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COP27 Must Deliver Promises To Stop The Attacks Against Indigenous Peoples, Increase Land And Rights Recognition
The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) attends the Conference of Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, and calls for the immediate stop of attacks against Indigenous Peoples and increased land and rights recognition.
Joining various peoples and climate justice groups, IPMSDL members and partners will highlight climate solutions that center on the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to lands, waters, forests, mountains, and self-determination.
“Indigenous Peoples are climate heroes and champions. They have been calling out false solutions to the climate crisis ignore, or reinforce, the root cause of the crisis, that is the exploit of resources in ancestral lands.”
- Paul Belisario, Deputy Global Coordinator, IPMSDL
IPMSDL members and partners emphasized their calls even before going to COP27:
“Climate justice means recognizing the role and contributions of IP in addressing the crisis. It calls for the inclusion of IP in the negotiations and decision-making and climate solutions. It must demand to kick out monopoly corporations destroying the environment and our ancestral lands. Moreso, its time to put some teeth and concrete accountability to prohibit and penalize red-tagging of IP who are vital in climate solutions.”
- Eufemia Cullamat, indigenous Lumad from the Philippines, SANDUGO Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination.
“West Papua’s rainforest is one of our hope to overcome the climate crisis but with the ongoing human rights violations on the ground, we will not be able to protect our customary lands and forests and provide any meaningful solutions.”
- Esther Haluk, West Papuan woman activist
In Guatemala, the Maya Ch'orti' indigenous communities are fighting to protect and sustain their territory from extractive companies that destroy their mountains, native forests, rivers and water sources. We are concerned about the consequences of climate change. We fear we’ll not be able to live in a territory free of contamination and violence where defenders of the land and indigenous authorities have been imprisoned, murdered and prosecuted for defending their territories.”
- Norma Sancir, indigenous Maya Kaqchikel journalist working for the Consejo Indígena Maya Ch'orti' de Olopa Chiquimula
“As COP27 begins, we demand climate justice for the oppressed and economically disempowered indigenous Ogoni people in the oil rich but impoverished Niger Delta region of Nigeria. We resist the new scramble for African oil and gas and commit to Net Zero by 2050. The renewed pressure for forceful resumption of oil operation in Ogoni must stop with immediate effect.
- AkpoBari Celestine, National Coordinator Ogoni Solidarity Forum-Nigeria
“West Papua has 42 million hectares rainforest but we already lost around 29 million hectares due to land grabbing by climate imperialists for palm oil plantations and other projects. More than 65,000 military personnel are spread across Papua to protect these foreign projects. And more than 67,000 people are internally displaced, mostly are girls, women, and children due to the militarisation linked with these projects.”
- Samuel Womsimor, West Papuan youth activist, Gempar Papua
“As world leaders gather in Sharma El Sheikh this week, it should be remembered that this week, Ken Saro Wiwa and others were hanged because of fighting against fossil fuels extraction, a key driver of climate change. It is time for world leaders gathering at COP27 to commit to reversing climate change by taking bold actions and decisions to save Mother Earth so that our communities in Ogoni can feed again, breathe free air again, see our leaves and animals live again, our waters and land brim with life again.”
- Saro Legbrosi Pyagbara, Ogoni leader, African Indigenous Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development
IPMSDL will critically monitor the climate negotiations and engage in relevant spaces pushing for concrete actions and accountability for the continuing failure of parties to fulfill their emission targets.
“With all these failures, we also see a strong link between the continuing exploitation of indigenous lands and resources and the rising militarism, attacks against indigenous peoples, state fascism and the shrinking democratic space of Indigenous movements,” Belisario said.
In COP27, IPMSDL attendees will participate in official side events, exhibits, and panel presentations inside the COP27 Conference Center highlighting the following demands:
Recognize and uphold the legacy of IP heroes and martyrs in the defense of ancestral lands as components of climate change solutions.
Increase and fulfill climate finance commitments rooted in the historical injustice and debt of imperialist polluters and greenhouse gas emitters.
Review and stop the financing and implementation of unsustainable projects impacting IP land and rights.
Move towards direct access for local communities and IP on this compensation, including financing for loss and damages.
Ensure more representation of Indigenous Peoples in international climate forums, strategies, and development agendas, including national climate policy-making and implementation.
Some inside events with IPMSDL speakers/ panels/ delegate:
November 10 - Decolonisation and Enacting Climate Justice
Thursday, 14:00 - 15:20
Climate Justice Pavilion
November 12 - Putting people at the heart of climate action: Towards a rights-based Global Stocktake
Saturday, 11:30 - 13:00
Memphis
November 12 - KAIROS Blanket Exercise
Saturday, 13:00 - 16:00
CoP27 Civil Society Climate Justice Hub, Sanafir Hotel
November 14 - Indigenous Women Advancing Climate Justice
Monday, 17:00 - 18:20
Climate Justice Pavilion
November 16 - Indigenous informed Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Wednesday, 15:00 - 16:20
Climate Justice Pavilion
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