December 2020 N° 115 Informing About the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

DECEMBER 2020 1 edito Ω Asia . 13 22 docip Ω Perspective of activities indigenous women . 16 N° 115 2 focus Ω Technical secretariat . 22 The effects of Covid-19 on Ω Capacity building indigenous peoples’ rights 18 ongoing in their respective regions processes projects . 23 INFORMING Ω Africa . 2 Going beyond the pandemic Ω Oral history and memory project . 23 ABOUT THE Ω North America . 4 Ω The EU biodiversity Ω Eastern Europe, strategy . 18 Ω Documentation . 24 the Russian Federation, th RIGHTS and the Arctic . 6 Ω The 13 session Ω Docip's information of the EMRIP . 19 Ω Latin America, service . 24 OF INDIGENOUS South America Ω Statement of the Indigenous & the Caribbean . 9 Caucus during the 9th session PEOPLES Ω Oceania . 11 of the FBHR . 20 26 agenda 2021 The current situation of our planet is a warning to all of us regarding the fragility of the environment' balances. Up d a t e español RUSSKIÜ – français – english We believe together that this is still an early warning and that by the current pandemic rights and the respect of their action is possible to reverse the but also how their demon- ways of life. damages made to our Mother strated resilience allowed them Earth. The role of human beings to adapt to this new situation We all hope that in the lessons in her preservation is central. that affected the entire world learned from this troubled population. and tragic period, Indigenous Among the humanity, through Peoples’ voices will have an their resilience and their lifestyles We contacted representatives important role to play and Docip that are respectful of their envi- from the 7 socio-economic will play its part in the diffusion ronments, Indigenous Peoples regions to have the opportunity or their messages. show the way forward for the to read their testimonies. These entire world population. are inspiring, relevant, and full Rémi Orsier of practical experience. Docip Director For this very special year we the- refore wanted to put them afront Docip stands by Indigenous one more time, giving them the Peoples’ side with great pride, freedom to explain with their own but also great humility, to sup- words how impacted they were port the recognition of their 2 Focus The effects of Covid-19 on indigenous peoples’ rights in their respective regions To address this difficulty, the AFPAT, efficient as women quickly picked up on Africa after making daily phone calls to convey the actions to be taken if there is a suspi- information and thanks to the precious cion of pandemics within the community, By the Association of Peules Women support of its partner, visited the communi- and they will be able to use their traditional and Indigenous Peoples of Chad (AFPAT), ties around Lake Chad, to inform and raise knowledge before alerting public health contact: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim awareness about the COVID-19 in Fula workers, in order to prevent the virus from language. Posters with illustrations of the spreading further. How did your community respond to safety precautions were used as communi- the coronavirus situation? cation tools in this regard, and then offered Did you notice an increase in the vio- to the communities. The AFPAT responded lation of your rights by some stakeholders At first, at the beginning of the pandem- to the poorest families by distributing food (armed forces, police, other communities, ics, the COVID-19 situation in our country and soap, as well as masks and a brief pre- etc.)? was shaped by information coming for all vention training to the people who had to institutions, every day, with various restric- get out of the community to carry out their In implementing the measures estab- tive measures and restrictions such as not activities. The women leader of the com- lished by the government, especially to go out, closing the marketplaces, while munity were given thermometers and also regarding the limitation of gathering and other sources conveyed conflicting informa- received a training on how to recognize the personal mobility, law enforcement offic- tion. This information is limited to national symptoms and which measures to be taken ers, who, even before ripped indigenous languages, i.e. French and Arabic, and is in case of a suspicion, as well as the AFPAT peoples off, take advantage of the situation broadcasted via mainstream media includ- phone number for daily report. to regularly issue unfair fines to indigenous ing tv, radio, circulars and social media. Yet, peoples. These exactions are too many to communities do not always speak these two Is traditional indigenous knowledge count, and usually consist in charges, or official languages and they do not necessar- helpful to tackle this virus, and if so, which cattle or land grab. This goes against the ily have access to these media. one? communities' well-being and increase their existing fear. Communities are fac- According to the Mbororo Fulani com- Traditional indigenous knowledge is ing limitations of transhumance between munities in Chad, information regarding a matter of ancestral practices. It consists the regions within Chad, due to regional the COVID-19 and related prevention are in the intake of beverages or in relying on border closures, which is not acceptable not officially disseminated within indig- simple actions, to prevent some seasonal for cattle. The seasons will not wait for the enous communities. The M'bororo Fulani diseases. To face this virus, however, tra- pandemics to get from hot to cold or rainy. communities get information about the ditional knowledge has not yet produced Even worse: cross-border transhumance is pandemics and its prevention orally via preventive remedies or suggested any pro- now impossible. So, fraud is becoming part phone calls from the Fulani Women and tective behavior. Nonetheless, communities of everyday life for communities who are Chad Indigenous Peoples Association – rely on the traditional knowledge to protect just trying to maintain their livelihood. the AFPAT, or through word-of-mouth the elderly by isolating them and paying reaching their communities. Again, it is more attention to their daily routine as to Did you feel supported by the interna- not usual for them to listen to the radio as avoid contacts outside of the community. tional community - taking for instance the some remote camps are out of radio sig- In our culture, even in the case of com- statement by the High Commissioner of nal reach. Even if they do, radio broadcasts mon diseases such as malaria, triploid, Human Rights for the International Day about the pandemics are not available in etc., women take care of the men, children of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the Fula language. or other women. This has proven to be various EMRIP and UNPFII statements, December 2020 3 the report from the Special Rapporteur on work in different languages and at different and have external contacts only when strictly Indigenous Peoples? hours because virtual meetings are sched- necessary, thus avoiding large gathering or uled on various time zones. It completely group movements, that become corridors Within the AFPAT, we make sure that changes the way our organization work. for the virus to spread. Indeed, to compen- we communicate with community focal Yes, it is easier to speak with everyone, but sate for the markets' shutdown, indigenous contacts on the communities' urgent needs it is not a good thing because this virtual peoples have tied relationships with shop- and their local initiatives in preventing the world is not ours and the connection with keepers in large cities around the camps to COVID-19 pandemics. Our actions have the environment as well as human contact procure essential goods. attracted attention from partners, who is much needed for indigenous peoples decided to finance training/educational and for our community. We are prisoners This solution could be enhanced with activities about the COVID-19 pandemics, of this pandemics and we fear that our life- a trade partnership with sedentary mer- as well as healthcare and protection equip- style will be even more threatened by these chants, for the purpose of, potentially, sup- ment, and food support, among others. new work habits, that for now, do not bring plying and trading products to the benefit any solid solutions in regard to the urgent of all. However, this is not working well, We regularly speak with community needs of our communities. because trade requires a cash flow and is leaders to inform them of the decisions not based on exchanging goods. taken by the government. With regard to Did you notice a decrease in your par- the international community and espe- ticipation in national, regional or interna- How do you foresee the indigenous par- cially the statements from international tional spaces because of the pandemics? ticipation in the international arena within institutions, it has been of no help so far the next year? because the text does not respond to the The measures taken by the govern- pressing issues faced by communities. We ments due to the pandemics, with regard to The organizations’ (national or interna- need financial resources and technical sup- airspace traffic and gathering, have resulted tional) downturn in activities of promotion port to help our communities. Moreover, in the interruption of regional, national and dissemination of indigenous peoples' we have not yet received any international and international meetings. We participate rights will impact the indigenous participa- help. As the statements are made in lan- in next to none physical meeting and very tion in the international arena. It is obvious guages that our communities do not under- few virtual meetings, as explained previ- that within a year from now, the momen- stand, very few of our requests reach the ously.

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