THE fifth annual high level meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) began yesterday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
Representatives of member countries are gathered to deliberate on outstanding indigenous issues and develop a strategy to protect tribal communities in isolation.
The strategic agenda includes the preservation of natural resources, the conservation of the Amazon rainforest, prioritising proposals on the protection of traditional knowledge and legislative database.
The matters for discussion were mandated by the member countries that view indigenous affairs and protection as fundamental.
This is the second time Guyana is hosting the forum since 2008. Delegates from seven member countries were present yesterday, also from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Suriname. Venezuela was absent.
Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett urged delegates, at the opening, to learn, not only from each other’s successes but, more importantly, from their failures.
She exhorted them to understand the regime existing within countries as it relates to indigenous peoples, adding that she was elated that there would be a compilation of legislation in ACTO for member nations.
Crucial step
“I think that it’s very, very important. It’s an excellent initiative,” she asserted, noting that it is a crucial step for ACTO.
The minister asked the Executive Director, Mr. Mauricio Dorfler, as ACTO is considering developing its matrices, to concisely indicate the positions member countries have on sub-surface rights, mining, land titling, and the use of forest, regardless that there are varying regimes.
Rodrigues-Birkett also reiterated the Guyana Government’s commitment to ACTO’s objective to preserve and protect Amerindians and their heritage, noting member nations have placed significant emphasis on traditional knowledge.
She said: “I know that the focus on traditional knowledge is also a top priority and our position is very clear. We have been extending significant resources, basically, to decrease the gap between indigenous communities and other communities because of historical neglect of indigenous peoples.”
The minister observed that the Guyanese Government has been criticised for giving too much prominence to indigenous people and their problems. However, the Government has merely been “catching up” for years of neglect and declared there are “no apologies for that.”
“At the international level, we have been very active. We have also endorsed the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous peoples,” she pointed out, noting that it was somewhat of a paradox that, at the United Nations, Guyana had secured a declaration on indigenous peoples but “in the Americas, in the OAS (Organisation of American States) that is a sub-set of the UN, we have not been able to get a declaration on indigenous peoples.”
However, the minister reiterated that Guyana would remain active on the issue with all hopes for positive conclusions. She also emphasised the urgency for ACTO to have dialogue with the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in order to foster a more active position within the ambit of the organisation.
Significant progress
Meanwhile, ACTO Executive Director, Dorfler acknowledged that Guyana has made significant progress in recognising the lives of indigenous peoples through the protection of their lands and the promotion of education and health care access.
He said the Permanent Secretary of ACTO is pleased with Guyana’s achievements as they continue to dialogue and establish relationships with the tribal people.
“It is fundamental to respect and protect the rights indigenous peoples, “he agreed, asserting that ACTO has developed strategies to promote regional cooperation in order to protect the natives.
Dorfler thanked the Guyanese Government for the “wonderful welcome” and support to the fifth regional high governmental meeting of ACTO.
Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai expressed confidence that Amerindian Heritage Month, launched last Sunday, had provided an “understanding of the richness of the indigenous cultural expressions and affirmation of the Guyanese Government commitment to support the work of indigenous peoples in the preservation and the protection of their cultural heritage, language and over-arching Amerindian development to offer sustained livelihood.”
“Guyana is one of the few countries that pride itself for having established legislations on indigenous rights, even before the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples rights was submitted for member countries’ approval,” she stated.
Sukhai said Guyana has given primacy to protection of collective rights and welfare of the natives.
“The legal framework is evident by the Amerindian Act of 2006,” she attested, recommending that it should be shared with other member countries.
Sukhai disclosed that there was even a proposal, to ACTO, by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, to have the Amerindian Act translated in Spanish so that Spanish-speaking countries would have the opportunity to peruse Guyana’s legislation.
“Each year the Government of Guyana implements major programmes centred on fostering Amerindian development, based on the consent, agreement and priorities of the respective villages,” Sukhai said, stating that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) had, actually, reinforced the vision of indigenous peoples by protecting their forests.
She said that presented the opportunity for resource availably for the Government to fully address and support major aspects of Amerindian rights and fundamental land rights.
Collective rights
Sukhai said Guyana has, thus far, titled 90 percent of the eligible communities’ collective rights to their lands and the titles are “absolute and forever.”
She said education and health care are two areas that the Government of Guyana has prioritised to advance in Amerindian communities.
“We are now preparing to install computer labs and hubs in an estimated 50 villages under the one laptop per family programme, based on budgetary allocation of $500 million in 2013,” the minister said, positing that the initiative is expected to enhance Amerindians’ way of living as the country advances into a technological world.
She stated, though, that the Government is aware of challenges that indigenous peoples face and is committed to resolving them.
“Globally, indigenous people still have to contend with a lot of impediments and, hence, as a country, we are totally opposed to the oppression of indigenous peoples and support all efforts in fostering indigenous people’s development,” she pledged.
Sukhai said:“Guyana, as a member country of ACTO, supports the work to eradicate the seeming inequality experienced by indigenous peoples,” admitting that the other member nations’ discussions on indigenous peoples who choose to remain in isolation would be interesting, since Guyana has, to date, never recorded such instances.
“While Guyana, currently, does not record such situations, we enjoin the cause to lend support to the member countries in whatever technical way we can. We are prepared to learn and share from the lessons and experiences of the member countries of ACTO in fostering and protecting indigenous knowledge, which we, too, can offer.
“We join ACTO in its vision towards integration and sustainable development of the respective Amazonian territories as we believe that it compliments the national managerial efforts towards land rights, conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, respecting the national sovereignty of countries and towards building a better life for the various indigenous nations across the Amazonian countries,” the minister said, calling on member nations to cement the approach for more dialogue with indigenous peoples.
She mentioned that next year’s World Indigenous Conference is scheduled to be held in New York and encouraged ACTO to consider its importance.