Colombia’s Constitutional Court has issued a historic ruling, finding in favor of Indigenous leaders who say their communities in the country’s Amazonian region are at risk of losing their identity and disappearing due to mercury contamination from gold mining. The court ordered the protection of these communities due to the high risk they peoples face […]
  • Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of 30 Indigenous communities in the Amazon, ordering protection measures due to mercury contamination from gold mining that threatens their health, food security and cultural survival.
  • The contamination affects key rivers and fish consumed by the communities, with mercury levels found up to 17 times above safe limits, putting traditional knowledge systems, recognized by UNESCO, at serious risk.
  • The ruling suspends new gold mining licenses in the Yuruparí macroterritory until intercultural dialogue is held and a remediation plan is established. Various government ministries are assigned specific responsibilities.
  • The court also mandated regular monitoring and inclusive implementation, with biannual hearings and Indigenous participation, marking a judicial precedent for Indigenous-led environmental justice and the protection of ancestral knowledge.