Main theme “Indigenous peoples and the international and domestic protection of traditional knowledge”

Agenda Item 4:Review of developments
C: Indigenous peoples and conflict prevention and resolution
Main theme “Indigenous peoples and the international and domestic protection of traditional knowledge”

Agenda Item 4:Review of developments
C: Indigenous peoples and conflict prevention and resolution

Statement of the Akha Heritage Foundation, statement read by f P c N Germany, Günter Hermeyer

Dear Chairperson and brothers and sisters:

I speak with the authorization of the Akha people who were invited to this forum but were refused visas by the Swiss Government. The Akha have suffered brutally in Thailand over the last decades, as brought out by the reports to the UN OHCHR. It is most unfortunate that after having made great preparation and effort to attend this Working Group, their visas were not approved. We recommend to the working group to take action that indigenous people who are already invited to the working group should have also be guaranteed a visa from any Swiss embassy.

In conjunction with the Akha Heritage Foundation I address the following issues of Dispute Resolution. (?)

We would like to draw attention to the situation for the Akha in Thailand. Had there been effective and just dispute discussion and resolution in Thailand with the Thai Government, the Akha would not be in the horrible situation they find themselves in today.

Thailand over and over, fails to honor its commitments. In New York at the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues, the Thai Consul said that there was absolutely no basis for the Akha complaints. The facts on the ground are much more disturbing, in a country that is becoming increasingly xenophobic.

We would like to point out first and foremost the ongoing killings of Akha men and women at the hands of the Thai army and police.

Just a little over a month ago an Akha woman was brutally tortured and murdered by the Thai army, not long after an Akha man had been killed at the same spot. They were both buried together in the jungle in the same hole.

Because of this and many similar situations, fPcN seeks, in the first instance, to form a working group of interested parties and go through a consultation process, to work through the various options for a Human Rights card project.

It is believed that tribal peoples are often abused because the oppressor is in the mind, that no ones knows or cares about these people and so can freely and with impunity cause them, harm, suffering, destruction of environment and property, abuse, torture, rape, imprisonment with out fair trial and even death.

By, issuing, each individual, tribal person, man, woman and children, with a personalised Human Rights card, that explains the International human Rights, the holder is entitled too, plus informs the potential oppressor, in their own language, that this person, is known and has International Rights and should be allowed to contact a special formed office, via a free emergency telephone/fax/email. We do not intend to database the identities of those given the cards because any database, of ID’s or knowledge will be open to abuse.

We invite all interested parties to join our workshop about this issue on Friday 2 pm in room No 12.

The Queen of Thailand continues to posses the land of Hooh Yoh Akha, and the villagers never gave Free, Prior and Informed Consent about the seizure of their lands, despite claims by the Thai Government to the contrary. This has been the pattern of land seizures over the last two decades. Meanwhile increasingly the Akha; suffer rape, torture, judicial killings and are forced to live in poverty on the streets.

In addition the Queen is also taking adjacent lands from villages like Pai a Prai village in Ampur Mae Fah Luang, which they have used for years for growing tea and keeping the village self sufficient.

Thailand fails to comply with these laws giving NO respect for human rights and dispute resolution continues to be an evasive subject.

We call upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Raporteur to continue to investigate the Akha case in Thailand, and we ask the Thai Government to show dramatic measurable improvements in the condition of Akha Human Rights in Thailand.

Thank you
Mr. Chairman
Note: statement read by Günter Hermeyer of f P c N Germany