The first ever World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP), a High Level Plenary meeting of Sixty-Ninth Session of the United Nations General Assembly was held on 22-23 September 2014 at UN Headquarters in New York.
More than two hundreds of indigenous representatives from around the world gathered in New York to attend the WCIP. A number of Heads of the States including Evo Morales, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland (Western European and Other Group); Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo (Group of African States); Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia (Group of Eastern European States); Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico (Latin American and Caribbean Group)and dozens of ministers of member-states attended the WCIP.
From Bangladesh, Raja Devasish Roy, member of the UNPFII; Mangal Kumar Chakma, PCJSS; Binota Moy Dhamai, member of Indigenous Global Coordinating Group (GCG) of WCIP and Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum, Lina Jesmin Lushai and Meintthein Promila of Kapaeeng Foundation, Pidision Pradhan, Greater Sylhet Indigenous Peoples Forum attended the conference. Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura was also present in this event as representative of government of Bangladesh.
Opening session:
As guided by the UN General Assembly Resolution 66/296, the plenary session of the WCIP started at 9:00 am on 22 September 2014 followed by the adoption of the negotiation text which is known as the outcome document. The President of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly Mr. Kutesa presided over the opening session whereas addressed by the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon followed by a number of Head of the States including Evo Morales, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland (Western European and Other Group); Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo (Group of African States); Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia (Group of Eastern European States); Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico (Latin American and Caribbean Group). Indigenous representatives including the chair of the Saami Parliament of Norway and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) have also addressed.
In the opening session of the conference, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon pledged for inclusion of indigenous peoples in all development and decision making processes. He hopes the action oriented outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples 2014 would close the gaps between commitments and implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples. He emphasized on strengthening partnerships between United Nations and Indigenous Peoples to achieve common goals. “The success of this conference is integral to progress for all humanity” he added.
The president of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly Mr. Kutesa stated in his statement that indigenous peoples are facing challenges and therefore, member states should renew their commitment on the issue of indigenous peoplesand realized national level theUnited Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that represents a global consensus and protects both individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples.The process leading to this Conference has been unprecedented in the history of the organization as it has involved active participation of indigenous peoples in its preparation as well as cooperation between Member States and indigenous peoples in reaching a consensus‘Outcome Document’.
Evo Morales, President of Bolivia said that Indigenous Peoples have been marginalized for being involved in the movement and to raise awareness for their rights. But historically indigenous movement has not only been given them the right to vote but also to governance system. He also said that nation cannot be governed by the bankers and multinational companies. He ended up urging all to protect and ensure the political rights of indigenous peoples.
Adoption of Outcome Document:
Outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples 2014 has been adopted unanimously at the High Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly plenary session. The outcome document has composed with 40 operative paragraphs that outlined the commitments of the member States to formulate action plan in regard to protect indigenous peoples’ rights to free, prior and informed consent, land, territory and resource, culture, health and education, traditional knowledge, disaggregated data, responsibilities of the UN bodies and specialised agencies, post 2015 development, youth and women among other crucial issues. The outcome document has been finalized with the consultation and negotiation of indigenous peoples’ representatives in a sense that the equal participation of decision-making process.
Indigenous peoples welcomed the Outcome Document of the WCIP. However, at the same time, they expressed their disappointment and condemnation that nothing in the Outcome Document mentions about commitment from States to stop State violence, militarization, and political repression against indigenous peoples. Moreover, many proposed provisions by indigenous peoples have been weakened, changed and modified during the inter-governmental process, and even ignored undermining the UNDRIP in the text revision.
Roundtable and Panel discussion:
During the two-day conference three-roundtable discussions and one panel discussion was taken places. Roundtable-1 discussed on the ‘UN system action for the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’; Roundtable-2 on ‘Implementing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the national and local level’; Roundtable-3 on Indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources and a Panel Discussion discussed on ‘Indigenous priorities for the post-2015 sustainable development agenda’.
At the Roundtable-1 on “United Nations system action to implement the rights of indigenous peoples”, among others, Raja Devasish Roy from Bangladesh, Famark Hlawnching from Myanmar, Piya Argee Malayao from Philippines, Yasso Kanti Bhattachan from Nepal, Binota Moy Dhamai from Bangladesh et al took part in the inter active dialogue. On the others from the government part, among others, Isabel SAINT MALO de ALVARADO, Vice President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Panama; Urmas PAET, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Estonia; Luis ALMAGRO, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uruguay; Charles Koffi DIBY, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cote D’ivoire; Annick GIRARDIN, Minister of State for Development and Francophonie, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, France et al spoke at the Roundtable-1. Representatives of UN bodies, programs and agencies, and Indigenous Peoples Organisations (IPOs) also delivered speech at the discussion.
Binota Moy Dhamai urged UN agencies and UN Country Teams to establish regular and institutionalized mechanisms for dialogue with and participation of indigenous peoples and the representatives of their institutions andto bridge the gap between policies and practice by strengthening the systematization and exchange of experiences on indigenous peoples’ issues between UN Country Teams through training and practical information resources.
Mangal Kumar Chakma of Bangladesh (PCJSS), Windel Bolinget from Philippines, Julius Daguitan of Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, Thomas Jalong from Malaysia, Rukka Sombolinggi from Indonesia, Elina Horo from India et al attended and took part in the interactive dialogue at the Roundtable-2 on “Implementation of the rights of indigenous peoples at the national and local level”. Despite representatives of IPOs, dozens of ministers of States including Julie BISHOP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia; Ricardo PATIÑO AROCA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Ecuador; Pravin GORDHAN, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa; Hajiya Zainab MAINA, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Nigeria; H.E. Martin LIDEGAARD, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark took floor in the Roundtable 2 discussion.
Mangal Kumar Chakma mentioned that the government’s process of implementation of CHT Accord ignores the rights of the indigenous peoples to consultation, participation and free, prior and informed consent. I urge all the Member-States of the UN, particularly Bangladesh to respect and uphold right to self-determination and right to free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples in implementing the rights of indigenous peoples and to implement CHT Accord as per commitment in the 2nd cycle of UPR and recommendations of the 10th session of the UNPFII.
In his statement, Windel B Bolinget said that indigenous peoples’ rights cannot be respected and implemented under conditions of militarization and political repression and State fascism. Collective rights to ancestral lands, territories and resources continue to be violated as State military forces are deployed in our communities to protect destructive projects and corporate plunder. He expressed his great disappointment and condemnation that nothing in the Outcome document mentions about commitment from States to stop State violence, militarization, and political repression against indigenous peoples.
At the Roundtable-3 on “Indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources”, Raja Devasish Roy on behalf of Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus and Pidison Pradhan of Bangladesh, Jebra Ram Muchahary from India, Windel Bolinget from Philippines, Meenakshi Munda from India made intervention on the land rights of indigenous peoples. Among others, Aloha Nuñez, Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Venezuela; Gabriel QUIJANDRIA, Vice-Minister of Natural Resources’ Strategic Development, Ministry of Environment, Peru; Kevin Washburn (rank of vice minister), Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs, United States; Colleen Swords, Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Canada; Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Bangladesh et al delivered speech at this Roundtable.
Raja Devasish Roy, in his statement on behalf of Asia Caucus, said the Outcome Document acknowledges several of the problems referred to, and provides solutions to many of them. He opined that at the international level, several other corresponding measures are needed, including (a) an effective UN monitoring mechanism to review the progress of the Outcome Document; (b) implementation of UN system resolutions and policies, including of the indigenous peoples-mandated mechanisms; and (c) monitoring of multilateral and bilateral treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements.Best practices on effective adjudication and recognition of indigenous peoples’ land rights exist in several countries. The challenge remains, collectively, to improve upon them, and to promote and contextually replicate them, in other parts of the world, he added.
In his deliberation, Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura said that Constitution of Bangladesh ensured equal rights for all citizens of the country. He claimed that all citizens of Bangladesh are indigenous in the country. However, he said that government of Bangladesh welcomes the Outcome Document of the WCIP. He attempted to exculpate about the implementation of CHT Accord of 1997.Government of Bangladesh ensured land rights of ethnic minorities, he added.
Binota Mony Dhamai of Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum and Kapaeeng Foundation delivered joint statement at the Panel Discussion on “Indigenous priorities for the post-2015 sustainable development agenda”. Despite deliberation of statement by Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus, Piya Argee Malayao from Philippines, and International Disability Forum Pratima Gurung, a dozen of representatives of IPOs, Otto Perez Molina, President, Guatemala; Maria Fernanda Villegas, Minister for Social Development, Chile; Ledy Zúñiga, Minister for Justice and Human Rights, Ecuador; Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nepal; Gennady Gatilov, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation; Tanmaya Lal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, India et al, among others, spoke at this Panel Discussion.
Closing session:
The WCIP ended with the closing session held 5:00 pm on 23 September 2014. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations was present in the closing session of the Conference. Closing prayer was performed by Dr. Pita Sharples, Minister of Maori Affairs, Government of New Zealand.
Participation in the World Summit on Indigenous Philanthropy
International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) organized World Summit on Indigenous Philanthropy on 24–26 September 2014 in New York City right after the WCIP. The Summit was uniquely positioned to bring together thought of leaders, philanthropists, donor agencies, and indigenous visionaries in a powerful andinformative event, resulting in concrete actions that was taken indigenous philanthropyto the next level. Meintthein Promila of Kapaeeng Foundation attended the event from Bangladesh.
Conclusion and Remarks:
Dozens of Heads and Ministers of States and Government of the member-states attended the several Roundtables and Panel discussion including Opening and Closing sessions. However, no minister from Bangladesh except secretary of the CHT Affairs Ministry Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura attended this historic event, though 10 ministers around in New York and accompanied Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her official tour for 69th session of the UN General Assembly.
Kapaeeng Foundation
(A Human Rights Organization for Indigenous Peoples of Bangladesh)
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