Indigenous Peoples’ Voices on Biodiversity: Dr. Krishna B. Bhattachan – Nepal

Dr. Krishna B. Bhattachan belongs to the TaMhang (Thakali) Indigenous Peoples in Nepal.

Speaking in his indigenous language, Dr. Bhattachan emphasizes that it is our responsibility to protect and preserve our lands, water, stones, forests, and wild foods, which we have inherited with the blessings of our ancestors and deities.

Unfortunately, in our ancestral lands, the government, state, and private businesses are engaging in development aggression without obtaining our Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Dr. Bhattachan strongly demands an immediate halt to this.

To address these pressing issues, governments, states, and private businesses should meaningfully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) General Recommendation No. 39. This implementation will bring benefit to everyone.

Dr. Bhattachan serves as an advisor/expert for the Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP).