Political Constitution of Colombia (1991)

In accordance with the Constitution and the statutes, the indigenous territories shall be governed by the councils formed and regulated according to the uses and customs of their communities and shall exercise the following functions:

Oversee the application of the legal regulations concerning the uses of the land and settlement of their territories.

Design the policies, plans and programs of economic and social development within their territory, in accordance with the National Development Plan.

Promote public investments in their territories and oversee their appropriate implementation.

Collect and distribute their funds.

Oversee the conservation of natural resources.

Coordinate the programs and projects promoted by the different communities in their territory.

Cooperate with the maintenance of the public order within their territory in accordance with the instructions and provisions of the national government.

Represent the territories before the national government and the other entities in which they are integrated; and

Other matters stipulated by the Constitution and statute.

The exploitation of the natural resources in the indigenous territories shall be done without impairing the cultural, social, and economic integrity of the indigenous communities. In the decisions adopted with respect to said exploitation, the government shall encourage the participation of the representatives of the respective communities.