INTER‐AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OEA/Ser.L/V/II. Doc. 56/09 30 December 2009 Original: Spanish INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OVER THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES Norms and Jurisprudence of the Inter‐American Human Rights System 2010 Internet: http://www.cidh.org E‐mail: [email protected] OAS Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Derechos de los pueblos indígenas y tribales sobre sus tierras ancestrales y recursos naturales: Normas y jurisprudencia del sistema interamericano de derechos humanos = Indigenous and tribal people’s rights over their ancestral lands and natural resources: Norms and jurisprudence of the Inter‐American human rights system / [Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights.] p. ; cm. (OEA documentos oficiales ; OEA/Ser.L)(OAS official records ; OEA/Ser.L) ISBN 978‐0‐8270‐5580‐3 1. Human rights‐‐America. 2. Indigenous peoples‐‐Civil rights‐‐America. 3. Indigenous peoples‐‐Land tenure‐‐America. 4. Indigenous peoples‐‐Legal status, laws, etc.‐‐America. 5. Natural resources‐‐Law and legislation‐‐America. I. Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights. II Series. III. Series. OAS official records ; OEA/Ser.L. OEA/Ser.L/V/II. Doc.56/09 Document published thanks to the financial support of Denmark and Spain Positions herein expressed are those of the Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights and do not reflect the views of Denmark or Spain Approved by the Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights on December 30, 2009 INTER‐AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MEMBERS Luz Patricia Mejía Guerrero Víctor E. Abramovich Felipe González Sir Clare Kamau Roberts Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro Florentín Meléndez Paolo G. Carozza ****** Executive Secretary: Santiago A. Canton Assistant Executive Secretary: Elizabeth Abi‐Mershed INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OVER THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES Norms and Jurisprudence of the Inter‐American Human Rights System TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................................1 II. SOURCES OF LAW ...........................................................................................................................................2 A. Inter‐American Human Rights Instruments ......................................................................................2 B. ILO Convention No. 169 ....................................................................................................................5 C. Other International Treaties and Pronouncements of Treaty Bodies...............................................6 D. International Customary Law............................................................................................................7 E. Other International Instruments.......................................................................................................7 F. Domestic Law....................................................................................................................................8 III. DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................................................................9 A. Indigenous Peoples; Tribal Peoples ..................................................................................................9 B. Lands and Territories ......................................................................................................................13 C. Natural Resources...........................................................................................................................13 IV. STATE OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES AND THEIR MEMBERS .......................................................................................................14 A. Respect and Ensure Rights..............................................................................................................14 B. Specific Obligations Owed Indigenous and Tribal Peoples .............................................................17 V. INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS .............................................20 A. The Special Relationship between Indigenous and Tribal Peoples and their Territories........................................................................................................................20 B. The Right to Property in Inter‐American Human Rights Instruments.............................................22 C. Foundations of the Right to Territorial Property ............................................................................26 D. Land Management and Rights over Natural Resources..................................................................28 VI. THE SPECIFIC CONTENT OF INDIGENOUS PROPERTY RIGHTS OVER TERRITORIES .....................................31 A. The Geographic Scope of Indigenous Property Rights....................................................................31 B. Legal Title and Registration.............................................................................................................33 C. Legal Certainty of Title to Property.................................................................................................36 D. Delimitation and Demarcation of Ancestral Territory ....................................................................40 E. Possession and use of Territory ......................................................................................................45 F. Effective Security against Third Party Acts and Claims ...................................................................48 G. Legal Conflicts over Territorial Property with Third Parties............................................................50 H. The Right to Restitution of Ancestral Territory...............................................................................53 I. Right to Basic Services and Development.......................................................................................60 J. Exercise of the Spiritual Relation to Territory and Access to Sacred Sites......................................61 K. Protection from Forced Displacement............................................................................................62 v Page VII. HOW FAILURE TO SECURE PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPAIRS THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ..........................................................................................................................63 A. The Right to Life ..............................................................................................................................64 B. The Right to Health .........................................................................................................................66 C. Economic and Social Rights.............................................................................................................66 D. The Right to Cultural Identity and Religious Freedom ....................................................................66 E. Labor Rights ....................................................................................................................................68 F. Right to Self‐determination ............................................................................................................69 G. Right to Psychological and Moral Integrity .....................................................................................69 H. Corresponding State Obligations ....................................................................................................70 VIII. INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OVER NATURAL RESOURCES................................................73 A. General Considerations...................................................................................................................74 B. The Right to Environmental Integrity..............................................................................................78 C. The Right to Effective Implementation of the Existing Legal Standards.........................................80 D. State Obligations in the Context of Development and Investment Projects and Extractive Concessions over Natural Resources .............................................................................81 1. Impact of Development and Investment Plans or Projects, and of Extractive Concessions that Affect the Environment ....................................................82 2. State duty to prevent environmental damage .................................................................85 3. State Duties of Immediate Action: Suspension, Reparation, and Prevention of Further Damages ........................................................................................86 4. Special Requirements for the Implementation of Development or Investment Plans or Projects and the Granting of Extractive Concessions by the State in Ancestral Territories .................................................................................87 a. Apply the International Law of Expropriation....................................................90 b. No Approval of Projects that Threaten the Physical or Cultural Survival of the People ...........................................................................91 c. Participation, Benefit‐sharing, and Prior Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ..................................................................................93