Conservation and pain are two words that most of us would not associate with one another. To some indigenous people however, these words may even be synonymous due to the traumatic effects brought about by some conservation groups.

Click on the video below to listen to what Dede, a Baka man of the Congo basin, has to say about the brutality brought about by such groups.

 

 

As the world is pushing for greater conservation and solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change, the rights of many indigenous groups are being violated. [1]

“When they see us they only see Pygmies, thinking that we know nothing and that they can hit us when they want.” – A Baka Man  [2]

Recently, there has been growing talk about “decolonizing conservation”.[3] Conservationists are being compared to colonialists. This seems like a rather harsh accusation. Are these merely groundless accusations or do these accusers actually have a point? Let’s find out.

Renewable energy projects are on the rise as the world is beginning to see the importance of renewable energy. However, such projects may jeopardise the livelihoods of indigenous communities such as those in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico who are affected by wind power programmes. [4] Other examples such as the Lake Turkana Wind Power project and the Olkaria Geothermal Power plants plan in Kenya, which required the Sarima village and the Maasai to be forcibly moved respectively, [5] also prove that such projects may be to the detriment of some indigenous groups, if they are not carefully implemented. The fact that many conservation efforts often do not attain the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of indigenous communities as they ought to do according to international rules, tells us that the rights of indigenous people are blatantly being disregarded. Often, the need to relocate comes as a shock to these communities, as armed personnel stand in their homes and tell them to leave. [3]

This may startle some of us, but the beloved panda logo that symbolizes the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) might not at all appear endearing to certain communities, to whom the organisation might just as well represent a terrible omen. This is due to the brute force that such trusted organisations use against indigenous people to evict them from their land. The Baka people of Congo have been inhumanely beaten up and abused as described by Dede, whom you would seen in the video clip. [2]

 

The United Nation’s REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) projects are said to be problematic as well. It enables nations that are greenhouse gas emitters to finance conservation efforts in tropical developing nations. [6] Carbon trading in this way might be harmful as it might facilitate land grabbing and threaten indigenous communities. A letter titled “No REDD in Africa network (Nran)” was written to the World Bank. [7] The letter mentioned that the REDD scheme had played a role in the involuntary relocation of the Sengwer people of Kenya. The letter writes, “The Sengwer People…now facing complete annihilation under the guise of ‘conservation’ under REDD”. [8]

 

That’s it for now! Stay tuned to find out more about how some indigenous communities might engage in not so sustainable practices in my next post.

 

Cheers,

Divina

References

1. Sunuwar, D.K., CONSERVATION’S IMPACTS ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: A CONVERSATION WITH VICTORIA TAULI-CORPUZ. 2018. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/conservations-impacts-indigenous-peoples-conversation
2. Longo, F., Colonial conservation – a ‘cycle of impunity’. 2020.https://theecologist.org/2020/feb/14/colonial-conservation-cycle-impunity
3. International, S., Decolonize Conservation Indigenous people are the best conservationists. https://www.survivalinternational.org/conservation
4. Bloomer, R.S.a.P., Respecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as Renewable Energy Grows. 2018.https://www.iwgia.org/en/resources/publications/3535-the-impact-of-renewable-energy-project-on-indigenous-communities-in-kenya.html
5. Renkens, I., The impact of renewable energy projects on Indigenous communities in Kenya. 2019: p. 48.https://www.iwgia.org/en/resources/publications/3535-the-impact-of-renewable-energy-project-on-indigenous-communities-in-kenya.html
6. Paquette, M., Some Indigenous groups wary of REDD+ following Paris Climate Agreement. 2016.https://news.mongabay.com/2016/02/some-indigenous-groups-wary-of-redd-following-paris-climate-agreement/
7. Guardian, T., World Bank and UN carbon offset scheme ‘complicit’ in genocidal land grabs – NGOs.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/jul/03/world-bank-un-redd-genocide-land-carbon-grab-sengwer-kenya
8. Movement, W.R., Forced Relocation of Sengwer People proves urgency of canceling REDD. 2014.https://wrm.org.uy/other-relevant-information/forced-relocation-of-sengwer-people-proves-urgency-of-canceling-redd/