PRONUNCIAMIENTO URGENTE

The document reports a violent forced eviction of Ngäbe indigenous families in Bocas del Toro, Panama, on July 17, 2024, involving the burning of homes and killing of livestock by riot police. It details the detention of between 50 and 90 community members, including women and minors, and argues that these events are the result of a systemic failure by the Panamanian government to grant collective land titles to indigenous peoples in 'áreas anexas' (adjacent areas) outside of comarcas. CIEL links this vulnerability to broader regional pressures from tourism, real estate, and infrastructure projects, specifically mentioning the IFC-backed Panama Line IV transmission project.

• On July 17, 2024, riot police conducted a violent eviction of Ngäbe families in Bocas del Toro, which included setting fire to houses and killing domestic animals to intimidate the community.
• The eviction resulted in the displacement of hundreds of people and the detention of community members, with estimates ranging from approximately 50 to more than 90 individuals, including women and minors.
• Detainees have been held in the city of David in the province of Chiriqui and the “Deborah” Penitentiary Center in Bocas del Toro, where they were reportedly denied visitors and food from families.
• The violence is attributed to a lack of legal protection for indigenous territories outside of comarcas, specifically the failure to delimit and title 'áreas anexas' (adjacent areas) as required by Act No. 10 of 1997.
• The World Bank's Land Administration project failed to secure collective indigenous territories and lacked informed participation and consultation with the communities.
• The IFC's Panama Line IV project, a 330-kilometer transmission line on the Atlantic coast, is situated in a region where Ngobe Bugle peoples have sought their right to free, prior and informed consent since 2018.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2024). PRONUNCIAMIENTO URGENTE. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/panama_transmission_line_iv_Indigenous_Peoples_Panama_Forced_Evictions_July_2024.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. PRONUNCIAMIENTO URGENTE. 2024. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/panama_transmission_line_iv_Indigenous_Peoples_Panama_Forced_Evictions_July_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=PRONUNCIAMIENTO URGENTE |date=25 July 2024 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/panama_transmission_line_iv_Indigenous_Peoples_Panama_Forced_Evictions_July_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2024pronunciamiento, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{PRONUNCIAMIENTO URGENTE}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/panama_transmission_line_iv_Indigenous_Peoples_Panama_Forced_Evictions_July_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }