A/HRC/24/41
bound to respect and protect the rights of indigenous peoples and must ensure that other
applicable safeguards are implemented, in particular steps to minimize or offset the
limitation on the rights through impact assessments, measures of mitigation, compensation
and benefit sharing. States should ensure good faith efforts to consult with indigenous
peoples and to develop and reach agreement on these measures, in keeping with its general
duty to consult. The adequacy of these measures and the consultations about them will also
be factors in the calculus of proportionality in regard to any limitations on rights.
39.
Any decision by the State to proceed with or permit an extractive project without the
consent of indigenous peoples affected by the project should be subject to review by an
impartial judicial authority. Judicial review should ensure compliance with the applicable
international standards regarding the rights of indigenous peoples and provide for an
independent determination of whether or not the State has met its burden of justifying any
limitations on rights.
40.
For their part, in keeping with their independent responsibility to respect human
rights, companies should conduct due diligence before proceeding, or committing
themselves to proceed, with extractive operations without the prior consent of the
indigenous peoples concerned and conduct their own independent assessment of whether or
not the operations, in the absence of indigenous consent, would be in compliance with
international standards, and under what conditions. If they would not be in compliance, the
extractive operations should not be implemented, regardless of any authorization by the
State to do so.
IV. Conditions for getting to and sustaining indigenous peoples’
agreement to extractive activities promoted by the State or
third party business enterprises
41.
As noted at the beginning of the present report, in most of the cases of extractive
industries within or near indigenous territories that have been brought to the Special
Rapporteur’s attention, the indigenous peoples concerned have opposed the extractive
project, owing to the negative or perceived negative impacts and the absence of adequate
consultation or consent. The Special Rapporteur has learned of several other cases,
however, in which indigenous peoples have entered into agreements with States or third
party business enterprises for the extraction of resources within their territories. Evaluation
of both the good and bad practices related to these cases of both indigenous opposition and
agreement, in the light of the relevant international standards, contributes to understanding
the conditions for arriving at and sustaining indigenous peoples’ agreement to extractive
activities promoted by the State or third party business enterprises – that is, for obtaining
the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples on just and equitable terms.
42.
In chapter II of the present report, the Special Rapporteur indicated that, if extractive
activities are to take place within indigenous peoples’ territories, the activities are best carried
out under the control of the indigenous peoples concerned through their own initiatives and
enterprises, in contrast to the prevailing model of natural resource extraction initiated by and
under the control of outside interests. The world in which we live, however, is one in which
for the foreseeable future the financial and technical capacity for the extraction of natural
resources will largely be in non-indigenous hands and the political forces will continue to
empower the existing system of industry actors. Within this reality, it is necessary to identify,
if possible, the conditions for resource extraction on indigenous territories by States or third
party business enterprises that are fully respectful of indigenous peoples’ rights.
43.
While not exhaustive of all relevant considerations, the following discussion
identifies key conditions that could lay the groundwork for developing and sustaining
12