Indigenous Rights Threatened in Nevada: Mine Granted Permission Disregarding Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Native People
📢 Here's the Scoop, Straight Up! 📢
In a newly released report by Human Rights Watch and the ACLU, the US government's decision to allow Lithium Americas to mine at Thacker Pass, Nevada, has been slammed for violating Indigenous peoples' rights. The controversial 18,000-acre mining project, one of the world's largest known lithium deposits, is under construction and threatens the lands, culture, and religions of the Numu/Nuwu, Newe, Northern Paiute, and Western Shoshone tribes.
The in-depth report, titled "'The Land of Our People, Forever': United States Human Rights Violations against the Numu/Nuwu and Newe in the Rush for Lithium," highlights how the US Bureau of Land Management permitted the Thacker Pass mine without securing the free, prior, and informed consent of the affected Indigenous communities. The agency's permit process repeatedly failed to consult with the tribes, despite their strong connections to the land.
Abbey Koenning-Rutherford, Aryeh Neier fellow with the ACLU and Human Rights Watch, stated, "The Thacker Pass project showcases how US mining laws disregard the rights of Indigenous peoples. US federal and state mining agencies must urgently review their regulations governing mine permits to align with international standards on Indigenous peoples' right to free, prior, and informed consent."
Researchers from Human Rights Watch and the ACLU interviewed 41 Indigenous community members, journalists, lawyers, and experts. They also reviewed litigation, scientific studies, news, social media, satellite imagery, and environmental maps. Despite opposition from at least five tribes, US courts rebuffed efforts to challenge the adequacy of the consultation process.
One impacted tribal member said, "They keep saying 'consultation, consultation.' But they didn't actually do that." Lithium Americas, the mining company at the center of the controversy, has since moved forward with the project, citing previous agreements with one of the affected tribes.
The Thacker Pass mine poses a significant threat to Indigenous peoples' access to their ancestral lands, important for religious and cultural practices. The area has a deep significance for tribal members due to an 1865 US cavalry massacre, with bands of Northern Paiutes, Western Shoshones, and Bannocks historically involved.
In the absence of stronger protections for Indigenous rights, the ACLU and Human Rights Watch call for halting construction at Thacker Pass until the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples is obtained. They also urge the US government to ensure all current and future mine permit processes comply with international human rights standards, updating outdated mining laws that have historically imposed undue burdens on Indigenous communities.
- The controversial Thacker Pass mining project, a significant environmental-science issue, is under scrutiny for disregarding general-news such as the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous communities, as highlighted in a new report titled "The Land of Our People, Forever."
- Following the release of the Human Rights Watch and ACLU report, politics surrounding the Thacker Pass mine have intensified, with calls to halt construction until the Indigenous peoples' free, prior, and informed consent is obtained, in line with international human rights standards.
