Statements & Urgent Appeals

Statement on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 9th August 2018 In recent years, we have seen significant increase in the attacks on human rights defenders and have witnessed the shrinking of civic space. At least 1019 human rights defenders, journalists and trade unionists have been killed in 61 countries since 2015[1], most of whom were protecting their community’s land and natural resources. Approximately, 40 percent of these are indigenous brothers and sisters from around the world, including Asia. In Asia, development aggression and militarization have been notorious in perpetuating serious human rights violations. With several authoritarian and ...

Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) has learnt that there was an alleged shooting attempt against Ven Et, an indigenous activist of Areng Valley, Cambodia, on 12 May 2018 in front of his house. “I feel scared and worried about my personal security. I think this time they missed me but next time they might not,” says Ven Et. Ven Et is a younger brother of Ven Vorn, an indigenous environmental activist arrested in 2015 for “forest crimes”. According to Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders Network, Koh Kong Provincial Court charged Ven Vorn with harvesting forest products without authorisation and tampering ...

AIPP’s Solidarity Statement to the Activists and Indigenous Newar Community in Kathmandu Chiang Mai, 2 April 2018 – Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) condemns in highest terms the violent response of the Nepalese government during the recent peaceful protest in Baneshwor on 28 March 2018. The incident resulted to arrest of 16 leaders and injuring many others as they were met with police’ water cannons and tear gas. The indigenous Newar communities and activists were protesting about the road expansion, the Fast Track Highway, Outer Ring Road, and other satellite cities, among other destructive development projects to be built on their lands. ...

Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact’s Call to Repeal the Petition Declaring the former Secretary-General of AIPP, Joan Carling, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Corpuz-Tauli, and other indigenous leaders and human rights defenders as Terrorists and Outlaws On 21 February 2018, the Department of Justice filed a petition to the Regional Trial Court of the National Capital Region in Manila City declaring around 600 individuals, many of them are human rights defenders and political activists, as “terrorists and outlawed organisations, associations and/or group of persons.”[1] Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), a regional organisation of 48 indigenous peoples ...

  Press for Progress: International Women’s Day March 08, 2018 #pressforprogress Dear Members, Partners and Friends, On March 08, 2018, we are once again celebrating International Women’s Day. We, as indigenous women, join in solidarity for this year’s campaign theme: Press for Progress. Recent reports suggest that globally-realised gender parity is more than two centuries away[1]. Meanwhile, global activism for women’s equality is building momentum, with movements such as the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns shining light on the injustices facing women in many sectors. We, indigenous women in Asia and allies of indigenous women everywhere, want to take this opportunity ...

A Call of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Asian Indigenous Women Network, Indigenous Peoples Organisations, Advocates and the International Community to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Provide Justice on the Rape of Two Indigenous Marma Women and Assault on the Queen of the Chakma Circle, Chittagong Hill Tracks The systematic approach of the security forces to cover up the rape and sexual assault, allegedly by the elements of Farua Army Camp of Digholchari Zone of 13 Bengal, on two Marma sisters (aged 19 and 14) and the inaction on the physical assault on the Queen of the Chakma Circle, Rani Yan ...

Stand up for Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples  Statement of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)* for Human Rights Day 2017 Despite the adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948, violations against human rights remain unabated and for indigenous peoples, we continue to face the systemic, structural and cultural barriers.  Our rights were finally recognized through the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007 after more than half a century after the adoption of UDHR. But these advancements in international human rights standards for indigenous peoples have not led ...

5 December 2017 Chiang Mai, Thailand Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)[1] strongly condemns the harassment and intimidation to a 21-year-old staff of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP – NMR) with threats of rape against her and threats against her family. RMP – NMR has been receiving threats for the past four months but this recent incident is particularly alarming.[2] On 20 November 2017, a person identifying him/herself as an intelligence asset of the 4th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) threatened the RMP – NMR staff and claimed that her parents and siblings are ...

Statement of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus held November 26, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights November 27-29, 2017 Representatives of the Indigenous Peoples of Abya Yala, North America, Asia, Africa and Europe gathered in caucus on November 26, 2017. We saluted the efforts of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights. Whereas the focus of the Forum that brings us together has as a specific theme the third pillar of the Guiding Principles, known as the mechanisms for effective remedy for victims of human rights violations by companies, we bring you the following ...

Mr. Kittisak Rattanakrajangsri, Chairperson of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) spoke on behalf of Asian Indigenous Peoples in the high level opening session of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day on 7 Nov in Bonn Zone in the Twenty Third Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP23). This is the first time in the history of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that indigenous peoples’ organisations are allowed to organise Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the Conference of Parties (COP). The other speakers in the high level opening session of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day included; COP22 President, COP23 President and the ...