Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee publishes this report in order to allow communities

At a press conference on Thursday, September 10, the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee will release a new report entitled “Losing Ground – Forced Evictions and Intimidation in Cambodia”. The event also marks the launch of Amnesty International’s global Demand Dignity campaign in Cambodia.
Forced evictions, displacement, and landlessness among Cambodia’s rural and urban poor are reaching crisis proportions. Marginalized communities are driven deeper into poverty by forced evictions, economic land concessions, mining concessions and unlawful land grabs.
This, however, is only half of the story. Communities’ efforts to seek peaceful solutions are met with intimidation, coercion, court action and violence. Such incidents, especially in rural Cambodia, often go unreported. “Losing Ground” comes about after many months of research and documentation. In the report, affected people from around the country speak about their personal experiences, illustrating the alarming trends at local and national level.
The report is to be available at www.chrac.org/ from 8am on 10 September 2009 (Cambodian time)

Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee publishes this report in order to allow communities to speak and in the genuine hope that issues are properly addressed in the spirit of dialogue and inclusive development.
Event 1: Morning 09:00am – 11:00am, Thursday, 10 September 2009
What: Press Conference for release of “Losing Ground – Forced Eviction and Intimidation in Cambodia”, a report published by Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee and Amnesty International Demand Dignity campaign

Indian Military personnel were waging war on the Naga including school going children and aged women

Thirty one years down the line, on the 9^th of September 1978, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) was formed based on the universal belief that; “violation of human rights in any part of the world is a threat to the human race as a whole and protection and promotion of human rights anywhere is a concern of all”, and declared to take upon itself the task of initiating organized struggle to protect and promote the basic human rights of the Naga people.

It was at a time when Indian Military personnel were waging war on the Naga including school going children and aged women in the background of a more than 25 years of gross human rights violation on the Naga population where repressive methods such as:- Execution in public; Mass rape, Deforming sex organs; Mutilation of limbs and body; Electric shocks; Puncturing eyes; Hanging people up-side down; Putting people in smoke-filled rooms; Burning down of villages, granaries and crops; Concentration camps; Forced starvation and labor etc…. were going on indiscriminately, unknown and unreported even to the people in India let alone the rest of the world. To further prove the intention of the Government of India, the then Prime Minister of India, Mr. Morarji Desai came to Kohima and declared; “I will exterminate all the Nagas and I will not have any compunction”. The realities of India’s position on the Naga’s historical and political rights have not changed even today.

In such a situation, armed with nothing, but with sheer determination to survive as a people, NPMHR, with the support of the suffering masses and warm understanding of fellow Indian Democratic Rights and Civil Liberties movements, took up litigations in the Supreme Court of India and in High Courts, to challenge and expose these atrocities that have been perpetrated on fellow human beings by the Government of India. We won some but many more kept stalled by the judiciary of the “world’s largest democracy”. In the process the international community is no more as ignorant about the Nagas as India would have wanted. On several occasions, our leaders and elders have spoken about our situation in many international meetings and forums, including the United Nations meetings held at its various HQs of Vienna, Geneva, New York, etc. in the past decades. India was also called up and questioned by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Today, NPMHR is proud to say that it has also been a “close follower” of the 2^nd Indo-Naga Peace Process ever since it started in 1997. In this endeavor, we also responded on any given situation which demanded our presence or interventions. We also took extra steps to patch-up differences between our National leaders who were estranged in their working relationships due to reasons beyond their control. Today we are also proud partners with the many Naga civil society organizations, churches and well-meaning individuals, who have managed to narrow down the wide chasm between our Naga national groups. The end result may still be awaited… but the countdown to “our own Nation-building” may have begun.On this occasion of the 31^st Foundation day of the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), we would like to re-iterate that, human kind have made history through the struggle for freedom from exploitation and subjugation, and that NPMHR as a human rights organization stands committed for realization of this effort no matter what it takes. Towards this, we also extend our fullest support and solidarity with all struggling peoples and Nations whose rights and freedom are being suppressed by dominant communities and nation states. In this same light, we also implore upon the international communities and the various agencies of the United Nations to re-invigorate their mechanism in monitoring the over-all human rights situation in the Naga areas which have once again become vulnerable in the backdrop of a ceasefire that has continued for more than 12 years without intention to seek solutions but only to undermine the basic human rights of peoples who seek to protect and preserve their own natural identity.

UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169

The global economic transition to sustainable, low carbon development will require revitalization of diverse local economies, including support for Indigenous peoples’ self-determined development. Economic planning combined with adaptive management to climate change will need to apply an ecosystem-based approach, and must fully respect the rights and interests of indigenous peoples and local communities. Securing our rights to our ancestral lands, forests, waters and resources, provides the basis for sustainable local social, cultural, spiritual and economic development, and some insurance against our vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. This is also beneficial towards improving ecosystem governance, ecosystem resilience and the delivery of ecosystem

Many forests are within the traditional lands and territories of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous peoples around the world live in and depend upon forests for their survival and to enjoy their fundamental rights to forests and land tenure. They are of cultural, social, economic and spiritual significance for us and provide benefits for humankind. Accordingly, the rights of Indigenous peoples, including our land and resource rights, must be recognized and respected at all levels (local, national and international) before we can consider REDD initiatives and projects. The recognition of our rights must be in accordance with international human rights law and standards including the UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169, among other human rights instruments. If there is no full recognition and full protection for Indigenous peoples' rights, including the rights to resources, lands and territories, and there is no recognition and respect of our rights of free, prior and informed consent of the affected indigenous peoples, we will oppose REDD and REDD+ and carbon offsetting projects, including CDM projects. All decision-making processes on REDD and REDD+, Clean Development Mechanism, Land Use and Land Use Change and Forests (LULUCF), Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) as well as other ecosystem-based mitigation and adaptation measures and projects must be conditional to the free prior informed consent of Indigenous peoples. Our laws, regulations, and plans shall be recognized as authoritative and determinative as to the risks, values and benefits associated with measures to adapt to, or mitigate for, climate change effects within the territorial jurisdiction of tribal governing bodies.

Traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples

We have intrinsic contributions towards addressing the climate crisis, and renewing the relationships between humans and nature. For generations, we have managed ecosystems nurturing its integrity and complexity in sustainable and culturally diverse ways. Our customary resource management systems have proven to be ecologically sustainable, low carbon economies. These include mobile pastoralism in drylands and rangelands, rotational swidden agriculture and ecological agriculture in tropical forest regions, the conservation, management and restoration of other natural ecosystems such as mangroves, savannahs, wetlands, the Arctic environment and small island ecosystems. Traditional knowledge, innovations and adaptation practices embody local adaptative management to the changing environment, and complement scientific research, observations and monitoring.The climate crisis threatens our very survival, particularly forest-dependent, ice-dependent peoples, peoples in voluntary isolation, and the indigenous peoples of small island states and local communities. Addressing such vulnerabilities requires recognition, respect and strengthening of the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples, and strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and Indigenous Peoples and local communities' capacities to adapt to climate change. Ecosystem-based adaptation based on holistic indigenous peoples’ systems and rights can deliver significant social, cultural, spiritual and economic values to Indigenous Peoples and local communities as well as to the biodiversity of indigenous lands and territories. This should be considered with the full participation of indigenous peoples in the planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these measures. The empowerment of Indigenous peoples and local communities is critical to successful adaptation strategies to climate change.Our cosmovision, ways of life and traditional practices have been in existence since time immemorial. Sumak Kawsay, Penker Pujustin and other indigenous visions and values propose a way of life that is respectful, responsible, balanced and harmonious with nature and offers equity and solidarity as the guiding principles of global wellbeing. Indigenous worldviews embody an organized, sustainable and dynamic economic system, as well as political, socio-cultural and environmental rights. This vindicates a social dimension of democracy that goes beyond formal democracy, where economy becomes a subordinate activity to the development of peoples in the name of humanity, solidarity and respect for Mother Earth.

Acknowledging the historical responsibilities of developed countries

1. Climate change, in the light of the current global financial, economic, environmental and food crises, represents an unprecedented challenge and opportunity for humanity to transform global economic, political, social, cultural relations to live in balance with Mother Earth. Reaching climate equilibrium and justice is inseparable from acknowledging the historical responsibilities of developed countries while promoting social equity between and within nations, maintaining ecological integrity, addressing the climate and ecological debt, and pursuing an effective transition away from fossil fuel dependency towards a green economy. It requires honouring international commitments to poverty eradication, sustainable development, biodiversity, and human rights. The full and effective participation of indigenous peoples, local communities and vulnerable groups is key to achieve a just and equitable outcome of the climate negotiations.

2. Climate science, indigenous and traditional knowledge, international solidarity, equity and human rights, widespread social mobilisation and strong political leadership, are all building blocks towards desirable outcomes in Copenhagen and beyond.

3. Climate change governance must transcend state-governments' negotiations, to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples which includes the full and effective participation in all negotiations by Indigenous Peoples' traditional governments, institutions and organizations. It must also embrace diverse contributions and inter-cultural collaboration, recognizing distinct and valuable contributions from children and youth, women, indigenous peoples and local communities. All voices need to be included in climate governance and decision-making: we are all learners and teachers together in addressing human-induced climate change.

Indigenous Peoples are Rights-holders

4. We hold inalienable collective rights over our lands, territories and resources. Policies and actions that are being negotiated now directly affect our traditional lands, territories, oceans, waters, ice, flora, fauna and forests thereby also affecting the survival and livelihoods of over 370 million Indigenous Peoples from all regions of the globe. However, our concerns and views have not been seriously addressed in the climate negotiation processes, least of all those from indigenous women and youth. We reiterate the States’ and whole UN system’s obligations to uphold regional and international human rights commitments and standards, especially the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The provisions of the UNDRIP articulate rights which must be respected and safeguarded in all climate decision-making and actions. We are therefore holders of collective rights, including sovereign and inherent rights to land and treaty rights, covenants and agreements. Protecting these rights also strengthen the capacity and resilience of indigenous peoples and local communities to respond to climate change.

5. Respect for the human rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, valuing our traditional knowledge and innovations, and supporting our local mitigation and adaptation strategies are critical and invaluable requirements towards adequate holistic solutions to climate change. As such, our local strategies and priorities must be reflected in National Adaptation and Mitigation Action (NAMAs) and National Adaptation Plans and strategies of Action (NAMAs and NAPAs), in the development and implementation of which we must participate fully and effectively. The distinct roles and responsibilities of indigenous women and youth, will need to be considered; underlining the importance of their inclusion in decision-making and planning processes.

6. Our rights to self-determination and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) are the minimum standards to safeguard our rights and interests through the different stages of the project lifecycle, including policy framing, planning and design, implementation, restoration, rehabilitation, benefit-sharing and conflict resolution.

7. Our governing bodies have the right to enact such laws and regulations as appropriate and adopt mitigation and adaptation plans within their jurisdictional authority as they deem necessary to protect and advance the social, economic, political and cultural welfare of their communities in matters pertaining to climate change. Each indigenous people’s governing body has the prerogative to determine and apply the best available science, including native sciences and conventional sciences, according to their cultural requirements consistent with the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or territories and other resources.