On International Day Of Forests: Defending Indigenous Peoples Is Defending Forests And Life Itself!

“The forest is not a resource for us, it is life itself. It is the only place for us to live.” 
– Evaristo Nugkuag Ikanan, Indigenous Aguaruna leader

The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) celebrates the International Day of Forests with every forest’s best guardian and nurturer, the world’s Indigenous Peoples.

An estimate of 350 million Indigenous Peoples (IP) are living inside and dependent on forests. From the biggest rainforests of Africa, Amazon, Americas and Asia, indigenous communities, tribal peoples and forest dwellers root their ways of life to forests biodiversity and ecosystem. For many, their dependence on forests range from sustenance, livelihood, shelter to cultural, spiritual and overall identity as a large part of forests coincides with ancestral lands.

But the conversion of forests into expanse of private business lands and corporate investments has drastically destroyed forests to irreparable degradation. Likewise, Indigenous Peoples have been sounding the alarm for decades of losing their homes, lives and rights as forests disappear.

The rate of destruction of forests has never been more apparent with the COVID-19 pandemic, as scientists linked the spillover of zoonotic viruses to habitat loss and exploitation of wildlife. Yet, forest protection and defense of Indigenous Peoples domain and rights has seen major setbacks amid the pandemic.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon climbed to 50% in the first quarter of 2020. Its pristine forests have also been targeted by illegal mining, logging and cattle ranching as the government scaled back its protection efforts. The Indonesian, site of world’s biggest palm-oil plantations, boasted of West Papua as its new palm oil frontier amid continuing conflict and issues of fake permits and violence against IP communities.

More than 300 Ogiek and 28 Sengwer peoples in Embobut Forest, Kenya had seen their homes demolished and burnt down by “forest conservation” police. In India, about 2 million forest dwellers whose rights to land have been rejected by the government live under the threat of displacement in exchange for protected forest areas.

As states and world leaders gravitate towards the United Nations’ 2030 plan for forests, which plans to expand protected areas and national parks, IPMSDL joins indigenous communities and advocates in expressing alarm over the massive rights violations, colonial land grab and landlessness it may bring. To discuss forest conservation and taking care of biodiversity without indigenous communities at its front and center will remain sham. Forest protection while violating the rights of IP is a mockery of their centuries of Indigenous knowledge, best practices and sustainable forest management.

In this same light, we call on to focus in heightening the fight against all forms of plunderous investments and projects profiting from the destruction of our forests. Let us continue to exact accountability from multinational companies, finance institutions and governments that endangers the life of our forests and indigenous communities. Most importantly, let us not forget to demand justice for all the forest guardians and IP martyrs who sacrificed for the future of our forests and our planets.

Forests are our lives itself. In celebrating our forests, the International IPMSDL continues to bring its call forward — protecting the world forests means defending IP rights, ancestral lands and life!

Reference:
Beverly Longid, Global Coordinator
info@ipmsdl.org

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