Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Farming colonies worsen deforestation in Paraguay, Taiwan embraces its Indigenous people, Nepali speakers labeled ‘foreigners’ by court, war memorials in Malaysia draw tourists, and artisans in Cambodia are sharing their traditional handicrafts.
PARAGUAY: Farming colony causing deforestation
A Mennonite farming community in Paraguay has led to deforestation of whole sections of land in the Mby’a Indigenous community of Pindo’i in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest, Mongabay reported on March 24.
Satellite data and imagery from Global Forest Watch show clearing associated with large agricultural fields has whittled away at already-fragmented tracts of primary forest in the Pindo’I Indigenous Territory over the past several years, Mongabay reported.
SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. CONTRIBUTE TODAY.
The data was confirmed by Cristino Benítez, district leader of the National Forest Institute, Mongabay reported.
“We have checked and the new clearings are happening inside the Pindo’i reserve,” Benítez said.
A sign posted over the paved road leading to the Mby’a Indigenous community says, “Sommerfeld Colony – Welcome – Private land and roads.” The road is used by Mennonite families to move their crops and cattle, Mongabay reported.
The Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest is an endangered ecosystem spanning Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, and is home to numerous unique species. Paraguay’s portion of the forest is home to more Indigenous communities than any other region in the country.
The Sommerfeld colony, founded by Mennonite communities in the 1940s, operates on nearly 55,000 acres of farmland that once were forested areas. The cooperative is a major producer of wheat flour, pasta, and milk, and has about 900 producers.
TAIWAN: Growing recognition of Indigenous people
In what is seen as a rebuff to China, Taiwan’s acknowledgement of its Indigenous peoples has grown in the more than 70 years after a crackdown known as “White Terror,” CNN reported on March 18.
Taiwan has moved to officially recognize Indigenous languages, allowing members to register their names with Roman instead of Chinese characters; has set aside seats in the legislature for Indigenous representatives; and designated Aug. 1 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, CNN reported.
And last year, the government doubled its offer of compensation to families killed during the reign of terror to $390,000 USD, or about $12 million New Taiwan dollars.
Tibusungu ‘e Vayayana, a former deputy minister for Indigenous people in Taiwan who is Tsou, said Indigenous communities in Taiwan are now seen as a bulwark against Beijing’s territorial ambitions, CNN reported.
“To highlight the uniqueness of Taiwan from China, the ethnic Han population in Taiwan are now emphasizing Indigenous cultures and are paying more and more attention to it,” Vayayana told CNN.
The “White Terror” crackdown by Taiwan’s government lasted about 40 years and caused as many as 28,000 deaths. It started in 1947, when the Nationalist or Kuomintang government suppressed a popular revolt sparked by anger of official corruption, CNN reported.
Among those killed was Avai Yata’uyungana’s father, Uyongu, a Tsou leader in Taiwan who was taken away by soldiers from his family home on charges he was collaborating with the Communists. Avai was 12 years old at the time.
Instead of working with Communist’s, however, Avai’s father had been lobbying for autonomy for Taiwan’s Indigenous people, said Avai, now 83 and a retired schoolteacher.
“My father and other leaders knew that Indigenous peoples were colonized and suppressed,” Avai said. “They hoped that with the arrival of [the new Nationalist government], they would be able to change our fate.”
INDIA: High court labels Indigenous people as ‘foreigners’
The Indian Supreme Court’s reference to the Nepali population in Sikkim as “people of foreign origin is causing rising discontent among the Lepcha and Bhutia communities in India’s 22nd state, The Kathmandu Post reported on March 22.
Although the court later came back and removed the reference from its records, it nonetheless damaged the region’s image, and DR Nepal, a resident of Gangtok, who worked for 16 years under the former chief ministers of Sikkim.
“Although the government claims to have resolved the issue, the Sikkim literati believes that the use of the phrase by the court has tarnished the image of the region and will affect the Nepali Sikkimese population in the future,” said Nepal, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Sikkim was an independent country until it became India’s 22nd state in 1975, causing discontent among the Lepcha and Bhutia communities. The court’s justices made the remarks in January and removed the reference in February.
“It is in times like these that we are reminded of the importance of a country,” said a former minister of the Sikkim government who asked to remain anonymous. “A country must be independent. To be trapped inside a country feels like a caged bird.”
MALAYSIA: Borneo war memorials attract visitors
The Borneo Memorial Trail — which traces sites in Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan during the occupation by Japan in World War II — is drawing recognition as a significant lure for tourism, The Borneo Post reported on March 24.
The trail is primarily associated with the country of Malaysia and located in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, the Post reported.
Datu Sherinna Hussaini, the permanent secretary of the ministry of tourism, creative industry and performing arts, said the trail is a reminder of war and peace.
“It is important to note that under the Sabah-Sarawak and Labuan Joint Tourism Collaboration and Cooperation, we have identified war memorials as important tangible and intangible relics that link the past to the present,” Sherinna said during the launch of a new book, “Memoirs of Special Unit in Bario,” by Jennie Soh.
The book, funded by the Facilitation Fund for Arts, Culture and Heritage under the ministry of tourism, is a collection of stories from World War II, including the first landing of Western paratroopers from Z Special Unit in Bario on March 25, 1945.
The book will help younger generations learn about Sarawak’s history and local people’s efforts to fight against the Japanese occupation, Hussaini said.
“The bravery of our local heroes is acknowledged in this book,” Hussaini said.
CAMBODIA: Artisans preserve traditional handicrafts
A nonprofit organization in Phnom Kulen in Cambodia is working with local artisans to preserve traditional handicrafts and help them find a market for their mats, baskets, bamboo straws and knives, the Phnom Penh Post reported on March 19.
Phnom Kulen, about 25 miles from the town of Siem Reap, is the birthplace of the Khmer empire and is part of Kulen National Park, which includes 10 villages of farmers, the Post reported.
The organization, Kulen Crafts, was established in 2020 as part of the nonprofit Archaeology and Development Foundation, said Chhun Phirom, an ADF employee working on the Kulen Crafts project.
Phirom said the organization trained local artisans, established fair market prices, and improved community livelihoods. They have also set up training courses to hand the skills off to others.
“We only buy from Phnom Kulen, and our purpose is to improve their livelihoods and to help preserve the traditional handicrafts on this mountain,” Phirom said.
Kulen Crafts produces over 10 kinds of handmade products using rare local materials but sales need to improve to impact the livelihood of the artisans, Phirom said.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Taiwan, which in recent years has taken significant steps to recognize and support its Indigenous communities. One of the most notable measures has been the official recognition of indigenous languages as national languages, alongside Mandarin. This recognition has helped to preserve and promote Indigenous cultures, which have historically been marginalized in Taiwan.
And that is not all. The Taiwanese government has taken steps to address historical injustices faced by Indigenous communities, increasing compensation to families of those killed during the authoritarian era to $390,000 USD.
Although there is still much work to be done to address the ongoing challenges faced Indigenous communities, these efforts demonstrate a commitment to supporting and empowering Taiwan’s Indigenous communities. These policies represent important steps forward in promoting equity and justice for all Taiwanese citizens.
Global Indigenous is a weekly news roundup published every Wednesday by ICT (formerly Indian Country Today) with some of the key stories about Indigenous peoples around the world.
Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT’s free newsletter.