Indigenous Peoples Occupy the Pan-American Highway in Panama

On Monday, November 14, indigenous peoples occupied the Pan-American Highway in the Darién, Eastern Panama. Frustrated by broken promises from the government, they decided to shut down the highway at Arimae, an Emberá and Wounaan village. Their main demands include the demarcation of collective lands; preventing invasions of their lands by outsiders; and the passage of International Labour Convention 169, which provides basic protections for indigenous peoples. Over the past year, the government has committed to demarcating lands and passing ILO 169, but has yet to take action to do either.

RF-US has been supporting the Wounaan in their efforts to have their collective lands recognized according to Panamanian legislation. Click here for more info.
All of Panama’s seven indigenous peoples are united in their demands, and for taking the government to task for not fulfilling its own laws and promises. They are asking that government officials go to Arimae to negotiate. We join them in their calls on the government to uphold its commitments, and will post more information here as we receive it.


Emberá and Wounaan leaders meet at protest site