Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: UN panel cites Vietnam for oppression, tough new law would crack down on Aboriginal site destruction, the Guarani community in Brazil revives native bees and a Canadian university helps students take action against climate change using Indigenous knowledge
VIETNAM: UN cites violations against Khmer Krom minority
A panel of United Nations experts has accused the Vietnamese government of systematic oppression of the Khmer Krom people, citing violations of freedom of expression, association, religion, cultural and linguistic rights, and land use, Radio Free Asia reported on May 17.
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The panel of seven special U.N. rapporteurs has also expressed concerns about the alleged denial of the Khmer Krom’s rights to self-determination as an Indigenous people
The Khmer Krom live in the culturally diverse Mekong Delta, which historically was a Cambodian region but which is now part of Vietnam.
Despite their population of nearly 1.3 million, the Khmer Krom face discrimination within Vietnam and are often regarded with suspicion in Cambodia, where they are mistakenly identified as Vietnamese rather than Cambodians, Radio Free Asia reported.
The U.N. panel sent a detailed letter to the Vietnamese government outlining the alleged violations, including the detention and interrogation of five Khmer Krom activists, one of whom was detained on charges of “abusing democratic freedoms” for wearing a T-shirt displaying the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals logo.
“While we do not wish to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations, we are expressing our serious concern at what may constitute arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment of Khmer Krom persons with the aim of suppressing their right to freedom of expression, as well as the Khmer Krom Indigenous Peoples’ cultural and linguistic rights,” the letter said, according to Radio Free Asia.
The U.N. experts granted the Vietnamese government a 60-day deadline to address their concerns and provide explanations regarding measures and regulations taken to safeguard the rights and protection of the Khmer Krom community as Indigenous people.
Vietnam’s permanent mission to the U.N. office in Geneva rejected the allegations in a statement dated May 10.
AUSTRALIA: Aboriginal heritage sites could gain new protections
The state government of South Australia has proposed strengthening penalties for the disturbance or damage of Aboriginal heritage sites in response to the desecration of sacred rock shelters in a different state, National Indigenous Television reported on May 17.
Aboriginal heritage destruction currently carries a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine for companies and either a $10,000 fine or a six-month prison sentence for individuals.
Under the proposed new laws, the penalties would increase to $2 million for companies and $250,000 for individuals. If the damage is deemed intentional or reckless, individuals could face a maximum prison term of two years.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher expressed concerns that South Australia’s existing laws for safeguarding Aboriginal heritage are inadequate in preserving the state’s rich and ancient cultural heritage.
“By legislating an increase in penalties, we are sending a clear message that Aboriginal heritage is to be both protected and respected,” Maher said, according to NIT.
In 2020, mining giant Rio Tinto detonated the Juukan caves in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, causing devastation to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people and sparking global outrage.
The caves, which had a history dating back 46,000 years, were legally permitted to be destroyed under the outdated Aboriginal Heritage legislation of Western Australia, NIT reported.
Last year, Rio Tinto entered into an agreement with the traditional owners to establish guidelines for future cultural heritage management.
BRAZIL: Guarani community revives native bees
The Guarani people in the Jaraguá Indigenous Territory in Brazil have successfully revived nine species of native bees that were once extinct in the area, Mongabay reported on May 18.
The bees now flourish in 300 hives contributing to the thriving ecosystem of the region in the northwestern corner of São Paulo, Mongabay reported. The hives include native uruçu-amarela, tubuna, and jataí species of bees.
The Jaraguá Indigenous Territory, located about 10 miles from downtown São Paulo, has a tumultuous history of land disputes since the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century. In an area now marked by pollution, deforestation, and urban encroachment, 125 Indigenous families residing in the six villages within Jaraguá have united to restore their land, Mongabay reported.
In 2017, they embarked on a project to plant native Atlantic Rainforest seedlings and reintroduce indigenous bees as pollinators.
The resurgence of native bees, revered by numerous ethnic groups in Brazil, has revitalized a significant aspect of the ancestral Guarani lifestyle beyond their role in food provision – including the use of beeswax in sacred rituals such as naming ceremonies and the the use of incense for addressing depression and mental ailments.
“The indigenous bees have helped us recover ancestral knowledge that uses the honey and wax for medicines, blessings, baptisms and keeping bad spirits away,” Werá Mirim told Mongabay.com. “We had always heard about these practices, but had never been able to use them because the native bees had all died off in Jaraguá.”
This reservation, wedged between the Bandeirantes and Anhanguera freeways and bisected by the Jaraguá Tourist Route, restricts the São Paulo Guarani from engaging in ancestral practices such as hunting and fishing but they have continued their traditional crafts.
“It’s really hard for Indigenous people not to be able to swim in a river, but now we are keeping the native bees,” Werá Mirim said. “This brings us some peace, calms the spirit and strengthens our traditions. Plus, we now have more flowers in the springtime and our agroforest is more productive.”
CANADA: University taps Indigenous climate knowledge
Western University in London, Ontario, has introduced a groundbreaking new course that combines Indigenous wisdom and Western science in helping students address climate change, CBC News reported on May 20.
Katrina Moser, an associate professor and chair of the geography and environment department, led a team of 16 university contributors in developing the Connecting for Climate Change Action course.
The initiative emerged after Moser noticed a sense of hopelessness among students during her five years of teaching Western’s climate change course.
“This is when we started thinking about, how do we change that? How do we give students a way forward?” said Moser, according to CBC News.
The program was reimagined to address the concerns with a curriculum that empowers students to apply their knowledge and generate solutions for climate change issues.
The new course goes beyond educating students about the realities of climate change to demonstrate they have the capacity to take action.
“This course is basically teaching students about the science behind climate change, but also encouraging students to take action and braiding into our science part of the course, Indigenous knowledge and perspectives,” she said, according to CBC News.
Sara Mai Chitty, an adviser for curriculum and pedagogy at the office of Indigenous Initiatives at Western, helped infuse the program with her Indigenous heritage and knowledge.
“We have an assessment where students visit with a generation either older or younger than them to talk about what the climate looked like when they were younger or older,” said Chitty, according to CBC News.
“So, bringing in different perspectives and people sharing what their gifts are and what they are bringing to climate change action.”
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Vietnam, where a group of special United Nations rapporteurs has raised serious concerns over the reported denial of the Khmer Krom’s rights to self-determination as an indigenous people.
The panel focused its attention on the alleged infringement of the Khmer Krom community’s fundamental rights. They underscored the significance of upholding the rights of Indigenous peoples, including their right to freely determine their political status, pursue economic development, and maintain and develop their cultural identities.
Human rights are being denied to the Khmer Krom community and I challenge the Vietnamese government to take concrete steps to ensure the full recognition and protection of the rights of the community as an integral part of its commitment to human rights and international standards.
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