Save the indigenous peoples
They
are the First People. They have usually been in a given region for
centuries, even thousands of years, before the arrival of the 'Others'.
But all over the world, the 'Others' have trampled on their rights,
their lands and even their very lives. And some of them do face
extinction in just a few decades, if not years. This is the story of the
world's 370 million indigenous people.
There are various definitions for indigenous peoples, but this
version from the UN is widely accepted: "Indigenous populations are
composed of the existing descendants of the peoples who inhabited the
present territory of a country wholly or partially at the time when
persons of a different culture or ethnic origin arrived there from other
parts of the world, overcame them, by conquest, settlement or other
means, reduced them to a non-dominant or colonial condition; who today
live more in conformity with their particular social, economic and
cultural customs and traditions than with the institutions of the
country of which they now form part, under a state structure which
incorporates mainly national, social and cultural characteristics of
other segments of the population which are predominant."
Worldwide
 |
Picture courtesy:
srilankanexpeditions.com |
The plight of indigenous people has received worldwide attention.
Here in Sri Lanka, we are familiar with the tribulations of our own
Adivasis or 'Vanniyela Aththo', who are struggling to maintain their
identity and traditional way of life amidst a rapidly developing,
commercialised society. It is vital to look at their problems and strive
to preserve their values, languages and traditions. Once an indigenous
community becomes extinct, humanity as a whole loses a part of its soul.
It is with this aim in mind that UN proclaimed the International Day
of the World's Indigenous People to be celebrated on August 9 (today)
every year. It was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December
1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade
of the World's Indigenous People (1995 - 2004). In 2004, the Assembly
proclaimed a Second International Decade, from 2005 - 2015, with the
theme of "A Decade for Action and Dignity."
This year's theme puts a spotlight on the issue of indigenous
peoples' access to healthcare services, as improving indigenous peoples'
health remains a critical challenge for indigenous peoples. The theme
will be on "Post 2015 Agenda: Ensuring indigenous peoples health and
well-being". The "State of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Volume II",
which will be launched at the UN Headquarters event in observance of the
International Day, provides important background information on the
topic. The observance of the International Day of the World's Indigenous
Peoples will take place on Monday 10 August 2015 at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York.
Population
There are over 370 million indigenous people in some 90 countries,
living in all regions of the world. The situation of indigenous peoples
in many parts of the world is critical today. Poverty rates are
significantly higher among indigenous peoples compared to other groups.
While they constitute just five per cent of the world's population, they
are 15 per cent of the world's poor. Most indicators of well-being show
that indigenous peoples suffer disproportionately compared to
non-indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples face systemic discrimination
and exclusion from political and economic power; they continue to be
over-represented among the poorest, the illiterate, the destitute; they
are displaced by wars and environmental disasters; indigenous peoples
are dispossessed of their ancestral lands and deprived of their
resources for survival, both physical and cultural; they are sometimes
robbed of their very right to life. Indigenous peoples see their
traditional knowledge and cultural expressions marketed and patented
without their consent or participation.
Of the some 7,000 languages today, it is estimated that more than
4,000 are spoken by indigenous peoples. Language specialists predict
that up to 90 per cent of the world's languages are likely to become
extinct or threatened with extinction by the end of the century. Some
indigenous populations are down to just a handful of people, with no new
births. Although the state of the world's indigenous peoples is
alarming, there is also cause for optimism.
Rights
The international community increasingly recognizes indigenous
peoples' human rights, most prominently evidenced by the UN Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous peoples themselves
continue to organize for the promotion of their rights. They are the
stewards of some of the world's most biologically diverse areas and
their traditional knowledge about the biodiversity of these areas is
invaluable. As the effects of climate change are becoming clearer, it is
increasingly evident that indigenous peoples must play a central role in
developing adaptation and mitigation efforts to this global challenge.
From the Inuits in Canada to the Aborigines in Australia, indigenous
communities are facing challenging times and issues. Many indigenous
peoples are being pushed out of their territories as industries,
settlements and roads encroach on their traditional lands and in some
cases, hunting grounds. Many Governments almost force indigenous
communities to 'integrate' with the rest of the society, which
essentially means giving up on their traditional way of life. There is
also defection from within - some of the younger indigenous persons opt
for integration. This can, over the years, have a detrimental effect on
the community concerned, with men and women of child bearing age leaving
in search of a more modern lifestyle.
Jungles
There still are a few 'uncontacted' tribes around the world,
especially in dense jungles. Although various attempts are made to
'contact' these tribes, the greatest danger is that they can be wiped
out even if they get a flu attack.
They have no immunity to many diseases which we take for granted and
should they come into contact with an infected person from the so-called
'civilised world' they could be in great danger. In this context, this
year's focus on their health assumes special significance. At the same
time, we need to study their lifestyles and customs. Thus, it is a
tightrope walk.
Contacted or uncontacted, many indigenous communities face
extinction, which, of course, means that their languages and customs
would be lost forever. They will also take to the grave a vast treasure
trove of knowledge about everything from native cures to native art. It
is in our interest to ensure their perpetuity for posterity. |