Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Winnipeg grandmothers rap for MMIW, an Ethiopian park’s World Heritage listing could bring evictions, global lawmakers urge Japan to investigate Uyghur rights abuses, and Dayak people lose a fight against a palm oil company.
CANADA: ‘Grassroots grannies’ push for landfill search
Three Winnipeg grandmothers are using rap music to advocate for the search of a landfill for the remains of two First Nations women believed to be victims of a serial killer, CBC News reported on Nov. 1.
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Grassroots Grannies, a trio of Vivian Ketchum, Geraldine Shingoose, and Chickadee Richard, unveiled their debut song, “Ogichidaa,” as part of a seven-part series known as the Medicine Songs Project.
“Ogichidaa,” which translates to “warrior” or “big-hearted person” in Anishinaabemowin, addresses the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The songs’ lyrics also pay tribute to those who are fighting for the search of Winnipeg landfills for the remains of missing Indigenous women.
‘Search the land, bring them home.
This is our heart’s demand
Don’t let me die.’
-”Ogichidaa”
The remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are believed to have been taken to Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, in May 2022. Partial remains were also found at the Brady Landfill.
Police have indicated the women may be among at least four victims of a serial killer who apparently targeted Indigenous women.
Related stories:
—Another Indigenous woman’s remains found at Winnipeg landfill
—Waiting for answers: Are serial killer’s victims in Winnipeg landfill?
Ketchum said the song is a way for the grandmothers to convey their message and stand in solidarity with the families of the victims.
“It’s really heartbreaking to see the heartbreak of the family members,” Ketchum said in an interview, according to CBC News.
“I know people will get emotional,” Shingoose said, “and that’s OK. It’s speaking the truth about our women that are in the landfill.”
Zoey Roy, a Cree-Dene and Métis poet who serves as the creative producer, collaborated with the three women for five weeks during the past summer to shape “Ogichidaa.”
ETHIOPIA: World Heritage designation likely to bring evictions
The designation of Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site could lead to the eviction of more than 20,000 people from farming communities on what were once homelands for the Oromo people, Mongabay reported on Oct. 30.
Noted for its biodiversity and lush site, Bale Mountains National Park achieved World Heritage status on Sept. 18 after a 15-year evaluation. In accordance with UNESCO’s criteria, however, the chosen sites must remain free from development and neglect, Mongabay reported.
Community members have not yet received formal notice of their resettlement, however, and officials remain reticent to talk about a relocation plan.
The Bale Mountains were home to the Oromo, the largest single ethnic group in the Horn of Africa, who were mostly pastoralists and farmers. Many of the existing settlers have moved into the area since the park was established in the 1970s, officials said.
“Most of the problems observed in the Bale Mountains National Park were related to illegal human settlements,” said Aschalew Gashaw, a facilitator at the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, about the evaluations done by an advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, according to Mongabay.com.
The UNESCO World Heritage Center, which did not request relocation, urged Ethiopian authorities to respect local communities’ rights and opinions regarding resettlement.
Aman Kebeko, an elderly resident of Rira village, has lived in the area for more than 70 years, cultivating barley and maize, and tending to cattle and beehives to support his extended family of 20.
“We haven’t officially been told by the government that we are about to relocate but we heard there is a plan to evict us out of the park,” Aman said, according to Mongabay.com. “We are not refugees here. We have been living here all our lives, living and cultivating our land. Our village is legally recognized.”
JAPAN: Activists call for investigation of Uyghur abuses
More than 150 activists, lawmakers and advocates are urging Japan to investigate the Chinese government’s human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and urged sanctions against Communist Party officials, Radio Free Asia reported on Nov. 1.
Members of the International Uyghur Forum convened in Tokyo’s parliament, known as the Diet, to discuss global response to human rights violations against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
Chinese authorities have detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs and Turkic minorities in so-called “re-education” camps, and the United Nations has uncovered evidence of torture, forced labor, and sexual violence.
Western governments have labeled China’s actions as crimes against humanity and genocide, but China has denied the allegations, saying the facilities served as vocational training centers and have since closed.
The group’s declaration challenged the assertion.
“Despite recent claims by the Chinese government, that the internment camps have closed down, the situation is exacerbating, with millions of Uyghurs still arbitrarily detained in the Chinese concentration camps, and others facing extended prison sentences,” said the declaration, according to Radio Free Asia.
The document called for initiating independent efforts to document the Uyghur genocide and utilizing its trade ties with China to address the Uyghurs’ predicament.
“The world does not only consist of the U.S. and the European Parliament, but also Latin America, Africa and Asia,” said Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, one of the organizers, according to Radio Free Asia.
“That is … one of the reasons that we chose to host this forum in Japan, because Japan is one of the largest economic power players in Asia, in addition to being a democratic power player neighboring China,” he said.
Isa noted that while Tokyo hasn’t officially labeled the Xinjiang rights violations as genocide or crimes against humanity, the Japanese parliament did pass an unusual resolution expressing concerns about human rights issues in China, including the treatment of Uyghurs, according to Radio Free Asia.
INDONESIA: Community loses fight against palm oil company
A Borneo Indigenous community voiced outrage at a decision in Indonesia to clear a palm oil corporation of land rights violations after a legal battle that stretched more than 10 years, Mongabay reported on Oct. 27.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, known as RSPO, ruled in favor of PT Mistra Austral Sejahtera in August, saying there was “insufficient evidence” of irregularities in the awarding of a permit to the company.
The Dayak Hibun community from Sanggau district in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, lodged a complaint In 2012 with the roundtable against the company, known as MAS, which was previously owned by the Malaysian palm oil company, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd.
MAS entered the Indigenous Dayak Hibun’s ancestral lands in 1996 with a permit, though they had never secured free, prior, and informed consent of the community. The company received a subsequent permit, known as an HGU, in 2000 that granted it a concession of more than 21,000 acres, including more than 3,000 acres of Dayak Hibun land, Mongabay reported.
During a recent press conference in Jakarta, representatives of the Dayak Hibun community strongly criticized the RSPO for disregarding the community’s rights and appeals.
“We are very disappointed and furious with the RSPO,” said Redatus Musa, a community member, according to Mongabay.com.
RSPO noted in its decision that the original complaint was filed against Sime Darby Plantation, which no longer owns the company. The current owner is not a member of RSPO, putting it outside its jurisdiction, the ruling noted.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Ethiopia, where the recent UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition of Bale Mountains National Park has been hailed as a momentous achievement. The accolade, however, has triggered the unsettling prospect of displacing more than 20,000 park residents.
While UNESCO’s criteria emphasize the protection of such sites from development and neglect, the current situation lacks a clear and comprehensive plan, raising serious ethical and practical concerns.
Firstly, the absence of formal notification for the impacted community of their impending resettlement is a distressing oversight. The lack of communication leaves residents uncertain about their future and exacerbates their anxiety. Transparency and empathy are urgently needed to ensure that those affected are informed and have a say in their fate.
Secondly, the vagueness surrounding the relocation plan is problematic. Without a well-thought-out strategy, there is a risk of haphazard resettlement, potentially causing further displacement and hardship for the individuals and their communities. The absence of a clear plan also raises doubts about the potential negative consequences on the relocated residents’ livelihoods and well-being.
To navigate the situation successfully, it is crucial to adopt a more thoughtful and inclusive approach. This entails transparent communication, a comprehensive relocation plan that considers residents’ needs, compensation and support, an environmental impact assessment, involvement of local communities in decision-making, and robust monitoring and accountability measures.
By combining these elements, we can preserve the park’s unique ecosystem while safeguarding the rights and well-being of the people involved, ensuring a sustainable and harmonious future for both.
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