By Wendy Anders

Indigenous peoples have disadvantages vis-a-vis governments and companies in consultations on projects that affect their communities, reported TeleSur TV this week.

The United Nation Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli, on Wednesday recommended the Mexican government regulate and supervise the activities of mining companies that affect unprotected communities.

In a meeting with the Indigenous Affairs Committee of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, Tauli explained that indigenous peoples “have been subject to injustice and severe violations of their human rights.”

For the U.N. official, indigenous peoples have disadvantages in terms of political influence, financial resources, access to information and education when facing governments and companies in consultations on projects that will affect their communities.

The Mexican Congress, according to Tauli, must legislate for mining to comply not only with international human rights standards, but also with indigenous rights to land, territory, natural resources, culture and religion, continued TeleSur TV.

The U.N. official urged the Mexican government to respect those communities and “the resources they still have,” and urged the legislative commission to ensure that indigenous peoples participate in a legal consultation in Mexico which is based on the international treaties signed by the country.