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Communal property are the lands, waters, and forests that have traditionally belonged
to the Communities of the Atlantic Coast, and they are subject to the following
provisions:
1.
Communal lands are inalienable; they cannot be donated, sold, encumbered
nor taxed, and they are inextinguishable.
2.
The inhabitants of the Communities have the right to cultivate plots on
communal property and to the usufruct of goods obtained from the work carried out.
151. Indigenous peoples’ customary law must be especially taken into account for
the purpose of this analysis. As a result of customary practices, possession of the
land should suffice for indigenous communities lacking real title to property of the
land to obtain official recognition of that property, and for consequent registration.
152. As has been pointed out, Nicaragua recognizes communal property of
indigenous peoples, but has not regulated the specific procedure to materialize that
recognition, and therefore no such title deeds have been granted since 1990.
Furthermore, in the instant case the State has not objected to the claim of the Awas
Tingni Community to be declared owner, even though the extent of the area claimed
is disputed.
153. It is the opinion of the Court that, pursuant to article 5 of the Constitution of
Nicaragua, the members of the Awas Tingni Community have a communal property
right to the lands they currently inhabit, without detriment to the rights of other
indigenous communities. Nevertheless, the Court notes that the limits of the
territory on which that property right exists have not been effectively delimited and
demarcated by the State.
This situation has created a climate of constant
uncertainty among the members of the Awas Tingni Community, insofar as they do
not know for certain how far their communal property extends geographically and,
therefore, they do not know until where they can freely use and enjoy their
respective property. Based on this understanding, the Court considers that the
members of the Awas Tingni Community have the right that the State
a)
b)
carry out the delimitation, demarcation, and titling of the territory belonging
to the Community; and
abstain from carrying out, until that delimitation, demarcation, and titling
have been done, actions that might lead the agents of the State itself, or third
parties acting with its acquiescence or its tolerance, to affect the existence,
value, use or enjoyment of the property located in the geographical area
where the members of the Community live and carry out their activities.
Based on the above, and taking into account the criterion of the Court with respect to
applying article 29(b) of the Convention (supra para. 148), the Court believes that,
in light of article 21 of the Convention, the State has violated the right of the
members of the Mayagna Awas Tingni Community to the use and enjoyment of their
property, and that it has granted concessions to third parties to utilize the property
and resources located in an area which could correspond, fully or in part, to the lands
which must be delimited, demarcated, and titled.
154. Together with the above, we must recall what has already been established by
this court, based on article 1(1) of the American Convention, regarding the obligation
of the State to respect the rights and freedoms recognized by the Convention and to
organize public power so as to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by the
persons under its jurisdiction. According to the rules of law pertaining to the