August 9, 2025
On the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Movement for the Defense of the Territories and Ecosystems of Bocas del Toro (MODETEAB) reiterates its deep concern regarding the acts of violence and repression committed in recent months by Panamanian security forces against members of the Indigenous peoples in Panama.
The violence has been in response to the participation of Indigenous peoples in the massive social mobilization that the country has experienced since April of this year. The situation worsened in numerous Indigenous communities beginning in May, including in the province of Bocas del Toro and the Ngäbe-Buglé region, as well as in Emberá communities such as the town of Arimae, leaving at least two Indigenous people dead and numerous injured. To date, repression by security forces has continued unabated, perpetuating an environment of intimidation and terror in various Indigenous communities.
In commemorating the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we emphasize that our Indigenous peoples have experienced brutal abuses, land grabbing, and the subjugation of our rights to economic interests since the days of Panama’s colonization. The recent repression in our communities represents a continuation of the same pattern of oppression and violence that has been perpetuated against our people for centuries.
At MODETEAB, we strongly condemn the human rights violations committed against our Indigenous communities in recent months, ranging from the use of disproportionate and even lethal force to arbitrary arrests, inhumane treatment, and sexual abuse, as well as the suspension of our constitutional rights by the current government. We demand that the Panamanian State cease all forms of repression and intimidation against our Indigenous communities, investigate these abuses and ensure their non-repetition, and adopt the necessary measures to ensure full reparation for those affected.
On this important day for Indigenous peoples around the world, we demand respect for our rights to land and our ancestral territories, as well as our human rights to health, education, and non-discrimination. Likewise, we reclaim our rights as Indigenous peoples to maintain and revitalize our traditions, cultural customs, languages, and ancestral knowledge, in addition to maintaining and strengthening our harmonious relationship with Mother Earth.
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