Extractive industries

Indigenous Peoples across the globe face a range of threats from what they frequently describe as 'development aggression'. As they struggle to defend their land, much of it is in 'unspoilt' areas that are rich in natural resources, and so conflicts often arise with companies who want to exploit those resources - mostly without the consent of the Indigenous Peoples.

The main problems that Indigenous Peoples face are from interesting in oil, gas or mining that despoil their land, in the construction of large-scale dams that flood their land, in widespread logging that deforest their land. The creation of nature reserves or areas for tourism can see them ejected from or restricted in access to their own land. Finally agriculture, particularly intensive plantation agriculture or fish farming can cause similar problems to those listed above.

All of these activities can lead to conflict which leads to militarisation of their land, and in loss of livelihood or encroachment of settlements which can lead urbanisation. All of these activities can also be encouraged by multilateral development agencies such as the World Bank.

Australia - Aborigines have a right to economic development

Peru - Two killed in protest at $7.4-billion MMG copper project in Peru

Extractive Industries and Human Rights in Central Africa

Indonesia - Antimining activist beaten to death in East Java

Fiji - Listen to youths, chief pleads

Russia - Evenks of Amur Region vow to stop UK based gold mining company

USA - Hillary Clinton Announces Opposition to KXL, Native Leaders Respond

Colombian Constitutional Court decision to reject mining could change the history of the Amazon

USA - Sacred Lands vs. King Coal

Canada - Study touts free, informed consent as key to resource development

Bougainville - The views, plans and recommendations of the Bougainville Hardliners

Report questions Barrick Gold memorandum over Pascua Lama project

Canada: Alberta Premier asks Indigenous peoples to be patient

India: Tribals oppose bauxite mining

Guatemala: Hudbay Minerals Evades Justice for Crimes in Guatemala

Bolivia - What's Behind the Bolivian Government's Attack on NGOs?

Canada - Respect Unist’ot’en land and sovereignty

Public fears put uranium mining on same path as shale gas in Quebec

Colombia suspends gold mining in protected natural reserve

Australia - Bank rules out funding Adani's Carmichael mine

Native protesters seize oil wells in Peru to urge government action

Indigenous people fighting for their culture in Cambodia

USA - Oak Flat mining proponents act selfishly, short-sightedly and stupidly

USA: Lakota grandmother debuts film about uranium

Bangladesh government says ‘no’ to open-pit mine

Canada - Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou board urges feds to uphold Kiggavik decision

The right to say “No”: Indigenous rights experts weigh in on community consent

Canada - New landscape for BC mining environmental reviews

How developing countries are paying a high price for the global mineral boom

Brazil - Vale ordered to halt production at giant Amazon nickel mine

Australia - Pilbara indigenous community split over Fortescue mine claim

Canadian Church Is to Divest Goldcorp Shares

India - Odisha villagers retake land acquired for Posco plant

Burma - Against Letpadaung: copper mining in Myanmar and the struggle for human rights

The Observer view on global mining regulation

International Peoples Mining Conference 2105: A global unity forged to resist devastation of global mining liberalization

Unity Statement of the International People’s Conference on Mining

India - Convention Against the Government's Attack on Tribal Peoples

Cambodia - Going straight in the 'forest of gold'

What role will energy and minerals play in the future of Greenland?

Canada / USA - Massive oil spill fuels protests in Lakota Territory

UN urges Canada to probe mining abuses abroad

Oxfam US report shows improved mining company policies on community consent

BHP to open new coal mine in Borneo amid concern for orangutans

Canadian ministers urged to better prevent damage from mining

India rejects new uranium mining projects

Red Light for Uranium Mining in Quebec

Brazil - Yudja indigenous people request consultation regarding Belo Sun

Guatemalan Court Suspends Mining Operations in La Puya

Posco puts $12 billion India plant on hold

Militarization and murders stifle anti-mining movement in Guatemala

Canada - Why Does Canada Hate Indigenous Rights? One Word: Oil

Malaysia - Calls for CM Adenan and Sarawak Energy to be Accountable

Ecuador: Girón advances toward a community plebiscite to stop mining in Kimsacocha

South Africa - Stop Xolobeni project to avoid another Marikana

Guyana: Gold For Green Forests

Canada faces questions from UN rights committee on mining industry

UN Special Rapporteur on Legally Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights

Canada - Katzie working hard to oppose quarry

UNESCO asks Canada to check impact of oil sands projects on national park

Burma - Locals Show Support for Arrested Power Station Protesters

BC & Alaska indigenous leaders attending Seabridge Gold shareholder meeting to protest risky mine plan

India: Child labour on rise around Tata Mundra plant, teenage girls being forced into sexual abuse

Canada - Crees and Goldcorp publicly disclose the Opinagow Collaboration Agreement

India - Critique on corruption scandal at Uranium Corporation of India Limited

Indonesia: Kalimantan Villagers Lodge Land Claim Against BHP Billiton Coal Project

Guatemalans Are Taking Their Democracy Back

Indigenous Australians call on Standard Chartered not to fund coal mine project

Australia - Energy Resources Australia pulls plug on 3 Deeps expansion

USA - Tribal members, ranchers tell regulators to spike Tongue River railroad project

Peru - What is Peru’s biggest environmental conflict right now?

South Africa - Kumba Iron Ore's social license to operate is questioned

Urgent Action: Mexican human rights defender face dire threats

Was this indigenous leader killed because he fought to save Ecuador's land?

DRC - Inga Dam in the DRC to Result in the Resettlement of up to 20,000 People

Canada - Protest at Imperial Metals AGM turns ugly as shareholder goes full racist

USA - Selling Off Apache Holy Land

USA - Alaska Supreme Court backs group fighting Pebble mine

Dust, TB and HIV: the ugly face of mining in South Africa

Peaceful Anti-Mining Blockade Evicted in Guatemala

Guatemala - Allegations of brutality highlighted at Hudbay shareholders' meeting

Bougainville: Former War-Torn Territory Still Wary of Mining

European Parliament defies lobbying to vote for strong conflict minerals regulation

Mozambique - Jindal coal mining affected villagers revolt!

South Africa: Fuleni communities tell Ibutho Coal to leave and never return!

Malaysia: Indigenous Landowners Assert Opposition to the Proposed Baram Dam

‘Shell No!’ Indigenous activists to confront Shell to end Arctic drilling at shareholder meetings in Netherlands and London

Canada: No LNG project without environmental guarantees, B.C. grand chief vows

Myanmar jails six activists who opposed copper mine: lawyer

Canada - Taseko: Court approves judicial review of New Prosperity mines decision

Canada - Government board rules against Arctic uranium mine

Judge orders police to bring Tahoe Resources chairman Kevin McArthur to court

Burma - Turquoise Hill must disclose all transactions related to Myanmar divestment

Radioactive responsibility: Rio Tinto urged to commit to Kakadu clean up

Peru - Tia Maria Copper Project: At the Negotiation Table Again

Uranium Contaminated Indigenous Australian Communities' Water

Social licence: easy to grant, hard to revoke

USA - US to evaluate uranium mine cleanups on Navajo land

Goldcorp’s Marlin mine: a decade of operations and controversy in Guatemala

Church of England $14bn fund blacklists coal, oil sands

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