Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: A foster child’s death sparks demands for a Canadian official’s resignation, the Anindilyakwa people in Australia are embarking on economic transformation, forced labor issues draw scrutiny worldwide and New Zealand’s use of Māori principles in foreign policy with China gains recognition
CANADA: Foster child’s death brings calls for resignation
First Nations leaders are calling for the resignation of the minister of children in British Columbia and an overhaul of the foster system after the brutal torture, starvation and fatal beating of an 11-year-old Indigenous boy, CBC News reported on June 26.
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A provincial court in Chilliwack, B.C., sentenced a man and woman to 10 years in prison in June after they pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and manslaughter in the death of the boy and the aggravated assault of his eight-year-old sister.
The couple, who are also Indigenous, had been serving as foster parents to the children, and the woman involved was related to the children’s biological mother, CBC News reported. The court has banned disclosure of the First Nation involved and the names of the couple to protect the identity of the children.
According to court documents, the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development had last visited the couple’s home seven months before the boy died in 2021.
The First Nations Leadership Council expressed concern over the ministry’s “ongoing lack of accountability” in addressing the case, and demanded the resignation of Children’s Minister Mitzi Dean.They also urged the province to collaborate with First Nations to end mistreatment of Indigenous children in foster care.
Dean did not directly acknowledge or respond to the call for her resignation in a statement issued by her office.
“I extend our deepest apologies and condolences to the family, friends and communities that have been impacted by this tragedy, including Indigenous Peoples across the province who have experienced and continue to experience the trauma of a broken child-welfare system,” Dean said, according to CBC News.
“In partnership with First Nations leadership and Indigenous partners, we are determined to continue making the systemic changes that are needed to support First Nations in exercising their inherent jurisdiction to provide their own services for their children and youth.”
AUSTRALIA: Farming from the sea
The Anindilyakwa people of the Groote Archipelago in northeastern Australia are working to establish a pioneering aquaponics system on Groote Eylandt that uses the pristine waters of the Groote Archipelago for a water-based cultivation technique, National Indigenous Times reported on June 28.
The Groote Aqua Aboriginal Corporation,in collaboration with the Anindilyakwa Land Council, is joining forces with the Northern Hub to establish the aquaponics system.
The Groote Archipelago is located in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the northeastern part of Australia off the coast of the Northern Territory.
The new system, which is being funded by the Australian government’s Future Drought Fund through the Northern Hub, is aligned with the community’s aspirations of resource conservation, the creation of a carbon offset economy, food security, nutritional optimization, and the pursuit of self-sufficiency, National Indigenous Times reported.
“We, the Anindilyakwa people are Saltwater People,” said Tony Wurramarrba, chairperson of the Anindilyakwa Land Council, according to National Indigenous Times. “For us, our country is not just the land but also the sea that surrounds it to the horizon and beyond. That is our country. My father used to say, ‘The sea is our supermarket.’”
The introduction of the Groote Eylandt aquaponics system could revolutionize agricultural practices in the region. By integrating aquaculture and hydroponics, this project aims to cultivate a diverse range of vegetables and leafy greens alongside freshwater seafood delicacies such as barramundi, cherrabin prawns, and red claw crayfish.
The system is expected to be operational in the next few months, and could provide yields in 2024. It will also help the Anindilyakwa people.
“The project will empower community members, create employment opportunities, and facilitate infrastructural expansion for a stable food supply,” the council said in a statement. “It will also serve as a valuable training centre, fostering skill development and training in sustainable development practices.”
CHINA: Multinational companies face heat over forced labor
A human rights organization in Europe and two other organizations have lodged a complaints with German authorities alleging that Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW failed to implement adequate measures to prevent or eradicate forced labor in the production of their automobiles, Radio Free Asia reported on June 28.
The complaint comes as other multinational companies such as the Zara clothing chain and China-based online retailer Temu are facing renewed scrutiny for failing to take steps to determine if Uyghur forced labor is present in their supply chains, Radio Free Asia reported.
“It’s up to the economic players to show that their products are not sullied by forced labor,” Dilnur Reyhan, president of The European Uyghur Institute told Nikkei Asia, according to Radio Free Asia.
The institute and several other non-governmental organizations filed a lawsuit in June in the Tribunal Court of Paris against Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, and Inditex, the owner of Zara.
The lawsuits accuses the brands of willfully overlooking human rights abuses in Xinjiang and profiting from forced labor practices..
Temu, meanwhile, has been criticized in a report by the U.S. House Select Committee on China for its failure “to maintain even the façade of a meaningful compliance program.”
In recent years, China has faced strong international condemnation for its severe human rights violations against the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population, including the use of forced labor.
The U.S. government, along with several Western parliaments, including the German Bundestag, has officially stated that the abuses taking place in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, located in the far western part of China, amount to genocide or crimes against humanity.
NEW ZEALAND: Māori principles influence foreign policy
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta is drawing praise for using Māori principles in a “radically different” approach in dealing with China, Te Ao Māori News reported on June 28.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ meeting with President Xi Jinping in China sparked recent attention, particularly following his initial oversight in acknowledging the unique relationship between te iwi Māori and China, as well as the presence of Māori leaders in his delegation.
Mahuta, who is Māori, is also drawing attention with an article in the prestigious International Affairs journal by Oxford University Press, which analyzes her use of Māori foreign policy framework based on four core principles: manaakitanga (hospitality), whanaungatanga (connectedness), mahi tahi and kotahitanga (unity through collaboration), and kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection of intergenerational wellbeing), Te Ao Māori News reported.
Mahuta became New Zealand’s first Indigenous foreign minister in 2021.
“Using te ao Māori principles in our foreign policy provides a fundamental difference in how we see the world,” said Dr. Nicholas Ross Smith of Canterbury University, who co-authored the article with Māori academic Bonnie Holster.
“It takes a relational and intergenerational approach that offers a more complex and sophisticated way of looking at these relationships, which is radically very different to how many countries approach geopolitics,” Smith said in a statement.
The report concludes that Mahuta and other officials have been able to develop a mature relationship with China through the use of the Māori framework “when other countries have been pushing back.”
The upcoming general election could lead to a change in the foreign minister, but Smith expressed confidence that certain elements of the Māori foreign policy will persist.
“Nanaia Mahuta has undoubtedly been a key driver of this, so a change in personnel could see us revert to a more conventional foreign policy approach,” Smith said. “However, there is also an evolutionary aspect that reflects New Zealand’s growing embrace of te ao Māori perspectives, together with the continued role of te Tiriti o Waitangi in public policymaking, which I believe is here to stay.”
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are on recent reports that indicate multinational corporations, including Volkswagen, Zara, and Temu, have come under intensified scrutiny over the presence of Uyghur forced labor in their supply chains. The companies are facing allegations that they have not taken adequate measures to ensure that their products are free from forced labor practices.
These companies need to establish a proactive engagement strategy with suppliers, including ongoing monitoring and regular audits, to effectively identify and address any instances of Uyghur forced labor. Companies should also prioritize supporting alternative sourcing options that are free from any association with human rights abuses.
Only by taking these steps will multinational corporations demonstrate their commitment to responsible business practices and contribute to the eradication of Uyghur forced labor. This will not only protect their brand reputation but will contribute to a more ethical and sustainable global supply chain ecosystem.
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