Ecuador: Information on legal land title granted to indigenous communities in May 1992
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ECU13618 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ecuador: Information on legal land title granted to indigenous communities in May 1992, 1 March 1993, ECU13618, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acc710.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
On 13 May 1992 President Borja granted legal title of more than three million acres of land to indigenous people (Keesing's 1992 1992, 38908).
According to The Washington Post, some sixty tribal leaders received land titles for 148 communities (15 May 1992, A30). The titles were given to the communities, not to individuals, and the lands cannot be sold (Ibid.). The same source states that it was the single largest land grant ever given to Indians (Ibid.). It is interesting to note that only about thirty per cent of Ecuador's population is Indian, while the majority, sixty per cent, is made up by mestizo, or of mixed race (Ibid.). This recent grant increased the total amount of land given to Indians during President Borja's four years in government to about seven million acres (Ibid.). According to political analysts, Borja was able to grant title to indigenous people despite heavy opposition from various social groups, because he does not face re-election (Ibid.). Indian groups would have boycotted upcoming elections had their demands not been met (Ibid.).
Further information is available in the attached documents. Additional or corroborating information is currently unavailable to the DIRB in Ottawa.
References
Keesing's Record of World Events 1992. 1992. Vol. 38, No. 5 Roger East, ed. London: Longman Group UK Ltd.
The Washington Post. 15 May 1992. Final Edition. "Ecuador Cedes Amazon Land to Indians; President Issues Titles Following Heated Conflict." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Keesing's Record of World Events 1992. 1992. Vol. 38., No. 5 Roger East, ed. London: Longman Group UK Ltd., p. 38908.
Latin American Newsletters. 21 May 1992. Latin American Weekly Report. "All Sides Reject Indian Land Grant." London: Latin American Newsletters, p. 11.
The Washington Post. 15 May 1992. Final Edition. "Ecuador Cedes Amazon Land to Indians; President Issues Titles Following Heated Conflict." (NEXIS)
