Land Grabs

Summary

The video script discusses the ongoing threat of land grabs to indigenous peoples worldwide, tracing its roots to colonialism and highlighting the current exploitation by corporations and governments. It emphasizes the deep connection between indigenous communities and their territories, and the devastating social, economic, and environmental impacts of land dispossession. The script calls for awareness and resistance against these practices, which not only endanger indigenous cultures but also the health of the planet.

Takeaways

• 🌏 There are over 5,000 unique indigenous peoples globally, with a population of up to 370 million in 70 countries, who have deep connections to their lands and territories.
• 🏞 Land holds different meanings for different groups, from national development to corporate profits, but for indigenous peoples, it is fundamental to their identity and existence.
• 📜 The concept of 'land grabs' originates from colonial times, where explorers and merchants took indigenous lands by force, a practice that continues today with modern corporations.
• 🏭 Multinational companies often exploit indigenous territories for resources, leading to social, economic, and environmental problems for the affected communities.
• 🌾 The global demand for raw materials is expected to triple by 2050, intensifying the pressure on indigenous lands for industrial uses like plantations, forestry, mining, and conservation areas.
• 💰 Land, water, and forests are now commodities with economic value, and their exploitation often results in significant profits for companies at the expense of indigenous communities.
• 🚫 Land grabs often involve forced evictions, threats, and intimidation, with weak standards for corporate operations and a lack of transparency in deals and benefits.
• 😔 Indigenous communities face severe disruptions to their livelihoods, increased poverty, and displacement, with some even being subjected to violence and intimidation by security forces.
• 🌿 The loss of land and resources not only threatens the livelihood of indigenous peoples but also the extinction of their cultures and territories.
• 💪 Indigenous peoples rely on their physical, ideological, and cultural strength to organize and defend their territories against external threats.
• 👥 The script encourages indigenous communities to be aware of company tactics and to discuss the threats they face, emphasizing the importance of community organization in territorial defense.

Q & A

How many unique indigenous peoples are mentioned in the script, and what is the approximate global population of these peoples?

The script mentions over 5,000 unique indigenous peoples with an approximate global population of up to 370 million people.

What is the fundamental importance of territory to indigenous peoples according to the script?

Territory is fundamental to indigenous peoples' cosmovision and way of being. It is the source of their identity and roots, and breaking the connection with the territory leads to the loss of identity.

How do government officials and corporations typically view land in the context of the script?

Government officials often see land in terms of national development, while corporations view land as an asset to increase profits and acquire raw materials for the global market.

What is the historical context of land grabs mentioned in the script, starting from when?

The historical context of land grabs mentioned in the script starts from the 15th century when European explorers and merchants set sail in search of riches and land, often taking indigenous territories using violence.

What was the expectation of indigenous peoples at the time of independence, and what actually happened?

Indigenous peoples expected their lands to be returned at independence. However, new states often kept control of these lands instead of returning them.

How do companies currently engage with indigenous territories as described in the script?

Companies often come to indigenous territories to take resources for their own development, sometimes displacing inhabitants and engaging in activities like mining, deforestation, and large-scale plantations.

What are some of the commodities that are extracted from indigenous territories and shipped around the world?

Some commodities extracted from indigenous territories include grains, meat, sugar, palm oil, paper pulp, coal, aluminium, copper, gold, and oil.

What are the negative impacts of land grabs on indigenous communities as described in the script?

Negative impacts include social, economic, and environmental problems, forced evictions, threats, intimidation, and the destruction of livelihoods leading to poverty and displacement.

How are land deals often conducted without the consent or knowledge of indigenous communities, according to the script?

Land deals are often conducted without the consent or knowledge of indigenous communities through trickery, lack of transparency, and the use of sweet language by companies to fool them into giving away their lands.

What is the script's perspective on the conflict between the interests of companies and the rights of indigenous peoples?

The script presents the conflict as one between profit and life, where companies prioritize making money over respecting the rights and well-being of indigenous peoples.

What resources does the script suggest indigenous peoples have to defend their territories against land grabs?

Indigenous peoples have their physical, ideological, and cultural strength, as well as their organizing capabilities, which are deeply rooted in the defense of their territories and spiritual connection to Mother Earth.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Indigenous Territories and Land Grabs

This paragraph discusses the importance of land to over 5,000 indigenous peoples worldwide, who are connected to their territories in a profound way. It highlights the differing perspectives on land, from governments viewing it as a means for national development to corporations exploiting it for profit. The script outlines the historical context of land grabs, starting from the colonial era, and how it has evolved into modern practices where indigenous lands are still being taken over by investors for resource extraction. It emphasizes the negative impacts on indigenous communities and the need to understand and defend against land grabs.

05:05

😔 The Plight of Displaced Indigenous Communities

The second paragraph delves into the consequences of land grabs on indigenous communities, who often face forced eviction, threats, and intimidation. It describes the social, economic, and environmental problems caused by large-scale mining, deforestation, and plantations. The paragraph also touches on the lack of transparency in land deals and the inadequate protection of communities and the environment. It includes personal testimonies of the devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of indigenous people, who are left with no choice but to resist or suffer the consequences of these land seizures.

10:12

🛡️ The Fight for Indigenous Rights and Territories

The final paragraph focuses on the broader implications of land grabs, including the displacement of people and the endangerment of indigenous cultures and territories. It points out the growth of capitalism and its impact on land and people, as well as the power dynamics between corporations and indigenous communities. The paragraph underscores the strength of indigenous peoples in their physical, ideological, and cultural resistance to land grabs. It concludes with a call to action for communities to be aware of corporate tactics and to discuss the threats they face, encouraging them to watch a related video for further insight.

Keywords

💡Indigenous peoples

Indigenous peoples are the original inhabitants of a particular region who have a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies. They are often characterized by a strong connection to their ancestral lands and cultural practices. In the video, indigenous peoples are highlighted as having a deep-rooted relationship with their territories, which is essential to their identity and cosmovision, yet they face threats from land grabs and exploitation.

💡Territory

Territory refers to the land that indigenous peoples inhabit and to which they have a profound spiritual, cultural, and historical attachment. The script emphasizes that territory is not merely a geographical area but is integral to the identity and existence of indigenous communities. The loss of territory is equated with the loss of identity and roots, as seen in the script's discussion of the profound connection between indigenous peoples and their lands.

💡Land grabs

Land grabs are instances where large areas of land are bought or leased, often without the consent of the local communities, to exploit natural resources for profit. The video describes land grabs as a modern continuation of colonial practices, where companies and governments take over indigenous territories for economic gain, leading to displacement and environmental degradation.

💡Colonial origin

The colonial origin refers to the historical context of land grabs, which began with European explorers and merchants who took over indigenous lands by force or deceit to exploit their resources. The script connects the past colonial seizures of land to current land grabs, illustrating a long-standing pattern of dispossession and exploitation of indigenous peoples.

💡Corporations

Corporations in the context of the video are large business entities that seek to acquire land for the purpose of resource extraction and profit generation. They are portrayed as having a significant role in land grabs, often disregarding the rights and well-being of indigenous communities in pursuit of economic interests.

💡National development

National development is a term used by government officials to describe the process of improving a country's economy, infrastructure, and overall well-being. However, as the script points out, this often comes at the expense of indigenous territories, where land is seen as a resource for economic growth rather than a sacred homeland.

💡Resource exploitation

Resource exploitation refers to the extraction and use of natural resources from the land, often for commercial purposes. The video script discusses how companies exploit these resources, leading to deforestation, mining, and large-scale agriculture, which can cause significant environmental and social harm to indigenous communities.

💡Cosmovision

Cosmovision is a term that encapsulates the worldview, spiritual beliefs, and understanding of the universe held by indigenous peoples. The script explains that territory is fundamental to the cosmovision of indigenous communities, as it is the source of life and the basis of their cultural practices and identity.

💡Eviction

Eviction in the video's context refers to the forced removal of indigenous communities from their lands, often without proper compensation or consent. This process is highlighted as a result of land grabs, leading to the destruction of homes, livelihoods, and the overall well-being of the affected communities.

💡Global market

The global market is the worldwide economic system where goods and services are bought and sold. The script mentions that companies acquire land to extract raw materials for producing new products aimed at the global market, which drives the demand for land and resources, contributing to land grabs.

💡Environmental degradation

Environmental degradation refers to the decline in the quality of the natural environment often resulting from human activities such as deforestation, mining, and pollution. The video script describes how land grabs and resource exploitation lead to environmental degradation, affecting the health of ecosystems and the indigenous communities that depend on them.

💡Cultural strength

Cultural strength is the resilience and power derived from the cultural heritage, traditions, and collective identity of a community. In the script, indigenous peoples draw upon their cultural strength as a means of resistance against land grabs and the erosion of their territories, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their cultural practices and identity.

Highlights

There are over 5,000 unique indigenous peoples with a population of up to 370 million in 70 countries, highlighting the global scale of indigenous communities.

Indigenous peoples have a deep connection to their lands and resources, emphasizing the importance of territory to their identity and cosmovision.

Land holds different meanings for various groups, from national development to corporate profit, showcasing the diverse perspectives on land use.

The colonial origin of land grabs is traced back to the 15th century, illustrating a long history of territorial exploitation.

Indigenous peoples often faced violence and land dispossession during the European colonization, which continues to impact their territories today.

Post-independence, indigenous lands were not returned, and instead, new states maintained control, perpetuating the cycle of land grabs.

Modern land grabs involve multinational companies exploiting indigenous territories for resources, mirroring past colonial practices.

The global demand for raw materials is expected to triple by 2050, exacerbating the pressure on indigenous lands for resources.

Indigenous territories are being encroached upon for various purposes, including plantations, forestry, mining, and national parks.

Land, water, and forests are now assigned economic values, turning natural resources into commodities for corporate gain.

Communities face social, economic, and environmental problems due to large-scale mining, deforestation, and plantations.

Land transactions often lack transparency and community consent, leading to forced evictions and intimidation.

The impacts of land grabs include loss of livelihoods, destruction of property, and increased poverty among indigenous communities.

Indigenous peoples are fighting against land grabs, asserting their physical, ideological, and cultural strength.

The video calls for community discussions on threats faced and the importance of understanding company tactics to defend territories.

The conflict between profit and life is highlighted, with indigenous communities bearing the brunt of environmental contamination and displacement.

The video emphasizes the need for indigenous peoples to organize around the defense of their territories, drawing strength from their cultural and spiritual connections.

Transcripts

There are over 5,000 unique indigenous peoples around the world with a population

of up to three hundred and seventy million people in 70 countries.

Most of these indigenous peoples have a strong and longstanding connection

to their lands, resources and particularly to their territories.

Land, however, means different things to different people.

Government officials may see land in terms of national development,

and many corporations consider land as an asset to increase their profits.

Companies want lots of land

to get raw materials to make new products for the global market.

Outsiders see land as something to be used or something to be exploited.

For us however, Territory is fundamental

to our cosmovision. It is our way of being.

We ourselves are manifestations of our territory.

Everything is born from territory, and when we break this umbilical cord

with this territory, that is where we lose our identity, when we lose our roots."

Today's reality is that the territories

of many indigenous peoples across the globe are under threat.

This video will describe what these threats are, why they are happening

and what impacts they are having on communities around the world.

Understanding what land grabs are is

a vital step in being able to defend your territories.

To begin with it is important to look at the colonial origin of land grabs

and how they relate to what is happening today.

From the 15th century,

explorers and merchants set sail from Europe in search of riches and land.

When they first reached Africa, Asia and the Americas,

they were met by indigenous peoples, the inhabitants of these lands.

Sometimes this first contact

offered trading opportunities, but in many cases,

the Europeans took indigenous territories, often using violence.

They declared the lands empty and took

the resources for themselves to build their empires.

This carried on for several hundred years. At independence when the new states were

set up many indigenous peoples thought their lands would be returned.

Instead, too often the new states kept control of these lands.

Today, many governments continue to hand out indigenous territories to investors

who take the resources to build their empires.

What is the difference between

the colonizers and the companies that come now? The company comes, takes and leaves.

They develop their own places, the places of their ancestors,

wherever that is, and we just watch and become beggars on our own land.

A company comes to buy land

at the expense of kicking

all the inhabitants out of their natural habitat,

This is colonizing

or REcolonising

an independent country.

The population of the world is increasing.

More and more food, fuel and other products are being

consumed, especially by those who have more money.

If nothing changes, the global use of raw materials is expected to triple by 2050.

Companies and government institutions enter indigenous territories

for plantations, forestry, mining and national parks for nature conservation.

It's being traded now. Land, waters, forests,

so there's an economic value being assigned to all these natural resources.

What grows on top of the land, what is buried under the soil and the land

itself, are all sources of profits for the companies involved.

Our territories have many natural resources

and so the multinational companies come for them.

Mining, deforestation and large scale

plantations often cause social, economic and environmental problems,

especially for the communities where they are happening.

Grains, meat, sugar, palm oil, paper pulp,

coal, aluminium, copper, gold and oil are just some

of the commodities from the land that are shipped around the world.

The amount of land that is being bought

and leased to supply this global trade is growing rapidly.

Sometimes these large scale land

transactions take place with community consent and benefit local communities.

But too often, however, communities are forcefully evicted,

threatened and intimidated the standards of how companies should

operate, such as in protecting the environment and people are weak.

And the deals are often not transparent

with activities, employment and benefit sharing unclear.

When large scale land deals happen in

these ways, many people call them 'land grabs'.

We used to farm here

and we looked for ratan, resin, deer, boar and turtle.

That was before, not now.

Now everything is destroyed and so is our income.

The company came in without any permission

from the local community, from those who own the land.

The forest, gardens,

everything was destroyed.

With no permission, no consent, no compensation.

It only happened because we were

tricked. We were fooled by the sweet language from the companies

and so we gave away our forests.

Now, we know, and the problems are here and it seems that we are lost.

This forest has been sold without

the knowledge of we, the custodians of the land.

They never even called us.

We are not happy.

We don't want them to enter this land.

This is our land.

Without even our knowledge.

They evicted us, they threw us out,

chased us, treated us badly. They came for our elders with machine guns.

Now they are chasing us out again.

But we won't leave this place ever again.

Where can we go if we leave our lands?

Security forces evicted our people.

They burned down our houses and destroyed our property.

Our livelihoods are disturbed and there is more poverty.

In one village they came firing guns.

Everyone ran away and one child was lost forever.

The conflict is one between profit and life.

This is the quality of water we have been exposed to here.

This company has us bathing in these waters

just so they make more money without caring about the people who live here.

We've seen terrible contamination.

We lost the crops that

were by the side of the river.

We also lost medicinal plants, but we couldn't get back.

And for lack of any information we drank these waters.

Even though the oil refinery wasn't in our area.

We are directly impacted by the contaminated water in the rivers.

There's no respect for us from the companies or from the state.

In the last 10 years, the plantation industry has displaced

one million Paraguayans from the countryside to the cities.

The villagers come to live in the city,

in the streets and they suffer a lot.

When it rains, they have nowhere to go.

They don't have enough food.

The children get sick.

Girls are forced into prostitution.

The youth start drinking alcohol.

It's a complete waste.

It is not only we as peoples who are in danger of extinction,

but our territories are also in danger of extinction.

Every day we see the growth of capitalism,

and that means land being lost, people displaced and above all,

the violation of the territories of Mother Earth.

They have the resources,

they have the infrastructures, they have the police and the armed forces.

We can say they have the material strength.

But what we have is our physical strength,

our ideological strength and our cultural strength.

Our organizing has always been around the defense of territory.

And where does this come from?

From a very deep and spiritual place,

from Mother Earth.

This video has described what land grabs are

how they are a continuation of colonial

land grabs, why they are happening all over the world,

and how these land grabs are threatening indigenous cultures and territories.

If companies are planning projects on your territory, please watch the video

'Company Tactics',

which describes a variety of tactics used by companies to convince

community members to accept and support their projects.

But first, take some time to discuss what threats you face as a community.