OIYP Voice Newsletter
October 2004
October 12 marks the Day of Solidarity with the World’s Indigenous Peoples as it is celebrated in the United States. Formerly known as ‘Columbus Day’, this day has been reclaimed by many as a day to work in solidarity for the recognition of the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples globally. Globally, there are some 350 million Indigenous People. Indigenous Peoples are estimated to make up only about 5% of the world’s population, yet they represent about 90% of the world’s cultural diversity. It is no accident that over 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity is found within their territories since traditional practices within territories have safeguarded the well-being of all life forms.
OIYP joins in the celebration this month! Take a look at the ‘Action Updates’ section to see how indigenous and non-indigenous Action Partners are working to initiate change in their communities, in acknowledgement that all young people carry the responsibility of acting in the interests of future generations.
‘Campaign News’ focuses on Oxfam Australia’s Mining Campaign and the impact of mining on Indigenous Peoples, while this month’s ‘Spotlight’ highlights the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The ‘Skills’, ‘Resources’ and ‘Events and Opportunities’ sections provide tools that will assist you in achieving your Action Plan. Check them out!
The next edition of OIYP Voice will focus on Labour and Employment. What are the central issues surrounding Labour and Employment in your country? What proportion of youth are unemployed in your community? In your experience, what are the main influences on employment levels?
Please send your contributions to iypvoice@sydney.caa.org.au
All the best,
The OIYP Team
Editor: Jacinta Isaacs
Researchers: Lauren Hrouda and Sophie Skiba
ACTION UPDATES
Chinthaka Perera
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Sri Lanka
“It's been almost three months since OIYP concluded but still the word
‘beautiful’ rings in my ear. OIYP gave me more than just a certificate or another appearance in an international conference. OIYP truly was just ‘beautiful’. It gave me so much, and it would only be fair to say that it changed my life. It is the same inspiration that made me think of a ‘Sri Lankan Youth Parliament’. At OIYP I met people who didn't have anything but their ideas. People who had never left their country before and people who were solely people and truly ‘beautiful’ inside. I met people who never had the chance to speak but people who never gave up.
“Today I am back in my country and I am sure that there are such youth in Sri Lanka. OIYP has inspired me so much, and I want to give my people in Sri Lanka everything I learnt at OIYP. Today along with three other fellow IYP Action Partners who also attended IYP 2004 representing Sri Lanka, we are laying the foundation for a ‘Sri Lankan Youth Parliament’. If we succeed, there will be 225 youth-oriented projects over the next two years in Sri Lanka. This would be an achievement of a lifetime.”
Chinthaka would like assistance with fundraising skills and project proposal writing. He is also looking for four facilitators to conduct workshops at ‘The Sri Lankan Youth Parliament’. Accommodation costs will be covered. To volunteer or offer any advice, please contact Chintaka at chinthaka_p16@hotmail.com
Diego Echegoyen
El Salvador
Diego Echegoyen Rivera was invited to OIYP 2004, however, unfortunately, was not able to attend. He is working to facilitate communication between young people in El Salvador and has just launched a youth- based website (see www.joveneslideres.org). His work has recently earned him a Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) Youth in Action Award.
‘Jóvenes Lideres de El Salvador’ (Young leaders of El Salvador) is an online communication web made up of young leaders active in a range of areas. It is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organisation made up of a Directors group, an assembly, and a group of international laisons officers and theme evaluators.
Diego is willing to help others with tools for leadership training, educating young people, establishing projects, elaborating profiles and offering support in communication technologies and web access. Diego requires technical and financial support and would also like to develop communication in his local area. You can contact Diego at dechegoyen@joveneslideres.org.
Constance Walyaro
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Kenya
In her efforts to reduce poverty and unemployment and improve access to basic education, child protection and health services in her community, Connie is in the process of setting up the first of 12 resource centres Kitengela, Rift Valley District.
She has recently worked with the Kamukunji Youth Development Group, based in Pumwani, Majengo slum, Nairobi, in a community clean up, as she sees environmental concern and conservation is a key component of the Life Skills component of her Action Plan.
In addition, the OIYP Kenya Action Partners will be assembling for a joint mission to northeastern Kenya to support The Kenyan Red Cross Society, in their large-scale famine relief program, distributing food to 45 villages in the region. The first distribution, using rice, beans and oil provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross, took place in early April to 350 families in Garissa Central.
As part of World AIDS Day (1 December 2004), Connie will participate in a Lesson for Life, an initiative to broaden awareness and take action for children affected by HIV/ AIDS (see http://www.gmfc.org/lessonforlife.htm for more information).
Connie would like to develop fundraising, project management as well as monitoring and evaluation skills. She is interested in establishing partnerships with development organisations involved in education, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and poverty alleviation. As a part of UNOY peace builders, Connie is willing to share peace-building skills and resources as well as information relating to youth empowerment, advocacy, public speaking and conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. You can contact her atconnilia55@yahoo.com.
“For one eternal instant, in partnership with Youth for UN-Habitat, we turned 12th August into carnival, vividly shaded red, green, and all the hues that break the misguided notion that youth can only be reckless and disorderly. From every corner of the city and beyond the masses flooded in procession to our portion of Nairobi. And for several unbelievable hours, we celebrated to the utmost, youth in an intergenerational society. We entertained and were entertained, youth at the peak of their artistic prowess. It was loud, heart-stopping, innovative; and absolutely awesome.” (Constance Walyaro on her Action Plan launch event on International Youth Day)
Kelly Barclay
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Australia
Kelly Barclay is actively addressing the over representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system through her work to improve legal education in her community.
Kelly plans to integrate Legal Studies into the high school curriculum. She has fulfilled the role of coordinator of her local Justice Association and works closely with her local high school principal.
Due to the current Australian political climate, Kelly is optimistic and says "with our election around the corner and all the debate surrounding education and the ever-present statistics regarding the over representation of Indigenous Australians in the prisons, it seems there couldn't be a better time to launch my Action Plan".
Kelly is a third year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Justice Studies. She is skilled in coordinating local associations, office administration, employee relations and writing journal articles and is willing to assist in any of these areas. Kelly would like to learn some tips on lobbying. If you would like to offer or request advice, Kelly may be contacted at k.barclay@student.qut.edu.au.
Elisha Cliff Ishaku
OIYP Action Partner, Nigeria
Elisha Cliff Ishaku is working to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on young people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria through provision of medical, psychological and nutritional care and support.
As part of his work as National Coordinator of the Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NYPHLAN), Elisha recently led seven young people from developing countries specifically Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, Ethiopia, India, Oman and Ukraine for a meeting with the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair. The meeting took place during the launch of the British Government’s Department for International Development strategy to tackle HIV/AIDS in the developing world (for more detail see www.unicef.org/aids/index_22459.html ).
He shares some of the problems faced by his government in Nigeria. “The problem we are having is our government. TALK ,TALK TALK and no action. As they TALK, we are DYING. Of the over 4,000,000 PLWHA [People Living With HIV/ AIDS] in Nigeria, only 10,000 can access treatment yet my government tells LIES. Even the monies received for AIDS relief, is not being accounted for. THEY STEAL. WHAT SHOULD I DO? This week, nine of my members died from one form or another of AIDS-related diseases.
“Do you know that TB has killed over 14 million people living with HIV/AIDS? Do you know that TB is the cause of death of up to 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS? Do you know that more than 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS are currently infected with TB and are most likely to die from it? Now is the time to STOP TB from further damaging our lives. What can you do to make a difference? Simply integrate TB into home based care in your community. Educate, Prevent, test and treat TB in HIV positive people. Support the 3 by 5 WHO/UNAIDS initiative to provide treatment with Anti Retroviral drugs (ARVs) by 2005.”
You can contact Elisha at eli_cliff@yahoo.com.
Andy Nziengui
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Gabon
Andy Nziengui’s Action Plan aims to inform young people at school and in rural areas about existing contraceptive methods, the danger of HIV/AIDS, and its consequences.
The launch of Andy’s celebration of International Youth Day began with the comments of more than one hundred participants; ‘We are young players of tomorrow!’, ‘We long for and want a better world - with us!’, ‘We want to be involved in the sustainable development process!’ The central themes focused on youth in an inter-generational society, the contribution of youth organisations to society and youth, democracy and sustainable development. A few ideas from the lectures:
“We must make our elders understand that the gap between generations is but an evolution of the mentalities in a given environment that demands new adaptations that vary with time. We’d rather speak of an evolution, or a change in the mentalities, than of a clash between generations.”
“Non-profit making associations and Non- Government Organisations (NGOs) share an essential commitment, namely mobilisation, education, training, and awareness raising. Young people, through these actions, are and must be the witnesses and players of their environment’s development.”
Andy is competent in project budgeting, organising local meetings, encouraging youth empowerment and involvement, lobbying and working with the media. He’d like to improve his leadership, online organisational, project management, partnership building and evaluation skills. To offer advice or ask a question, contact Andy at andy@francophone.net.
SPOTLIGHT- The UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (1994-2004) is fast drawing to a close, without achieving one of it’s major goals – the adoption of the United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Draft Declaration affirms and protects fundamental rights, the right to life and security, cultural, religious and language rights, as well as education, media and employment rights. The Draft Declaration also takes into account participatory and development rights, land and resource rights, self-determination rights and the right to assistance from states and international bodies, to enjoy the rights recognised in the Draft Declaration.
While the Draft Declaration, upon adoption, would not impose legal obligations on governments, it would carry strong moral force and potentially influence the action of organisations and states. It is a useful tool for lobbying governments and for requesting financial assistance to ensure that Indigenous rights are realised.
Cheryl DeWitt, an Indigenous Action Partner from the US, states that “the Draft Declaration has encapsulated an international standard of how Indigenous Peoples should be treated. Through Western symbolism it communicates inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples using a universal medium. It insures Indigenous Peoples’ cultural identity is safeguarded by promoting participation in political, economic, and social life, without sacrificing time-honored cultural values, languages, and traditions. It sets the framework to how governments should interact with Indigenous Peoples taking into consideration the various international impacts of Indigenous Peoples in areas such as, human rights, education, development, health, culture, development and the environment.”
After almost ten years of debate, consensus had been reached on only two of the 45 articles. Many articles are subject to intense debate, with states trying to introduce changes that would result in the weakening of international standards of protection for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. In light of this continuing lack of consensus, it seems evident that the adoption of the declaration will not be anytime soon.
The slow progress of the Draft Declaration is very disappointing. The Draft Declaration promises to be the most comprehensive statement of the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples, affirming that Indigenous Peoples are equal in dignity and rights to all other peoples and providing protection for a wide range of human rights relating to Indigenous Peoples.
More recently, September saw the tenth United Nations intersessional meeting on the Draft Declaration. This is being followed up by a meeting from 29 November until 3 December. For more information or to take action on promoting the Declaration see www.treatycouncil.org, the website of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC). The IITC is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America and the Pacific working for the Sovereignty and Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous Rights, Traditional Cultures and Sacred Lands, particularly through engagement with the UN system.
To read the Draft Declaration in its current form see http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/E.CN.4.SUB.2.RES.1994.45.En?OpenDocument, or find a “plain language” version at http://www.atsic.gov.au/issues/indigenous_rights/international/draft_declaration/plain_version/default.asp#preamble
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – Post from Cameroon
Dear Editor,
Some of the concerns facing Indigenous Peoples in my community are:
(a) Social: To assert themselves and dominate the strangers, to overshadow other cultures existing in their area. The condition of sale of land discriminates between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.
(b) Economic: The biggest concern is to make money. The dominant source of income is the sale of land, since Indigenous Peoples possess huge portions of land, either inherited or acquired as gifts from traditional leaders. Another source of income is escorting non-indigenous visitors to the mountain, which they consider as a sacred place, mastered by them.
(c) Political administration: Despite their small number and few academically qualified indigenous sons and daughters, they want to dominate the politics and administration of the area. Most political leaders are Indigenous whether they are fit or not.
What does solidarity with Indigenous Peoples in my community look like?
Essentially there is no solidarity between Indigenous Peoples and the strangers. The Indigenous Peoples have an inferiority complex given the fact that the strangers are greater in number. The strangers constitute the greater bulk of the traders or businessmen, build more magnificent structures and live generally better then the indigenous people.
Ida Tolefac Ngufor
OIYP 2004 Action Partner, Cameroon
ENDNOTE
“We are asking not for extended rights, but (for) inherent rights, these rights acknowledge our way of life, not only as traditional peoples of our lands, but as a group of people on this earth, the same earth we share with you.”
Statement from the OIYP 2004 Indigenous Rights Action Area Group
