What the Indigenous People could Teach the Summit

By Marcos Terena (*)

RIO DE JANEIRO(IPS) - Once again, ten years after the 1992 Rio Summit, the peoples and governments of the world are coming together under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss progress that has been made on the environment and the quality of life.

In Rio representatives of various indigenous groups convened in the replica of a traditional Brazilian habitat, the Kari-Oca village, to debate how to contribute to the defence of the earth and our common future drawing on our knowledge and experience. Present were 750 leaders from the four corners of the earth. We tried to show the white man that his form of building the world only increases the differences between people and generates distrust, insecurity, and especially the destruction of the environment.

Thus the Earth Charter was born and presented by citizens of the forest during the Rio Conference. It was a simple and profound document which allowed no interpretations regarding the environment but prescribed ways to protect and respect it. Everyone heard the indigenous message, applauded, were moved, and then went back to their usual daily routines.

Now the United Nations, concerned about the systematic environmental errors that continue to generate pollution, deforestation, social poverty, and by the lack of a commitment by leaders of the rich countries, is holding this conference to address the same problems that we discussed in 1992 in Rio.

There is no shortage of analysis on the environment; there is a shortage of concrete action. Therefore the indigenous peoples, who haven't changed their focus on the ecosystem since the beginning of time, offer the wisdom of our elders so that the white man, essentially a technologist and economist, can turn his eyes to the quality of life.

We recognise that in other areas covered by the UN we have made advances, such as with the creation of a Permanent Forum on Indigenous Affairs and the Universal Declaration of Indigenous Rights, even if the exercise of these rights brought little progress to our lives, like the recognition, demarcation, and protection of our lands.

Unfortunately it is clear that in contrast to Rio, the Johannesburg Summit is unwilling to accommodate the spirit of the defence of the earth and her peoples. Perhaps the difference lies in the fact that it is giving precedence to technological arguments for material development, thus favouring economic systems that

increase poverty and promote deforestation, pollution, and biopiracy, to the detriment of ecological arguments.

What is needed is an institutional and governmental commitment. We indigenous know that it is difficult for US and European citizens to understand the values of our peoples, who see the physical and the spiritual as interconnected. However, we want our voices to be heard not merely as beautiful poetry, because our message contains many truths that can help establish a balance between modernity and tradition, economy and ecology. It should not be forgotten that the assault of modernity has reached the most distant communities under the empire of globalisation.

We affirm our right to collaborate with the white man to work out a new Earth Charter and we recommend that the Johannesburg Conference adopt an accord on the basis of the following points:

1. The preservation of life on earth requires a balance between the cultural, the physical, and the spiritual.

2. The condition of nature is dire; what is needed therefore is an individual and collective commitment within the framework of a code of ethical conduct.

3. Neither new knowledge nor traditional wisdom should be used such that certain countries can exploit others. Economic activity must be conducted with respect for the customs and sustainable practices of biodiversity. The official recognition of indigenous lands must be guaranteed.

4. To favour the conservation of the earth, the forests, and waters, investment in environmental protection must be increased and that in the development of nuclear and chemical weapons decreased, while the testing and use of these arms should be banned.

5. The recognition of the indigenous peoples' right to protect their knowledge and intellectual property to prevent biopiracy must be promoted.

Perhaps we the peoples of the forest are considered only the ''guardians of the earth''. But we have shown over many centuries that we know how to coexist with nature. Thus, ten years after the Rio Summit, we demand that the Johannesburg Conference recognise our role as participants in the construction of the common future for all humanity.

(*) Marcos Terena, an indigenous ethnic Terena, is a member of the Intertribal Committee and advisor to the Indigenous Commission on Intellectual Property (CIPI) of Brazil.