Guam’s indigenous people have endured centuries of hostilities

HAGATNA, Guam — The threatened missile attack by North Korea on Guam has prompted calls for peace from the island’s indigenous people, who are weary of yet another conflict after enduring centuries of hostilities.

In Brazil, rural agricultural workers and land reform beneficiaries could be hardest hit by President Michel Temer's austerity policies. 

JOHANNESBURG - Habitat for Humanity’s Solid Ground Campaign in association with the Urban CSO Cluster of the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) of UN-HABITAT are hosting a conference in Pretoria, from August 15 to 17.

The Kichwa people of the San Martin region have traditionally occupied the upland forests which since 2005 were classified as the Regional Protected Area - Cerro Escalera by the regional government of San Martin. Today, many of these communities lack any secure rights to these forests and are regularly stopped and restricted from accessing its forest resources vital for their subsistence.

• Last week, indigenous organizations and civil society bodies demonstrated widely against what they see as the Brazilian government’s on going moves to reduce Indian land rights, and to demand the government open a dialogue with indigenous representatives.
• Of greatest concern is President Temer’s recommendation to approve the “marco temporal” a 1988 cut-off date for Indian occupation of traditional lands.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted on September 13, 2007 at the 61st session of the General Assembly in the UN headquarters, New York City, United States. The UNDRIP is a landmark accomplishment for the member-states of the UN recognising the rights of the world's indigenous population. The declaration addresses both individual and collective rights, cultural rights and identity, rights to education, health, employment, language and others.

A recently passed agricultural land law gives rural communities in Mali new rights to their traditional lands. Camilla Toulmin finds out more from an expert.

Communities have continued to suffer targeted killings, threats, displacement from their land and the effects of anti-personnel mines. 

Colombia's Indigenous peoples say their rights continue to be violated, and their land stolen, in spite of the peace deal signed last November between the government and FARC rebels.

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Using digital technology to record land deals in Honduras can help clean up a corrupt system, protect the poor against eviction and stem violence in the world's most dangerous place for environmental activists, according to an analyst.

Nearly 80 percent of the country's privately held land is either untitled or improperly so, and acquisitions for mining, dams, tourism and other developments are often enforced through violence.