French Guiana: Amazonian Frontiers

Gold Mining and Indigenous Rights

Illegal gold mining devastates French Guiana's rainforests, poisoning rivers with mercury and destroying indigenous territories. Despite military operations, thousands of garimpeiros (illegal miners) operate with impunity. Legal mining proposals like Montagne d'Or promise jobs but threaten even greater destruction.

Indigenous communities lead resistance through multiple strategies. Traditional authorities invoke customary law. Youth use drones to document destruction for international audiences. Roadblocks paralyze the territory until authorities respond. These actions forced cancellation of Montagne d'Or but illegal mining continues.

"The forest is our life," explains Christophe Pierre of indigenous federation. "Without clean rivers, without animals to hunt, without medicinal plants, we cease to exist as peoples. This isn't just environment—it's survival." Indigenous knowledge offers sustainable alternatives ignored by development planning.

Space Port and Sacred Sites

The Guiana Space Centre at Kourou, Europe's spaceport, occupies indigenous territories and excludes local populations from economic benefits. Rocket launches release toxic chemicals while most Guianans lack electricity. This contradiction epitomizes colonial development imposing prestige projects while neglecting local needs.

Recent social movements demanded "decolonization" of development planning, including environmental dimensions. Protesters occupied the space center, forcing negotiations about local hiring and environmental monitoring. These actions demonstrate how environmental justice requires confronting colonial structures.