Press conference on indigenous issues

 

Indigenous people must not be forgotten, discriminated against or marginalized in the efforts to achieve the Millennium Goals, because development was linked to the issues of territory, natural resources, good governance and democracy, correspondents were told at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

Speaking to the press were new members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues:  Nina Pacari of Ecuador; William Langeveldt of South Africa (Khoe-san); and Mick Dodson from Australia (Yawuru).

Ms. Pacari addressed the situation in the Andes, saying that, despite advances in the socio-economic development of indigenous peoples in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, there had been serious setbacks in the application of their rights.  In particular, there were infringements of their rights in the areas of natural resources management and control of their territories, and many government policies affected them in a negative way.  For example, measures to combat illicit crops and halt drug trafficking in Colombia did not take into consideration the traditional crops of indigenous peoples.  That represented a violation of their human rights, and affected the quality of water, destroyed their livelihoods and affected their health.  In many cases, they were displaced from their territories.

The leaders of the movement that resisted the Government’s actions were detained and accused of being “terrorists”, she continued; it was a serious problem, for a social movement became identified with terrorism.  It was important to call the attention of the Permanent Forum to the situation in the Andes.

The Forum also presented an opportunity to draw international attention to the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) -– to be signed soon –- which would affect the indigenous peoples of the region.  For example, its notions of intellectual property and biodiversity were linked to the interests of transnational pharmaceutical companies.  The governments of the region needed to engage in direct consultations with indigenous peoples in order to ensure full respect for their rights.

Mr. Langeveldt of South Africa (Khoe-san) appealed to the authorities in Botswana to halt the forceful eviction of the San people from their ancestral land and allow them to live their natural lives as they had done for thousands of years.

He explained that, while his people had made some progress in getting back their land in southern Africa, a serious problem remained in Botswana -- the neighbouring country -- where the San people were forcefully removed from the Kalahari Nature Reserve.  The real reason for their eviction was “the greediness of the rich”, because diamonds had been found in the Reserve.  Now, they lived in a village constructed by the Botswana Government as a temporary measure.  History had shown that forceful displacement of a people from their natural habitat led to irreparable psychological and cultural damage.  Their alienation from their traditional way of life caused serious social problems, including abuse of alcohol and drugs, and domestic violence.

He also addressed the issue of the Hoodia plant, a traditional resource of the San, which had been patented by a European pharmaceutical corporation and marketed as a diet pill.  When that company was sued, an out-of-court settlement was reached which allowed the affected community to benefit from its own indigenous knowledge.

Mr. Dodson from Australia (Yawuru) said that participants of the Forum were very concerned about a new operational policy on indigenous peoples, announced recently by the World Bank.  The policy tied Bank-funded projects to be funded by the Bank to “free prior informed consultation”, but contained no requirement that the Bank and borrower respect indigenous peoples’ right to free prior informed consent.  He urged the Bank to reverse its position and adopt the latter policy as its underlying approach to indigenous issues.

Implicit in the “free prior informed consent” term was the right to say no to projects, he continued.  That was not implicit in the Bank’s current policy, its only safeguard being the need to ensure “broad community support”.  However, the policy did not contain a definition of such support.  Did that mean 51, 70 or 90 per cent? he asked.  For that reason, the Bank should abandon the policy of “free prior informed consultation”.

Asked if they were satisfied with the outcome of the Forum’s current session, the speakers stressed its great importance for the exchange of views and dialogue between indigenous peoples’ representatives, governments and the international community on the whole.  Ms. Pacari said that great political will was required for the implementation of indigenous peoples’ rights, and more interactive dialogue with governments was required.

Mr. Langeveldt said that, as a new member of the Forum, he had learned how the United Nations system worked.  All participants had been very supportive of the Forum and the way forward.  Much had been accomplished during the session, but much still remained to be done “to turn things around”.

On the Botswana issue, he said he had met with South Africa’s Ambassador and a representative of the Botswana Government.  In dealing with conflict, mediation was needed to bring the parties together, he said, adding that, through dialogue, it would be possible to find common ground and resolve the problem.

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