· January, 2011

Stories about Indigenous from January, 2011

Brazil: Belo Monte Dam returns to the spotlight

  25 January 2011

The Brazilian government expressed its wish to start building the controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in 2011. Immediately, a virtual mobilization against the project broke out. In spite of the intense flow of information on the Internet and other media, clarifications on the socio-environmental impacts of Belo Monte are still to be provided by the government.

Mexico: The Passing of Indigenous Rights Supporter Bishop Samuel Ruiz

  24 January 2011

Bishop Samuel Ruiz passed away this morning. Tim Johnson explains: “Ruiz […] started the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center out of his diocese, and played an instrumental role in keeping the Zapatista uprising  that erupted in 1994 from flaring into broader violence. Ruiz’s work on behalf of...

Mexico: Indigenous Town Burned by Arsonists

  13 January 2011

Alejandro Ortiz Sotomayor in Vivir México reports [es] that an indigenous town in the state of Durango was burned by about 60 men who were seeking retaliation after people from the town killed one of their men in defense days before; more than 37 houses and 27 vehicles were burned.

Paraguay: Government Enacts Law on Languages

  5 January 2011

E'a [es] reports that the Paraguayan government has enacted a Law on Languages. Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources explains that,”The law requires public institutions to use the Guarani language as determined by the Constitution.”