For indigenous peoples worldwide, the term ‘development’ has acquired a negative connotation even if it is termed ‘sustainable’, because their histories are replete with traumatic experiences with development projects, policies and programmes. In fact, indigenous peoples regard mainstream development as one of the root causes of their problems. If the MDGs set out to just reinforce this paradigm, and not challenge it, there is little hope that they can bring about positive changes for indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples use the term “development aggression” to describe dominant development.
By this they mean the imposition of ‘development projects’ and policies under the rubric of modernization or nation building in which the views and consent of indigenous peoples directly affected have not been solicited. As a result, indigenous peoples have suffered destruction or loss of ancestral territories and resources, denigration of indigenous worldviews and values and of their political, economic and socio-cultural systems and institutions, ecosystem degradation, displacement, and violent conflict.
