Press conference by PARTNERSHIP FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ ENVIRONMENT

The first non-governmental organization Internet portal for indigenous peoples worldwide would be launched in Conference Room 4, United Nations Headquarters, at 6 p.m. on 26 May, Goodluck Diigbo, President of the Partnership for Indigenous Peoples’ Environment (PIPE), said this afternoon.

At a press conference sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations, he said that the idea for the project -- known as the Partnership Electronic Communication System (PECS) –- had originated in 2002 with PIPE’s wish to produce a directory of indigenous peoples under the sponsorship of the Ford Foundation in New York.  The first expectation for the project was to ease communication with indigenous people, as well as to give them an avenue to explain their situations, issues and positions on such contentious questions as wealth and resource control; self-determination; denial of human rights and basic freedoms; and the right to land and the use of indigenous languages.  That would ensure that indigenous peoples became more visible electronically.

He said that a second, longer-term, expectation was that the project would create a climate of peaceful coexistence, which was necessary for peace and security in the world, pointing out that there were disputes involving indigenous peoples, governments and corporations in more than 30 countries.  The launch event would be used to demonstrate the PECS technology and would be attended by indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.  Government representatives and people from all walks of life were also expected.  The launch would feature musical entertainment portraying the journey of indigenous peoples from bondage to freedom and a video presentation of important indigenous issues.

Significantly, the event was taking place alongside the ongoing fourth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, he said.  The mandate of the Permanent Forum, an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council, was to discuss indigenous issues relating to culture, economic and social development, education, the environment, health and human rights.  PECS would take that mandate to the next level by extending the dialogue beyond United Nations Headquarters, making available the opportunity to follow up issues brought to the Permanent Forum.  Before now, there had been no opportunity for indigenous peoples to share their experiences once they returned home from New York.

Many indigenous peoples had been suffering in silence, with no outlet to voice their concerns, he said.  In some cases, the media, international institutions and non-governmental organizations became aware of their predicament only after irreparable damage had been done.  That would change in the future because PIPE would constantly make the feelings and situations of indigenous peoples known by posting messages on the PECS website.

He said that PIPE, founded in 1993, was headquartered in New York and had 240 affiliate bodies at the national and local levels.  It planned to hold a workshop in September 2005 to train the trainers for the PECS project.  More information on PIPE could be obtained from www.pipeorg.com or www.pipeorgg.com.

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