WASHINGTON (CMC) – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it has filed an application with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights against Suriname over the violation of the rights of members of the Kaliña and Lokono indigenous peoples of that country.
“Specifically, the violations have to do with an existing legal framework that prevents recognition of the indigenous peoples’ juridical personality, a situation that to this day continues to keep the Kaliña and Lokono peoples from being able to protect their right to collective property,” the IACHR said in a statement.
It said that Suriname has failed to establish the regulatory foundations that would allow for recognition of the right to collective ownership of the lands, territories, and natural resources of the Kaliña and Lokono indigenous peoples.
“This lack of recognition has been accompanied by the issuance of individual land titles to non-indigenous persons; the granting of concessions and licenses to carry out mining operations in part of their ancestral territories; and the establishment and operation of three nature reserves in part of their ancestral territories. “
The IACHR said that the violations of the right to collective property as a result of this situation continue to this date and that “neither the granting and continued existence of mining concessions and licenses nor the establishment and ongoing operation of the nature reserves have been submitted to any consultation process designed to obtain the prior, free, and informed consent of the Kaliña and Lokono peoples”.
WASHINGTON (CMC) – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it has filed an application with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights against Suriname over the violation of the rights of members of the Kaliña and Lokono indigenous peoples of that country.
“Specifically, the violations have to do with an existing legal framework that prevents recognition of the indigenous peoples’ juridical personality, a situation that to this day continues to keep the Kaliña and Lokono peoples from being able to protect their right to collective property,” the IACHR said in a statement.
It said that Suriname has failed to establish the regulatory foundations that would allow for recognition of the right to collective ownership of the lands, territories, and natural resources of the Kaliña and Lokono indigenous peoples.
“This lack of recognition has been accompanied by the issuance of individual land titles to non-indigenous persons; the granting of concessions and licenses to carry out mining operations in part of their ancestral territories; and the establishment and operation of three nature reserves in part of their ancestral territories. “
The IACHR said that the violations of the right to collective property as a result of this situation continue to this date and that “neither the granting and continued existence of mining concessions and licenses nor the establishment and ongoing operation of the nature reserves have been submitted to any consultation process designed to obtain the prior, free, and informed consent of the Kaliña and Lokono peoples”.
