EMRIP19: Agenda Item 5 – Interactive Dialogue with the UNPFII, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, and members of the UN Treaty Bodies

19th Session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)
13 to 17 July 2026, Geneva, Switzerland

Joint Statement on

Agenda Item 5: Interactive Dialogue with the UNPFII, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, and members of the UN Treaty Bodies

Presented by: Hellan Empaing, on behalf of Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus

Thank you, Chair!

Our defenders continue to face harassment, surveillance, red-tagging, arbitrary arrests, and criminalization. We are concerned about the arrest of Pranab Doley in Assam, India, 3 days ago (12 July 2026) – therefore we urge immediate and unconditional release of Pranab Doley in Assam, India, and end the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples. continued judicial harassment of leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance in the Philippines.

In Malaysia, structural challenges including displacement, land grabbing, and resource extraction – persist. The Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project (Work Packages 33, 34 and 35) has impacted over 115 indigenous households, displaced without receiving compensation. While, water pipe gravity and their water catchment area were destroyed. In Sarawak, likewise the whole Malaysia, Indigenous communities face systemic hurdles in securing formal recognition of Native Customary Rights lands. We express our concern over the promotion and implementation of UPOV 1991, which may undermine Indigenous Peoples’ traditional seed systems.

Indigenous territories in Myanmar, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Philippines are affected by armed conflict, mining, infrastructure development, and large-scale agricultural projects. Indigenous Peoples territories in Papua, Indonesia, have been designated for food estate and renewable energy projects and the proliferation of planned geothermal projects in Bengkulu, Toraja, Sinjai, and Pocoleok. Ongoing conflicts persist regarding nickel mining in North Maluku, Central Sulawesi, and South Sulawesi.

We recommend the UNPFII, the Special Rapporteur, the UN Voluntary Fund, and the Treaty Bodies collectively coordinate on their respective mandates to translate these ground realities into enforceable accountability.

We reiterate to hold country visits and reports under your mandates including the engagement of Indigenous Peoples participation through the UNVF to proactively protect Indigenous Peoples human rights defenders facing these escalating challenges.

Thank you!

Click here to download the full statement on EMRIP19 Item 5