This site is an archive. Please visit our current site http://www.ngocongo.org

(Back to International Decade for the World's Indigenous People, NY home)

NEWS

New program for building an Indigenous Fair Trade Tourism Association in the Americas

Scholarships for the World Summit on the Information Society

Information note on the Sub-commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights's decisions and resolutions relating to indigenous issues

"Call for Nominations" for the Equator Prize 2004. Nominations will be accepted until 5 October 2003

7-9 November 2003 , there is going to be an international conference on "The Unifying Aspects of Cultures" in Vienna. Please find more details by visiting : http://www.inst.at/kulturen/index_e.htm

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
8 August 2003*, United Nations Headquarters
12.30pm, United Nations General Assembly Lobby

Programme of Activities

12.30pm
Flute Convocation:
Tiokasin Grey Horse (Lakota, U.S.)

Welcome and Prayer Blessing
Chief Walter "Silent Wolf" Van Dunk
(Ramapo - Munsey Lenape, U.S.)**

Message of the Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan

Message of the Chairman of the Permanent Forum,
Mr. Ole Henrik Magga

Message from the Office of the High Commissioner fro Human Rights

Message by Indigenous Youth Representative:
Carrese P. Gullo (Cherokee), American Indian Community House

Cultural Presentation
Poetry Reading by Dean Hutchins (Cherokee)

Message from Indigenous Youth Representative:
Mohamed Yunus Rafiq (Wasegeju/Punjabi, Tanzania)

Cultural Presentation (TBA)

Closing Blessing:
Elder Margarita Nuñez (Mexico)

Master of Ceremonies:
Roberto Mucaro Borrero (Taíno, Puerto Rico), Chairperson,
NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People

The 8 August 2003 Commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is being presented by the Secretariat for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Department of Public Information and the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Programme subject to change.

Additional Programs in Commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples will take place at the American Museum of Natural History on 9 & 10 August, 2003. Events will include a focus on the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana, Africa and Mexico. For more information on these programs, which are free with suggested museum admission and open to the general public, contact the American Museum of Natural History at (212) 769-5758 or see their website at http://www.amnh.org/programs/special/global/index.html?src=p_sp

*The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is officially commemorated on 9 August annually in recognition of the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva.

**The Lenape Indigenous Nation is a part of the Algonquin Language & Cultural group, who were the Indigenous Peoples of Manhattan Island.

You are invited to a Special Cultural Event Featuring the Music & Dance Performances of

Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre
(From New Zealand)

El Grupo Cultural NUNKUI
(from Ecuador)

Allison Warden
(from Alaska)

UN Dag Hammarskold Library
Friday, May 23, 2003, Time: 1:15pm – 2:45pm

This event is sponsored by the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Department of Public
Information and the American Museum of Natural History

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2003 (Pre-Registration Deadline April 12)
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/pfii/pfii2.htm

If you would like to receive updates and information concerning Indigenous Peoples Issues at the United Nations and around the world, please subscribe to our online news listing at :
ngo_ip_undecade-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

8 March 2003 : The American Museum of Natural History presents "Women as Society Builders" - 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. - Kaufmann Theater, first floor, New York , USA.

20 indigenous women from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal met in Nepal at South Asia Indigenous Women Conference held from Jan 22nd till Jan 24th 2003 jointly organised by Minority Rights Group, UK and Nepal Tamang Women Ghedung.

The Conference has resulted the formation of South Asia Indigenous Women Forum, SAIWF having the following members as
International Coordinating Committee. SAIWF composes of 3 participants from all 4 countries of the region.

India:
Anjali (North-East)
Jyotsna Tirty (Central)
Janu (South)

Bangladesh:
Chaitali Tripura (CHT)
Pabitra Manda (MYG)
Anna Minz (NB)

Bhutan:
Deki Yangzom
Rinzin Wangmo
Kinley

Nepal:
Stella Tamang
Bam Kumari Buramagar
Dr.Chunda Bajracharya

Stella Tamang from Nepal is the Convenor/Coordinator.

Core Committee has been formed as an Executive Committee having
following members:

Stella Tamang, Coordinator
India Anjali
Bhutan Deki Yangzom
Bangladesh Pabitra Manda

With the spirit to work together,
Stella Tamang
ps@tamang.wlink.com.np

Atrocities against the Pygmies

The UN must act on reported atrocities on pygmies in Congo (DRC)

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - IWGIA expresses its grave concern about the UN reports on cannibalism and other extreme Human rights abuses committed by rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). IWGIA wishes to express its appeal for UN intervention to bring an end to this horrendous situation.

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is out of control. Pygmies (Twa) are among the most exposed to these human rights violations - they are simply being eaten - or forced to eat parts of their companions. The report, which was presented by the UN mission in the DRC (MONIC), indicates clear evidence of cannibalism as well rape, pillage and killings.

IWGIA appreciates the initiative taken by the UN to investigate the severe allegations of human rights atro! cities. At the same time IWGIA wishes to draw the attention of the UN to the very vulnerable
Twa communities in the north-eastern part of the DRC. The Twa have been caught up in the conflict in the DRC because they live in the remote parts where armed groups operate. Pygmies have been
consistently attacked or forced to fight, hunt and track for rebel groups. They have been exposed to extreme human rights abuses - and the worst - to eat parts of their own or companions' bodies.

The Twa communities are facing outright extinction. According to the Minority Rights Group (MRG) nearly a third of the Twa in Rwanda was wiped out in 1994. In the DRC there is an estimated 155,000 internal
refugees, many of whom are from Twa communities. They are basically left with no protection and are without mercy attacked by the rebels lead by Jean-Pierre Bemba and Roger Lumbala. It is a humanitarian
catastrophe of incredible dimensions tha! t is taking place right now and the International Community should act on this before it is too late.

The Twa - on the edge of the abyss

The Twa are regarded as part of the estimated 250,000 hunter-gatherers or `pygmies' who live in Central Africa. For the past 30 years Agricultural projects, logging and the establishment of Natural Reserves have driven the Twa off their lands. Eventually the multinational mining, logging and infrastructure companies will destroy parts of the DRC's forests. The destruction of the pygmies forest environment will eradicate their way of life. Many of the pygmies have been forced into a life as cheap agricultural labour or dancing tourist attractions for the visitors who come to see the animals in the Natural Reserves. The forests products which the pygmies used to sell are less demanded by the agricultural farmers who grow cash crop and therefore do not need to trade with the pygmies. None of the pygmies has a share in the income from the tourism in the Natural Reserves, which has gradually diminished while the conflict in the DRC has escalated during the past 4 years. Most pygmies do not have any access to health or schools as well as they have been deprived of the general rights enjoyed by their fellow citizens, who regard them as stupid and primitive non-humans without rights to anything human.

For the majority of the Twa tomorrow has long been lying on the edge of the abyss. With the latest atrocities their complete extinction has become even closer to reality.

For more information about the Pygmies:
www.iwgia.org/publications
www.pygmee.nl
www.minorityrights.org
Forest Peoples Programme, UK, Telephone: 01608 652893

"Heading Towards Extinction?" By Albert Kwokwo Barume, IWGIA and FPP 2000, ISBN 87-90730-31-3 MRG's report, "The Batwa Pygmies of the Great Lakes Region, By Jerome Lewis, June 2000, ISBN 897693

29th January 2003

IWGIA
Classensgade 11 E
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Denmark