Earth Ancients

The Rapa Nui people are the original inhabitants of Rapa Nui Island, commonly known as “Easter Island.” The island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean is a colony of Chile, “annexed” in 1933 without the consent of the Rapa Nui people. The Rapa Nui people, comprising 36 clans, are engaged in a collective effort to rebuild its government and regain control of their ancestral lands and sacred and burial sites. In addition, the clans want to reclaim their self-government rights so they can curb unsustainable immigration and development on the island. The Center is providing legal assistance to help the Rapa Nui people use international law to defend their rights and bring an end to more than a century of Chilean mistreatment and human rights violations.The Rapa Nui clans had begun taken actions to reoccupy their illegally taken lands, control their sacred and burial sites, and exercise their self-government rights, to call attention to the need for serious and constructive dialogue to resolve these issues.The Chile