IPs neglected in finding soultions to global warming

Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation

INFORMATION SHARING

Any interested person can contact the concerned institution based on the information provided

Category: Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples Date: 18 September 2008

As international institutions and global leaders try to find solutions to global warming, they have neglected to bring Indigenous people to the table. Your support is needed to tell the World Bank to consult Indigenous people on climate change now!

The World Bank is hosting a "Global Forests Leaders" forum this week in Washington, D.C. to discuss global warming and threats to the world's forests. This meeting exemplifies the systematic exclusion of representative Indigenous leaders by international institutions. While hundreds of people - including representatives of corporations like Walmart, Weyerhaeuser and Citi - were invited, only ONE representative of a democratically elected Indigenous organization from the Amazon was asked to come. This is not acceptable, considering that the Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and home to more than 300 Indigenous nations.

Meanwhile, the World Bank is moving towards the implementation of new plans for the future of the world's forests without the knowledge or consent of the Indigenous peoples who own and protect these forests. Support Indigenous peoples by sending a letter to the World Bank now!

The Amazon plays a vital role in stabilizing global weather patterns and mitigating climate change. It also supports the greatest biological diversity on the planet. Indigenous people have been stewards of the world's forests for millennia, yet their concerns about global climate change are virtually ignored at international meetings and by international institutions like the World Bank.

Send this letter to the World Bank to demand proper participation and consultation of Indigenous people and their organizations on climate policy that will affect the future of the world's forests.

In solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters,

Leila Salazar-Lopez
Rainforest Agribusiness Campaign Director

http://ga3.org/campaign/world_bank

Who we are

The Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia or Jaringan Orang Asal Se-Malaysia (JOAS) is the umbrella network for 21 community-based non-governmental organisations that have indigenous peoples’ issues as the focus. As the focal point for indigenous rights and advocacy in Malaysia, JOAS provides the indigenous communities with representation not just nationally but regionally and internationally as well.

Nationally, it has been at the forefront of advocating and upholding the Orang Asal’s strong attachment to their traditional lands and in calling for the protection and conservation of the biodiversity and natural resources found in these areas. JOAS has organised at least two national multi-stakeholder conferences on biodiversity and indigenous rights, and was also the local host for the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) during the CBD-COP7 conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Several of JOAS’s members have also been involved in direct conservation or resource management activities on their own accord or with support from agencies like the UNDP Small Grants Projects and other funding agencies. In most of these activities, cooperation with government agencies and environmental groups were an integral component.

JOAS collectively, and some of its members individually, also engage actively with regional indigenous organisations – especially that of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) – and have actively participated in various international environmental fora including the CBD, UNPFII, IUCN and UNFCCC. In collaboration with AIPP and IWGIA, JOAS and its members have conducted various projects and programmes, some of which are still ongoing such as the Community Management Learning Network (CMLN), Training on community mapping, Research and documentation on Indigenous Systems of Resource Management and various workshops and trainings on aspects deemed important to indigenous and ecological survival.

Official Media Release: Indigenous Peoples Prevented from Meeting Agung

Media Release

13 September 2008
FINAL

Indigenous Peoples Prevented from Meeting Agung

Kuala Lumpur – Exactly one year after the United Nations General Assembly, which includes Malaysia, approved the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP), the Orang Asal (Indigenous Peoples) of the nation were prevented from going to the palace to present a memorandum to DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agung. At 10:30am, over a hundred indigenous peoples were met at the start of their march by the Polis Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Police) who prevented them from walking and threatened the leaders with arrest. Denied their rights, the representatives of JOAS instead read out the memorandum to members of the media at a hastily convened press conference.

Mark Bujang, Executive Director of Borneo Resources Institute (BRIMAS), stated that the police had been aware of the group’s intention to present DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agung with a memorandum and that the Royal Palace had consented to receive the memorandum. Despite the willingness of our King to accept the memorandum, the Royal Malaysian Police decided to prevent the act from taking place.

The memorandum in question calls for the Government of Malaysia to honor its agreement to uphold the rights of the DRIP. These rights include the right to self-determination, the recognition of the separate identity and culture of the indigenous peoples and the recognition of customary land.

“With this memorandum, we are asking the Malaysian government for the rights due to us, the indigenous peoples. We are asking for recognition of our identity as indigenous peoples and to implement, at a local and national level, the rights embodied in the DRIP,” said Adrian Lasimbang, Chair of JOAS. He added later, “We had intended to sign this document before its handover at the Palace, however since we are prevented from delivering the document, we cannot carry out our intention.”

The Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia, which includes Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia, Anak Negeri of Sabah and Dayak/Orang Ulu of Sarawak have had long histories of struggle with state and federal governments to recognise their collective rights. Issues of land conflicts, resettlement, government interference in local leadership and the authorities’ reluctance to accept the separate and distinct cultural and spiritual traditions of the indigenous peoples have led to the marginalisation of indigenous peoples, making us the poorest and most vulnerable groups in Malaysia, despite the nation’s much touted economic policy of uplifting the ‘bumiputera’ (sons of the soil).

At the press conference, Tijah Yok Chopil, spoke eloquently of Orang Asli’s long struggle to get recognition of their rights and their right to be able to decide on issues affecting Orang Asli. “If there is to be a body that governs affairs of Indigenous Peoples,” she said, “it should be made up of Indigenous Peoples.” The federal Department of Orang Asli Affairs is not led by Orang Asli nor are Orang Asli involved in the decision-making of the Department’s programmes.

JOAS project coordinator Sean Rubis said, “The indigenous peoples continue to struggle to get their voices and issues heard and today’s incident is a reminder that these voices are continually being silenced. JOAS will continue to provide a platform for a united indigenous voice and we will continue to educate our peoples and the general public of our rights.”

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About JOAS
The Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (or Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia, JOAS) is the umbrella network for 21 organisations throughout Malaysia that represents different indigenous peoples’ organisations and communities. As the focal point for indigenous rights and advocacy in Malaysia, JOAS provides the indigenous communities with representation nationally, regionally and internationally.

The Orang Asal or indigenous peoples of Malaysia consist of more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups, each with its own culture, language and territory that number about 4 million, or about 15 per cent of the national population. Orang Asal of Malaysia remain among the poorest groups in the nation, a manifestation of our marginalisation and disenfranchment from the mainstream society on account of the non-recognition of our rights as contained in both national and international customary law.

For more information on this media release and for further assistance on stories related to indigenous peoples issues, please contact Jennifer Rubis at jennaiel@gmail.com

Official Media Release: Police Denies Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Meet Agung

Media Release

12 September 2008
Police Denies Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Meet Agung

Kuala Lumpur – The planned handover of a memorandum on indigenous peoples’ rights was today dealt a minor setback when the police denied a permit for the Orang Asal (indigenous peoples) to walk to Royal Palace to meet DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agung. This, despite the Palace permitting the handover of the memorandum to take place.

“We had previously been in touch with the police to inform them of our plans,” said Sean Rubis, JOAS coordinator, “and this afternoon they told us that they would not grant us a permit. We are currently appealing the decision as the Palace has promised to receive the memorandum.”

The participants, however, are determined to walk together as indigenous peoples and collectively present the King with the memorandum which calls for the government to implement the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples as set out in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP). These rights include the right to self-determination, the right to recognition and control of customary land and resources, the right to self-governance and the rights to freedom of religion – rights that indigenous peoples across the nation have seen violated.

The march will go on as planned on 13 September 2008, at 10:00 am, starting from Jalan Ton Tan Cheng Loek, near Central Market.

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About JOAS
The Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (or Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia, JOAS) is the umbrella network for 21 organisations throughout Malaysia that represents different indigenous peoples’ organisations and communities. As the focal point for indigenous rights and advocacy in Malaysia, JOAS provides the indigenous communities with representation nationally, regionally and internationally.

The Orang Asal or indigenous peoples of Malaysia consist of more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups, each with its own culture, language and territory that number about 4 million, or about 15 per cent of the national population. Orang Asal of Malaysia remain among the poorest groups in the nation, a manifestation of our marginalisation and disenfranchment from the mainstream society on account of the non-recognition of our rights as contained in both national and international customary law.

For more information please contact: Jennifer Rubis at jennaiel@gmail.com