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Tensions between artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities and large-scale industrial operators are intensifying across multiple continents, as

By the Witness Radio Team From Kalangala to Buvuma and Sango Bay, oil palm development has brought worries about land loss, delayed compensation, and dwindling access to natural resources. Now, as the...

Michigan music festival faces potential loss of campsites due to proposed power lines. A Michigan music festival’s traditional location is threatened by a proposed high-voltage power line project that could eliminate over 130 campsites. The Wheatland Music Organization, based in Mecosta County, voiced concerns that the route would impact its fall festival, year-round programs, wooded

Sask. First Nations leaders raise land rights, policing concerns at historic Ottawa meeting: Federal government heard reasoning behind amending Indian status legislation and setting up First Nations policing from Saskatchewan chiefs. #FirstNations #LandRights #PolicingReform #Saskatchewan #IndigenousRights

By the Witness Radio team. Experts agree that when communities lead environmental initiatives, they can safeguard land, biodiversity, and local livelihoods. Yet for these efforts to truly shape decisi...

ULURU, NT. — Uluru (Kata Tjuta National Park), in central Australia, is an inselberg, often referred to as the second-largest monolith in the world, second only to Mt Augustus, which is also in Australia. Also known as Ayers Rock, it was named after the former Premier of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers, by William Gosse of the South Australian Survey Department, who became the first European explorer to see Ayers Rock.

After more than two decades of legal battles, bureaucratic delays, and persistent advocacy, the Teduray and Lambangian indigenous communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have secured formal recognition of 117,101 hectares of ancestral land. The Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) was officially issued on October 23, 2026, during a traditional Tulak Këgëforor ritual in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur. The recognition marks a significant victory for the communities, who have fought for their land rights since 2005 when they filed a petition for delineation and issuance of the CADT. The journey began earlier, with administrative efforts dating back to 1996 under a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) order, but faced numerous delays due to jurisdictional complexities between national laws and the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) framework. Key milestones included the issuance of the CADT, coordination between the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and BARMM's Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MIPA), and the integration of the Exercise of Priority Rights (EPR) framework. NCIP Chairperson Nancy Catamco emphasized the importance of safeguarding ancestral lands through Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), ensuring that development projects respect indigenous rights. BARMM MIPA Minister Guiamal Campong highlighted the historical significance of the CADT issuance and the ongoing efforts to ensure its legal solidity. South Upi Mayor Helen Benito-Padua, a descendant of the Teduray-Lambangian community, urged unity and respect for the land title, warning against selling or compromising the ancestral land for short-term gains. The communities now face the challenge of protecting their land from potential exploitation while ensuring sustainable development that aligns with their cultural values and traditions. This victory represents a crucial step in recognizing and upholding the rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines, setting a precedent for future land rights claims and development projects in the region.