Statements & Urgent Appeals

To, The Office of the Prime MinisterGovernment of IndiaSouth Block, Raisina HillNew Delhi-110011 Dear Honourable Prime Minister, The Supreme Court order of 13th February 2019 in the case challenging the constitutional validity of Forest Rights Act (FRA) directed the State governments to ensure the eviction of all forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers from forest land whose claims under the Act have been rejected on or before 24 July 2019. 1 to 2 million claimants face the threat of eviction. The final countrywide numbers of forced evictions are likely to rise substantially as other states are forced to ...

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT Guwahati, 9th December 2018 On the occasion of the 70th International Human Rights Day, 2018, the following organisations reaffirm their commitment to the universal values and principles of human rights. Indigenous peoples’ organisations and movements gathered from 7-9 December at Guwahati to share “Experiences of Autonomy in North-East India” and for “A Critical Reflection and Dialogue on IP Struggles and Movements in NE India”. The meeting called for critical change in the institutional designs for self-government of indigenous communities where they themselves identify the needs and determine the structure of governance. The meeting expressed severe concern over ...

This October 15, we, the indigenous women of Asia, are celebrating the International Day of Rural Women by acknowledging our important role in the elimination of global hunger and malnutrition, and in meeting the goals for gender equality, sustainability of water, energy, human settlements, consumption and production, life on land and partnerships as set out by Agenda 2030. We, indigenous women in Asia, are estimated to be around 130 million and most of us reside in rural areas where we are the caretakers of our traditional lands. Indigenous women are the primary caretakers and providers of diverse and nutritious foods ...

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 ...

Introduction This written statement is submitted by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) to the Commission on the Status of Women’s 63rd Session, in line with the communications submission procedure. We respectfully acknowledge the upcoming priority theme of Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and commend the commission’s work towards ensuring a sustainable and just future for women and girls everywhere. Despite progress in some areas of the Sustainable Development Agenda, and given the worsening conditions for human ...

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 ...