BONN, Germany, June 12, 2023- “Parties should create a mechanism within the Loss and Damage Fund that ensures direct access for indigenous peoples.”

Jerome Ilagan of the Climate Change Commission of the Philippines asserts that loss and damage for indigenous peoples may encompass initiatives such as supporting the maintenance, restoration, and protection of indigenous lands and waters. According to him, this enhances their resilience based on their own priorities, systems of governance, and traditional knowledge.

In the side event of Tebtebba and Elatia in the 58^th meeting of the subsidiary bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, on June 8, 2023 in Germany, Ilagan calls for parties to provide space for indigenous peoples in key decision-making avenues for loss and damage.  The Chief of Policy Research and Development Division of the commission, indigenous peoples’ engagement will lead to a more inclusion and long term solutions.

The event stirred discussions among the participants especially in terms of defining what non-economic losses mean in the light of the ongoing discussion of the Loss and Damage Funds in the UNFCCC.

One participant asked the perspective of the panel about how to “compensate” non-economic losses and if non-economic losses should really be paid for.

Joseph Simmel, of the Mainyoito Pastoralists Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO), responded that the divide of economic and non-economic losses is imposed by states when indigenous peoples are not on the table. Hence, according to him, indigenous peoples must be  engaged in the further documentation and discussions about of this issue. The danger, according to him of labeling losses as economic and non-economic, is that non-economic may be construed as something that lacks value. He then clarifies that while money cannot account for language that is lost or increasing gender-based violence as a result of climate change for instance, loss and damage funds could help prevent this.

According to Eileen Mairena of the Centre for the Indigenous Peoples' Autonomy and Development (CADPI) provided some lessons learned from indigenous peoples’ engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which is another financial operating entity of the UNFCCC. She said that while far from perfect, the GCF has its own indigenous peoples policy, indigenous peoples advisory group and robust safeguards in place. She said these are the minimum that the Loss and Damage Fund must put in place as well.

 Loss and Damage, according to Victoria Tauli-Corpuz of Tebtebba Foundation said that loss and damage are a result of slow-onset and extreme climactic events that go beyond the capacity of communities to adapt to. Nicky Batang-ay who is also from Tebtebba cites that while indigenous peoples have always been resilient, if there is no real cut of emission at source, Indigenous peoples’ capacities will be stretched beyond their limit.   

 In closing, Simmel asserted that an inclusive dialogue on the definition of loss and damage must engage indigenous peoples. “States have good intentions but they need to learn and hear from us [indigenous peoples]… as we have the capacity and we are the ones being impacted”, he added.

The event was moderated by Grace Balawag of by Tebtebba and was supported by Nia Tero. 

The Asia Steering Group of the Zero Tolerance Initiative, a global coalition led by indigenous peoples, local community representatives and supportive Non-Government Organizations working collectively to address the root causes of killings and violence against human rights defenders linked to global supply chains, met on May 28 – 30, 2023 in Chiang Mai, Thailand to review and discuss the workplan for the region.

Attending the said meeting were steering group members, Bann Lann (Myanmar), Stony (POINT), Durga (LAHURNIP), Abigail Kitma (Tebtebba), and facilitated by Anya Thomas (Asia coordinator) and AIPP staff Frederick Wilson (AIPP), Guanchunliu Gangmei (AIPP), among others. Pallab Chakma (Kapaeeng Foundation) was also invited and subsequently approved as steering group member for Bangladesh.

The meeting included a recapitulation of the activities and work streams of Zero Tolerance Initiative (ZTI), as well as updating of community, national and regional experiences in the business and human rights space and brainstorming and review of the current workplan which was first drafted in the previous years.

The three-day meeting and workshop concluded with several reflections from the steering group on possible next steps, including the need to invite and expand the ZTI membership in Asia, the need to engage in regional mechanisms relevant to business and human rights, and the need for continuous support for the empowerment of indigenous communities to assert their rights.

For more information on what ZTI does, check the website: https://www.zerotoleranceinitiative.org/

The  Asia Steering Group of the Zero Tolerance Initiative, a global coalition led by indigenous peoples, local community representatives and supportive Non-Government Organizations working collectively to address the root causes of killings and violence against human rights defenders linked to global supply chains, met on May 28 – 30, 2023  in Chiang Mai, Thailand to review and discuss the workplan for the region.

Attending the said meeting were steering group members, Bann Lann (Myanmar), Stony (POINT), Durga (LAHURNIP), Abigail Kitma (Tebtebba), and facilitated by Anya Thomas (Asia coordinator) and AIPP staff Frederick Wilson (AIPP), Guanchunliu Gangmei (AIPP), among others. Pallab Chakma (Kapaeeng Foundation) was also invited and subsequently approved as steering group member for Bangladesh.

The meeting included a recapitulation of the activities and work streams of Zero Tolerance Initiative (ZTI), as well as updating of community, national and regional experiences in the business and human rights space and brainstorming and review of the current workplan which was first drafted in the previous years.

The three-day meeting and workshop concluded with several reflections from the steering group on possible next steps, including the need to invite and expand the ZTI membership in Asia, the need to engage in regional mechanisms relevant to business and human rights,  and the need for continuous support for the empowerment of indigenous communities to assert their rights.

For more information on what ZTI does, check the website: https://www.zerotoleranceinitiative.org/

BAGUIO CITY, May 25, 2023 - "Meron pa rin pong mga katutubo talaga na hindi pa sibilisado" (Some Indigenous individuals in our community are still uncivilized), a participant stated, which was addressed and debunked during the training workshop on the Indigenous Navigator framework and tools, in which six members of the Tagbanua Indigenous Group participated in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, in April 2023. The objective of the training was to enhance their comprehension of the Indigenous Navigator framework, empowering them to advocate for their rights more effectively. 

The statement shared by Elinita C. Orquista, leader of Katutubong Tagbanuang Tangdulanen sa Binga (SAKATTABI), sparked a discussion among participants and implementers. During her sharing, she highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by indigenous peoples. Accordingly, some individuals exhibited hesitancy and a lack of confidence when interacting with people outside of their community, even referring to themselves as “uncivilized”,  Orquista shared. 

Raymundo Rovillos, professor at the University of the Philippines Baguio, shed light on the historical origins of the observed reluctance within indigenous communities today. According to him, the relocation of indigenous peoples was frequently employed as a strategy to resist the imposition of taxes and forced labor by the government and colonizers in the past. 

“Ayaw nila ng pwersadong pinagtatrabaho sila. Ibig sabihin, mas gusto nila ng kalayaan, kaya ang pagtakbo sa bundok at paglayo sa mga taga-patag, iyon ay actually pagtutol sa mga patakaran ng kolonyalismo” (They didn't like being forced to work. In other words, they preferred freedom. As a result, they opted to seek refuge in the mountains and distance themselves from the lowland communities. This was actually their way of resisting against the oppressive policies of colonialism), he added. 

Rovillos further explained that the term "uncivilized" was used by the colonizers as a means to marginalize indigenous peoples and paint them as different from the norms established. “Kaya nila [colonizers] binabansagan ang mga katutubo ng ganitong mga negatibong pangalan, dahil tumututol ang mga katutubo na magpasakop… Pero hindi ibig sabihin na hindi sibilisado ang mga katutubo, kailangang i-correct natin yan sa sarili natin” (Colonizers used derogatory names to refer to the indigenous peoples due to the latter’s resistance to colonization. However, their resistance didn't mean they lacked civilization. It's crucial for us to correct this misconception), Rovillos expressed. 

Johnmart Salunday, president of the Nagkakaisang mga Tribu ng Palawan (NATRIPAL), also explained that the perception of indigenous communities as uncivilized stemmed from their previous nomadic lifestyle and their lack of a permanent settlement as they searched for food and sustenance. Unfortunately, some people wrongly equated this practice with a lack of civilization, perpetuating this misconception to this day. 

“Saan ka ba nakakita ng mga konkretong bahay ng katutubo… tabing-tabing lang tayo noon… Sa amin kasi, ‘pag panahon ng pangangaso doon [kami] sa gubat; ‘pag panahon naman ng ano [pangingisda] diyan naman [kami] sa dagat” (Back then, concrete houses were uncommon as we primarily relied on makeshift shelters. This was because we would later move to the forests during hunting season and settle near the sea for the fishing season), Salunday highlighted. 

With support from the European Union, the Indigenous Navigator is a framework and set of tools created for and by indigenous peoples to monitor the recognition and implementation of their rights. It offers free access to community-generated data, benefiting indigenous organizations, communities, duty-bearers, non-government organizations, and journalists. ###