The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday issued Resolution 41/2023, through which it granted precautionary measures in favour of members of the Indigenous Carib Community of Chinese Landing, who it said are “currently at serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights”.
The Commission has asked the government to advise it within 20 days from Friday’s ruling as to the steps taken.
A statement from the IACHR said that the petition before it indicates that the members of Chinese Landing (Region 1) are facing threats, harassment and acts of violence in the context of their opposition to mining activities in their lands. The representatives alleged repetitive incidents of threats and harassment, which would occur “daily” or “regularly”; advised of acts against persons in particular vulnerability such as aggression to a young man, attempted rape of a minor, and threat with a knife against an elder person; as well as the extensive use of firearms, with firing incidents. The IACHR said that Chinese Landing residents have also received collective death threats, reportedly perpetrated by mine workers. For example, it said that the toshao, who is the leader of the community, was allegedly warned that if the village wins its lands back, the miners would not leave easily and people would die.