Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

1. The Committee notes the Government’s report and notes that while the report provided information on some of the matters raised in its previous request, it left a number of the Committee’s questions unanswered. The Committee hopes the Government will submit a more complete reply to its queries in its next report.

2. Articles 11 to 14 of the Convention. Land rights. The Committee notes also that a communication was received in September 2003 from the Sindicato Integración Nacional de Indígenas Organizados (INDIO), a workers’ organization registered in the country. INDIO indicated in this comment that the indigenous populations of the country were losing their land rights, in particular to the building of a hydroelectric dam, and that they had been unable to obtain land rights in other contexts as well. The Committee hopes the Government will include information in its next report on the situation of indigenous land rights in the country. Please also indicate any cases in which the indigenous populations have been displaced from their traditional lands for development purposes, and the manner in which they were involved in the decisions taken, and compensation received.

The Committee raises other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.