Introduction
The 2024 session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) took place at the United Nations in Geneva from July 8 to July 12, bringing together Indigenous representatives, experts, and advocates from around the world. This year's theme was "Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Sustainable Development." This event serves as a crucial platform for discussing the rights and challenges faced by Indigenous communities globally. Incomindios, an organisation dedicated to supporting Indigenous peoples, played a significant role in this year's session by supporting a team of Indigenous delegates. The delegation was composed mostly of delegates from Colombia and Canada, focusing on Indigenous rights in these regions.
Special thanks to Pascal Elsner, Aline Kunz, Helena Nyberg, Dr. Alicia Kroemer, Dr. Elida Vargas, Natasha Peters, and Julian Hahne as NGO representatives and Incomindios support team.
Delegates Supported by Incomindios
Incomindios was proud to support a diverse team of Indigenous delegates, each of whom brought unique perspectives and expertise to the session:
Oswaldo Rodriguez Macuna, Je'eruriwa People (Colombia): Legal Representative and Indigenous Leader of the Je'eruriwa Council, seeking UN support to prevent the physical and cultural extermination of Indigenous peoples in Colombia.
Maria Violet Medina Quiscue, Nasa People (Colombia): Representative of the Indigenous Reserve of Togoima, advocating for the safety and rights of Indigenous human rights defenders in Cauca.
Crystal Starr Pesim Lewis, Aitchelitz Band, Squamish BC (Canada): Delegate of the Aitchelitz Band, actively representing Indigenous communities at international forums, with significant UN-related advocacy experience.
Carlos Gualterro, Pijao (Colombia): Carlos Gualtero is coordinator of human rights and post-conflict in the Department of Human Rights of the CRIT (Consejo Regional Indigena del Tolima). He is dedicated to the promotion and defense of Human Rights.
Kevin Good, Squamish BC (Canada): Representing Indigenous interests with a strong focus on advocacy and community support.
Unfortunately, Marcella Gilbert, Lakota People (USA), and Yvonne Musabyimana, Batwa People (Rwanda), were unable to attend due to private matters. However, their presence and contributions were still felt through the efforts of their peers. Roxanne Ruediger from ONWA kindly stepped in to speak on the inclusion of Indigenous women and youth (CEDAW General Recommendation 39 for Indigenous Women and Youth) at our side event.
Overview of the Week
Saturday, July 6: Training and Caucus
The week commenced with a comprehensive training session and caucus meeting hosted by DOCIP. This initial gathering provided an opportunity for the delegates to prepare for the upcoming discussions, refine their strategies, and align their objectives. The training was particularly helpful for delegates to get the most out of their UN experience, focusing on crafting, structuring, and addressing the EMRIP committee on the plenary floor with their statements.
Sunday, July 7: Caucus and Welcome Dinner
On Sunday, the delegates participated in another caucus session, followed by the Incomindios delegation welcome dinner. This dinner served as a welcoming event to support the delegates and get to know one another.
Monday, July 8: ONWA Side Event - Focus on CEDAW General Recommendation 39 for Indigenous Women and Youth
The Ontario Native Women's Association hosted a side event on Monday, focusing on CEDAW General Recommendation 39 for Indigenous Women and Youth. Crystal Starr Pesim Lewis shared the panel with Dr. Sheryl Lightfoot (EMRIP Chair) and Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues Francisco Cali Tzay, speaking passionately about anti-human trafficking initiatives for Indigenous women and youth. This highlighted collaborative efforts to protect and empower Indigenous women and youth.
Tuesday, July 9: Incomindios Side Event - Bridging Generations – Indigenous Elders, Women, and Youth Leading Social Transformation and Climate Justice
Incomindios held its side event on Tuesday, moderated by Alicia Kroemer and Aline Kunz, emphasised key themes such as land rights, cultural preservation, environmental concerns, and Indigenous participation in government decision-making. Alicia, representing Incomindios, highlighted the importance of upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and promoting Indigenous causes. The event focused on the unique voices of Indigenous leaders and activists from Colombia, Canada, Africa, and the USA, who shared their experiences and strategies in protecting Indigenous rights and environmental justice. Notably, the session aimed to raise awareness about violence and threats faced by Indigenous human rights defenders in Colombia and the need for protections against human trafficking targeting Indigenous women and girls. The importance of Indigenous women in leadership roles and the transmission of knowledge from elders to the next generation were also highlighted.
The event featured Incomindios Indigenous delegation: Oswaldo Rodriguez Macuna (Je’eruriwa People, Colombia), Maria Violet Medina Quiscue (Nasa People, Colombia), Crystal Starr Pesim Lewis (Aitchelitz Band, Squamish BC, Canada), and Roxanne Ruediger (Inuit, Nunavut, Canada). Each speaker had about 10 minutes to present, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. The discussions focused on amplifying the voices of Indigenous women and youth, promoting intergenerational knowledge transmission, and integrating Indigenous-led solutions into global climate action efforts. Key discussion questions included addressing the challenges faced by Indigenous women and youth in defending their rights, promoting solidarity, and collaborating with non-Indigenous allies to implement climate justice initiatives that respect Indigenous rights and sovereignty. The event concluded with a call to support and collaborate in advancing Indigenous rights and sustainable development.
Tuesday, July 9: Meeting with the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
This meeting, held primarily in Spanish in collaboration with Comundo and their delegates, was geared towards the Indigenous delegates from Colombia. The session focused on the plight of the Nasa peoples in Colombia facing genocide from state and corporate entities. The session was dedicated to the safety and advocacy of Indigenous human rights defenders, addressing the risks they face and exploring measures to enhance their protection.
Wednesday, July 10: ONWA Meeting
The ONWA meeting on Wednesday was marked by productive and supportive conversations detailing the need to bring more Indigenous women and youth to UN events to inform on policies affecting them globally and locally. Incomindios and ONWA both supported each other's commitment to further promote and push for more Indigenous women and youth at the UN and informing international policies affecting them.
Wednesday, July 10: Meeting with Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues Francisco Cali Tzay
On Wednesday our Colombian delegation and the Comundo delegation furthermore had the honour of having a personal meeting with the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues. Francisco Calí Tzay listened attentively to the issues presented by the Indigenous activists and agreed with the dire situation in Colombia which he also encountered in a recent country visit to Colombia. He encouraged the delegates in their activism, and supported them in their claim to their rights.
Thursday, July 11: Meeting with the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children
This meeting on Thursday addressed the critical issue of human trafficking, focusing on the situation of human trafficking for women and youth in Indigenous communities. The meeting was introduced by Dr. Alicia Kroemer and Aline Kunz, with Crystal Starr Pesim and Kevin Good presenting excellently at length about their need for more stringent anti-human trafficking initiatives in Canada, reinforced by their experience and work in this field of advocacy. The discussion emphasised that the majority of trafficked Indigenous women and children are coming out of the foster care system and stressed the urgent need for the Canadian government to correct this. The session also addressed ongoing and systemic corruption in Canadian police forces plagued with racism towards Indigenous communities, where many young Indigenous women and children go missing without investigation or follow-up from authorities.
On Thursday, Commundo co-organised a movie screening focusing on the situation of the indigenous peoples in Colombia, especially of the Cauca region. The film Hasta que se Apague el Sol - Tráiler Oficial was shown with a subsequent discussion with the comundo delegates and our delegates Oswaldo and Maria. It was a very impressive demonstration of the situation for the indigenous peoples of Colombia and the hardships they face day to day. Thank you to Comundo for their important work on making the struggling indigenous peoples in Colombia visible.
Statements Given on the Plenary Floor
Throughout the week, each of the delegates—Maria, Crystal, Kevin, Carlos, and Oswaldo — delivered powerful statements on the plenary floor, sharing their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. These statements, sometimes multiple per person, were instrumental in raising awareness and influencing the session's outcomes. It was powerful to hear our delegates speak and advocate for their communities.
To read the complete statements of the delegates, please refer to the sections following this overview.
Key Outcomes
The 2024 EMRIP session concluded with the adoption of several important recommendations aimed at advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples. These recommendations addressed critical issues such as:
Land and Resource Rights Calls for stronger protection of Indigenous land and resource rights, including measures to combat illegal land grabs and ensure fair compensation for affected communities.
Cultural Preservation Initiatives to support the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural practices, recognizing their importance to Indigenous identity and heritage.
Climate Action Strategies to involve Indigenous communities in climate action, acknowledging their traditional knowledge and practices as vital to sustainable environmental management.
Development Policies Recommendations for inclusive development policies that respect the rights and aspirations of Indigenous peoples, ensuring their participation in decision-making processes.
Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives Focused efforts to address the trafficking of Indigenous women and children in Canada, emphasizing the need for systemic changes in the foster care system and police practices.
CEDAW General Recommendation 39 A stronger push for the inclusion and implementation of CEDAW General Recommendation 39 to support Indigenous women and girls globally. This recommendation aims to eliminate discrimination against Indigenous women and girls, ensuring their rights are protected and their voices are heard in policy-making processes.
Incomindios Delegation: We were thrilled that all the delegates were able to give at least one (sometimes multiple) statements on the Plenary floor having their cause heard in the assembly and the secretariat. Each delegate spoke at at least one or multiple side events on their causes. We had productive meetings with the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, and the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues. We were delighted to have excellent coordination and collaboration with ONWA and Comundo with sharing side events and meetings. We are committed as an organisation to continue to support and join our delegates in their need for more international support, the protection and promotion of UNDRIP in their communities, and building positive relationships along the way.
Conclusion
The 2024 EMRIP session in Geneva was a pivotal event in the ongoing effort to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples. Incomindios' support for Indigenous delegates played a crucial role in amplifying their voices and ensuring their issues were brought to the forefront of international discussions. The week was marked by significant dialogue, collaboration, and the formulation of strategies to address the pressing challenges faced by Indigenous communities worldwide.
Thank you to the entire team who supported our delegates. A special thanks to Aline Kunz for her tremendous organisation and coordination with this event, overseen and supported by Pascal Elsner, joined by Alicia Kroemer. Thank you to Helena Nyberg and the European Alliance for the Self-Determination of Indigenous PeopleS for support and expertise throughout the entire event. Thank you to Julain Hahne for his photography and social media work. Thank you to Elida Vargas and Natasha Peters for your support.
Delegate Bios and Statements
Oswaldo Rodridguez Macuna
IPUREPI, Oswaldo Rodríguez Macuna, is the legal representative and Indigenous leader of the Je’eruriwa people. Oswaldo is focused on securing effective support from the UN and the international community to prevent the physical and cultural extermination of his and other Indigenous peoples in Coloumbia, as well as the fulfillment of their fundamental rights.
Oral Statement of the Je’eruriwa Indigenous People Item 8
Honorable Brothers and Sisters, Experts on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, warm greetings from the Je’eruriwa community; may our ancestors and sita rōmicῡmuō protect you and guide you along the path of justice and dignity for all Indigenous peoples. My name is Oswaldo Rodridguez Macuna–IPUREPI in my ethnic group–, Chief of the Je’eruriwa Indigenous Community of Colombia. I respectfully come to you to make visible the serious situation of massive violation of human rights by theColombian State towards our people, in a condition of imminent physical and cultural extermination, recognized by the Constitutional Court of Colombia in order 7 of 266 of 2017 and other Indigenous peoples at risk of physical and cultural extermination at a national and worldwide level. Unfortunately, the entire community has been displaced due to an incursion of the FARC-EP in 1986 in the context of the armed conflict, which greatly weakened us and increased our risk of extermination. Currently, the Je'eruriwas do not exceed 90 individuals in the entire national territory. We are dispersed and each one surviving in his own way and suffering serious situations of abuses against the physical, moral and spiritual integrity of our people. We are witnessing an aggravation of the physical and cultural extermination of Indigenous peoples due to armed conflicts, seriously affecting the existence and survival of Indigenous peoples, as in our case. Therefore, participation in transitional justice processes is essential, in our case Macrocase 09 of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace over Ethnic Peoples and Territories, which can be an example at the international level if it is possible to include and guarantee the effective and real participation and collective reparation of the most marginalised Indigenous peoples. We demand that our request from February of this year be answered and that we be accredited in this case.
Violation of Collective Reparation and Self-recognition as a People
In 2018, we requested that the Victims Unit recognize the community as a Collective Reparation Subject, due to having been a victim of forced displacement, as described above. This request was resolved by the Unit, which decided not to include the Je'eruriwa Community as a collective subject, arguing that the community did not “exist at the time of the occurrence of the victimising events. (...)” and that the current subject was strictly constituted since 2014, it is not possible to establish that the narrated events that occurred before this date generate collective damage to the community. With this action, the entity violated our right to self-recognition and indigenous ancestry, arguing that our existence is only valid from the process of registration of the community before the Ministry of the Interior, despite the existence of multiple evidence of the community since the 1960s, and before the Spanish invasion, recognized by the same Ministry. Due to this arbitrary and unconstitutional analysis that violates our rights, we have exhausted all judicial avenues within the framework of due process, without obtaining an adequate and effective response from the UARIV. The actions of the entity are violating our right to reparation as collective subjects as victims of the armed conflict and to self-identification and ethnic and cultural identity in accordance with Art. 1 of ILO Convention 169 and Art. 33.1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We request that the MEDPI influence the Colombian government to ensure that its institutions fulfil their duties in the effective guarantee and access to justice and reparation of the original peoples who are victims of the armed conflict. We thank you in advance for your valuable attention. Gūare tiírᵾnᵾre amoagüa - We ask that you listen to us and protect us.
Oral Statement of Ipurepi (Oswaldo Rodriguez Macuna) of the Je'eruriwa People - Item 3
Honourable Brothers and Sisters, Experts on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Please receive a warm greeting from the Je'eruriwa community; may our ancestors and sita rōmicῡmuō protect you and guide you along the path of Justice and dignity for all Indigenous peoples. My name is Oswaldo Rodridguez Macuna -IPUREPI in my ethnicity-, Chief of the Je'eruriwa Indigenous Community of Colombia, I respectfully come to you to make visible the serious situation of massive violation of human rights by the Colombian State towards our people, in a condition of imminent physical and cultural extermination, recognized by the Constitutional Court of Colombia in order 7 of 266 of 2017 and other indigenous peoples at risk of physical and cultural extermination at a national and global level.
Our place of origin as the Je'eruriwa people is Waniya, a small tributary of the lower Caquetá River in the department of Amazonas. We are of the sacred territory of the Yuruparí and our worldview uses customs and ancestral wisdom based on the gifts of the Yuruparí. We are people of Water and people of Tiger, grandchildren of the Water Boa (Ide Jĩno). Our ancestral practices and sociocultural activities are linked to the behavior of the cycle of the times of our own calendar and to our law of origin.
1. We observe that the Peoples declared by the constitutional court in physical and cultural extermination, as is the case of my Je'eruriwa people, are not included in the Permanent Consultation and Concertation Table (MPC) between Indigenous peoples and the national government, where all decisions are made and participation in the construction of public policies, laws, etc. is guaranteed. Therefore, we request the Mechanism of Experts on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to coordinate with the MPC and to influence so that these peoples are included in the permanent consultation and concertation table.
2. We demand that the rules on the protection of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation be implemented. That the part of the indigenous peoples who are contacted be consulted and be guaranteed real and free participation in the construction of public policies and laws that protect or affect the other part of their indigenous people who are in voluntary isolation. This is the case of my Je'eruriwa People. A part of our people isolated themselves due to shamanistic indications, fleeing before the Spanish and Portuguese invasion in the times of colonisation. We are in contact with them through our spirituality.
3. Finally, we demand that the rules for the protection of our spiritual elements and objects such as instruments, plumage, batons of command, etc. be implemented in all instances. It cannot continue to happen that our objects are taken away from us as happened today to an indigenous comrade from the Nasa people, the coordinator of the indigenous guard of the CRIC at the Madrid airport, when he was on his way to this session of the Expert Mechanism on the rights of Indigenous peoples. We thank you in advance for your valuable attention. Gūare tiírᵾnᵾre amoagüa -We ask that you listen to us and protect us.
Guidelines for the Intervention of at the Incomindios Parallel Event – Bridging Generations
Honorable Sisters and Brothers of the Indigenous Peoples of the world, Please receive a warm greeting from the Je'eruriwa community; may our ancestors and sita rōmicῡmuō protect you and guide you along the path of Justice and dignity for all Indigenous peoples. My name is Oswaldo Rodríguez Macuna -IPUREPI in my ethnicity-, Chief of the Je'eruriwa Indigenous Community of Colombia, I respectfully come to you to make visible the serious situation of massive violation of human rights by the Colombian State towards our people, in a condition of imminent physical and cultural extermination, recognized by the Constitutional Court of Colombia in Order 7 of 266 of 2017 and other Indigenous peoples at risk of physical and cultural extermination at a national and global level. Our place of origin as Je'eruriwa people is Waniya, a small tributary of the lower Caquetá River in the department of Amazonas. We are from the sacred territory of the Yuruparí and our worldview, uses, customs and ancestral wisdom are based on the gifts of the Yuruparí. We are people of Agua and people of Tiger, grandchildren of the Water Boa (Ide Jĩno). Our ancestral practices and sociocultural activities are linked to the behaviour of the cycle of the times of our own calendar and to our law of origin. Unfortunately, the entire community has been displaced due to an incursion of the FARC-EP in 1986 in the context of the armed conflict, which greatly weakened us and increased our risk of extermination. Currently, the Je'eruriwas do not exceed 90 individuals throughout the national territory. We are dispersed and each one survives in his own way and suffers serious situations of abuses against the physical, moral and spiritual integrity of our people. Our language is being lost, only 5 people speak it perfectly and about 10 people have it, but do not fully master it.
We address you as experts and guarantors of the rights of Indigenous peoples with an urgent call regarding the lack of implementation of effective measures of prevention and containment against the physical and cultural extermination of our people, and of all Indigenous peoples. With each loss and decline of an Indigenous people, the ecological and cultural balance is lost and Mother Earth and all of humanity are affected, which is becoming evident with climate change, natural disasters and wars between nations.
Therefore, it is necessary that the Human Rights Council urgently call on all countries to not only guarantee the rights of and the Indigenous peoples on paper, but to take effective and efficient actions with the participation of the same peoples affected in the conservation of their culture, ancestral knowledge and practices of harmonization with nature. In this way, we, the indigenous peoples, can contribute to the prevention and balance of the existence of physical and spiritual life in the world.
We see an aggravation of the physical and cultural extermination of Indigenous peoples due to armed conflicts, seriously affecting the existence and survival of Indigenous peoples, as in our case. Therefore, participation in transitional justice processes is essential, in our case macrocase 09 of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace on ethnic peoples and territories, which can be an example at the international level if we manage to include and guarantee the effective and real participation and collective reparation of the most marginalized indigenous peoples. We denounce that the Unit for Comprehensive Reparation of Victims has not recognized us as a collective subject of reparation, thus ignoring our collective rights as an Indigenous people and our right to self-determination and self-recognition based on false data for its ignorance. We appreciate your attention. Gūare tiírᵾnᵾre amoagüa - We ask that you listen to us and protect us.
Crystal Starr Lewis
Crystal Starr Lewis is a youth leader from the Squamish Nation in Canada. Crystal has worked with and in different levels of government, where Crystal has been advocating for climate action, social justice, cultural revitalization, and youth welfare. A two-time candidate in Squamish Nation Council elections, Crystal focused on sustainability, wellness, transparency, and sustainable housing, embodying their commitment to positive change.
UN Policy Recommendations and Statement July 2024
Thank you Madame Chair, and hello Honourable Leadership in this room,
My name is Crystal Starr Lewis and I come from Vancouver, BC and the Squamish Nation, El Salvador and Incomindios. I would also like to thank the Fraser Basin Council for their support in helping us be here today, the support of our community members and the Aitchelitz First Nations for their support and accreditation. Today I share with you 1 or 4 policy recommendations depending on time. I formerly brought these recommendations forward at the Permanent Forum, and will be kindly resharing these recommendations to hold myself accountable and the UN accountable in implementing these policy recommendations:
The first being prevention of human trafficking… As we all know human trafficking is a major issue that continues to affect everyone. and with no serious consequences from our justice systems this continues to be a vicious cycle. At the Permanent Foum, I had the opportunity and privilege to sit in a room with our Canadian Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations Canada and our youth, asking them this question.. “how many of you had an organization or human trafficking organization come to your community and provide you with free and accessible hands on self defense and anti- human trafficking prevention training?” No one raised their hand. Following this, I asked the Indigenous peoples in the plenary session, where only one person raised their hand. Today I pose the same question.. To the Indigenous people in this room, please stand if you have received any anti-human trafficking prevention training in your community? Thank you. As we can see, there is a need for immediate action to provide free, accessible human trafficking training to our Indigenous communities that focus on self defence, knowing the signs of human trafficking and more. Respectfully, this should be funded by our governments and adopted into the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, by giving the power back to our people to lower our statistics. Secondly, cultural safety training should be implemented in all organisations and industries that work with Indigenous peoples, and BIPOC communities, including 2slgbtqqia+, and not just within the healthcare system. Thirdly, and as a former youth in care myself, preventive and precautionary action should be taken to protect our children from being removed and placed into multiple different foster
homes, unless deemed unsafe, and verified with a child. Not only is this harmful and
damaging to our children, social workers should be consistently checking in without children
and not just caregivers, while providing efficient and ongoing support and training to both the children and caregivers, including taking further preventive measures throughout their vetting processes.
Lastly, in the words of self determination, I kindly and respectfully ask the UN to help us
create our own entity and organisation of the United Nations, that focuses on collectively
bringing us together, both internationally and in the words of reconciliation. I kindly ask you
to walk with us.. and know that the UN is important and will always be important. We are
grateful for all your support and guidance along the way but now it’s time for us to come
together and create our own structure and alliance, and in partnership with the United
Nations and goals. Collectively, and as Indigenous peoples, we have the answers, we have
the solutions, we have the strengths, gifts, knowledge and more, but more importantly we
have what it takes. That’s why we are here. We are doing it right now, in this room. at the
United Nations here in Geneva. By standing together, and working collectively together in
unity to address the issues within our Indigenous communities by helping one another,
looking out for another and building together.. in solidarity and without borders and without
division. Together we can collectively pave the way forward, as one entity and as our own
self-determined system, in alliance with the United Nations.
Thank you.
Joint Recommendation–Crystal Starr Lewis and Kevin Good
Crystal Lewis: Thank you Madame Chair, congratulations on your honourable win,
My name is Crystal Lewis, and this is my partner Kevin Good. We come from Vancouver, BC
and the Squamish Nation, and Tseshaht and Snuneymuxw First Nations and we are truly honoured to be here today, with all the wonderful leadership in this room. I would also really like to thank Incomindios for your sponsorship and Aitchelitz First Nations for our accreditation.
My partner and I are here to present a policy recommendation on addressing conversationand environmental racism, which we would like to see implemented in UNDRIP, and by implementing culturally safe services, and here’s why: For many of us, and more specifically within our First Nations communities, we are all exposed to some form of environmental racism where companies or corporations come and create a project or partnership with our communities and once that leased land is up, they leave the area damaged and destroyed, which is then up to the community to repair. Not only does this create barriers in practicing and harvesting our indigenous foods and culture, this is ties into many health issues that Indigenous peoples face.
Kevin Good: Hello, my name is Kevin Good. I would also like to thank Fraser Basin Council
for all their support and sponsorship. For generations, Indigenous peoples have survived from seafood that has amazing health benefits and nutrients. However, as of now, people like myself can no longer eat seafood due to the contamination of the water, and without having allergies.
It wasn’t too long ago where my mom remembers having white sand beaches and safe
seafood harvesting. However, once the mill was put on our land, this created further health
issues and barriers, generationally changing things. And there are many stories like this.
Last summer, when we went to Chilliwack, BC, we saw an elder standing by the water, deep
in thought. We asked him what he was thinking about and he said, “The waters never used
to be like this,” brown, with sewage. Just before you enter their reserve, you see a sewage system planted right at the entrance of their land, symbolizing environmental racism.
Meaning, for these reasons there is not only a need for the First Nation’s Health Authority’s
culturally safe approach to health care but also culturally safety training for all industries and
organizations that work with Indigenous peoples, and who create partnerships with
Indigenous peoples, in recognition of my partners policy recommendation.
Moreover, there is a need for more educational training around safe seafood harvesting such
as FNHA’s, We all Take Care of the Harvest Program, and Indigenous partnerships with
sustainable renewable energy organizations such as the Fraser Basin Council.
My partner and I helped create policy recommendations, with youth across BC, for the
coastal marine strategy with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society BC, the Province
of BC, Clear Seas, First Nations Fisheries Council and more, calling for marine protected
areas in our province
Crystal Lewis: However, this is not just an issue in Canada, this is an issue that affects us
all. When one country doesn’t meet the UN sustainable development goals, and aren’t held
accountable to reaching their SDG goals, this impacts everyone and affects everyone’s
Efforts.
Kevin Good: Which calls for a need for international marine protected areas and turning
this into action and policies. Thank you.
Maria Violet Medina Quischue
María Violet Medina Quiscue is an Indigenous Nasa leader and human rights defender for over 12 years. She is the founder of the Indigenous Peoples Victims of Armed Conflict table in Bogotá in 2019. With a professional background in psychology, she participated in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the UN in New York in the years 2022, 2023, and 2024, and was invited to the 16th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Switzerland for 2023. She works as a consultant on Indigenous issues related to urban and victim topics. She was invited to participate in the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva on August 28, 2023, where countries worldwide provide recommendations to Colombia. Currently, she serves as a human rights commissioner for Indigenous authorities in Bakata.
Speech, intervention
Good morning Brothers and sisters, My name is Maria Violet Medina, a Nasa Indigenous woman from Colombia. I would like to congratulate and wish a nice journey to the sister President and Director. The rights of Indigenous peoples and compliance with the declarations of the United Nations in its articles 37, 38 and other articles, must continue to be a strong message for the member states. Today, the indigenous peoples of the world continue to experience repetitive and systematic violations of human rights, generating physical and cultural extermination, where we only have a stick or spirituality to take care of ourselves and the territory, water, forests and life for ourselves and humanity. In this sense, we cannot continue with this logic of violation today. Today, member states must continue to advance in the fulfillment of the declaration. In Colombia, there are already pronouncements by the Constitutional Court on the unconstitutional state of affairs, however, there is no progress in materializing to guarantee the rights of the 116 indigenous peoples. I recommend the Colombian member state must advance in the fulfillment of the norms and laws built by indigenous peoples such as the SEIP, indigenous educational system and the indigenous intercultural health system SISIPI, which allows the survival of indigenous peoples in time and space. I recommend that the mechanism conduct a study on the violations of human rights in indigenous children and women, migrants due to the dispossession of lands and armed conflict. Thank you, Madam President.
Topic 8: speech, intervention
Good afternoon Brothers and sisters, My name is María Violet Medina, indigenous Nasa from Colombia, I congratulate and wish a nice journey to the sister president and director. The rights of indigenous peoples and compliance with the United Nations Declarations in Article 7 and other articles must continue to be a strong message for member states. Today, the indigenous peoples of the world continue to experience repeated and systematic violations of human rights, generating physical and cultural extermination, where we only have a stick or spirituality to take care of ourselves and the territory, water, forests and life for ourselves and humanity. In this sense, we cannot continue with this logic of violation. Today, member states must continue to advance in compliance with the declaration. In Colombia, there are already pronouncements by the Constitutional Court on the unconstitutional state of affairs, however, there is no progress in materializing the rights of the 116 indigenous peoples. I recommend The Colombian member state must advance in the fulfillment of the norms and laws built by the indigenous peoples such as the SEIP, indigenous educational system and the indigenous intercultural health system SISIPI, which allows the survival of indigenous peoples in time and space. I recommend that the mechanism carry out a study on the violations of human rights in indigenous children and women, migrants due to the dispossession of lands and armed conflict. Thank you, Madam President.
Topic: languages speech, intervention
Good morning Brothers and sisters, My name is María Violet Medina, indigenous from the Nasa people of Colombia, Ewcxa mag pete, chucaiza wala wacxa. A greeting of brotherhood from my mother tongue Nasawuye, in Colombia the indigenous peoples, of the 115 peoples, where today there are 68 living mother tongues, spoken by more than 80,050 thousand indigenous people, who continue to survive an educational model that resists recognizing our languages and safeguarding them, complying with the declaration of the United Nations, however the peoples of Colombia have been doing an exercise, strengthening the languages where it is necessary to continue advancing by the Colombian state. I recommend to the mechanism to carry out a study on the extermination of mother tongues in Colombia by the educational model in children of indigenous peoples victims of the armed conflict. Thank you, Madam President.
Carlos Gualtero
Carlos Gualtero is coordinator of human rights and post-conflict in the Department of Human Rights of the CRIT (Consejo Regional Indigena del Tolima). He is dedicated to the promotion and defense of Human Rights.
Topic 8: Roundtable on the rights of indigenous peoples in post-conflict situations and peace negotiations, agreements and conventions
Greetings, Madam President, experts of the MEDPI.
Greetings, Indigenous brothers and sisters, my name is Carlos Gualtero, I am Governor of the “Pijao de Oro” Indigenous Reservation, affiliated with the CRIT - Regional Indigenous Council of Tolima and the ONIC - Indigenous Organization of Colombia.
As a socio-political leader and Defender of Human Rights - Environmental, I allow myself to make the following intervention:
It is worth noting that unfortunately the Pijao People have been recognized by the Colombian State as being in danger of extinction both physically and culturally, since 2009 through order 004, for this reason and for the different violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, I strongly supported the peace agreements which were signed in 2016.
I testify to the positive effect that was greatly evident in our territories; we breathe some peace and harmony and I always promote conflict resolution.
But the happiness did not last long, since for approximately two years until now the GAOR - Residual Organized Armed Groups and/or Dissidents - have been strengthened, whose purpose is to finance themselves through drug trafficking, supported in many cases by the corruption that permeates the Colombian armed forces.
This serious alteration of public order shows us that we do not have a proper post-conflict but a post-agreement and that the conflict is becoming stronger every day.
Last but not least, I would like to emphasize that due to our hard work as Indigenous leaders and promoters of struggles and just causes in the Indigenous movement, death threats are selective and systematic, as they criminalize us, unfairly prosecute us, threaten us and kill us, especially when we are exercising territorial control, because we do not want extractivism, we do not want drug trafficking, because we do not support the resurgence of armed groups outside the law. I have promoted our independence from any armed group, whether legal or illegal, in our territory, but drug trafficking is a strong actor of militarization.
Respected experts of the Mechanism: Indigenous peoples in Colombia continue to be victims of different human rights violations, drug trafficking is a strengthened cancer left by previous right-wing governments, and the different violations have been evidenced by Brother Francisco Cali – Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the UN during his visit to Colombia in March of this year 2024.
Respected experts of the Mechanism: Indigenous peoples in Colombia continue to be victims of different human rights violations, drug trafficking is a strengthened cancer left by previous right-wing governments, and the different violations have been evidenced by Brother Francisco Cali – Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the UN during his visit to Colombia in March of this year 2024.
I congratulate the Expert Mechanism for its important work and look forward to our interventions being taken into account by the Human Rights Council and thus taking appropriate measures. Thank you very much.
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