E/CN.4/2004/80/Add.3
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66.
Both in law and in practice, access by indigenous communities to the water and
maritime resources on which they have traditionally depended for their survival should
take precedence over private commercial and economic interests.
Sustainable development
67.
Indigenous people should be consulted in advance about any development project
planned for their regions and territories, as provided for in ILO Convention No. 169, and
their views and respect for their human rights should be taken into account by the
authorities and the companies carrying out the work at every stage of such projects.
Indigenous communities should be actively involved in all decisions on development
projects planned for their regions and territories.
68.
In indigenous areas, and particularly in the Mapuche region (Araucanía),
indigenous municipalities should be established to allow indigenous people to be fully
involved in decision-making and in the independent management of local affairs.
Administration of justice
69.
Under no circumstances should legitimate protest activities or social demands by
indigenous organizations and communities be outlawed or penalized.
70.
Charges for offences in other contexts (“terrorist threat”, “criminal association”)
should not be applied to acts related to the social struggle for land and legitimate
indigenous complaints.
71.
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the case of the lonkos on trial,
Pascual Pichún de Temulemu and Aniveto Norín de Didaico (from Region IX,
Araucanía), should be reviewed, in strict accordance with the guarantees of due
process established in international human rights standards.
72.
The implementation of the reform of criminal procedure should take into account
international human rights standards, including due process for all indigenous people
accused of social defence or protest activities (particularly with regard to the use of
“faceless” witnesses and the pre-trial detention of suspects).
73.
In any judicial or administrative proceedings involving indigenous persons, the
latter should be assisted by trained bilingual translators and, where necessary, a competent
court-appointed defence lawyer with knowledge of indigenous cultures.
74.
In any judicial or administrative proceedings involving indigenous persons,
indigenous legal customs should be respected.
75.
The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Chilean Government should consider
declaring a general amnesty for indigenous human rights defenders on trial for social
and/or political activities in the context of the defence of indigenous lands.