KUCHIING, March 21, 2016: -The home of the world’s
remaining forests, the planet’s biodiversity and rivers are in indigenous
peoples’ territories.
However, rampant large-scale development projects without
regard to the environment and the indigenous peoples inhabiting these, are
threatening to wipe out population and extract resources.
In order to address climate change, combat deforestation
and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Asia Indigenous Peoples
Pact (AIPP) stresses on the need to recognize the collective land rights of
indigenous peoples.
“On the occasion of International Day of Forests, we call
on the representatives of indigenous peoples, civil society organizations and
governments to actively participate and support the global call to action on
indigenous and community land rights to double by 2020 the global area of land
legally recognized as owned or controlled by indigenous peoples and local
communities,” stressed Joan Carling,
Secretary General of AIPP.
In Asia, indigenous
peoples including indigenous women have been sustainably managing natural
resources through customary laws and sustainable resource management practices.
In Malaysia,
indigenous peoples practice a traditional system known as ‘Tagal’ to manage and
promote sustainable use of rivers, forests and watersheds.
In 2011, the Bakun
Dam in Sarawak displaced 10,000 indigenous peoples and flooded 700 sq. km of
land.
At least 12 dams being planned along traditional lands of
indigenous peoples in Sarawak will create adverse cultural, economic and
environmental impacts.
The plan of the governments of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand
and Vietnam to build 11 large dams on the Lower Mekong River will displace
around 106,000 people, destroy the river’s rich biodiversity and threaten food
security of millions of people.
In northeastern Cambodia, hundreds of indigenous peoples
are resisting the Lower Seasan dam that threatens communities’ livelihoods,
food security, cultural practices and beliefs.
The classification
of dam as a clean and green energy has sparked a race to build at least 200
dams across Asia.
Carling
highlighted, “There should be moratorium to all proposed dams. Any plans and
programmes on our rivers and lands must undergo a consultation process based on
our right to FPIC as stipulated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).”
Forests are the
lifeline and cultural heritage of at least 100 million indigenous peoples in
Asia.
Criminalization of sustainable practices, eviction and
threats of eviction from forestlands to give way to, among others, economic
land concessions, national parks, tiger reserves, and other extractive industry
projects continue among indigenous communities.
Indigenous leaders
and activists who are defending and protecting their lands and forests are
being threatened, harassed and killed.
In the Philippines, a pregnant member of the Blaan
community in South Cotabato was killed along with her two sons, for her
opposition to a large-scale mining project in 2002.
Since 2010, around 56 indigenous Lumad leaders and
environmental activists fighting against large-scale mining projects have been
murdered in Mindanao alone.
In Thailand,
indigenous human rights defender, Pholchi Rachongcharoen, who had been actively
fighting for the rights of 500 indigenous Karen villagers residing in Kaeng
Krachan National Park, went missing on 17 April 2014 and his whereabouts are
still unknown to this day.
“This madness of grave human rights violations of
indigenous peoples shall be stopped right away. The governments should take
actions against perpetrators and respect and implement all provisions enshrined
in the UNDRIP and UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (UNDHRD),” Carling
said.
This global problem requires global action. The Land
Rights Now campaign, with over 300 participants, organizations and communities,
seek to secure the rights to build a just and equitable world while protecting
our forest and water resources.
Take action on International Forests Day by signing on
the Land Rights Now campaign here: http://www.landrightsnow.org/en/home/ Media
Contacts: Joan Carling, Secretary General, joan@aippnet.org Lakpa Nuri Sherpa,
Environment Programme Coordinator, nuri@aippnet.org.
A Survival
International report. Serious Damage: Tribal peoples and large dams ii AIPP.
2014. Overview of the state of indigenous peoples in Asia .
https://www.internationalrivers.org/programs/southeast-asia
https://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/the-lower-mekong-dams-factsheet-text-7908
http://www.mekongcommons.org/indigenous-people-northeast-cambodia-fight-protect-cultures-lands-lower-sesan-2-dam/
vi https://vimeo.com/73918768 i
http://www.aippnet.org/index.php/statements/1580-human-rights-day-2015-states-must-act-on-their-commitments-to-ensure-human-rights-andfundamental-freedoms-of-indigenous-peoples
i http://www.countercurrents.org/chimurkar170316.htm ix AIPP. 2014. Rights of
indigenous women to their lands, territories and resources in Asia x
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/indigenous-people-the-lumad-appeal-for-human-rights-in-the-philippin
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