The International Conference on Extractive Industries and Indigenous Peoples held in Manila, Philippines March 23-25th issued a strong declaration at the close of the three day meeting.  The conference, hosted by Tebtebba Foundation, involved Indigenous representatives and organizations from over thirty countries representing every region of the world.

The resulting Declaration calls for recognition, respect and implementation of indigenous rights and international standards for mining on peoples’ traditional lands.  Conference participants also reached agreement on the immediate formation of a global indigenous network on extractive industries to better monitor corporate behavior, provide support for communities and issue policy statements and guidelines on extractive industries practice.

The conference examined the social, cultural and environmental impact of extractive industries on indigenous peoples.  Brian Wyatt, of the the National Native Title Council of Australia, stated:  “The declaration is the result of many years of frustration felt by Indigenous peoples worldwide as they always play second fiddle to the big mining companies whose priority is increasing profit margins. Indigenous peoples’ rights and interests don’t always get the attention they deserve.

“We are here because the impacts of extractive industries on our people have reached a critical point where companies now come into our communities and divide our people by offering money and other things but refuse to address our spiritual and environmental concerns.  We need stronger human rights and other mechanisms to ensure that our L.A.W.S. (land, air, water and sun/spirit) are respected and protected.” Stated Larson Bill, Western Shoshone Defense Project (U.S.A.)

Beginning today, many of the indigenous delegates will join United Nations agencies and international experts in the International Expert Workshop on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Corporate Accountability and the Extractive Industries, chaired by United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Chairperson Vicky Tauli-Corpuz.  For more information on the Workshop, please see the Tebtebba website at <http://www.tebtebba.org/>www.tebtebba.org.


Media Contacts: Julie Cavanaugh-Bill, mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 063 – 908-642-7069 (Western Shoshone Defense Project) or Brian Wyatt 61 417 970 413 or Carolyn Betts 0400 854 067 (National Native Title Council)

Legend Villas, Metro Manila, Philippines

When all the trees have been cut down,
When all the animals have been hunted,
When all the waters are polluted,
When all the air is unsafe to breathe,
Only then will you discover you cannot eat money  - Cree prophecy


Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children. - Chief Seattle

We, Indigenous Peoples and support organisations from 35 countries around the world and representing many more Indigenous Nations, have gathered together in this International Conference on Extractive Industries and Indigenous Peoples. As Indigenous Peoples we have a unique cosmic vision, diversity of languages, histories, spirituality and territories which have existed since time immemorial. However, we now find ourselves within the borders of States which have established norms and laws according to their interests.

On account of this situation, we have suffered disproportionately from the impact of extractive industries as our territories are home to over sixty percent of the world's most coveted mineral resources.  This has resulted in many problems to our peoples, as it has attracted extractive industry corporations to unsustainably exploit our lands, territories and recourses without our consent. This exploitation has led to the worst forms of, environmental degradation, human rights violations and land dispossession and is contributing to climate change.

Environmental degradation includes, but is not limited to, erosion of our fragile biological diversity, pollution of land, air and water, and destruction of whole ecological systems. Extractive industries, and particularly those relating to fossil fuels, also have significantly contributed to the climate change that is destroying our Mother Earth.

Human rights violations range from violations of Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination (which includes the right to determine one's own economic, social and cultural development), rights to lands, territories and resources, as well as displacement and violations of the most basic civil and political rights, such as arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, enforced disappearances and killings.

Our cultural diversity has also been grossly eroded because of the destruction of biological diversity and lands, territories and resources by extractive industries upon which our cultures are based.  This erosion of our cultural diversity is also a result of the imposition of colonial systems and the settlement of non-Indigenous Peoples.

Corporations enter into our territories with the promise of “development” through employment, infrastructure building and payment of governmental taxes. Despite these promises, there still exists a situation of dire poverty in those living close to extractive industry projects. This situation has fuelled conflicts between Indigenous Peoples and the State and extractive industry corporations, as well as causing divisions within the Indigenous communities themselves.

On 6-16 May 1996, a first “Mining and Indigenous Peoples Conference” held in London produced the “Indigenous Peoples' Declaration on Mining”. This declaration highlighted conflicts occurring between our communities and corporations. It reiterated that Indigenous Peoples need to be the decision makers on whether or not mining should take place in their communities and under what conditions this may occur.

Almost 13 years have passed since this conference was held, but overall our situation on the ground has not noticeably improved. The opportunities and threats since the 1996 conference include:-

* The welcome adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP) by the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2007;

* New UN mechanisms for the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

* A greater interest on the relationship between human rights and corporate behaviour, including the work of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises;

* The recognition of corporate social responsibility and a claimed willingness on behalf of corporations to negotiate agreements directly with Indigenous Peoples, although so far much of this seems to be more on paper or promises, as opposed to practice;

* The climate change crisis, coming about mainly because of dependence of the current economy on fossil fuels. These resources are mined on our land and many of our peoples are disproportionately affected by such activities; and

* The global financial crisis, caused by the unregulated liberalisation of finance.

* Indigenous Peoples are rights holders, with an inextricable link to their lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired, and should not be treated merely as stakeholders. We have a right to self-determination of our political condition and to freely choose our economic, social and cultural development (UN DRIP Article 3);

* Our rights are inherent and indivisible and seek recognition not only of our full social, cultural and economic rights but also our civil and political rights;

* All doctrines, policies and practices based on the presumed superiority of colonial  peoples and worldviews should be condemned;

* We contribute to the diversity and richness of the cultures that make up humanity and believe that we can teach valuable lessons to the rest of the world through our values and world views in how to tread gently upon the earth;

* Destruction of Indigenous Peoples sacred sites and areas of spiritual and cultural significance by extractive industries must stop;

* The vulnerable position of women and youth with regard to the impacts of extractive industries, including loss of livelihoods, violence and impacts on health and well-being must be recognized;

* The development model premised on unsustainable consumption and production, and corporate globalisation, which fuels the entry of extractive industries onto our lands must be rejected;

* Respect for the preservation of life on earth, and our right to food, must have precedence over extractive industry projects;

* Extractive industry projects must not take precedence over our right to land - regardless of whether our rights are based on legal recognition or usufruct rights;

* There must be an immediate end to the criminalization of community resistance, the violent intimidation, harassment, and murder, of our leaders, activists and lawyers who are working for the defence of our lands and lives;

* Extractive industry projects must not take precedence over the human right to water. Water is especially important in our lives and is sacred to us. In addition the major reserves of fresh water are found in our territories;

* The right to water is a fundamental human right which must be recognized. We therefore condemn the conduct of the World Water Council which demotes the right to water  a “basic need”;

* Negotiations about climate change should not be conducted by States and international organisations unless there is full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, mitigation and adaptation measures related to climate change must be designed and implemented in keeping with Indigenous Peoples' rights;

* The failure to hold extractive industries to account in host and home countries must be addressed and mechanisms for accountability and enforcement must be created immediately; and

* Implementation of interstate infrastructure initiatives - such as the South American Regional Infrastructure Initiative (IIRSA) - that lead to mega-projects on our lands and territories without first obtaining our free prior and informed consent (FPIC) are destructive to our cultures and survival, and a denial of our right to self determination.

* A stop to the plunder of our lands, territories and resources;

* A moratorium on further extractive industry projects that affect or threaten our communities, until structures and processes are in place that ensure respect for our human rights. The determination of when this has been realized can only be made by those communities whose lives, livelihoods and environment are affected by those projects;

* Due process and justice to victims of human rights violations who are resisting extractive industries;

* Review of all on-going projects that are approved without respect for our FPIC and self determination rights; and

* Compensation and restitution for damages inflicted upon our lands, territories and resources, and the rehabilitation of our degraded environments caused by extractive industry projects that did not obtain our FPIC.

We call on Indigenous Communities and their Supporters:

* To create an international mechanism working on extractive industries and Indigenous Peoples aimed at sharing information, education, advocacy and the defence of our rights;

* To coordinate research on mining companies, processes and investment sources to empower communities, build strategic plans and ensure recognition and respect for our rights;

* To assert their right to control the authorization of projects, and where FPIC has been given, the conduct of extractive activities in indigenous lands and territories through the use of indigenous customary laws;

* To create a mechanism to compile legal precedents from relevant court decisions on Indigenous Peoples and extractive industries;

* To build relationships with non-indigenous groups concerned with the problem of extractive industries, nationally and internationally, to find common ground; and

* To establish a International Day of Action on Extractive Industries and Indigenous Peoples.

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