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Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Belgium honors Indigenous World War I veterans, Brazil announces a plan to restore degraded lands, Māori-led research projects win a prestigious grant, and Western Australia’s prison crisis triggers demands for transformative change
Belgium: Paying tribute to Canada’s Indigenous veterans
Belgium marked Canada’s Indigenous Veterans Day with a national ceremony honoring the estimated 4,000 Indigenous soldiers who fought in World War I on battlefields that came to be known as Flanders Fields, CBC News reported on Nov. 8.
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The celebration — the first time Belgium has recognized Canada’s Indigenous Veterans Day — included a series of events leading up to Remembrance Day on Monday, Nov. 11, to recognize the First Nations, Métis and Inuit soldiers who fought in the war.
A Canadian delegation of Indigenous people from Eastern and Western Canada were invited to join in recognition of two Indigenous veterans who died in the war.
A plaque was placed for Alex Decoteau, of Saskatchewan’s Red Pheasant Cree Nation, in the place where he was killed in action. Decoteau was an Olympic runner and Canada’s first Indigenous police officer, serving in the Edmonton Police Service before joining the Army, CBC reported.
Sam Glode, a Mi’kmaw soldier from Acadia First Nation in Nova Scotia, was also recognized during the events.
Jeff Purdy was there to retrace the steps of his great-great-grandfather Sam Glode in Belgium, including the deep tunnels the soldier dug beneath German lines, CBC reported.
“I’ve always wanted to come here to Belgium and walk around, but I never dreamed I’d be able to walk where Sam walked,” said Purdy, standing at the edge of a crater in Sint-Elooi, Belgium, believed to be left behind after an explosive detonated in a tunnel his ancestor helped dig, according to CBC News.
Veerle Viaene, coordinator of heritage for Visit Flanders, an organization that works to attract international visitors to the region, said the events helped recognize those who might have gone unnoticed.
“Unfortunately, they didn’t get the recognition they deserved during and after the war, so we want to give them that respect now, and express our eternal gratitude for what they did for our region,” Viaene said.
BRAZIL: New plan would restore degraded lands
Brazil has announced a new plan to restore degraded land equivalent to half the size of the United Kingdom by 2030, aiming to address climate change and protect biodiversity, Mongabay reported on Nov. 7.
The Planaveg 2.0 initiative, introduced at the United Nations biodiversity summit, COP16, in Colombia on Oct. 28, targets the restoration of 30 million acres, roughly half of Brazil’s degraded land area.
Brazil, home to 15-18 percent of the world’s known species, is the planet’s most biodiverse nation, positioning it as a critical leader in global ecosystem restoration. However, with funding gaps and a federal election slated for 2027, achieving the ambitious target will be a challenge, Mongabay reported.
“Given the urgency of the climate crisis we are facing, not implementing this plan would cost far more,” said Fabíola Zerbini, director of forests at Brazil’s environment ministry, according to Mongabay.
Already, 14 million acres are undergoing natural regrowth in the Amazon, and are expected to recover and foster new forest growth with minimal intervention, Zerbini said.
The success of Planaveg also depends on private landowners’ compliance, as they hold 75 percent of the restoration target. Brazilian law requires landowners to preserve portions of their land as natural vegetation, with an 80 percent requirement in the Amazon and lower percentages in other biomes, Mongabay reported.
Currently, 52 million acres await restoration. High restoration costs and limited political will have previously hindered efforts, but Zerbini said that low-interest credit and carbon credit initiatives could encourage progress.
“There’s no doubt it’s a positive step for Brazil to be moving toward restoration,” said Carlos Nobre, one of Brazil’s leading climate scientists and a senior researcher at the University of São Paulo, according to Mongabay. “But we need to see how this unfolds and how we can rapidly secure financing mechanisms for restoration.”
NEW ZEALAND: Māori-led research wins prestigious grant
A whare wānanga has secured a prestigious research grant from the Marsden Fund for Māori-led research, surpassing some of the country’s top universities, Te Ao Māori News reported on Nov. 7.
Drs. Reuben Collier and Te Hauāuru Tahi-Rangihau from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi was awarded the grant for their research, which delves into the intricacies of Māori dialects and the therapeutic potential of mōteatea, traditional chants, and songs, to support Māori mental health and well-being,Te Ao Māori News reported.
Collier’s team will focus on identifying and documenting unique linguistic features, including metaphors, gestures, and cultural expressions crucial for comprehending the oral history of te reo Māori, as highlighted in the documentary series “Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau: Ngā Tamariki o Te Kohu.”
“We hear about dialect differences, recognizing how this tribe’s (Tūhoe) unique vernacular contrasts with that of others in the region. Therefore, dialect and language form a focus for our research,” he told Te Ao Māori News.
Tahi-Rangihau, a senior lecturer at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and Indigenous education provider, leads a project exploring how mōteatea can enhance traditional mental health therapies by embedding Māori cultural philosophies and values, Te Ao Māori News reported.
“We are incredibly proud of both Dr. Collier and Dr. Tahi-Rangihau, whose achievement in securing dual Marsden grants brings significant recognition to Awanuiārangi as a center of academic excellence,” said Te Kani Kingi, executive director of research and innovation at Awanuiārangi, according to Te Ao Māori News.
“This accomplishment highlights not only their outstanding scholarship but also the growing influence of Māori-led research at our wānanga,” he said.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Prison crisis triggers demands for change
A prominent Noongar human rights advocate has called on the Western Australia government to take immediate action to address overcrowding and poor conditions in the state’s prisons, National Indigenous Times reported on Nov. 7.
Dr. Hannah McGlade, a Kurin Minang human rights expert and law academic, has sharply criticized the Western Australia government’s approach to incarceration, warning that the system is failing and risking lives.
McGlade cited two recent deaths of young Aboriginal men in custody, saying the cases draw attention to the need for alternatives such as bail hostels to address high remand populations.
“The remand population is much too high, and bail conditions are reportedly onerous, increasing pressure on prisons,” she said, according to National Indigenous Times.
A report by the Inspector of Custodial Services found that Western Australia’s prison population rose to 7,792 by June 30, marking a 15 percent increase over the previous year, largely due to a spike in remand prisoners. Following a May inspection of Hakea Prison, Inspector Eamon Ryan issued a rare show-cause notice, citing serious concerns for inmates’ safety and instances of inhumane or degrading treatment, National Indigenous Times reported.
“We are breaching international standards including treating people in a cruel and inhumane manner,” McGlade said. “This is completely unacceptable … The WA government can’t continue to avoid these issues as if the lives of incarcerated people don’t matter.”
She also noted the disproportionately high incarceration rates for Indigenous people, who are incarcerated at four times the national average, especially in youth detention, according to National Indigenous Times.
“Aboriginal people have faced cruel, inhumane incarceration since colonization, and it’s time this stopped,” she said.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Western Australia where the current prison conditions — particularly the overcrowding and treatment of incarcerated individuals — are deeply troubling and warrant immediate and decisive action.
Subjecting inmates to inhumane treatment and forcing them to sleep on floors in overcrowded cells is unacceptable, violating basic human rights and international standards.
This approach not only neglects the dignity of those incarcerated but also perpetuates cycles of harm, especially among Indigenous populations who are disproportionately impacted.
To address this crisis, the Western Australia government must prioritize and implement alternatives to incarceration, particularly for those on remand. Bail hostels, diversion programs, and community-based rehabilitation can significantly reduce the number of people entering overcrowded facilities.
Resources should be redirected toward expanding mental health and addiction services, which would alleviate the underlying issues that contribute to incarceration. Additionally, a focus on culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led rehabilitation initiatives can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, promoting healing and reducing recidivism.
The path forward must prioritize the rehabilitation, dignity, and well-being of all incarcerated people, particularly Indigenous populations. Other nations facing similar challenges are encouraged to adopt and invest in alternatives to incarceration that uphold human rights, address root causes, and foster community reintegration.
Addressing prison overcrowding and poor conditions is not just a matter of policy; it’s a moral imperative. By taking proactive steps, Australia and other nations can set a global standard for humane and effective justice practices that respect human dignity and promote societal well-being.
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