Author(s): Rogelio Cansari | Quentin Gausset
Journal: International Indigenous Policy Journal
ISSN 1916-5781
Volume: 4;
Issue: 3;
Start page: 5;
Date: 2013;
Original page
Keywords: Panama | Indigenous movement | Ngäbe-Buglé | environment | mining | civil society
ABSTRACT
Indigenous people in Panama do not enjoy full autonomy within their comarcas (traditional land reserves): they only control surface resources, while the state retains control of underground resources. This article analyses direct action by the Ngäbe-Buglé, who successfully defeated the latest attempt by the government to exploit underground resources within their comarcas. It describes government strategies for retaining control over Indigenous people’s land and analyses how the Ngäbe-Buglé counteracted these strategies with support from burgeoning civil society movements. We argue that this is due to an unprecedented alliance between Indigenous people and other social movements in Panama, as well as to the fact that Indigenous people have succeeded in federating all major civil society organizations around their discourses and actions.
Journal: International Indigenous Policy Journal
ISSN 1916-5781
Volume: 4;
Issue: 3;
Start page: 5;
Date: 2013;
Original page
Keywords: Panama | Indigenous movement | Ngäbe-Buglé | environment | mining | civil society
ABSTRACT
Indigenous people in Panama do not enjoy full autonomy within their comarcas (traditional land reserves): they only control surface resources, while the state retains control of underground resources. This article analyses direct action by the Ngäbe-Buglé, who successfully defeated the latest attempt by the government to exploit underground resources within their comarcas. It describes government strategies for retaining control over Indigenous people’s land and analyses how the Ngäbe-Buglé counteracted these strategies with support from burgeoning civil society movements. We argue that this is due to an unprecedented alliance between Indigenous people and other social movements in Panama, as well as to the fact that Indigenous people have succeeded in federating all major civil society organizations around their discourses and actions.
