The UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, concluded with a landmark decision to give Indigenous Peoples a formal, permanent role in global nature conservation. Following 12 days of discussions, the UN established a new subsidiary body to guarantee that Indigenous communities participate in biodiversity decisions. This move acknowledges their critical role in protecting land and natural resources.
The summit also led to an agreement requiring corporations to share profits from research using genetic resources, with 50% of a new fund going to Indigenous communities. However, despite these victories, many are concerned that financial pledges at COP16 fell far short of what's needed to tackle the urgent biodiversity crisis.
U.S. President Apologizes for Indian Boarding Schools
President Joe Biden has issued a formal apology to Indigenous Americans for the suffering caused by federal Indian boarding schools. Speaking at the Gila River Indian Community, Biden acknowledged the abuse, neglect, and anti-Indigenous indoctrination that Native children faced after being separated from their families.
The Native American Rights Fund praised the apology but stressed the need for further action, including the repatriation of remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). This apology is a significant step in U.S.-Tribal relations and follows a 2021 investigation into the abuses of the boarding school era.
Indonesian Mother Jailed for Protesting Palm Oil Factory
In North Sumatra, Indonesia, a mother named Gustina Salim Rambe was sentenced to over five months in prison for protesting a palm oil factory operating near two schools. The factory is accused of causing air pollution that affects the health of around 400 children.
Her arrest and a video of her with her daughter in jail that went viral sparked outrage. Despite calls for "restorative justice" and laws protecting environmental activism, the court convicted her. This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by communities pushing back against the negative impacts of the palm oil industry.
Global News Roundup
India: Fresh ethnic violence in Manipur has led to the death of a woman and the burning of homes. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) is criticizing the government for failing to protect the Kuki-Zo communities and for not stopping the escalating violence.
Papua New Guinea: Illegal logging is severely threatening the country's rainforests and Indigenous communities. The logging operations are damaging biodiversity, violating Indigenous land rights, and displacing people, with environmental groups calling for stronger protections.
Tanzania: In a major victory for cultural restoration, the Maasai people have been reunited with sacred heirlooms that were held in a UK museum for decades. The return of these artifacts is seen as a deep healing for the community, which has long fought to reclaim its cultural heritage.
Brazil: Indigenous leaders in Brasília are protesting against government policies that threaten their constitutional rights and ancestral lands. The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) is leading the demonstrations against agribusiness and illegal land grabs, with a rallying cry of "A Luta Continua" (the struggle continues).
Mexico: A new report revealed that at least 225 human rights and environmental defenders were murdered during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's six-year term. The study, by Educa Oaxaca, found that 141 of the victims were Indigenous or Afro-Mexican, highlighting the increased danger faced by these communities.
Guatemala: All 16 mayors in the Sacatepéquez department have sent a letter of support to President Bernardo Arévalo backing Governor María Angelina Aspuac Con, an Indigenous official, against corruption allegations.
Colombia: At the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16), various organizations are pushing for the recognition of nature's rights. This would give legal protections to rivers, animals, and ecosystems, helping to prevent harmful activities like reckless resource extraction.
Honduras: President Xiomara Castro's government is finally acting on a court ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to address the rights of the Garifuna community. This decision follows months of pressure from activists protesting forced displacement from ancestral lands for tourism projects.
Argentina: A new study shows that poverty has increased by 11.2 points in the first half of 2024, leaving over 5 million people unable to afford essential food. Organizations are calling on the government to create an Emergency Food Fund after the administration cut 111 public programs related to food access.