BETHANYVILLAGE FREE, PRIOR, INFORMED CONSENT (FPIC) PROTOCOL
PREAMBLE:
We, the Amerindian people of Bethany, assert that Free, Prior, and Informed Consent
(FPIC) is required for all activities conducted in our customary lands. This is where our
foreparents have lived and used the resources for generations and where we continue to
live and depend upon the resources.
We assert this in consideration of our rights as indigenous peoples under national and
international law, in order to protect our customary land, territories and natural
resources, and to protect our culture, livelihoods and way of life.
We understand that certain government or private sector projects may have good
intentions behind them, like health centres or schools, but we have experienced that if
we are not fully consulted, such initiatives could have unexpected negative impacts on
us.
We believe that FPIC constitutes the following:
Free: We must make our collective decision freely – that is, without any external or
internal pressure, intimidation, bribery, manipulation, coercion, or compulsion that can
influence the way we make our decisions.
Prior: Any Project Proponent must come to us to consult and seek our consent in
advance before the authorisation and commencement of any proposed project. For
example, in the case of logging or mining concessions, this means that we must be
consulted about such before any government allocation.
Informed: The information must be clear, in plain English, whether it is spoken or
written, and it should be up to us to say when we think we have had enough information
and consultation. To ensure that we make our decision freely and fully informed, we
should at any time during the consultation process be entitled to independent legal or
technical advice. The Project Proponent must bear the costs of this independent legal or
technical advice.
Consent: We believe agreement to any Project should be on the basis of an inclusive,
collective process involving the entire community.
OUR LAND
Our customary lands are described as follows:
The area commences at the mouth of the Tapakuma Creek thence its source to the
common boundary between Mashabo and Bethany, thence in a westerly direction to the
source of the Cyruni [Kairuni] Creek. Thence along the main access road on the
Bethany/Mashabo boundary to the Bethany Village State Forest Permit in the Patuau
Area, thence down the Patuau Creek reaching Rock Creek. Thence down the Rock Creek
to its mouth. Thence up the right bank of the Pomeroon River for about 15 miles in a
southwesterly direction to an unknown creek to its source. Thence in a straight line in a
southerly direction to the Supenaam Creek. Thence down the Supenaam Creek to the
Hymaracabra Creek. Thence up the Hymaracabra Creek to its source. Thence by a
straight line to the source of the Aratak Creek. Thence to the main access road to
Bethany Village FPIC Protocol
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