Seventh Session 2008

For a a summary of events: http://7thspace.com/headlines/280290/permanent_forum_hails_general_assembly_adoption_of_indigenous_rights_declaration_pledges_to_make_it_a_living_document_as_seventh_session_concludes.htmlFor

Dear Friends:

Today Indigenous Peoples from the Latin American Caucus put pressure on Vicky Tauli Corpus to have the right to speak on the recommendations of the Permanent Forum. It was a loud and very assertive effort because the Chair did not want to recognize the speakers for the Indigenous caucus. The effort of the Caucus to be heard resulted in UN Security trying to remove an Indigenous person from the room. This situation got very tense until the UN Security were asked to leave the Permanent Forum Assembly Room because their involvement only intensified the situation.

The statement of the Caucus is attached below.

The pictures 1A – 9A are photos are when the Caucus asserted the right to speak; 10B – 20B show when the United Nations Security tried to interfere in the situation; 21C – 32C show pictures when the Caucus were allowed to make the statement below.

Arthur
United Nations HQ
New York, New York




































































Seventh Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Statement on the last day of the Session
May 2, 2008
Florina López
Kuna Nation

Thank you Madam Chairperson,

On behalf of the indigenous caucus of the Abya Yala (America), we would like to express our concerns regarding the adopted recommendations related to the central theme of the Seventh Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The Indigenous peoples would like to reiterate that we are the heads of our territories, and likewise are the owners of our knowledge, innovation and practices. We reject the current Governments’ policies of exploitation of cultures, forests and water and the biodiversity that we have preserved and conserved for the good of mankind.

We have listened attentively to the speaker of document E/c.19/2008/L.2 of the Permanent Forum, where he does not take into account the proposals and concerns of the indigenous people regarding the initiatives of Reduce Emission from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD), Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Carbon Market.

Madam Chairperson,

The adopted recommendations on “Climate change, bio-cultural diversity and livelihoods: the stewardship role of indigenous peoples and new challenges” are for us recommendations made by Permanent Forum experts that do not necessarily reflect the position of the indigenous organizations and nations.

We are also concerned that the initiatives of Clean Development Mechanism will be considered examples of “good practice.”

Madam Chair,

In the statements of the indigenous representatives we did not hear a motion to support the MDL and REDD’s initiatives of good mechanism practices.

Therefore, we reaffirm our request to eliminate completely points 5 and 37 from the aforementioned document.

Likewise, the recommendations made by our organizations are not reflected in all of the final documents regarding different themes.

Furthermore, we urge the members of the Permanent Forum to base their recommendations in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to live in a clean and healthy environment.

Lastly, we ask the chairperson to include in the act and annex to the report our declaration and position.

We thank you on behalf of the indigenous organizations and nations mentioned below.





Indigenous organizations and nations:
Coordinación de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA)
Fundación Para la Promoción del Conocimiento Indígena – Panamá
Comunidad Integradora del Saber Andino (CISA) – Ecuador
Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indígenas – Región Sudamérica
Guaman Poma – Ecuador
Chinchasuyu – Ecuador
Fundación de Desarrollo Social Dr. Manuel Naula Sagñgi
CONAVIGUA – Guatemala
Amerindian Peoples Asociation – Guyana (APA)
Kus Kura – Costa Rica
Organización de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonia Colombiana (OPIAC)
Confederación Indígena de Bolivia (CIDOB)
K´AMLB`E RECH TINAMIT IXIM ULEW – Guatemala
Makita Kushein Chik – Ecuador
Red de Mujeres Indígenas sobre Biodiversidad de Abya Yala
Coordinación de las organizaciones indígenas de la Amazonia Brasileira (COIAB)
Articulación de los Pueblos Indígenas de Nordeste, Minas Gerais y Espirito Santo (APOINME)
AIDESEP – Perú
Asociación Indígena Ambiental – Panamá
Amazon Alliance
Instituto Brasileiro de la Propiedad Intelectual - INBRAPI – Brasil
Asociación Red de Mujeres Indígenas Wayuu – Venezuela
Consejo Nacional Indio de Venezuela (CONIVE)
Consejo Nacional de la Mujer Indígena – Argentina
Taller Permanente de Mujeres Indígenas Andinas y Amazónicas del Perú
Parlamento Indígena de América
Organización Yachay Wasi ( Casa del Saber) Cusco – Perú
Consejo Indígena de Mesoamérica – CIMA
Land is Life (Tierra es Vida)
Asociación Para los Pueblos Amenazados
Federación Interprovincial de Centro Shuar – FICSH – Ecuador
Proyecto Kaweshkar para Pueblos Indígenas.
Mancxinerine Yoptowhka
UNIVAJA
COICAP
International Native Tradition Interchange
Coordinación Mapuche de Argentina
Indigenous Environmental Network.
Nacionalidad Zapara del Ecuador “NAZAE”
Asociación Interetnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana “AIDESEP” – Peru
Promejoras “El Laurel” Ecuador
Fundación “Mushuk Kawsay” – Ecuador
FEINE – Ecuador
AIEC – Ecuador
Waorani Nawe
KURI ITI (Sol de Oro)
Consejo de Todas las Tierras.