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CBD- COP9 IIFB Indigenous Voices Bulletin 1

Indigenous Traditional Blessing Ceremony Performed Outside COP9 as Request Turned Down

20 May 2008 - UN Indigenous Portal, Bonn - More than 500 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and representatives of local rural communities from around the world are here in Bonn, Germany to participate at the COP 9 – CBD Conference.

On the first day of COP 9 – CBD, a request by the Indigenous Peoples to perform a traditional blessing at the plenary opening ceremony was turned down. The request was made to the CBD Secretariat during the IIFB Prep Meetings this past weekend. According to an official reply from the CBD Secretariat, it was not approved because of time limitation, as the program for the opening ceremony had already been decided.

Instead, the Indigenous Peoples performed their own traditional blessing ceremony at the indigenous caucus room at the GSI (Gustav-Stresemann-Institute). Dressed in traditional costumes, six Indigenous representatives (one each from Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, Pacific, and Arctic regions) led the blessing ceremony with a prayer offering, along with burning smoke of medicinal plant leaves. They invoked the spirit of indigenous ancestors, and asked for the protection and life-sustaining powers of Mother Nature.

Having to do the traditional blessing ceremony outside of the COP 9 event venue is symbolic of the fact that Indigenous Peoples have been mostly shut out of the consultation and decision-making process at the various levels. In this context, the indigenous delegation is demanding for stronger inclusion and more effective participation in the CBD processes.

Indigenous Peoples Demand Inclusion and Rights Protection In CBD Process

At the COP 9 first day opening plenary session, the Indigenous Peoples put forth recommendations to the COP 9 session on thematic topics of Women and Youth, Climate Change, Access and Benefit Sharing, Protect Areas, Article 8j, and Financing Mechanisms.

Recommendations were also made on Agriculture Biodiversity, Inland Waters, Invasive Species, Island, Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, and other CBD thematic topics. Representing IIFB and worldwide Indigenous Peoples, the recommendation was read out by Malia Nobrega (Hawaii) at session of COP 9.

This IIFB Opening Statement gave thanks to the Government of Germany and the City of Bonn for hosting COP 9. The Indigenous Peoples also appreciated the efforts by all the States that voted for the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) last year.

Adoption of this Declaration has affirmed the existence and establishment of the universal human rights standards for the protection of the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Statement went further to note that implementation of any decisions under the CBD must be consistent with the rights as enshrined in the UNDRIP.

“The right to self-determination and the right to sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples over our territories and natural resources are the fundamental principles upon which we assert our inherent collective rights over our traditional knowledge, biodiversity, and genetic resources,” as the statement was read out by Malia to the full-house audience at the COP 9 opening plenary session.

The IPs called forth for the implementation of the three Rio Conventions: Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Further information please contact IIFB Media Team Coordinators

Jason Pan: jasonpan@mail2000.com.tw This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Malia Nobrega: malianob@aol.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Source: UN Indigenous Portal

Further information: united nations issues page - includes news index and external links

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