GLOBAL INDIGENOUS: A win for displaced Batwa
Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the World: Indigenous Batwa win human rights case, 55 Russian Indigenous, regional and ethnic groups labeled as extremist, Sydney’s first Aboriginal councilor Yvonne Weldon is running for mayor, and Ashley Callingbull is the first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada.
CONGO: Batwa win human rights case
The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights has determined that the violent forced eviction of the Indigenous Batwa community from Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo violated their human rights. This finding was announced in a press release from the London-based nonprofit Minority Reports Group and the Congo nonprofit Environnement, Ressources Naturelles et Développement, Mongabay News reported on August 2.
The Batwa people are believed to have lived in the Kahuzi-Biega forests for centuries. In 1970, the area was designated a national park, and a decade later, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As living in national parks was prohibited, the Batwa were forcibly evicted from their ancestral forest home overnight by armed guards.
“We had no warning,” a Batwa widow from the area previously told the advocacy group Survival International. “Suddenly, one of them broke into our house and shouted that we had to leave immediately because the park was not our land. I was confused because all my ancestors had lived on these lands.”
The Batwa were displaced, becoming conservation refugees. Many ended up squatting on land just outside the new park. Those who tried to return faced violence from park guards and soldiers of the Congo army, as reported by the Minority Reports Group in its 2022 report, “To Purge the Forest by Force.”
In 2015, the Minority Reports Group and Environnement, Ressources Naturelles et Développement filed a case with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights on behalf of the Batwa. They argued successfully that the violence against the Batwa was a violation of human rights.
In its decision, made public in June, the commission declared, “The Kahuzi-Biega Forest has been the ancestral home of the Batwa People since time immemorial,” and that their “presence in the forest posed no threat to biodiversity.”
The commission also issued a list of recommendations for the Congolese government, including issuing a public apology to the Batwa people, acknowledging the abuses by park rangers, rescinding laws that prohibit the Batwa from their ancestral lands, compensating them, and granting them titles to their ancestral land within the park.
Samuel Ade Ndasi, African Union litigation and advocacy officer at the Minority Reports Group, said in a press release that this decision should set a precedent against evicting Indigenous groups in the name of conservation.
Batwa community member Joséphine M’Cibalida expressed hope following the ruling. “While we were hunting, state agents invaded our community and burned down our homes, leaving us homeless and destitute,” M’Cibalida said in the press release, according to Mongabay. “We lost everything, including our dignity as human beings. This ruling gives us hope for justice.”
RUSSIA: Indigenous group called extremist
The Russian Justice Ministry has named 55 organizations, including an Indigenous group, that it believes are part of an anti-Russian separatist movement aimed at undermining the territorial integrity of Russia, The Barents Observer reported on July 30.
Andrei Danilov is a member of the international committee of Indigenous peoples of Russia, one of the 55 organizations designated as extremists on July 26. He refuted the existence of any such separatist movement.
“Now, any opinion and statement aimed at protecting rights in Russia is considered extremist,” he said.
Danilov, a Sami from the Kola Peninsula, is currently living in exile in northern Norway.
"Putin's regime seeks to suppress the truth both within Russia and on international platforms, particularly from Indigenous peoples,” he said. This situation demonstrates that the Indigenous peoples of Russia currently lack rights and a voice. They can only comply with what the authorities dictate."
The extremism law is employed to suppress opposition voices and those expressing anti-war sentiments. Individuals affiliated with groups labeled as extremists can face lengthy prison sentences, restrictions on financial transactions, and other punitive measures.
Other organizations on the newly updated extremist list include Aborigen Forum, the Karelian National Movement, the regional movement Pomorskaya Sloboda, and Free Pomorye. The latter two represent people from the Arkhangelsk region along the White Sea coast.
Despite being in exile, Andrei Danilov affirms that his organization will continue to advocate.
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"For the rights of our peoples," he asserts, according to The Barents Observer.
AUSTRALIA: Aboriginal woman running for mayor
Yvonne Weldon, the City of Sydney's first Aboriginal councilor, announced her mayoral candidacy, saying it's time for change, National Indigenous Times reported on August 1.
Three years after making history as the first Aboriginal person elected to the council in its 180-year history, Weldon, a Wiradjuri woman who grew up in Sydney's inner suburbs, announced her candidacy for mayor, saying, "I'm running to build a better future."
The election is scheduled for September 14. Weldon said she sees this as an opportunity for residents to choose a "refresh." Current Lord Mayor Clover Moore has held the position for over two decades.
"I definitely feel like it's time for a refresh, and who better than myself as a First Nations person, a Wiradjuri woman. … It's time," she said, according to the National Indigenous Times.
She is focusing on key areas to "ensure the city is inclusive, vibrant and brimming with opportunity, accessible to all." She emphasized the need for more affordable housing, accelerating a green economy, and supporting creatives, artists and local businesses.
CANADA: An Indigenous Miss Universe Canada
Ashley Callingbull, a 34-year-old model, actress and television host from Enoch Cree Nation, Alberta, has become the first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada. She was crowned in Windsor, Ontario, CBC News reported on July 30.
Callingbull is currently an in-game host for the National Hockey League, Canadian Football League, and the National Lacrosse League. She has also acted in APTN series “Blackstone” and “Tribal” and has received awards and recognition for her community work and activism.
In 2015, Callingbull became the first Canadian and Indigenous person to win Mrs. Universe, and in 2022, she broke another barrier by becoming the first Indigenous woman to appear as a Sports Illustrated model.
Alongside makeup artist Nicole Akan, Callingbull is among the young Indigenous women breaking stereotypes in the beauty industry.
She will compete for the title of Miss Universe in Mexico in November. "This is the most surreal feeling. I've been chasing this dream for years and I'm still in awe that it really came true," Callingbull wrote in a social media post. "Representation truly matters because when one of us wins, we all win."
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the recent ruling by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in favor of the Batwa people is a landmark decision that stands as a powerful affirmation of Indigenous rights and justice.
The commission's recognition of the Batwa's ancestral connection to the Kahuzi-Biega Forest and its acknowledgment of the grave injustices they faced underscore the fundamental principle that Indigenous peoples have a rightful claim to their traditional lands.
This ruling not only provides a sense of justice and hope to the Batwa community but also sets a crucial precedent for protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide.
The significance of this decision cannot be overstated. It reaffirms that conservation efforts should not come at the expense of Indigenous communities, whose knowledge and stewardship of the land are invaluable. The commission's recommendations, including public apologies, acknowledgment of abuses, and restitution of land rights, offer a roadmap for rectifying past wrongs and ensuring a more just and equitable future.
This decision also calls attention to other regions where Indigenous peoples have been unfairly evicted from their ancestral lands. Countries such as Brazil, where the Amazon's Indigenous tribes have faced displacement due to deforestation and mining activities, Australia, where the Aboriginal peoples' land rights have been a longstanding issue, and Uganda where the Batwa were evicted from Bwindi and Ecuya forests, should take heed of this ruling. These countries must recognize the importance of Indigenous sovereignty and work toward restoring lands to their rightful owners.
Similarly, the United States and Canada, where Native American and First Nations communities have experienced historical and ongoing land dispossession, should prioritize the restoration of lands and respect for treaty rights. Governments must engage in meaningful dialogue with Indigenous communities to address past injustices and protect their cultural heritage and livelihoods.
This ruling in favor of the Batwa people marks a significant step forward in the global recognition and protection of Indigenous rights. It serves as a beacon of hope for Indigenous communities worldwide and a call to action for governments to honor and restore the lands of Indigenous peoples who have been wrongfully displaced.
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