'Original Lords of the Soil'? Amerindian Rights and the Expansion of State Power in Guyana

Environment and History, 22(3), 351–391

Posted: 7 Dec 2016

See all articles by Janette Bulkan

Janette Bulkan

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Faculty of Forestry

Date Written: 2016

Abstract

The consequences of State claims to, and controls over, the territories of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples (Amerindians) are traced through successive Dutch and British colonial to post-Independence governments. From the mid-eighteenth century, a numerically small sugar plantocracy wielded influence within local government and ensured that colonial policy served its interests located on the coastland. Hinterland policies extended the capitalist approach to natural resources extraction and favoured the dominance of the small stratum of monied interests over the majority of Crown licences for forestry, mining and ranching, issued over claimed Indigenous lands. The colonial government’s approach to Amerindians was protectionist, but their land rights were not settled in law. Authoritarian post-Independence governments have used the discretionary power in the inherited legislative framework to expand the numbers of, and areas covered by, logging and mining licences. The State is aided by the lack of a reservation process for forests and/or a settlement process to determine and settle pre-existing customary rights of Indigenous Peoples, twin processes that were instituted in the majority of British colonies. Indigenous rights and privileges on their customary lands have been steadily eroded in law, policy and practice. Amerindians receive few economic benefits from natural resources operations on either their legally titled communal lands or customary lands.

Keywords: Indigenous Peoples, land rights, sovereignty, natural resources, Guyana

Suggested Citation

Bulkan, Janette, 'Original Lords of the Soil'? Amerindian Rights and the Expansion of State Power in Guyana (2016). Environment and History, 22(3), 351–391, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2877451

Janette Bulkan (Contact Author)

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Faculty of Forestry ( email )

Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
6048228089 (Phone)

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