A/68/317 the most part, responding to information submitted to him by indigenous peoples and their organizations, and non-governmental organizations. 27. In general, he acts on detailed and credible information that presents a serious situation falling within his mandate and in which intervention has a reasonable chance of having a positive impact, either by drawing needed attention to the situation or by prompting Government authorities or other actors into corrective action. Alternatively, the Special Rapporteur may take action where the situation is representative of, or connected to, a broader pattern of human rights violations against indigenous peoples. The Special Rapporteur has been careful to respond to allegations of human rights violations from a wide range of regions and countries. 28. The usual first step in taking action on a case is for the Special Rapporteur to write a letter to the Government concerned, along with a request that the Government respond in either 60 days, or in urgent cases involving immediate threats to the indigenous peoples concerned, 30 days. Cases addressed over the course of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate demonstrate a number of ongoing barriers to the full enjoyment of the collective and individual rights of indigenous peoples. 29. Within the bounds of available resources, the Special Rapporteur often takes concrete steps to follow up to his letters of allegation or urgent appeals. In many cases, the Special Rapporteur has provided detailed observations with analyses of the issues raised and specific recommendations to the States concerned, in an effort to engage Governments in constructive dialogue conducive to finding solutions to problems and building good practices. 30. The Special Rapporteur has striven to be appropriately selective in the cases to which he devotes significant follow-up efforts, focusing on situations that are especially problematic or are emblematic of issues that are faced by indigenous peoples in particular countries or throughout the world. Through the in-depth analysis of specific situations, the Special Rapporteur has aimed to consolidate approaches for addressing similar kinds of problems and developing appropriate responses, in the light of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant instruments. 31. On occasion, the Special Rapporteur has issued public statements concerning situations that, in his view, require immediate and urgent attention by the Governments concerned. During his mandate, the Special Rapporteur issued a total of 27 public statements, of which 7 were issued jointly with one or more of the other special procedures mandate holders. Public statements provide an important opportunity to call attention to particularly troubling situations involving immediate threats to the rights of indigenous peoples, and are an essential element of the work of special procedures mandate holders. 32. The Special Rapporteur has also developed the practice of carrying out site visits to assess specific cases. Throughout the course of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur carried out site visits to evaluate the situation of the Charco la Pava community and other communities affected by the Chan 75 hydroelectric project in Panama (see A/HRC/12/34/Add.5); the situation of indigenous peoples in relation to violent clashes in Bagua and Utcubamba, Peru (A/HRC/12/34/Add.8); the situation of indigenous peoples affected by the Marlin mine in Guatemala (A/HRC/15/37/Add.8 and A/HRC/18/35/Add.3); the development of the hydroelectric project El Diquís in 13-42710 9/22