Indigenous Peoples

Last updated October 16th 2019

Comic from Nanette Henry on intergenerational wealth and poverty, need suggestions on how to improve and make the information more understandable. Intergenerational wealth also includes things like education, Jim can send Bob to school to become a lawyer , now in a higher paying job bobs kids can now also access education etc and build up from that.

October 16th 2019

Reclaiming Indigenous Governance

Reflections and Insights from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States

Reclaiming Indigenous Governance examines the efforts of Indigenous peoples in four important countries to reclaim their right to self-govern. Showcasing Native nations, this timely book presents diverse perspectives of both practitioners and researchers involved in Indigenous governance in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (the CANZUS states). More here

October 16th 2019

Bishop laments closure of indigenous schools in southern Philippines

The Department of Education (DepEd) in Davao on October 8 ordered the permanent closure of 55 Lumad schools in Davao area. The decision came four months after the agency suspended their operations for their alleged links to the Communist Party of the Philippines and the rebel group of the New People's Army (NPA). DepEd also said that the schools run by Salugpungan Ta’Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Centers also failed to meet government requirements and hiring unauthorised teachers. More here

9 August 2019 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

2019 Theme: Indigenous languages.

There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world's population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.

The impact of mining on Indigenous Peoples. A Toolkit from the Future We Need.

DIGGING AT OUR CONSCIENCE - Low Res.pdf

August 9th is a day for the international community to rally behind the UN's Declaration of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. While every human being deserves dignity and equal treatment every day, let us today commit ourselves to better understanding the specific ways in which native peoples have been disproportionately affected by colonization and discrimination, in order to find ways both close to and far from home to get involved in ending the discrimination the world's indigenous peoples face on a daily basis.

A statement on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Land from Indigenous Peoples and local communities* from 42 countries spanning 76% of the world’s tropical forests

More here August 8th 2019

And from Australia

Happy International Day of the World's Indigenous peoples brothers and sisters. This years theme is 'Indigenous Languages' highlighting the important need to revitalise, preserve, and promote Indigenous languages. We mustn’t forget language is not just spoken its written in books and into sands of our nations by many of our peoples it can also be an unspoken connection and understanding of communication between First Nations people and country #IYIL2019 #IndigenousLanguages #culture #country

#INDIGENOUSPEOPLES As part of our International Presentation Association commitments we advocate for all indigenous peoples and their rights. The Theme of this World Indigenous Day is Indigenous Languages as although indigenous peoples represent only a small fraction of the world population they speak the majority of languages present and many of these are endangered.

And from Canada we can see some of the detail that may be unknown to us.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE LIVE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE SUFFERING FROM EVICTION, VIOLENCE, EXCLUSION, DISCRIMINATION AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT, LEADING TO POVERTY, HEALTH ISSUES, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR CULTURES.

Did you Know?

Definition of Indigenous Peoples

Although no definitive definition of "indigenous peoples" exists, the United Nations and the International Labour Organization have outlined a few characteristics that usually define an Indigenous group. Indigenous peoples typically have in common that they....

- Are descendants of the pre-colonial/pre-invasion inhabitants of their region.

- Maintain a close tie to their land in both their cultural and economic practices.

- Suffer from economic and political marginalization as a minority group.

- Define themselves as Indigenous.

Colonisation and the implementation of privatisation policies have had a profound effect on the economic practices of many communities: native peoples are disproportionately affected by resource-intensive and resource-extractive industries.

While indigenous groups account for 5% of the world’s population, they represent 15% of the world’s poor and 30% of the world's extremely poor rural people.

These statistics have the secondary debilitating effect of constraining our perspective of native peoples to "poor people," which typically evokes pity or may take agency away from the person/group being discussed.

Less discussed are the many ways in which native communities and cultures are richer and more holistic than "Western" cultures, or about how native activists are working within the Western legal system every day to find solutions to the problems their groups face.

Prayer for the Indigenous Peoples

Pope says indigenous people must have final say about their land

Francis echoes growing body of international law and standards on the right to ‘prior and informed consent’

Francis, the first Pope from Latin America, struck a rather different note - for indigenous peoples around the world, for land rights, for better environmental stewardship. He said publicly that indigenous peoples have the right to “prior and informed consent.” In other words, nothing should happen on - or impact - their land, territories and resources unless they agree to it.

“I believe that the central issue is how to reconcile the right to development, both social and cultural, with the protection of the particular characteristics of indigenous peoples and their territories,” said Francis, according to an English version of his speech released by the Vatican’s press office. More here

June 11th

Up to 4,000 Indigenous women are killed or missing in Canada, while in the US they face murder rates up to 10 times higher than the national average

The widespread killings and disappearances of indigenous women and girls in Canada constitute a “race-based genocide” that has claimed as many as 4,000 victims in the past 30 years, according to a landmark report released this week. The crisis is not confined to Canada: indigenous women and girls in the US face estimated murder rates up to 10 times higher than the national average, and there is no comprehensive, federal database tracking cases related to the epidemic. More here

Activists and tribal members will take part in a relay bike ride across the US and Canada that begins on Saturday. Photograph: Olivier Touron/Divergence-images

Saving the Forest June 4th

Indigenous peoples are the best guardians of the forest; where they have strong rights more forests remain standing and biodiversity is protected. While we are now officially in the Sixth Mass Extinction, World Bank research in 2016 showed that indigenous peoples make up 5% of the world’s population but safeguard 80% of the world’s biodiversity.

As nations struggle to meet the Paris Climate Change Agreement to limit average global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees celsius, Indigenous peoples and the forests they protect are a ready-made climate change solution.

They have 5 demands:

Recognition to Land, Territories and Resources
Consent
Zero Violence
Direct Funding
Ancestral Knowledge More here

Indigenous matriarchs stand together in dark times June 4th

A group of eight North American Indigenous elder women, weathered in front-line resistance, fluent in their languages and rich in traditional teachings, have joined forces to protect the sacred knowledge needed for future generations to face a climate in crisis.

The Spirit Aligned Leadership Program chose the eight women from over 200 applicants, from across North America, naming them as Legacy Leaders, acknowledging their lifelong commitments to their cultures and communities. It is the second circle of legacy leaders who will participate in the fellowship intended to strengthen their sisterhood, share their life teachings, and plan pathways forward. More here

Wearing war paint, with a red hand across her mouth, signifying the lack of voice for the Indigenous women who are being trafficked across Canada, Vanessa Ambtman-Smith was at the silent protest in front of Atlohsa Family Healing Services on Richmond Street in London. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press) More here

Nature better off with indigenous people, indicates global report

More here

March 30th 2019 Australia

Indigenous suicide: 35 dead in three months, including three 12-year-old children

Eight have been in the past week, according to the National Indigenous. This year, almost half of Australia’s child suicides have been of First Nations children. It is an indictment of this nation. Nearly all First Nations suicides are of people living below the poverty line, more here

March 30th 2019

Indigenous suicide: Travellers in Ireland

The suicide rate within the Traveller community is six times higher than that of the wider society in Ireland.

The statistic has been released to mark the launch of a network lobbying for improved mental health services for Travellers. More here

March 20th

Today is International Day of Forests, a perfect time to recognize the essential role of healthy forests in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including securing livelihoods, providing clean water, protecting biodiversity and meeting our climate goals. It is also a perfect time to recognize the critical importance of indigenous land rights. More here

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM LAUNCH OF ‘MAKING A KILLING’ REPORT here

March 17th

Indigenous peoples are not against development. It should be based on their own development.

The Trócaire Making a Killing Policy Document can be downloaded here.

Trócaire’s 2019 Lenten Appeal urges support for people left landless in the developing world

Launching the organisation’s 2019 Lenten Appeal, Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra warned that the corporate race for natural resources has put millions of people around the world at risk of exploitation and abuse.

MAKING A KILLING

In the Royal College of Physicians Kildare Street Dublin 2

March 5^th 2019

The very last sentence at this meeting is probably the most hard-hitting:

Companies must employ the same standard of Human Rights in Africa, Asia and South America that they adhere rigidly to in Europe. It’s that simple.

Caoimhe de Barra CEO Trocaire spoke first Making a Killing Holding Corporations To Account and explained that Trocaire are reporting on an Iron Ore Company that has yet to compensate those who have been killed in the bursting of dams. Human Rights defenders are being murdered as they try to defend their community’s rights and our global resources. Land is being curtailed and pastoral rights are being walked on and human rights are being dispened with.

6 times size of Ireland (in terms of land size) has been appropriated since 2000 for exploitation by big corporations. What of control of land and water have the indigenous peoples? The rights of the indigenous are trampled. The UN explains that there should be due diligence before the purchase of lands asking that all would do an impact survey on the indigenous peoples and their lifestyle beforehand. Ireland has a strength in promoting the gender rights of all indigenous involved and in promoting the work of the activists. In France they have gone one step further mandating all corporations to do their due diligence when it comes to the purchase of lands abroad. We can no longer rely on the voluntary codes in operation at this point. We need legislation.

Rapporteur on RIghts of the Indigenous (Victoria Tauli-Corpuz) the spoke raising the ponts below.

Worked in Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, Finland...
Met with large corporations these countries.
Since 1970s Indigenous Peoples have been put at the verge of physical extinction.
Nothing has Changed today.
State forces and private security companies enforce rule and change but not the law
Criminalising the indigenous communities as they stand up for their rights is a favoured way of bringing the indigenous to submission.
Logging, Mining and land clearing affects the indigenous peoples hugely.
Profits always benefit foreign investors with no care for the indigenous and this further marginalises the indigenous peoples.
Escalation of attacks against the Indigenous are in pursuit of profit are commonplace.
There is a global pattern of disregard for the indigenous peoples.
There is little or no consultation with indigenous peoples.
Corporations undermine and ignore indigenous decisions.
Sometimes even the government collude to cover up the murder of activists in an effort to corruptly benefit.
Indigenous peoples are being accused of being anti-progress.
They have been threatened, bullied, falsely accused, murdered and displaced.
Companies often ignore judicial orders to cease and desist and continue with their exploitation.
Some activists have been falsely charged and jailed to keep them from activism, eg. Trespassing or civil disorder and many who are jailed are kept hundreds of km away from home.
Activists are being portrayed as criminals (Guatemala) and even success in the courts will not guarantee freedom. Courts often collude.
Laws are regularly passed that mitigate the rights of the indigenous peoples.
Hate Speech and Racism e.g. portraying indigenous peoples as gang members and terrorists.
Women are often targeted as dishonourable and against the indigenous traditions by being activists.
The issues at stake are global and so the response should be global.
We need stronger instruments to protect.
Indigenous peoples are too often left without remedies.
Hopelessness is a fertile ground for the exploitation of the indigenous peoples and so this is the aim of the corporations: to bring about a sense of complete hopelessness.
SDG 13 Responsible Consumption and Production must be adhered to. (see panel below)
There needs to be binding rules, treaties, laws, fairness.
What of the role of the state.
They have an obligation to look after their own citizens.
An international Instrument would be very welcome and could back up the state helfully.
The government of Ireland should support this Human Rights Trocaire Campaign.
There is a need for all governments to take a stand.

Examples from the report:

Dam protest against Canadian Company. Thousands came to meeting to protest. Photos of those who were murdered by the corporations against whom they protest.

Photos of gas flares in the amazon where the Chinese have been exploiting.

_____________

Siobhan Kearn Author of the Report spoke next.

How to hold corporations to account?
There is a gap in human rights legislation and protections for the Indigenous peoples.
Displacement pushes indigenous peoples and especially women into further poverty.
Reports of regular evictions (one hour to leave) and homes and possessions were burnt are commonplace.
Tin Mining in Myanmar has caused displacement, pollution, illness and murder of activists.
1400 activists have been killed in recent years (318 in 2018)
Attacks against women Human Rights Defenders are often not counted among the statistics.
By Criminalising the activists, they are slowed, disempowered, worn down, frightened.
There is also the erosion of Civil Society space.
States are duty bearers and must stand firm against those corporations who work across states.
It can be difficult to hold parent companies to account.
In 2016 a mining company filed a complaint against the Guatemalan State against lost profits they feel are as a direct result of indigenous activism. This is happening more and more and not only does the law allow it but they win out and claim millions.
Trocaire wants mandatory Human Rights due diligence by all Irish Companies who work in the lands of Indigenous Peoples
Ireland should defend this position in all international fora.

Comments / Questions

We need to advocate for the need for coherence and we are putting trade agreements ahead of the rights of people. We need to be assured that we leave no-one behind with the SDGs. We have a climate emergency and still we permit resource exploitation.
We must remind ourselves that the indigenous way of life is being portrayed as being counter the progress of countries.
The further protection of human rights needs strengthening legislation and constant oversight.
Ireland has a role within it’s National Implementation Plan (SDGs) to protect the Indigenous Peoples.
As a first step indigenous peoples must be consulted especially around the issue of climate change. Often it is the Indigenous Peoples who push for climate mitigation.
This report is about the respect for democratic space.
How can we be in solidarity indigenous groups?
Human Rights must to the forefront in terms of trade agreements.
In many cases where there is dispute the settlements nearly always fall in favour of the corporations it’s a case of the Fox looking after the chickens.
Corporations are colonising by a different manner and land grabbing is alive and well.
Australian aborigines are now looking towards the state to put in place strategies that will empower and protect land and rights. The government are stalling, We must remember that it was as late as 1969 that Aborigines were seen as human. Up to this they were seen as part of the “flora and fauna”.
Parliamentarians must protest and do so loudly.

Fionuala Ni Aolain special rapporteur on terrorism also has a role to play.

The report can be downloaded here

From World Report Feb 17th 2019

. Canadian parliamentarians have now moved to protect indigenous languages by having them translated in the House of Commons. Many complain that indigenous languages are not being taught in school and so will eventually die out. 200,000 speak indigenous languages where as the other 35 Million people speak English and French the official languages of Canada. Listen to the full 5 Minute report here.

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