The Indigenous World 2007: Editorial

Written on 26 April 2007. Posted in The Indigenous World Editorial

2006 was an important year for the world’s 350 million plus indigenous peoples. In June, the newly-established United Nations Human Rights Council made history as it adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at its first session in Geneva. The adoption of this important document, which addresses the historical injustice and continuing discrimination of indigenous peoples’ rights to self-government, cultural expression, the collective right to use of lands, territories and resources, etc., came after more than 20 years of intense negotiations and discussions that culminated in a final draft being presented to the Council in early 2006.

With overwhelming support from the Human Rights Council, which is the main human rights body in the UN system following the reforms of 2005-2006, the Declaration made its way to the UN General Assembly, where it was set for its final adoption in late 2006. Expectations were high but procedural problems and fierce opposition from a few states blocked the final adoption. At the end of 2006, the fate of the Declaration remained uncertain.

Needles to say, indigenous peoples were highly disappointed and frustrated at the developments in the General Assembly. Country reports from Canada, New Zealand and other countries included in The Indigenous World 2007 express indigenous peoples’ dismay at seeing their governments “elevating national political agendas to the international arena” (see article on Aotearoa New Zealand) and opposing the Declaration. Other country reports once again testify to the extreme vulnerability of indigenous peoples’ lives in all corners of the world. Readers of The Indigenous World 2007 can hardly doubt the desperate need indigenous peoples have for special protection of their rights in the form of a Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Political killings and criminalization of indigenous protests

The threats and abuses experienced by indigenous peoples in 2006 were manifold. The Indigenous World 2007 bears witness to abuses ranging from oppression of indigenous cultures and practices to outright persecution of indigenous rights activists, criminalization of indigenous peoples’ movements and protests, and even political killings. In the Philippines, in 2006 alone, at least 26 indigenous rights activists were killed, supposedly in an extra-judicial move by the government to suppress growing protest against the president. In India, a large number of tribals are killed by the security forces every year, often in connection with the forcible acquisition of their lands for industrial projects. In early January 2006, 14 tribals were killed by police in Orissa while protesting against a large steel plant taking over their land. The authorities in both countries failed to investigate the killings properly.

In his report to the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples, Mr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, pointed to the criminalization of indigenous movements as one of the particularly problematic trends in recent years. He also highlighted the fact that many of the indigenous protest movements that are facing criminal charges are focussed around defending their ancestral territories. With growing pressure on indigenous peoples’ lands and territories, brought about by the global market’s increased consumption of natural resources, indigenous peoples have no means of survival other than protesting and defending their livelihood base. States, on the other hand, respond with disproportionate force, justifying their actions with a rhetoric that criminalizes indigenous protest movements.

Lifestyles under pressure

While the political killings are but the tip of the iceberg, indigenous lifestyles are under pressure in a broad sense in all parts of the world. National policies are failing to protect indigenous peoples’ vulnerable situations, and government programmes of various sorts are even undermining their socio-cultural survival as peoples. As in Laos, for example, where the resettling of indigenous hill villages to lowland areas and alongside roads continued in 2006 despite heavy criticism from NGOs and international agencies, who have documented the social disintegration this causes. Or in Africa, where indigenous pastoralist and hunter-gatherer lifestyles also fall outside the dominant paradigm of production and are thus largely ignored by government policies. In Tanzania, for example, a new Livestock Policy seeks to transform pastoralists into “modern”, settled livestock keepers, in total disregard of the fundamental economic contribution of pastoralism to the Tanzanian economy and food production.

On another level, this ignorance and lack of protection opens the path for extractive industries such as oil and gas developers, mining industries, logging companies, agribusinesses, etc. to operate on indigenous peoples’ territories as if they were no-man’s land. In Central Africa, logging companies exploit forest resources to such an extent that the indigenous forest communities’ survival is being threatened. The same is reported from Amazonas, where some indigenous organizations in Peru are now arguing that the forest would be better protected if areas currently designated as natural parks but, in reality, forming a basis for widespread illegal logging were instead included in the adjacent communal territories of indigenous peoples. The people in voluntary isolation are not the least to suffer increasingly from the presence of illegal loggers who undermine their livelihood base, driving them off their land and further into the interior. In South-east Asia, agribusinesses such as oil palm plantations pose a serious threat to indigenous communities’ livelihood base, cultural integrity and survival.

Indigenous voices are being heard

On a more positive note, it can also be seen that The Indigenous World 2007 offers many positive examples of the way in which indigenous organizations’ mobilization and coordination has had positive effects over the past year. While there is still a long way to go, as the above examples of very real threats to indigenous cultures and livelihoods suggest, governments, state administrations, national and international courts, inter-governmental agencies and, in some cases, even business corporations operating on indigenous territories are becoming increasingly aware of the need to respect indigenous peoples’ rights to existence and cultural integrity. Ever more policies promoting indigenous peoples’ well-being and protecting their rights are being adopted by governments, inter-state agencies and business corporations. Ever more court cases are being won by indigenous organizations, who have taken state administrations or private companies to court for violating their fundamental rights. And ever more private corporations operating on indigenous territories are realizing that these lands are not no-man’s land but living peoples’ homes and livelihood bases. Examples of these trends are many in The Indigenous World 2007, and the following are just a few examples.

In Botswana, where a court case on the relocation of San hunter-gatherers from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve has been ongoing for a couple of years now, a High Court ruling in December 2006 stated that the removal of people and denial of their land and subsistence rights in the Central Kalahari was unlawful. This was a remarkable victory for the San and for the legal system of Botswana, which demonstrated the independence of the judiciary with this unexpected ruling. In Argentina, the Lhaka Honhat, who have fought for title to their traditional territory for years, had their case admitted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, thus taking a great step forward in their struggle. And in terms of relations between the extractive industries and indigenous peoples, the reports from Sakhalin in Russia and the North West Territories of Arctic Canada are interesting: in both cases indigenous communities have managed to get a seat at the negotiating table and obtain some sort of compensation (Sakhalin) or profit sharing agreements (North West Territories) with oil companies operating on their territories.

At the level of national politics there is exciting news too. In Bolivia, in Evo Morales’ first year since taking presidential office, discussions on the drafting of a new constitution have started. In 2006, indigenous and peasant organizations joined forces and mobilized support to provide input to the constitutional discussions, which seek to reform the monocultural state in the direction of a multicultural one. Nepal took the first steps towards a similar process with the people’s uprising in spring 2006, which resulted in the King’s withdrawal from absolute power and the reinstatement of Parliament. In the ongoing political discussions on the future of the Nepali state, the issue of indigenous nationalities’ self-determination is high on the agenda.

New feature of The Indigenous World

As a new feature, the country reports in this year’s edition of The Indigenous World include introductory text boxes with basic information on who the indigenous peoples in each particular country are, and what their situation is (socio-economic and / or legal protection of their rights). Compiling this information has not been an easy task, and many authors have been frustrated at the lack of available data. This lack of data is, of course, an important message in itself, as it reflects the level of ignorance indigenous peoples are confronted with on the part of state administrations. Apart from the consequences for their livelihood, examples of which we have seen above, the fact that they are rendered so invisible has serious implications for their basic human rights. In some countries, this invisibility takes an extreme form, as in Thailand, where indigenous highland peoples are denied citizenship registration and thus deprived of access to social services, proper school certificates, and so on.

Apart from the new introductions, the format and style of the book remains much the same as in past editions. It is our hope that this continuity in our reporting makes the book a resource that readers will want to consult time and again.

We would also like to take this opportunity to mention that we have previously had comments from readers who find our geographical organization of the book’s contents inappropriate. The aim of the book is to offer a space to indigenous writers and advocates to present developments and important events in 2006 as seen from an indigenous angle. A number of country reports presented here therefore take their point of departure as ethnographic regions rather than following strict state boundaries. This is in accordance with indigenous peoples’ world-view and cultural identification which, in many cases, cuts across state borders.

Conclusion

Finally, we would like to use the few remaining lines to express our sincere hope that 2007 will be the year in which the indigenous peoples of the world finally achieve the adoption of the UN Declaration on their rights. This book bears resounding testimony to the fact that the world’s indigenous peoples clearly need a Declaration that addresses their special and particularly vulnerable situation.

It is our hope that indigenous organizations and activists will find The Indigenous World 2007 a source of inspiration for their continuing work and mobilization; that scholars and professionals working in one way or another on issues of concern to indigenous peoples will find it a useful tool for gaining an overview and insights into the developments and events of 2006 in particular countries and at the international level. And, last but not least, that governments will listen to the voices of the many, many writers who are here sharing their concerns about the situation indigenous peoples live in, and the pathetic level of protection of rights they enjoy, with the consequence of a loss of life and dignity. It is our sincere hope that governments will listen to these voices and make 2007 the year the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples obtains its final adoption by the UN General Assembly.

Sille Stidsen

Editor

April 2007

This article is part of the 21st edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2007 in full here

Tags: Global governance, Human rights, IWGIA Report