Global Indigenous Climate Summit Concludes in Alaska

Naniki Reyes Ocasio (Boriken Taino), UN General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, and Hariette Vreedzaam - Joeroeja (Galibi - Suriname) express their solidarity at the Global Indigenous Peoples' Summit on Climate Change in Alaska.

Anchorage, Alaska (UCTP Taíno News) - The Global Indigenous Peoples' Summit on Climate Change being held in Alaska concluded on Friday. The Summit was held at the Dena-Ina Center in the city of Anchorage over a span of five days; from April 20th-24th 2009. Over 400 Indigenous Peoples representatives from over 80 countries around the world participated - including a very visible Caribbean delegation.

Many statistics were presented at the Summit such as the fact that there are approximately 400 million Indigenous People on Earth, which translates to 1 out of every 15 human beings on the planet today as being an Indigenous person.

There were 2 guest speakers of particular note, the first was the famous Catholic Priest turned leftist Guerrilla turned President of the United Nations General Assembly - Miguel d'Escoto Brockman; who was enthusiastically applauded when he stated unapologetically "Now is not the time to pull any punches, we must call a spade a spade, the Third World cannot afford to subsidize the First World any more through unjust debt repayments - while developed countries portray themselves as the 'Charitable donors' coming to the financial rescue & relief of the 'pitiable beggars' - which is how they portray the developing countries".

Bolivia's energetic Foreign Minister Mr. David Choquehuanca received a standing ovation after he declared "We Indigenous Peoples are not the ones responsible for this human induced Climate change, but we are the ones suffering from it first and most severely so far, life is at risk, the non-indigenous have to realize and accept the fact that the Earth is our mother, and all living things are her children - and are sustained by her milk; which is called water. Water is precious, it is sacred, and it is the source of life for everything on this planet. The world has to take a Pro-Life stance now, not just for human life but for all life, for man is not separate from the natural world - he is an inseparable part of it!"

Another important fact revealed at the summit was that the average temperature of the world has already increased by one degree Celsius - and this has caused a world-wide depletion of soil fertility, aquifers, ocean fisheries, and bio-diversity in general - not to mention created severe weather phenomena. If the global temperature increases by only one degree more (and more than that is projected) - this will mean the collapse of ecosystems from coral reefs to polar ice caps, at 3-4 degrees Celsius in increase we will witness massive loss of species (and extinction is forever) and food crops.

Rising temperature is already causing an increase in vector borne diseases such as Malaria and West Nile virus.

Medical research has also shown that Indigenous communities that no longer produce the food they require to feed themselves - but instead rely on an imported purchased diet of processed foods and carbonated beverages - now suffer from Diabetes and a host of preventable diseases hitherto unknown in their communities.

The concerns of the Caribbean region were vigorously represented by 9 delegates including Bartolo Teul and Vincent Palacio (Belize), Naniki Reyes Ocasio (Puerto Rico), Chief Charles Williams and Pearl Williams (Dominica), Melford Pompei (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Damon Corrie (Barbados), and Cyrilene Francis and Hariette Vreedzaam - Joeroeja (Suriname). Damon Corrie of the Eagle Clan Arawaks noted that "9 is a sacred number for the Lokono and other Indigenous People in the region".

The Summit's executive committee was comprised of Patricia Cochran (Arctic) - Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Andrea Carmen (North America) - Executive Director of the International Indian Treaty Council, Ben Namakin (Pacific) - Program Manager of the Environmental Education & Awareness Program Conservation Society of Pohnpei, Joseph Ole Simel (Africa) - National Coordinator of the Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization of the Massai, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (Asia) - Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Executive Director of Tebtebba, and Convener of the Asia Indigenous Women's Network, Tarcila Rivera Zea (Latin America) - Executive Director of the Centro de Culturas Indigenous del Peru), and Cletus Springer (Caribbean) - Director of the Department of Sustainable Development of the Organization of American States.

A Declaration from the Summit will be presented to the United Nations General Assembly by President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples of the World.

The Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change was sponsored by the monetary donations of the Christensen Fund, the Ford Foundation, the Oak Foundation, the Government of Denmark, the John D. and Catherine J. MacArthur Foundation, the Government of Sweden - and 16 other sponsors.

UCTPTN 04.25.2009

Indigenous Peoples Invisible at Trinidad Summit

Trinidad and Tobago (UCTP Taino News) – A delegation of 10 Indigenous leaders traveled to Trinidad to attend the Organization of American States (OAS) 5th Summit of the Americas from April 17 to 19, 2009. The delegation’s intention was to further develop critical partnerships with States while presenting the views of millions of Indigenous Peoples from throughout the Americas. These views were encapsulated in a Declaration and Plan of Action developed at an Indigenous Leaders Summit, which took place in Panama City preceding the OAS Summit. While Trinidad’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning publicly declared his desire for the Summit to achieve prosperity for the peoples of the Americas with commitment and mutual respect, the Indigenous leaders experienced discriminatory exclusion.

Even at the parallel “Civil Society Summit” and other events leading into the 5th Summit, it was not possible for Indigenous Peoples to effectively participate because the government of Trinidad and Tobago would not accommodate the Indigenous Peoples Summit on site. The result of this exclusion was that the Indigenous leaders, representing millions of Indigenous Peoples from across the Americas, were not even considered “delegates” unlike members of civil society, youth, business and private sector delegates. Incredibly, a last minute decision by Trinidad's National Secretariat to increase the number of delegates from civil society from 10 to 40 individuals in the Forum with Ministers was not extended to Indigenous Peoples.

While much of the world was focused on the communications between U.S. President Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Indigenous Leaders noted that the final 5th States Summit Declaration of Commitment failed to address Indigenous Peoples, despite the theme “Securing our Citizens’ Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability.”

In the development of the Declaration of Commitment by State Governments, there were initially three brief references to Indigenous Peoples in the area of health, education and the draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the final Declaration of Commitment, only two paragraphs refer to Indigenous Peoples, one which supports “voluntary” corporate social responsibility best practices, involving dialogues between the corporate sector, governments and Indigenous “groups”, and one that commits to the adoption of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Commenting on the process and the State Summit Declaration, Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Edward John voiced his disappointment: “We saw the 5th Summit as an opportunity to work in partnership with States of the Americas for the betterment of our people and securing a future where Indigenous Peoples are treated with respect and equality. But if our experience at the 5th Summit is any indication of the States’ intentions, we have a long way to go. Indeed, the 5th Summit represents a step backwards for recognition of Indigenous Peoples. At the 4th State Summit in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 2005, Indigenous Leaders were given the respect we deserve and had an opportunity to speak directly to Heads of States.”

Another member of the Indigenous delegation, Héctor Huertas, a Kuna leader from Panama stated "We have a clear vision of the path to follow and we will continue meeting with the OAS and its Member States in order to ensure that they comply with their international obligations in relation to Indigenous rights and their implementation in these American States. We will be vigilant that the 6th Summit be a space to measure the true fulfillment of the States’ commitment against violence and discrimination towards Indigenous peoples.”

The 5th Summit of the Americas was the first time a Summit of the Americas was held in a Caribbean state.

UCTPTN 04.24.2009

Taino promote well-being in the Bronx

Bronx, NY (UCTP Taino News) – Members of the Bohio Atabei Caribbean Indigenous Women’s Circle organized a mini-health fair for the local community in the Bronx on Saturday, April 18, 2009. The successful fair took place at KHNIA on University Ave and it featured Indigenous Caribbean Health Care Professionals including Lourdes Kalichi’naru and Vanessa Yuyabao’aru as well as holistic lecturer, Bruce Urayoel Carlino who spoke on preventive measures for health and well-being. Free blood pressure screenings and refreshments were offered. Yuyabao’aru (Boricua Taino), director of the Bohio noted that while the event was a seen as a pilot, local community members attending were “very enthusiastic” about the possibility of similar events in the near future.

UCTPTN 04.24.2009

Caribbean Indigenous Peoples Speak Out on Climate Change

Participants in session at Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change. (Photo: Johnson Cerda)

Anchorage, Alaska (UCTP Taino News) – Approximately 400 indigenous peoples’ representatives from around the world are meeting in Anchorage, Alaska this week to seek a greater role in global climate negotiations. Among the participants is a delegation of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples who will present a regional report as well as their individual experiences.

The some of the members of the Caribbean delegation include Chief Charles Williams of the Kalinago Carib Nation, Naniki Reyes Ocasio (Boriken) of the United Confederation of Taino People, Damon Corrie of the Eagle Clan Lokono Arawaks (Barbados & Guyana), and Harriet H. Vreedzaam-Joeroeja, a Galibi (Carib) from Suriname representing Stichting Sanomaro-Esa and the Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples (COIP).

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Caribbean is one of the regions most affected by Climate Change along with the Arctic and the Amazon.

A major goal of the Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change is to help strengthen the indigenous participation at the December conference of parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Copenhagen. There, the world's governments will negotiate a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol (which expires in 2012) to reduce carbon emissions and to create an adaptation fund to help poor countries.

The Indigenous Summit will conclude on Friday with a declaration and action plan, which is to be endorsed by Bolivian President Evo Morales Ayma and United Nations General Assembly President, Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann.

UCTPTN 04.23.2009

International Mother Earth Day Adopted at the United Nations

Celebrating the adoption of International Mother Earth Day at United Nations Headquarters, Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Josephine Tarrant, Muriel Borst, and Roberto Borrero. (Photo: Miguel Ibanez, Habitat Pro)

UNITED NATIONS (UCTP Taino News) -- In a resolution adopted Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated April 22nd as International Mother Earth Day. The assembly recognized that “Mother Earth” is a common expression for the planet earth in a number of countries and regions, and invited all member states, international and regional organizations and civil society to observe the day annually.

Acting in consensus, the assembly proclaimed that the “Earth and its ecosystems are our home” and stressed that in order to achieve a just balance economically, socially, and environmentally it is necessary to promote “harmony with nature and Earth.”

In a special event celebrating the adoption of International Mother Earth Day, the gathering was called to order with the sounding of the Guamo (conch shell) by Roberto Borrero, a Boriken Taino representing the United Confederation of Taino People. The call to order was followed by a welcome address on behalf of the Onondaga Nation presented by Tonya Gonnella Frichner, the North American Regional Representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

In his presentation at the event, United Nations General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann thanked President Evo Morales Ayma of the Plurinational State of Bolivia for initiating International Mother Earth Day and for attending the meeting. He noted that President Morales has “proven himself to be fully committed to the transmission of the great spiritual and moral values of our South and Central American and Caribbean ancestors.”

The 63rd GA president further noted that these “values are greatly need to help our world out of the neo-liberal quagmire of greed and social irresponsibility in which we find ourselves.”

Addressing the gathering, President Evo Morales Ayma who is of indigenous Aymara origin thanked all those who supported the Declaration and noted that western thought has long viewed the Earth as a commodity and not as a “living being that has rights”. President Morales also took the opportunity to request that those gathered support a call for the development of an additional declaration on the “Rights of Mother Earth.”

The event continued with a special performance by the Silver Cloud Singers, an intertribal Native American singing and dancing troupe and an expert panel including Leonardo Boff (Brazil), Tariq Banuri (UNDSA), Juanita Castano (UNEP), Thanh Xuan Nguyen (WEDO), Jan McAlpine (UNFFS), and Maude Barlow (Canada).

The International Mother Earth Day resolution was co-sponsored by 50 states, including several Caribbean countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Saint Lucia.

UCTPTN 04.22.2009