Amerindian Peoples Association publishes National Land Tenure Assessment in Guyana

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) today launched a national land tenure assessment report, Our Land, Our Life: A Participatory Assessment of the Land Tenure Situation of Indigenous Peoples in Guyana. The report compiles the findings from participatory research carried out in Regions 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 over the past eight years from 2012-2020. This national land tenure report summarises the key findings and recommendations from each of the regional studies.

The national report finds that land tenure insecurity is a widespread problem in Guyana and there is a lack of protection for indigenous peoples' customary tenure systems. This manifests in a failure to recognise collective territories as well as in inadequate titling where titles have been recognised. There are also widespread reports of confusion over village boundaries (where villages have title) because of errors in government maps and in the demarcation of village titles. In addition, the vast majority of villages participating in the land tenure studies reported experiencing land and resource conflicts. The source of these conflicts varies and include mining, logging, agricultural leases, and protected areas; but they all result in indigenous peoples being restricted from accessing their traditional lands and engaging in customary practices. Some land conflicts are also resulting in extensive damage to customary lands, including cultural heritage sites.

Villages and communities throughout Guyana have made similar recommendations for how their land rights could be better protected:

• Revision to the Amerindian Act 2006 to bring it in line with international human rights standards for the protection of indigenous peoples' rights
• Improving the land titling process so it is timely, participatory, and addresses third party interests in indigenous lands
• Addressing land conflicts by respecting indigenous peoples' rights to their lands and to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC)
• Correcting errors in mapping that have caused lack of clarity over village titles

The APA has also launched a new Geographic Database to host spatial data pertaining to indigenous peoples' lands in Guyana. The database is the first of its kind in the region and will be updated by the APA and partnered indigenous representative institutions, including the North Pakaraimas District Council, the South Rupununi District Council, the Upper Mazaruni District Council, and the Moruca District Council.