Situation of indigenous peoples in Mexico and criticism of the ‘Puebla-Panama Plan’

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
58th session
18 March – 26 April 2002

[Excerpt from the statement]

Firstly, the constitutional reform on indigenous rights and culture, adopted by Congress a year ago, is a total denial of the rights of Mexico’s indigenous peoples. It profoundly alters the COCOPA bill, failing to recognise indigenous peoples as subjects of law. One of the fundamental points is the non-recognition of their right to the collective use of natural resources. The National Indigenous Congress and the congresses of all Mexican states with large indigenous populations have therefore rejected this reform.

Read the CETIM’s oral statement in French