Tag Archives: mining

Module 4 Contributions – Indigenous Peoples and Mining

Here again, a compilation of useful websites that address different perspectives on indigenous peoples and mining.

http://www.idlenomore.ca/
I should have posted this website way earlier. Idle No More calls on all people to join in a peaceful revolution, to honour Indigenous sovereignty, and to protect the land and water.  Idle No More has quickly become one of the largest Indigenous mass movements in Canadian history – sparking hundreds of teach-ins, rallies, and protests across Turtle Island and beyond. What began as a series of teach-ins throughout Saskatchewan to protest impending parliamentary bills that will erode Indigenous sovereignty and environmental protections, has now changed the social and political landscape of Canada.

www.culturalsurvival.org
Good website with lots of resources. Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous Peoples rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience, since 1972. This organization has worked with Indigenous communities in Asia, Africa, South America, North America, and Australia, becoming the leading US-based organization defending the rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world.
Cultural Survival envisions a future that respects and honours Indigenous Peoples inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance.

http://www.fairmining.ca/fair-mining-code/
Another good website with lots of resources.  Fair Mining Collaborative joins with First Nations people and local communities in British Columbia in the quest to shape the future for families, land, water, and wildlife. Fair Mining Collaborative provides technical and practical assistance around the issues and impacts of mining. They spend time in communities to provide two-way knowledge sharing for strengthening local capacity to manage the full spectrum of mining concerns: mapping traditional resource inventories and raising awareness of social impacts; staking, permitting, exploration; and operation, closure and reclamation.

http://www.iied.org/mining-dialogues
IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development) is a policy and action research organisation, that promote sustainable development to improve livelihoods and protect the environments on which these livelihoods are built. They specialise in linking local priorities to global challenges. IIED is based in London and works in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific, with some of the world’s most vulnerable people. IIED’s dialogue programme for artisanal and small-scale mining enables a wide range of stakeholders to come together and collaborate on empowering miners, improving governance and delivering a safer, more secure working environment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swy0boCxEgY
Indigenous Peoples and the Sustainable Development Goals, a short video from the United Nations. They asked indigenous representatives at a recent United Nations forum why the Global Goals matter. I included this one because it present original voices in the topic of sustainability.

More on mining and indigenous peoples

I’ve been looking for new stuff that gives me a new or different perspective on this topic but it seems to be either pro-mining (from mining companies, of course) or anti-mining (from indigenous communities or environmental groups). I find it hard sometimes to find reliable sources that stay away from propaganda.

Here are my findings for Module 3.

  1. Mining, economic development and indigenous peoples: “ Getting the governance equation right ” report on a forum held at convened by Jim Cooney, ISID professor of practice in global governance. (2013)  Retrieved from https://www.mcgill.ca/isid/files/isid/mcgill_2013_summer_forum_-_final_report.pdf

An interesting read, this report centers on the different but complementary roles, responsibilities and  practices  of indigenous  communities,  governments  and  mining  companies  in  making  and implementing decisions and in communicating and engaging with one another in the context of managing the issues associated with mining on traditional indigenous territories.

2.  Xingu – The Struggle of the People for the River (Indigenous Brazilians fight Amazon dam project)

I came across this video from 2010 that looks to raise awareness about the environmental impact of the project and hopefully stop the Belo Monte Monster Dam in the Brazilian Amazon that will affect the indigenous groups’ water supply, making fishing and hunting more difficult. The video gained international attention because Sting (the singer) joined the cause. Here is a timeline of the dam. You will find words like lawsuit, corruption, scandal.

3. What is the role of mining companies in aboriginal consultation? 

This is part of the Q&A section of the website Miningfacts.org from the Fraser Institute. This site aims to present evidence-based mining facts and information in a way that permits balanced consideration of the impacts and opportunities that come from mining. It is written for a general audience, with links to more in-depth research provided for those seeking further mining information. This particular section explains in detail the process of consultation with Aboriginal Peoples on decisions that may impact land and resources subject to aboriginal claims.

4. Indigenous People and Resistance to Mining Projects (English version)

This is an article published in Revista, Harvard Review of Latin America, about the reasons for the clash between governments (pro-mining) and indigenous communities (against mining) in Latin America, although it could be applied to countries somewhere else.

5. Amazon Tribes Use Mapping Technologies to Empower Cultural Stewardship of Ancestral Lands

I’m going slightly off-topic here but this is an interesting initiative from the Amazon Conservation Team using GPS technology to provide an Open Data Kit (ODK) app for the use with indigenous communities. As an example, they are teaching the Kogi to use a tailored ODK app to map and inventory their complex network of sacred sites, all of which carry high ecological value. Worth reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 2: mining-related content

My focus for the final project will be indigenous peoples in mining. I have found a great amount of resources and I’m trying to narrow it down. Some useful websites/materials for now:

1. Goldcorp – Partnerships and Programs (Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples)

This is a program run by Goldcorp that intends to identify and create partnerships with Aboriginal and Indigenous Peoples, to further a culture of economic independence, ownership, entrepreneurship and enterprise management. The focus is on creating employment opportunities for local communities, as well as offering cultural training for non-Aboriginal employees and contractors, to prepare them for working in a new culture or a culturally diverse situation.

2. Aboriginal Awareness Canada

This company offers online training on aboriginal awareness, to help people have a better understanding and enhance communications between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

3. Land Is Life: Indigenous Defenders Speak – 3

“Land Is Life: Indigenous Defenders Speak, is about ongoing frontline struggles by these communities to protect their lands, to assert their nationhood, and to defend their ways of life. These communities have all been asserting and exercising traditional governance, laws, and jurisdiction and have taken up courageous actions to stop mining, oil and/or gas development in their territories.” I found this talk makes a good connection to the topics reviewed in this Module.

4. Exploration and Mining Guide for Aboriginal Communities

This guide, released in 2006 and revised for 2013, is designed to inform Aboriginal communities across Canada about the stages of the mineral development cycle, from early exploration to mine closure, to help Aboriginal people better understand the industry, and to identify the many ways in which exploration and mining can promote community sustainability.

5. Mining and Indigenous Peoples Issues Review

This review provides a brief overview of Indigenous peoples issues faced by the mining industry as it seeks to gain access to land, carry out exploration and, if successful, develop and manage a mining operation. It aims to provide guidance on possible options in this area for the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and the mining industry to contribute to. The review was commissioned by ICMM under the direction of its Community and Social Development Task Force.

 

 

 

 

 

Module 3, Post 4 – Environmental Issues

After the March Point video, I was interested to see what types of organizations provide information about environmental concerns from an indigenous viewpoint.

This website focuses on mining. They seek to provide more information about the mining industry and is Aboriginal run.
http://www.aboriginalminerals.com/

This website is a First-Nation directed environmental organization that works to provide solutions to environmental problems. It is a very extensive website, it includes sections on water, food, biodiversity, as well as youth and a section explaining why Indigenous knowledge is important.
http://www.yourcier.org

This website is an organization that brings together other groups and individuals who are interested in environmental issues. They use traditional values to address environmental issues.
http://www.fnen.org/

Catherine