Loopholes in FPIC Protocol Puts Indigenous Communities at a Disadvantage, Says T.A.A.

Christina Coc

The Toledo Alcalde Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance has raised a number of issues with the proposed draft of the FPIC protocol according to Coc. One such matter arises from a portion of the draft document which states that the government is not obligated to consult with indigenous communities where it concerns matters of emergency and national security. Coc says she views this as a loophole for the government to exploit the process.

Christina Coc, Spokesperson, T.A.A./Mayan Claimants

“We have raised many concerns with the government’s proposed draft of the FPIC protocol. Unfortunately the government has been nonresponsive to our feedback, comments, input, and the concerns that we have raised. In particular, there is a, if you want me to look at the big ticket issues with the current, we haven’t seen the latest draft, but the last draft we saw, we have issues and we have raised issues with for example the broad loophole that is left in the protocol that says the government is not obligated to consult or get consent where it concerns matters of emergency, public interest, health, national security. Basically they are saying they do not even need to consult in with the community in those instances. But the definition is broad and left for interpretation. Who determines the degree of emergency? In addition to that, at the very minimum the community should be notified of activities of emergency that the government is going to impose on them at least to the extent that the circumstances provide. Otherwise this could become the loophole for government to categorize everything they want to do on Maya lands as a matter of emergency.”