Cultural Survival (@CSORG) updates #indigenous

September 2011 E-Newsletter   Russia Campaign Update: Surveyors Mark Pipeline Route Across Ukok Plateau      The Altai Project reports that Russian energy giant Gazprom has begun intensive surveying work on a controversial natural gas pipeline from Russia to China even though the Russian Natural Resources ministry has voiced concerns that the pipeline would violate UNESCO conventions and recommended alternative routes be studied. Read more.      Urge President Obama to Block Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline  Cultural Survival joins Native American and First Nations peoples and environmental organizations in calling on President Obama to reject a proposal to build the Keystone XL Pipeline that would carry crude oil from the Tar Sands of Alberta, Canada, across the United States to the Gulf Coast. The UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples' Rights reported that TransCanada Corporation obtained permission from the Alberta Utilities Commission to build the pipeline without first obtaining the consent of the Lubicon Lake Nation, whose lands, natural resources, and public health would be affected by the project. Read more.      Honduras Campaign Update: Sinohydro's Track Record Exposed    In May 2011, Cultural Survival's Global Response program launched a campaign to protect the Patuca River from construction of a hydroelectric dam by the Chinese company Sinohydro. This week, campaign partners OFRANEH, (the Federation of Garifuna People of Honduras) posted an expose of Sinohydro's disreputable history in controversial dam projects around the world. Most recently, they were accused of illegally diluting the mixture of cement used in construction of the Bakum 1 dam on the island of Borneo. Read more.    Panama Campaign Update: Ngöbe Demand Retroactive Application of New Anti-mining Laws On September 1, 2011, the Ngöbe people of Panama held a series of peaceful demonstrations in Chiriqui,Veraguas, in the autonomous Indigenous region of the Ngöbe in Panama to protest the hydroelectric project known as CHAN-75 on the Changuinola River as well as others planned within Ngöbe territory. In a statement, Ngöbe authorities repeated a demand that the current legislation, which bans mining in Ngöbe territory, should be retroactive to apply to the 61 concessions that have already been given out. Read more.   Community Radio Stations Cover 2011 Elections in Guatemala Community radio stations took to the airwaves on Sunday, September 11, 2011 to cover voting day for the next president elect of Guatemala, marking the close of more than six months of ubiquitous campaigning by 27 registered political parties.   Community Radio stations Uqul Tinamit, of Baja Verapaz, and Radio Ixchel of Sumpango, Radio Sembrador  of San Pedro La Laguna, Sololá, among many others, broadcast coverage of the elections live from voting booths as well as with photos and reports via Facebook. Read more.     Peru's President Signs Prior Consultation Law On September 6, 2011, Peru's President Ollanta Humala signed a historic law guaranteeing Indigenous Peoples the right to prior consultation about any mining, logging, or petroleum projects affecting them and their territories. President Humala said he wanted Indigenous People to be treated like citizens who must be consulted where their interests are involved. Read more.  Special Rapporteur Releases Annual Report on Indigenous Rights  UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples released his annual report on his communications with governments concerning 25 cases of specific violations of human rights of Indigenous Peoples in 15 countries. For some cases the Special Rapporteur has provided detailed observations with specific recommendations or descriptions of other follow up measures he has taken. Read more. One of the cases includes a campaign Cultural Survival has been working on which addresses mining concessions within Mexico's Wirikuta Natural and Cultural Reserve, an area that is sacred to the Wixárika (Huichol) people. Read more. Cobell Nominated for Congressional Award  Elouise Cobell/Photo by Diego M Radzinschi Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet) has been nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal after taking the U.S. government to court for mismanaging more than a century of American Indian land trust royalties. The lawsuit resulted in a $3.4 billion settlement for an estimated 500,000 Native Americans. Read more. Cultural Survival Quarterly: Fall 2011 Now Online! We are excited to share with you the latest issue of our magazine. It is now available to read online in its full form and glory using the latest technology! Grandma's Stocks By Richard Meyers An Indigenous perspective on economic crisis.   Bringing Back the Tobacco By Virginia Drywater-Whitekiller A personal essay on cultural resilience, family history, and Cherokee identity.   A New Way of Giving An interview with Evelyn Arce, Director of International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, about how foundations and Indigenous Peoples are forging new models for partnership and success.   You can also read just the posted articles here. If you're not currently getting our magazine, Become a member  or subscribe  today!    Winter Bazaars 2011: Artist Profile  Our Cultural Survival Winter Bazaar season is upon us (Nov. 25--Dec. 19). Click here for upcoming dates and locations. Don't miss Hawk Henries, Native flute artisan Since the 1980s, Hawk Henries of the Nipmuc, native to central Massachusetts, has pursued a deepening relationship with Native American flutes and music and has faithfully continued to bring his flutes to life, year after year, for the artisans and patrons of Cultural Survival's bazaars. He moves his audience with multicultural performances. Read more. Richard Bell: Uz Vs. Them  Aboriginal Australian artist Richard Bell works in a wide range of media, including painting, performance, and video. Politicized at an early age, the artist merged his activism into artmaking in the late '80s, first making "tourist" art and then art about, as he describes it, "the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of Aboriginal people." Bell sees himself as "more an activist than an artist." This is his first traveling exhibition in the United States. Read more. September 8 - November 20, 2011 Tisch Gallery, Tufts University  40R TALBOT AVE, MEDFORD, MA    Thank you for standing with Indigenous Peoples and for your ongoing support. Sincerely, Agnes Portalewska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cultural Survival partners with Indigenous Peoples around the world to defend their lands, languages, and cultures. Learn More To read about Cultural Survival's work around the world, click here. To explore 40 years of information on Indigenous issues use our Search function. Do More For ways to take action to help Indigenous communities, click here. Donate We take on governments and multinational corporations-and they always have more resources than we do-but with the help of people like you, we do win. Your contribution is crucial to that effort. Click here to do your part.

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