Geneva, UNHRC, 51st Session, Palais des Nations, 27 September 2022
On the occasion of the 51st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, No Peace Without Justice, Hutukara and the Alliance for the Defense of Territories convened a side event on “Situation of Human Rights of Indigenous People in Amazonia“, which was held on Tuesday 27 September 2022 (from 11:00 – 12:00, Room XXV, Palais des Nations, United Nations Office in Geneva). The event was organised in the framework of the project “Amazonia Beyond The Crisis”, funded by the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation.
Panelists of the meeting, chaired by Gianfranco Dell’Alba, President, No Peace Without Justice, included Patxon Metuktire, Kayapó leader and representative of the Raoni Institute; Maurício Ye’kwana, Yanomami and Ye’kwana leader and director of Hutukara Association; Yabuti Metuktire, chief of the Metuktire community. Welcome remarks will be made by Francisco Cali Tzay, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
In May 2022, the Indigenous Peoples Yanomami, Ye’kwana, Kayapó and Munduruku formed a joint Alliance for the Defense of Territories in relation to the growing and expanding threat by gold mining. On 1 July 2022, the Inter-American Court on Human Rights reached an historic decision, asking the Government of Brazil to adopt a series of urgent measures to protect the life, personal integrity and health of the Yanomami, Ye’kwana and Munduruku peoples in the Brazilian Amazonia, as well as other Indigenous Peoples threatened by violence and invasions, in particular as a result of illegal gold digging. The Court established the deadline of 20 September 2022 for the Government to demonstrate that it is complying with its decision. On 15 July 2022, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Regional Office for South America of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a joint statement to strengthen and broaden the request to Brazil to take adequate measures. At the same time, the National Space Research Institute registered the highest rate of forest fires in the past 15 years in August 2022, bringing further threats to the life of Indigenous People, including in the Xingu Park, home to the Kayapó people, who face unprecedentedly serious threats in these days.
This side event was intended as an opportunity for prominent representatives of the Yanomami, Ye’kwana and Kayapó peoples, to brief United Nations Member States, relevant UN Bodies and Special Procedures, NGOs and other interested parties and provide an in-person update on the situation on the ground and an evaluation of the implementation of the decision by the Court.
Press coverage
- Terras indígenas foram “roubadas” nesses quatro anos, alerta relator da ONU, Jamil Chade, UOL Noticias, 28 de setembro de 2022
- Indígenas denunciam governo brasileiro no Parlamento Europeu e na ONU, Tainá Andrade, Diario de Pernambuco, 27 September 2022
- Governo brasileiro ignora prazo da Corte Interamericana e índios levam denúncia ao Parlamento europeu e à ONU, Amazonia Noticia e Informação, 27 de setembro de 2022
- Indígenas denunciam governo brasileiro no Parlamento Europeu e na ONU, Tainá Andrade, Correio Braziliense, 27 de setembro de 2022
- Governos estrangeiros recomendam distanciamento de Bolsonaro, Jamil Chade, UOL Noticias, 26 de setembro de 2022
- Neofascista e irresponsável, assim Parlamento Europeu vê Bolsonaro, BNC Amazonas, 26 de setembro de 2022
For further information, please contact Gianluca Eramo (Director of Operations and Secretary of NPWJ International Committee) on geramo@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini (Press & Public Affairs Coordinator) on ngiovannini@npwj.org.
