A/HRC/21/47 recommendations. In March 2012, he travelled to Costa Rica and met indigenous leaders and Government officials to follow up on his 2011 visit to examine the situation of indigenous communities that could be affected by a hydroelectric project and on his report on that situation (A/HRC/18/35/Add.8). 16. In connection with the examination of specific cases, the communications reports of special procedures contains the full texts of letters sent to and replies received from Governments concerning cases of alleged violations of the human rights of indigenous peoples (A/HRC/19/44 and A/HRC/20/30). Over the past year, the Special Rapporteur sent communications on cases in Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and the United States. Some of those communications were sent jointly with other special procedures mandate holders. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the numerous responses to these letters that he has received from Governments and hopes that outstanding replies are forthcoming. 17. The Special Rapporteur has sought to follow up on the numerous communications, in many cases issuing detailed observations with recommendations on those situations. Those observations are included as follow-up letters in the communications reports of special procedures. He is pleased to report to the Human Rights Council that, in almost all the situations about which he has written observations, the Governments involved have responded substantively, allowing for an important dialogue on the subjects. The issues touched upon by the Special Rapporteur in his observations include extractive and development projects involving natural resources taking place in indigenous peoples’ territories, including mining and hydroelectric projects; threats to indigenous peoples’ sacred places or areas of cultural significance owing to competing interests on those same lands; removals of indigenous peoples from their traditional lands and territories; and the development of national laws and policies that might result in negative impacts on the lives of indigenous peoples. 18. The Special Rapporteur has also on occasion issued media or other public statements regarding situations of immediate concern in some countries. Since his previous report to the Council, he has issued public statements concerning protests by indigenous peoples against a proposed road construction project through the Isiboro-Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory in the Plurinational State of Bolivia; proposals made by members of the parliament of Norway to repeal key laws and policies on the rights of Sami people; the socioeconomic conditions faced by members of the Attawapiskat First Nation in Canada; and, in a joint statement with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, the impacts on the rights of indigenous peoples of large-scale agro-industrial development projects in SouthEast Asia. 3. Country assessments 19. Since beginning his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has issued reports on the human rights situation of indigenous peoples in specific countries, following visits to those countries. Those reports have included conclusions and recommendations aimed at strengthening good practices, identifying areas of concern and improving the human rights conditions of indigenous peoples in the countries visited. The country assessments set out as addenda to the present report are on the situations of indigenous peoples in Argentina and in the United States. In August 2012, the Special Rapporteur will visit El Salvador and subsequently will issue a report on the situation of indigenous peoples in that country. In addition, the Special Rapporteur is in the initial stages of planning future visits to Namibia and Panama, and he is grateful to the Governments of those countries for their positive responses to his requests to undertake those visits. He hopes that his outstanding requests for visits to other countries will also be considered favourably. 6