous peoples is nothing new in the political and diplomatic relations between American Indian nations and the United States. From the very founding of the U.S., it has maintained a government-to-government relationship with Indian tribes. This relationship is expressly recognized in the U.S. Constitution, and is reflected in hundreds of U.S./Indian treaties and in the history of the interactions between these governments. A nearly constant stream of formal and informal consultations and diplomatic dealings has marked this relationship.In recent decades, though, the international community has begun focusing on consultations with Indigenous peoples and has increased the international law obligation on states to consult. The international regime is also moving far beyond mere consultations and is requiring states to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous peoples. On the surface, requiring the United States to obtain the informed consent of Indian nations and peoples, before undertaking actions that affect them, might be more onerous than just consulting with tribal governments.This article examines the history and modern-day processes for United States consultations with Indian nations and the emerging international law standard of free, prior and informed consent. The article argues that the United States should continue and even enhance the consent paradigm that has always been the goal of federal/tribal relations. And, the article also argues that the United States should have little trouble adapting to the new international law consent movement.

The Duty to Consult First Nations Within the Environmental Assessment Process

The Duty to Consult First Nations Within the Environmental Assessment Process
Author: Megan Chadwick
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

The legal doctrine, 'Duty to Consult', was set through a number of landmark court cases between 1997 and 2004. It is this duty that has helped First Nations receive official stakeholder status in the negotiation of land and resource use issues in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Later, policy initiatives, a best practices handbook, and procedure development shaped through the actual practice of consultation, contributed to the formation of an 'in practice' reality of this duty. When making an application to undertake a resource extraction or utilization project, industry proponents must go through BC's Environmental Assessment (EA) process. This process is one example of where the ?Duty to Consult' has been applied in the form of a required consultation with First Nations affected by a proposed project. Despite the formation of law and policy meant to guide this area of practice and produce successful consultation activities, it is left unclear from law and policy alone what actual strategies are used by industry proponents to meet the requirements of consultation during an EA. However, as successful consultation is the goal, understanding the strategies alone is insufficient for creating a clear picture of the important considerations of this process. For this reason, the research sought to understand what overarching approach, aside from legal parameters and policy frameworks, guide the practice of consultation with First Nations in private sector resource industry projects. Identifying and examining the difficulties of consultation from the perspective of industry helped explain what the overall approach must be when undertaking this type of consultation and why this approach is of such importance.In the last few years EA has gained greater attention in BC. Due to this, reviewing the legal context and documents that officially shape the practice of consultation within the EA process is timely, relevant and provides a basis for further research. The research involved interviews with industry proponents and staff at the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO). These served to develop an understanding of the individual experience of those working in the field. In developing a fuller picture of the subtleties of the consultation process, the interviews are supplemented with an analysis of the social and political context that influences consultation. The analysis revealed that more effective consultations prioritize relationship-building as their primary approach and are responsive to the varying local conditions, as each community engaged with is unique. The findings present challenges perceived on the industry side that may help provide better understanding of the influences on the EA process and approach used by industry proponents ... .

Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States

Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States
Author: Julie Koppel Maldonado
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2014-04-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319052667

With a long history and deep connection to the Earth’s resources, indigenous peoples have an intimate understanding and ability to observe the impacts linked to climate change. Traditional ecological knowledge and tribal experience play a key role in developing future scientific solutions for adaptation to the impacts. The book explores climate-related issues for indigenous communities in the United States, including loss of traditional knowledge, forests and ecosystems, food security and traditional foods, as well as water, Arctic sea ice loss, permafrost thaw and relocation. The book also highlights how tribal communities and programs are responding to the changing environments. Fifty authors from tribal communities, academia, government agencies and NGOs contributed to the book. Previously published in Climatic Change, Volume 120, Issue 3, 2013.

Making the Declaration Work

Making the Declaration Work
Author: Claire Charters
Publisher: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2009
Genre: Law
ISBN:

"The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a culmination of a centuries-long struggle by indigenous peoples for justice. It is an important new addition to UN human rights instruments in that it promotes equality for the world's indigenous peoples and recognizes their collective rights."--Back cover.

To Purge the Forest by Force: Organized violence against Batwa in Kahuzi-Biega National Park

To Purge the Forest by Force: Organized violence against Batwa in Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Author: Robert Flummerfelt
Publisher: Minority Rights Group
Total Pages: 92
Release: 2022-04-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1912938464

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage site that has received funding and material support from the German and US governments among other international supporters, has long been celebrated as one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. However, park authorities there have engaged in a three-year program of violent forced expulsions targeting the original human inhabitants of the park—the indigenous Batwa of Kahuzi-Biega, who are among the most marginalized groups in the country. This report, To Purge the Forest by Force, documents the highly organized, grievous and widespread human rights abuses jointly carried out by park guards and Congolese Army soldiers against Batwa between 2019 and 2021. In October 2018, after four decades of broken promises of resettlement, reparations and justice from the Congolese government and other stakeholders, segments of Batwa communities returned to the park, rebuilding villages on their ancestral lands. Their return was met with swift and devastating violence by park authorities. The report presents evidence of park guards and soldiers conducting three large-scale operations between 2019-2021, targeting at least seven highly populated Batwa-inhabited villages inside the park, along with numerous smaller-scale evictions and acts of repression. Among other abuses, dozens of Batwa have been killed, injured, arbitrarily detained or subjected to violent group rape, in what amounts to a systematic campaign of violence designed to terrorize Batwa and drive them out of the park. These large-scale operations are illustrative flashpoints in the decades-long process of marginalization and brutalization visited upon Batwa in the name of conservation. Ongoing violence is rooted in the original expulsion from their ancestral homeland to pave the way for the creation of the park in the 1970s, forcing an already marginalized indigenous community into decades of grinding impoverishment, landlessness and displacement. The story of the Batwa of Kahuzi-Biega is not an isolated incident. Instead, it is emblematic of the widespread, systemic violence inherent in the rigidly colonial conservation model widely used in East and Central Africa, funded and facilitated by a network of international entities, with deadly consequences for indigenous peoples and local communities living in the vicinity of protected areas. The tragic events detailed in this report have been made possible by a culture of impunity that devalues indigenous life in service of a highly militarized approach inherent in the ‘fortress conservation’ model, excluding the land’s original inhabitants in violation of international law.