Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin

Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin
Name	Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin
Formation	1984
Headquarters	Cochabamba, Bolivia
Region served	Amazon River Basin
Membership	Indigenous peoples of the Amazon
Leader title	Coordinator

Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin is a regional indigenous political network formed to represent the interests of multiple Indigenous peoples across the Amazon basin. It brings together national indigenous federations, local organizations, and supranational bodies to engage with institutions such as the United Nations, Organisation of American States, and regional mechanisms like the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization. The Coordination serves as a platform for collective advocacy on issues including land rights, cultural survival, environmental protection, and participation in multilateral fora.

History and formation

The Coordination emerged during the 1980s amid transnational mobilizations by groups including the Shuar, Kayapo, Yanomami, Asháninka, and Achuar after landmark gatherings such as the First Meeting of Indigenous Leaders of the Americas and conferences linked to the ILO and the UNESCO. Influences included earlier organizations like the Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon and national federations such as the CONAIE and the FUNAI-engaged movements, as well as advice from actors including the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Founding assemblies in cities such as Manaus, Cochabamba, and Quito codified statutes that drew on instruments like Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Membership and governance

Membership encompasses national indigenous organizations from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana, represented by federations like COICA-affiliated groups, regional bodies such as the Shuar Federation, and community councils from Amazonian states including Loreto, Pando, and Amazonas (Brazil). Governance typically features a rotating secretariat, an executive committee with delegates from member federations, and thematic commissions modeled after structures used by the World Council of Indigenous Peoples and the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee. Decision-making protocols reference precedents from the Summit of the Americas caucuses and incorporate customary authority drawn from leaders like community chiefs and councils of elders, while liaison roles interact with entities such as the Pan Amazonian Fisheries Commission.

Objectives and mandates

Official mandates include defending collective land tenure rooted in jurisprudence such as rulings by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, securing recognition of traditional territories in national constitutions like those of Ecuador and Bolivia, and promoting sustainable resource management aligned with programs by the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Coordination advances cultural rights reflected in instruments like the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and champions indigenous participation in extractive project consultations referenced in decisions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. It also pursues capacity-building through partnerships with institutions such as the Ford Foundation, Oxfam, and regional universities including the Federal University of Amazonas.

Activities and programs

Activities span legal advocacy before bodies such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization, direct campaigns against activities by corporations like Petrobrás and Anglo American when projects threaten indigenous territories, and participatory mapping initiatives using methodologies developed with the Global Forest Watch and the Rainforest Foundation. Programs include health campaigns coordinated with PAHO, biodiversity monitoring connected to the Amazon Research Institute (INPA), gender and youth leadership training inspired by networks like the Indigenous Women of the Americas and collaboration with the Green Climate Fund for community-based climate adaptation. The Coordination convenes regional assemblies analogous to the Conference of the Parties format and issues policy briefs submitted to forums such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Relationship with national governments and international bodies

The Coordination engages in formal consultations and negotiation with national administrations including the governments of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador and interacts with state agencies like FUNAI and ministries modeled after the Ministry of Cultures and Tourism (Bolivia). Internationally, it lobbies multilateral organizations such as the UNDP, the World Bank Group, and the Food and Agriculture Organization for funding and policy change, and partners with environmental NGOs such as Conservation International and WWF on conservation strategies. It leverages legal mechanisms of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and participates in UN processes including the REDD+ architecture and the Nagoya Protocol discussions to secure rights-based safeguards.

Challenges and controversies

The Coordination faces tensions over representation between large federations and small community councils, disputes echoing controversies involving organizations like COICA and national confederations, and governance challenges that mirror debates in the Indigenous Andean Movement. It confronts conflicts with extractive industry interests exemplified by litigation involving Chevron Corporation and multinational mining companies, and friction with national administrations that have adopted resource-development agendas similar to policies pursued by the administrations of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Álvaro Uribe Vélez. Funding dependence on donors such as the European Union and philanthropic foundations has prompted critiques similar to those leveled at NGOs like Survival International for agenda-setting influence. Security risks include threats faced by indigenous leaders documented in reports by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and Amnesty International, and operational constraints stemming from territorial fragmentation across borders demarcated by treaties like the Treaty of Tordesillas (historical context) and modern boundary accords.

Category:Indigenous peoples of the Amazon Category:Indigenous rights organizations