Indigenous peoples and globalization: from development aggression to self-determined development

In June 2009, in what had been referred to as the 'Amazon's Tiananmen', armed police engaged in a bloody conflict with what had been a peaceful indigenous protest in Bagua, northern Peru. Several people were shot dead, and at least 200 injured. The protest was against the granting of concessions for the exploration and exploitation of gas, oil and gold to transnational companies in the Amazon region. The concerned communities protested against the adoption of national decrees allowing these concessions
on indigenous territories as elements of a free trade agreement with the United States of America. These events in Bagua constitute one of the most recent and widely
publicized confrontations in a series of similar and ongoing conflicts between indigenous communities and governments and/or corporations over exploitation of natural
resources in their territories in countries throughout the world.

Publishers permit post refereed and published versions on institutional websites.