A documentary is in production tracing the struggle by indigenous Amazonians in Peru to defend their land against infrastructure and other industrial megaprojects, told through the lens of indigenous leader Alberto Pizango:
“Against the backdrop of global recession and climate crisis, When Two Worlds Collide traces the heroic journey of a young indigenous leader. Forced into [...]

Following the success of the first two  Mingas (Global Mobilizations in Defense of Mother Earth and the Peoples), American indigenous and social movements and their allies around the world have called a third mobilization for October 12, 2010.
“We the peoples and our territories are one entity,” the 2009 declaration read. “[We resolve] to reject all [...]

Following our last La Parota post on June 29, when Mexican media reported that the project was postponed until 2018, things were looking good for the indigenous and campesino peoples defending the Papagayo River from destruction and their own communities from dislocation. On September 13, the Mexican government indicated that the project had been canceled, [...]

On June 5, protesters across Peru commemorated the anniversary of the government’s massacre last year of peaceful indigenous protesters who had blockaded a road in opposition to laws opening the Amazon up for large-scale resource exploitation. The official death toll was 33 (10 indigenous people plus 23 police officers later killed in retaliation), but [...]

From a May 21 press release by International Rivers:
“A group of Kayapo indigenous people led by Chief Megaron Txukarramãe have been blockading the Xingu River crossing of the BR-80 – a major Amazon highway in Mato Grosso State – since April 23 in protest of the government’s plans to build the massive Belo Monte Dam. [...]

Rivers for Life 3: The Third International Meeting of Dam-Affected People and Their Allies
Temacapulin, Mexico
October 1-7, 2010
From International Rivers:
“Hundreds of representatives from dam-affected communities, NGOs and other groups across the globe will gather to share experiences, develop collective strategies, create new alliances and strengthen the international movement to protect rivers and human rights.
“This meeting will [...]

It’s been a dramatic several weeks in the fight to stop the proposed Belo Monte dam along the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon, and support for indigenous resisters is needed now.
If built, the 11,000-megawatt Belo Monte hydroelectric dam would be the second-largest dam in Brazil and the third-largest in the world. It would divert [...]

On April 3, three self-identified federal employees entered the town of Temacapulin, in central Mexico, and issued death threats against residents and outsiders who have been organizing in opposition to the planned El Zapotillo dam. For two years, residents of Temacapulin and neighboring towns have been fighting construction of the dam, which would flood their [...]

October 12 (the 517th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in the Western Hemisphere) marked the first day of the Global “Minga”/Mobilization in Defense of Mother Earth and the Peoples, called by the IV Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples Abya Yala. Rallies, protests and other actions are being carried out around the world in response to the [...]

International Rivers reports that blasting has begun on the first of five several dams slated for Chilean Patagonia:
“The Chilean energy company Colbún, controlled by the Matte Group and partner with Endesa in the HidroAysén mega-project, has initiated blasting at the site on the San Pedro River where they intend to build a 144 MW dam. [...]