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Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indigenous leaders at UNPFII underscore the need for genuine consent
This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. B. 'Toastie' OysterHigh Country News Biopiracy, women's safety and critical mineral mining were all hot topics at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this year, but none of them took up quite as much space as the matter of consent and related rights. Roughly a third of the forum's panel discussions dealt with implementing the U.N. standards of Indigenous rights in nations that sometimes recognize those rights willingly but frequently ignore them. A few of the panels were specifically about the Indigenous right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to decisions that impact tribal people or lands. The U.N. listed its standards of Indigenous rights in the 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) — 46 articles that include the rights to ancestral land and self-determination. Some member nations, like Bolivia, have used this declaration as the basis for national laws. Others, like the United States, have lagged behind in implementing or even recognizing the declaration and the rights it describes. Since the Permanent Forum was established in 2002, said Forum Chair Aluki Kotierk (Inuit), the U.N. has made significant strides — adopting UNDRIP, for example —- but the on-the-ground reality has been slow to change. 'Let us be honest: Progress remains uneven,' Kotierk said, addressing the forum during its opening day. And even that progress, she added, is often merely symbolic. When global Indigenous leaders and other experts broke out into smaller groups to discuss their communities' biggest issues, FPIC was on the table. Here's a look at what some leaders had to say. Albert Barume, United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples: At a panel called 'Implementing FPIC Across the Regions,' which was hosted by the Native American Rights Fund, Barume said consent is at the center of Indigenous peoples' rights. But its purpose, he added, is to safeguard other rights. 'Free, prior and informed consent is a mechanism to redress one of the key environmental and historical injustices Indigenous people have been going through for generations,' Barume said: other people deciding things for them. This specific kind of racism violates the right to self-determination, a right Barume called 'pretty self-evident,'along with the right to racial non-discrimination. Substantive rights like these, as well as the rights to land and water, are what FPIC is meant to protect. 'It's like a gatekeeper,' Barume said. 'It's like putting a fence around substantive rights.' Fawn Sharp (Quinalt), former National Council of American Indians president and former vice president of the Quinault Indian Nation: Sharp said in a panel examining 'The Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Context of Just Transition Economy' that climate change presents an opportunity for the rest of the world to align with Indigenous worldviews. She noted that when it comes to environmental care, Indigenous people are far outperforming others, even with little to no resources. 'Imagine what Indigenous people could do with resources,' she said. 'I see a world transitioning to a trajectory that Indigenous people have been on since the beginning of time,' she added. 'The world is desperate for truth. The world is desperate for solutions that are timeless and proven… Only Indigenous people have that knowledge.'In another panel, Sharp said that after years of unsuccessfully pushing state and federal lawmakers to recognize FPIC, she is now working to implement it in the private sector. Elected officials, while unwilling to support Indigenous rights, she said, are beholden to corporate interests – and companies have fiscal and reputational incentives to respect FPIC. Malih Ole Kaunga (Laikipia Maasai), executive director of IMPACT: Consent has become a buzzword because in practice it remains minimal, Kaunga said, adding that governments and companies typically just want to tick the box and move on: 'They want to demonstrate that it happened.' But he said consent shouldn't stop there. 'You can do an FPIC continuously,' he said with a hint of a smile. Continuous consent would require governments and corporations to check in with Indigenous communities throughout the life of a project, according to the needs of the community. FPIC protocols are too often externally imposed on Indigenous communities, even though every community has its own needs and cultural norms. 'There are certain laws that are practiced — they are not written,' Kaunga said. Ideally, FPIC protocols would spring from individual communities, taking the shape that works best for them, rather than being applied from the outside in a uniform way. He added that Kenyan courts have been progressive in applying FPIC, and that the process is intense and has resulted in halting several development projects. 'Free, prior and informed consent is a minimum,' he said. 'It's embedded in peoples' lives and cultures and identities.' Christine Croc (Q'eqchi Maya), spokesperson for the Maya Leaders Alliance: FPIC protocols are merely instruments, Croc said, and can only be transformative if they are owned and operated by Indigenous people themselves. If the state alone develops FPIC protocols, she added, it undermines Indigenous ways of governance, engagement and decision-making, which can cause irreparable harm. 'States often do not understand Indigenous peoples' rights under international law,' she said. The Maya of Belize developed their own FPIC protocols in 2014 in response to encroachment by extractive industry and the state. The state tried to file its own FPIC protocols with the courts — without consulting the Maya. But its version of protocols had regressed from consent to consultation. Another major challenge, second to state-implemented protocols, arises when Indigenous peoples have weak or eroding governance systems. There is no way Indigenous people can design an effective protocol without having a strong government first, she said. To actually enforce consent requires robust systems for community-investor negotiations, as well as benefit-sharing models. Benefit-sharing could come through Indigenous-owned and -led enterprises that bolster collective well-being, for instance. But developing such systems and models requires strong Indigenous governance. By 2022, Croc's community had finalized protocol negotiations, drawing from a Mayan framework to strengthen Mayan decisionmaking. Because of these long-term grassroots efforts, she said, the community has gained experience not just with implementing consent protocols, but also with financial administration and village-scale solar development. Hernán Eloy Malaver Santi (Sarayaku), president of Pueblo Originerio Kichwa de Sarayaku: Santi said his community's territory is a living body entitled to its own rights. When an oil company encroached on Sarayaku territory, Santi's community disrupted its camps, drove the company out and turned down its bribes and job offers. Santi, who is also a lawyer, spent years in court pushing the government of Ecuador to take responsibility. The court eventually acknowledged state wrongdoing, including letting the oil company abandon over a ton of dangerous explosives on the community's land. But Santi said there is no political will to enforce compliance with the court's judgment. Still, the Sarayaku community now has its own FPIC protocols, which Santi said forbid mining, timber or biopiracy — the misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge — without consent. The protocols also say that any and all community projects — including health initiatives or housing — will require consultation and consent in advance. 'This protocol is binding, and the state is mandatorily respecting it,' Santi said, via an English interpreter. Seánna Howard, law professor at University of Arizona: It's a common falsehood that FPIC is a barrier to development, Howard said, speaking in a small side room with Croc, Santi and others. But it's more accurately a safeguard against exploitation. Indigenous people often end up developing FPIC protocols defensively, only after litigation with corporations or governments. But Howard explained that adopting protocols before the pressure from an encroaching development starts will send a message to project proponents, letting them know that the people are organized, self-governing, and that they will decide the terms of engagement. Governments and companies might actually welcome this, because clarity around FPIC can help them mitigate reputational harm. 'Protocols should reflect that FPIC is more than a mere formality, more than checking the box,' Howard said, 'that the process needs to be conducted in good faith and includes the right to either give or withhold consent, at every stage of the process.' She said Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean offer a number of models showing how to develop protocols successfully. Daniel Kobei (Ogiek), executive director of the Ogiek Peoples' Development Program: Kobei talked about the importance of domesticating protocol documents to ensure that the community in question understands them in its language and in the context of its own laws. 'We had to sit down as a community, and we learned from the Kichwa people,' Kobei said, which was challenging because their documents were in Spanish. But Kobei's community was able to use these documents as a basis to develop its own. 'This kind of system enabled us,' he said, and while it took some time, it was successful. Now his community has custom culturally appropriate FPIC protocols, which include references to Kenya's Constitution that were added to help make the document more mainstream. Forum Chair Aluki Kotierk (Inuit): 'The global push for the so-called green transition has intensified demand for critical minerals,' she said, 'many of which lie beneath sacred Indigenous lands and territories. We cannot ignore the threat this poses to our way of life.' She called the extraction of these minerals another form of colonialism. 'We are not anti-development, but development must be on our terms, and it must be just,' she said. 'Indigenous people are not merely beneficiaries of development projects,' she said, but should also be seen as partners. Only through this can we achieve justice, respect, and sustainability for all. 'The road is long,' she said. UNDRIP is not a document to be celebrated once a year. It must guide how we treat each other on this earth. 'It is a moral, legal and collective obligation.' 'I urge U.N. entities to embed Indigenous peoples' rights at the core of their work,' Kotierk added. 'Our unity, wisdom and determination are our greatest strength. Let us continue to walk together.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tŝilhqot'in outlines a plan to deal with the toxic drug crisis — but needs the resources
This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance, which includes McKennaIndigiNewsAt the United Nations headquarters in 'New York City,' Sierra William's voice shook with emotion as she spoke about the toxic drug crisis in her community.'Death has been so normalized with our people — smallpox, residential schools, 60s Scoop, this has all led to trauma and tragedy in our communities,' said the Tŝilhqot'in Nation Youth ambassador.'Self care for us is doing things to connect us to our culture, to our ways of life. The exact things that were taken away from us through colonization.'William, who is from Xeni Gwet'in in 'B.C.'s' Nemiah Valley, was part of a Tŝilhqot'in delegation attending the UN Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues last a press conference, the group called for increased support from the federal and provincial governments to create Indigenous-led and culturally appropriate responses to the opioid delegation also highlighted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action from 2015 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.'The Truth and Reconciliation calls to action outline what needs to happen to improve the health and wellness of our Indigenous peoples across Canada,' William said on April 24.'If the calls to action were to be realized, some of our people wouldn't have a reason to turn to drugs.'Jenny Philbrick, executive director of the Tŝilhqot'in National Government, said the nation declared a state of emergency over toxic drugs for all its six member communities more than a year now, she told attendees, there is renewed urgency.'As we were coming over a week ago, we got news that another one of our community members had passed from an overdose,' she said. 'And so we are here today to bring this issue back to the table.'Tŝilhqot'in Nation is one of many Indigenous communities across the country facing the brunt of the opioid March, the Homalco First Nation on 'Vancouver Island' declared a state of emergency, saying four young people had died over six months from toxic drugs. The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council also declared a state of emergency in all its 14 member communities in 'British Columbia,' toxic drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for people aged between 10 and 59. According to the province, First Nations people are five times more likely to overdose than other residents and three times more likely to fatally overdose.'We know why there's a toxic drug crisis — there are so many different systemic reasons why we're going through what we're going through today,' said Philbrick.'We know what the solutions are. We need partners to come to the table and help us bring our solutions … and move forward in a good way.'Xeni Gwet'in Chief Roger William outlined a three-part plan involving the governments of 'Canada' and 'B.C.' but would allow Tŝilhqot'in Nation to deal with the issue 'in our own way.''We are in crisis,' he said. 'We want to make decisions for our own people.'William said, first, Indigenous communities must be given resources for their own recovery programs on the land such as equine therapy — including cultural and language he said, First Nations must have the ability to safely exercise their voices in treatment spaces so it's easier to seek out help, since people still face discrimination and racism in the healthcare system. Lastly, William pointed to the housing issue and said he wants to find space for all First Nations to come together to talk about solutions.'The basic needs of our people must be met to stop our people from falling into using drugs,' he said.'If we can provide safe and secure housing for our people, then they have a place to come together with their families and get social support they need to overcome their addictions.'William added that 'some of the things are already happening' and said many young people are often out on the land with Elders and the nation often holds gatherings as they try to get closer to Tŝilhqot'in law and ways of life.'And a lot of these programs that we look at — it always goes back to that Tŝilhqot'in law, the land and our water,' he said. 'Those are really important to us.'Dakota Diablo, another Tŝilhqot'in Youth ambassador, said the public safety system in 'Canada' continues to fail Indigenous Peoples 'because it was never built for us.''We have our own traditional laws, values and systems of holding our people accountable,' he said.'How can our people seek help when structures meant to support our people cause so much harm?'IndigiNews requested comments from both the governments of 'B.C.' and 'Canada' but did not receive a response before said since Tŝilhqot'in declared a state of emergency last year, there has been some progress on addressing the issue, but 'we're needing more immediate resources' such as beds for people who are detoxing.'We have managed to hire a project manager and obtain property for the beginning of on the land training,' she said.'And we do have some solutions and some plans in place, but we … need immediate help in the meantime.'Tl'esqox Chief Francis Laceese, who is also the vice-chief of Tŝilhqot'in National Government, said change has been 'a slow process.' He said the nation recently met with the provincial government and is waiting to meet with the federal government after the recent election which has slowed things down.'Especially when you have a crisis — probably just not in our nation, but I think there are a lot of other nations that are in the same situation with us,' he said.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'We belong to one ocean': Indigenous leaders push for seat at the table of high seas biodiversity treaty
This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance, which ICT is part of. Sonam Lama HyolmoMongabayIn Native Hawaiians' genealogical stories, says Solomon Kahoʻohalahala, the coral polyp is considered the oldest ancestor, and they hold spiritual relationships with migratory animals, including the Koholā, or humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).'Koholā is the manifestation of our god of the sea and is revered for its ability to dive into the depths of the deep sea and the realm of the sacred place of our creation, far beyond our imaginations,' he said. 'Their care and protection are vital for the existence of species and Native Hawaiians.'For generations, the traditional ecological knowledge, values, and spiritual beliefs of Indigenous peoples related to forests, lands, waters, and territories have helped conserve nature and its resources. 'We do not see ourselves above nature, which is quite different from the colonial perspective that sees dominion over all things,' said Kahoʻohalahala, chairperson of Maui Nui Makai Network, a group of community and partner organizations across the Hawaiian these reasons, during one of the world's largest convenings of Indigenous peoples—the U.N. Permanent Forum in New York City—representatives of Indigenous and coastal communities gathered to push for their integration into all aspects of the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), sometimes known as the 'High Seas Treaty'. In 2023, the U.N. adopted the agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity and ecosystems within the two-thirds of the world's ocean that lie beyond any country's are the first-ever calls by Indigenous and coastal communities as members attending the forum begin steps to prepare for the agreement's entry into the high seas, threats to marine ecosystems are escalating—from overfishing and rising ocean temperatures to acidification and potentially devastating deep-sea mining. Indigenous and coastal community leaders say these changes are directly undermining their land, food, water sovereignty, and cultures. Studies show that ocean warming and acidification cause the depletion of fish stocks and other marine species, and have affected communities' access to marine resources, income sources, and food security. Even if international policy determines that the high seas are owned by no one, delegates say Indigenous and coastal communities—who depend on migratory species and have spiritual connections to the deep sea—should be included. Their participation could include roles in governance, environmental management, and best-practice strategies grounded in traditional ecological knowledge and values.'It's a responsibility to include Indigenous peoples in a meaningful way,' said Ghazali Ohorella, adviser to the International Indian Treaty Council, adding that they can play a key role in ocean management and conservation. 'Historically, Indigenous peoples were included only on the sidelines, as we have seen in other processes.'Studies show that two-thirds of the high seas, which host a range of undiscovered biodiversity, support important fisheries for Indigenous and coastal communities and provide migratory routes for numerous marine species. Meanwhile, these areas harbor rare ecosystems such as deep-water corals and species yet to be treaty includes elements to build ocean resilience, support sustainable fisheries, and ensure environmental impact assessments, while promoting the conservation and sustainable use of marine genetic resources. However, some environmental experts and Indigenous and coastal communities criticize the treaty for not directly regulating deep-sea mining and exempting it from environmental impact assessments—an omission they say could backfire on conservation of involvementTo strengthen the participation of island communities in ocean conservation under the agreement, Kahoʻohalahala said Indigenous peoples should be included in each subsidiary body and committee (smaller units that handle specific tasks) that will be part of the treaty's implementation. This, he said, will help bridge existing gaps that exclude Indigenous people from conservation decision-making.'It is no longer appropriate to merely acknowledge our presence, but to seek our input, counsel, and our collective decision-making for ocean conservation and solutions,' says Kahoʻ idea has already attracted the interest of some national representatives during closed-door meetings, he shared. Representatives of Indigenous organizations also called for the implementation of traditional knowledge and perspectives in the scientific and technical subsidiary bodies, as well as in the implementation and compliance committees. The upcoming Conference of the Parties for this agreement, they say, should establish a stand-alone committee for Indigenous peoples and local communities to uphold Indigenous rights, inclusion, equitable participation, partnership, and to Clement Yow Mulalap, legal adviser for the Federated States of Micronesia's permanent mission to the U.N., other possibilities exist as well. The agreement could incorporate the knowledge of Pacific coastal communities on migratory species populations, discuss regulations on hunting in or near the high seas, and include Indigenous peoples and coastal communities in environmental management and best who attended the meetings said that capacity building and the transfer of marine technology—a section of the agreement focused on developing and sharing knowledge and technology for marine research—must become a two-way process for sharing skills and knowledge between Indigenous peoples and other parties also discussed the need to achieve equality between science and traditional knowledge, the latter of which is mentioned in the agreement.'They are not otherwise ranked or tiered,' said Yow Mulalap. 'So, there will be a need to operationalize that textual parity into practical terms.' As one potential model, Sara Olsvig, president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, said the council has developed its own ethical and equitable engagement protocols aimed at making scientists more accountable to Indigenous peoples and their knowledge.'Challenges exist, but the uniqueness of this structure is that Indigenous peoples are at the table and we are part of the decision-making,' Olsvig BBNJ agreement will enter into force when at least 60 countries ratify it. So far, 113 countries have signed the agreement, while 19 have ratified the treaty. Delegates hope the agreement will enter into force by the 3rd U.N. Ocean Conference in June treaty ratification continues to gain momentum, Kahoʻohalahala said unity is vital for Indigenous and local communities across the Pacific.'Although divided within Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, we belong to one ocean. It is important for us to begin erasing some of these boundaries to protect the ancestral knowledge that is common to us as Indigenous peoples and coastal communities.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indigenous delegates at the UN raise alarm on voluntary isolated Indigenous peoples
This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance, which ICT is part of. Aimee GabayMongabay Indigenous delegates at the 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues called attention to the threats faced by Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact, or PIACI. Isolated peoples are affected by the exploitation of natural resources in their territories, drug trafficking, logging, and other illegal economies. Indigenous peoples and organizations at the forum urged states to adopt a territorial corridors initiative and to implement policies, standards and cross-border mechanisms to secure their territories and rights. There are 188 records of isolated Indigenous peoples in South America, however national governments officially recognize 60. At the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues — the world's largest convening of Indigenous peoples — Indigenous leaders from South America are taking the chance to spotlight threats facing isolated peoples (also known as uncontacted people).Deforestation is closing in on some communities in the Amazon and many lack official recognition of records of their existence, say representatives at the 10-day gathering in the United Nations headquarters in New York City. They are holding multiple events in the city, including launching a book with strategies to recognize their presence and sharing solutions to protect the lands they depend on.'There needs to be greater respect, protection and land demarcation for these peoples,' said Bushe Matis, general coordinator of the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Vale do Javari (UNIVAJA). 'It's important for us Indigenous peoples who came to New York to raise our voices for them.'The rights of isolated Indigenous peoples are guaranteed in international legislation and some national laws, such as the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO Convention 169). However, these are at times violated by states, companies, and invaders searching for land. In some cases, they are unprotected because states, including Venezuela and Paraguay, don't recognize peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact, also known as PIACI, are threatened by the exploitation of natural resources, drug trafficking, illegal logging, and mining in their lands, say researchers. Contact with outsiders can be deadly because isolated peoples lack immunity to illnesses that are common outside. These threats can also lead to their displacement and the disappearance of the game they depend on to survive.'The issue is of utmost importance because these peoples are the ones who also help protect Indigenous territories with their ancestral knowledge,' said Eligio Dacosta, the president of the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Amazonas (ORPIA) in Venezuela. 'These peoples have a higher level of spirituality than other Indigenous peoples normally have.'The main proposals Indigenous leaders and organizations have raised at the forum are the recognition of lands vital for isolated peoples and the implementation of protective measures, such as public policies to safeguard their of protectionJamer López, the president of ORAU, a regional organization part of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP), said the primary concern of Indigenous leaders and organizations at the forum is to secure the territories their isolated brothers and sisters have ancestrally there has been past progress in Peru, he said the state, rather than guarantee the protection of these communities, has promoted policies of land possession, such as laws that obstruct and prevent the creation of Indigenous reserves for isolated peoples. The government is favoring the interests of big business which want to expand forestry concessions and oil fields in these areas to boost economic growth, López more than 20 years, Indigenous organizations in Peru have petitioned the government to create Yavarí Mirim, a one million-hectare (2.5 million-acre) Indigenous reserve on the Amazon border with Brazil and Colombia that would protect hundreds of isolated and initially contacted peoples in the region. But in February this year, the country's Multi-Sector Commission postponed a meeting to determine the reserve boundaries Ministry for Culture did not respond to our requests for comment by the time of Silva Cubeo, a delegate of the Amazon Regional Roundtable for the Amazonas department of Colombia, told Mongabay a 'very serious concern' in Colombia is that despite having a decree to protect isolated peoples (Decree 1232), to date, there has been little implementation and there is no public policy on the matter, such as a contingency plan in case of Colombia and many other countries in South America, many people in isolation are threatened by organized groups, such as illegal miners and drug traffickers, who encroach on their homes and cause violence and displacement. 'They are being besieged precisely by the chains of crime,' Lena Estrada Añokazi, Colombia's minister of environment and sustainable development, and the first Indigenous person to ever hold the position, said at the forum.'That's why it's urgent to continue to invest more in investigations to find out who these criminals are.'ProposalsAcross South America, states only recognize and guarantee the rights of peoples in isolation whose presence has been officially recorded. In Venezuela, for example, although NGOs have confirmed four records of Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation, the state has not recognized any of them.'[Venezuela] does not appear on the map of isolated peoples in Latin America,' said Dacosta. 'There are already mining hotspots in each [Indigenous territory] and mining is almost reaching these peoples who do not have this initial contact, who are in isolation.'Dacosta said people in isolation have already been affected in some regions as mining gradually pushes their displacement. At the forum, ORPIA raised the issue with the national government and called for constitutional reform in Venezuela to establish rights for peoples in isolation and initial contact. Currently, they are not included in its constitution, and the country has no established protocols to recognize them in laws and supreme Ministry for Indigenous Peoples did not respond to our requests for comment by the time of International Working Group for the Protection of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (GTI-PIACI) launched a report at the forum that lays out a series of principles and guidelines to help governments, Indigenous organizations, and NGOs prove the existence of Indigenous peoples in to the report, there are 188 records of Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation in South America but only 60 are officially recognized by the state. 'This means that, for the state, 128 records don't exist,' states the report, adding that this lack of recognition denies the rights of these communities. Of these records, Indigenous organizations recognize 31, but they are not included in the official lists. Delegates have also requested that states adopt a territorial corridors initiative, which aims to protect the PIACI and the well-being of neighbouring Indigenous peoples. They have called on governments to coordinate with the Indigenous organizations to implement policy actions, with a cross-border approach, to guarantee isolated peoples' rights and territories. Last month, Colombia created an over 1-million-hectare (2.7-million-acre) territory to protect the Yuri-Passé Indigenous peoples living in isolation between the Caquetá and Putumayo Rivers in the Amazon.'In order to protect them, we must protect the territories they inhabit,' Estrada said. 'We must also protect the Indigenous peoples surrounding the territories they inhabit. If we strengthen the governance of these Indigenous peoples whose territories surround the territories of isolated peoples, we will obviously protect them as well.'Julio Cusurichi, a Shipibo-Conibo Indigenous leader and President of the Native Federation of the River Madre de Dios and Tributaries (FENAMAD) in Peru, wrote over WhatsApp voice messages they want to see the implementation of a control and surveillance system in Peru to protect the PIACI which involves the participation of the communities surrounding these reserves.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
With climate action at stake, pro-Trump statement at UNPFII met with silence
This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. During the opening day of this year's United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, or UNPFII, one speech took a striking turn. Indigenous leaders and representatives of nation states delivered 3-minute monologues about the plight and importance of Indigenous women around the globe. Most were followed by ripples of applause from the speakers' peers, or sometimes thunderous ovation if the statement was particularly rousing. Notably, an hour or so in, when the U.S. counselor for economic and social affairs, Edward Heartney, delivered his statement, he used his time to tout President Donald Trump as a protector of Indigenous women. 'The United States remains committed to promoting the rights and well-being of Indigenous women and girls,' said Heartney. 'During President Trump's first administration, he supported initiatives aimed at promoting economic development and entrepreneurship among Indigenous women.' Heartney mentioned violence against Indigenous women, and gave examples that he said 'demonstrate the administration's ongoing commitment to delivering accountability and justice for American Indian and Alaska Native nations and communities.' No one clapped. You could hear a pin drop. Presiding over the three hours of interventions, which would continue into the next day, was Aluki Kotierk (Inuit), newly-elected chair of the UNPFII. Representatives of Indigenous communities around the world described the progress certain countries have made to protect Indigenous women, and the considerable work still left to do. Read Next Your guide to the 2025 UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Anita Hofschneider Chile, for example, has adopted laws against gender-based violence and has a new law going through Parliament that aims to protect cultural heritage. The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, declared 2025 to be the 'Year of the Indigenous Woman.' Colombia approved a formal development plan recognizing Indigenous women as key defenders of land, food sovereignty and knowledge systems. 'Colombia understands that Indigenous women are the owners of our territories – not guardians,' said Colombia's Minister of Environment Lena Estrada Anokazi (Uitoto Minɨka). Anokazi is the first Indigenous woman to hold this office in Colombia. But it's not enough, she said, that her nation has implemented traditional Indigenous knowledge in development and policy. 'We need to fight, because traditional knowledge systems are there and always have been, but they need to be appreciated on the same level as scientific knowledge,' Anokazi said. By her characterization, Indigenous women are leaders living at 'the dangerous nexus of multiple and intersectional discrimination due to their gender and their Indigenous identity,' but who nevertheless protect the land and the cultural understanding of how to care for it. More and more, traditional cultural knowledge is revealing itself as essential to fighting climate change and engineering new ways of living that don't destroy the earth. This positions Indigenous women as among the most impacted by climate change, and also likely the most capable of solving it. Without Indigenous women, Anokazi said, we can't even talk about sustainable development. Interventions by some non-Native representatives painted a slightly different picture of Indigenous women: one that focused almost exclusively on the violence, dispossession and dismissal they face, without the context that they are knowledge- and culture-bearers, intentionally vulnerable in a hardening world as stalwart servants of their ecosystems and communities. The differing views of Indigenous women was not lost on forum attendees. An Inuit representative took time from her three minutes to assert that Indigenous women are not simply passive victims of colonization, which is a key distinction highlighting fundamentally differing worldviews. Quechua activist and forum panelist Tarcila Rivera Zea re-grounded the discussion with an Indigenous women's view on Indigenous women: 'We're not complaining. We're not begging,' she asserted. 'We're acting.' In the context of this conversation, Heartney's pro-Trump statement felt abrupt and out of place to attendees. It echoed messaging from right-wing think tanks, which use economic development, job creation and even so-called protection as Trojan horses for resource extraction. Heartney framed economic empowerment – not preservation of culture and biodiversity, nor justice for murdered and missing Indigenous women (MMIW) as others did — as 'a cornerstone' of the United States' approach to Indigenous women's well-being. As for their safety, he cited legislation passed during the first Trump administration to address the MMIW crisis, and the FBI's Operation Not Forgotten. In the silence that followed, Heartney briskly gathered his things and slipped out the door. Had he stayed, he would have heard the next statement, delivered by fashion model and land protector — a term used to describe a lifelong commitment to one's homelands — Quannah ChasingHorse (Hän Gwich'in and Sicangu Oglala Lakota) on behalf of the Gwich'in Steering Committee. 'The U.S. has opened the coastal plain to oil and gas leasing, threatening our very survival,' ChasingHorse said. Though ChasingHorse's statement was written in advance, it read like a direct rebuff to Heartney's message. The coastal plain in question is Iizhik Gwats'an Gwandaii Goodlit, 'the Sacred Place Where Life Begins.' 'The Gwich'in have never given consent for development, and our right to self-determination is being violated by interests that view our lands as a commodity,' ChasingHorse continued. 'I am outraged that decisions about my people's future are being made without us at the table.' Last month Heartney announced in a General Assembly session the United States' rejection of the UN's sustainable development goals. 'Put simply, globalist endeavors like Agenda 2030 and the SDGs lost at the ballot box,' he said. High Country News reached out to Heartney for comment through his colleagues and through an online contact form, but as of press time has not received a response. On Tuesday, during a discussion on the right of Indigenous people to consent to decisions impacting their lands, Chickaloon Village Traditional Chief Gary Harrison put a fine point on things. His community, he said, has particularly high rates of MMIW cases. 'I find it a little bit strange that you have governments taking up Indigenous peoples' time,' he said, spending precious seconds of his three minutes to directly question the forum chair. 'If everything's okay in their countries, why are we here?' The room thundered with applause. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline With climate action at stake, pro-Trump statement at UNPFII met with silence on Apr 28, 2025.
