Date: Wed, 27 July 2022
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe_YRm4DiG0
Indigenous communities remain one of the most neglected and disadvantageous populations across the world. On the one hand, indigenous territories are increasingly being occupied by armed non-state actors, subjecting their communities to violence and jeopardizing their ability to engage with national and international protection mechanisms. These scenarios reinforce pervasive narratives that associate indigenous movements with violence and extremism, shifting the focus away from legitimate claims. On the other hand, the growing criminalisation of protest by governments from various sides of the political spectrum undermines indigenous communities’ ability to mobilise for their rights.
The ongoing indigenous strikes in Ecuador, the killing of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips in Brazil and the historical judgement from the African Court in the Ogiek case in Kenya are just a few examples of both the vulnerability and impact of indigenous movements. Their claims over ancestral land and for self-determination challenges the basic assumption of territorial control by governments, which national security policies aligned with the growing demand for natural resources driven by international corporations. This threatens the safety and wellbeing of indigenous communities, that in many cases have developed community-based responses for their safety against the attack of armed groups linked with transnational interest. RSI’s webinar will explore these issues with speakers from key experiences of the Global South.
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