Pressure builds for International Law on tribal rights
by Lindsay
Tribal land could enjoy greater protection
under international law. © Survival
The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, UNPO, has launched a campaign for countries to ratify the only international law for tribal peoples.
International Labour Organisation Convention 169, or ILO 169, recognises tribal peoples’ land ownership rights and says they should be consulted about projects that affect them. Unlike UN Declarations, it is legally binding. The more countries that ratify the Convention, the more force it will have.
Survival’s own campaign for ILO 169 is also gaining momentum; so far, 119 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion calling on the UK government to ratify the Convention.
At the moment the UK refuses to sign up to the law, saying that it has nothing to do with this country. But they are wrong – if the UK were to ratify ILO 169, it would be a major step forward in recognising and protecting tribal peoples’ rights everywhere.
Find out if your MP has signed the Early Day Motion. If they haven’t, write to them today!
June 13th, 2008 at 8:31 am
While I understand the ethical and moral importance of protecting these people, it occurs to me that their protection doesn’t deserve such a great allocation of our resources.
As a species, we’ve got a lot of issues to deal with. While I’d really love it if we could find a way for these people to exist completely separated from the reality of the world they live in, I’m keep coming back to the issues that affect the greatest number of people in the greatest number of locations.
Are you really going to dedicate time and energy to preserve this small segment of humanities past when our current situation so desperately requires action?
We’re in the middle of some really major crises as a race, and I don’t understand the motivation behind clinging to the purity and righteousness of a tribal culture.
It seems to me like this is little more then a vehicle for people to assuage their personal guilt about coming from one of the imperialist cultures which have so effectively destroyed indigenous societies.
I’m not arguing against catharsis, it’s necessary to maintain sanity in this world. What I would argue against is the validity of spending your time, energy, and money to “save” or “protect” these people.
As a species, we’ve done a lot of horrible things to each other. We’ll probably keep doing horrible things to each other for a while.
I just wonder if nitpicking is an effective strategy.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I don’t know who gave the permission to survey, but surveyors have discovered oil and aluminium on our traditional land and want to mine. We have known there is oil and gold on our traditional land for generations, as stories pass through our grandfathers down the line.
My people on our land have either not had contact with white people or very minimal contact. We do not want any mining to go ahead and want to seek assurances that we will not be forced to allow the mine to go ahead. We want to leave that decision to our grandchildren’s grandchildren, so the land will continue to support the people until our descendants make that decision.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hi,
I work for Greenpeace International, and we’ve launched an action to ask the EU Commission to accept legislation to finally make it illegal to import illegally logged wood. We clearly have converging interests to see this piece of legislation passed, as it would help both the environment and the (uncontacted) tribes… If you could help us by signing an email to EU Commission President Barroso, it would be amazing:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/forests/eu-ban-illegal-timber
Thanks a million!
Juliette
June 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Sorry people.
You are wrong in your informatio.
“Gunmen allegedly hired by Paulo César Quartiero, a local farmer and politician, attack a Makuxi Indian community, throwing homemade bombs and firing assault rifles. Ten Indians were wounded. Mr Quartiero was arrested, but released soon after.”
Mr Quartiero is a farmer and his farm was invaded by the indians.
Look out for what you inform! It´s a big lie!
What you want in Brazilian Territory?
Why you don´t give a large piece of your territory for people who needs a home?
OH! Sorry you don´t have borders with foreign countrys.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Ana:
The rice farms are inside demarcated Indian lands. The farmers were ordered to leave the area by the government after President Lula ratified and signed the territory in to law in 2005. They have been offered government compensation to leave but a few have remained on the Indian lands illegally.
A single incident in the resulting campaign of violence against the Indians can be clearly seen in the shocking video at http://www.survival-international.org/news/3389.
June 24th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Sam:
There are at least 150 million tribal people around the world, so they’re hardly a ’small segment’ - that’s more than double the UK’s population, and half that of the US. Nor is Survival’s work about the ‘purity’ of tribal cultures, it’s much more basic than that - as our name implies, it’s about ensuring tribal peoples’ survival.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Toby :
You’re absolutely right. This is an excellent example of why I shouldn’t internet while drunk, I end up playing rather fast and loose with broad characterizations. I actually feel pretty bad about the way I said things, I’m sorry if I offended anyone.
That said, I am curious about your concept of what is necessary for the survival of tribal cultures.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:14 am
How convenient to use the “work for the greatest number” argument. I’m sorry, but with that argument, why should anyone care about any group of people, who are just a minority in the world’s population - disabled persons, ethnic minorities in different countries, etc.
And the argument that horrible things happen and will continue to happen is simply resigning to the fact that we will never learn from our past mistakes. In other words, we’re doomed anyway! Great…