KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30, 2014: Jaringan Orang Asli SeMalaysia (JOAS) yesterday
launched its women's network to mark the International Women Human Rights
Defenders’ Day.
The birth of
Wanita-JOAS comes at a critical time when indigenous women across Malaysia are
confronted with the need to defend their livelihoods and
protect their heritage in the face of
threats to the very survival of their communities from
large-scale mining, rampant logging, the
expansion of palm oil plantations, and the building of
large-scale dams.
"They are not only joining alongside men in their
communities in this effort, but are taking important leadership roles. It is more
important than ever before that indigenous women have the space to share
information, strategies and perspectives and develop a platform like
Wanita-JOAS to help strengthen their collective resolve,” said Mary Giun,
Secretary of JOAS.
For Fatimah Bah Sin of Kampung Mengkapor, Pahang, this
willingness to take a leadership role
has led to a precedent-setting victory significant for
her entire community of Semaq Beri people.
As a plaintiff and an appellant in a native customary
lands rights case, she explains, “For decades, we have sought to assert Orang
Asli customary land rights. We want our children, their children and the
generations to come to be able to know the forests, the rivers and the land of
our ancestors.
"Although we had to take this case beyond the High
Court, finally, with a positive decision from the Court of Appeal, we stand a
higher chance to have our rights to our customary land affirmed.”
Rimbu Ngang, headwoman (Tuai Rumah) of the Sungai Sawai
Suai Niah Longhouse and
chairwoman of the Wanita-JOAS chapter in Sarawak, is
similarly keen to protect the land of her
ancestors from being ravaged by logging operations and
destroyed for palm oil plantations.
But in doing so, she also asserts a call for respect. “We
work in partnership with the men in our
communities. We also need them - along with the Malaysian
public - to respect us.
"We are taking a stand for our land rights, our
rights to cultural survival, and the right to a dignified livelihood; we are
speaking about the same concerns as men in our community.
"But in this day-to-day work, inside and outside our
homes, we also demand dignity - violence against women in its many forms within
our own communities must end. Men and boys in our communities have a role to play
in helping to cultivate respectful attitudes, listening to our perspectives,
giving us space to speak out, and being willing to share leadership.”
According to Caroline Nyurang, co-chair of the Save
Sarawak’s Rivers Youth Committee, “Although the media and the government have
focused on a few voices of people who are concerned about the Baram Dam, we
want the public to know that there are thousands of us - including women and
young people - who have not agreed to surrender our land rights and give way
for the building of the Baram Dam.
”We have never given our consent to Sarawak Energy’s plans
to flood our land and force up to 20,000 of us to move to resettlement sites so
that they can build a 1200 MW hydroelectric project.
"In the resettlement sites set up for the Bakun and
Murum Dams in Sarawak, we have seen how women are struggling to feed their
families, to have clean and sufficient water for household needs, and to lead
dignified lives in the midst of despair. We are determined here in Baram not to
face the same fate.”
Diana Sipail, from Kampung Terian in Sabah, echoes the
same sentiment in her concerns about
the proposed Kaiduan Dam. She has been active in Kampung
Terian Protection Action Committee, and asserts, “Our communities have been
consistently raising our concerns about the proposed Kaiduan Dam, as we have
never given consent for it to be built on our customary lands.
We, including the women of the affected communities, are
clear - there are better, less
destructive ways for sustained water storage in Sabah.
There is no need to displace our
communities and to force us to live in resettlement sites
where we will be sure to face shortages
of food, poor housing conditions, and spiraling
frustration, depression, hopelessness as well as
violence within our communities.”
Serene Lim, of the national human rights group, SUARAM,
explains, “Too often, women taking
a stand in defense of rights guaranteed in our
constitution and committed to by the Malaysian
Government are neglected, ignored or marginalized.” She
concludes, “We hope the marking of
this year's International Women Human Rights Defenders’
Day will bring a new level of
willingness to make way for their voices and concerns to
be heard.”
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