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THE RIGHT TO EXIST

  • GTI PIACI
  • Oct 1, 2024
  • 10 min read

Updated: Oct 29, 2024


In the crucial context of the COP16 on Biodiversity, the International Working Group for the Protection of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) extends a heartfelt invitation to organizations around the world to join our voice in defense of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI). Sign this petition and let's work together to ensure that governments include PIACI in their National Strategies and Action Plans on Biodiversity.


The organizations' signatures are vital to guarantee the survival and rights of these threatened peoples.



A call for the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.


The International Working Group for the Protection of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (GTI-PIACI, acronym in Spanish), as a collaborative initiative of 21 indigenous and allied organizations from South America, addresses the heads of state and civil society in general present at COP16 and urges them to recognize the existence of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI, acronym in Spanish) in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and Suriname. This recognition is the first step in promoting the fundamental rights of these peoples, guaranteeing their self-determination and territories, in essence the Right to Exist as subjects of rights.

In eight South American countries, the GTI-PIACI counts a total of 189 records of Indigenous Peoples in isolation. Of this total, 128 records have not yet been recognized by the States and, therefore, are exposed to all kinds of vulnerabilities and lack of protection measures.


At this time when we are gathered at the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP 16 / COP-MOP 11 / NP-MOP 5), it is urgent to remember that Indigenous Peoples in Isolation (PIA, acronym in Spanish) are the last guardians of the planet who establish an intrinsic, interdependent and harmonious relationship with biodiversity in its fullest sense. They are Indigenous Peoples, groups or parts of groups that have chosen not to establish permanent and/or continuous relationships with the surrounding society. The PIA survive exclusively on the material and immaterial resources existing in the environment, a fact that leads them to achieve standards of living compatible with the maintenance of biological diversity.


Indigenous Peoples in Initial Contact (PIACI, acronym in Spanish) are peoples who lived in isolation and, due to external factors or their own decision, came into contact with the majority population. The guarantee of their rights is based on differential approaches that take into account their situation of vulnerability.


The GTI-PIACI and all the indigenous, environmental, indigenist organizations and rights-based NGOs that sign this Letter (THE RIGHT TO EXIST) urge that States consider the protection of the PIACI and their territories under the most guaranteed categories of protection in their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, in accordance with the commitments to advance in these normative instruments assumed in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of December 2022 (CBD/COP/15/L.25).


The recognition, defense and constitution of territories for PIACI is fundamental to guarantee the ways of life of these peoples, the conservation of extensive standing forests, biodiversity, as well as for the climatic balance of planet Earth and the quality of life of all its inhabitants. It is up to the States to recognize the condition of isolation and initial contact of the PIACI as a prerogative of their self-determination. This recognition implies the implementation of the international normative frameworks of protection already established, including the integral and intangible definition of their territories.

The Convention on Biological Diversity states: “in accordance with national legislation, (the Convention) shall respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities having lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wide application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the sharing of the benefits arising from such knowledge, innovations and practices” (article 8 j). Thus, biological diversity is not simply a concept that belongs to the natural world. It is also a cultural and social construct, especially for the PIACI who have been in harmony with it for hundreds of years.


Article 10 c of the Convention requires each Party to “protect and encourage traditional use of biological resources in accordance with cultural practices compatible with conservation or sustainable use requirements” and “support local populations to develop and implement restoration actions in degraded areas where biological diversity has been reduced”. (Article 10 d)


Article 17 also recommends that Parties encourage the exchange of information on the knowledge of traditional communities and Article 18 urges the development of cooperative methods for the development of technologies, including traditional and indigenous technologies.


We recommend that States and private law initiatives, whether for profit or not-for-profit:


  1. Recognize the existence of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation in all countries with records of these peoples in South America, having as guiding principles no contact, prevention and the intangibility of their territories.

  2. Initiate processes for the participatory formulation of protection policies for Indigenous Peoples in Initial Contact Situations, which consider in all cases their situation of special vulnerability in the face of contact.

  3. Identify and recognize traditional territories or territories with the presence of PIACI, as established in Article 26 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), guaranteeing collective ownership, security, legal intangibility and conservation of these territories in accordance with international human rights standards on Indigenous Peoples, consulting and implementing with them intercultural models of protection, monitoring, surveillance and territorial control in these areas.

  4. Suspend existing development activities and not authorize future ones in their ancestral territories. Respect the fact that, in the case of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation, their non-consent is presumed in the face of any type of activity that intrudes into their territory. Apply the presumption of superiority of the interest in the protection of the physical and cultural survival of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation in the analysis, interpretation and harmonization with other rights and interests.

  5. Reaffirm our commitment to adopt specific legislation for the protection of PICI with the consultation, consent and participation of Indigenous Peoples, as established in Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).

  6. Establish international coordination actions in border areas with the presence of PIACI to articulate effective territorial protection mechanisms, in consultation and with the consent of neighboring Indigenous Peoples. Guarantee territorial connectivity corridors in order to safeguard their ancestral territories, guarantee their well-being and preserve their traditional way of life across borders.

  7. Establish health control barriers and ensure that the health of the Indigenous populations and populations neighboring PIACI territories is guaranteed.  Due to the situation of particular vulnerability to contact of peoples in isolation, include a buffer zone for prevention and containment, as well as establish health cordons and other surveillance and epidemiological care measures for the benefit of the neighboring population.

  8. Safeguard the rights of Environmental Defenders and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, implementing public policies that prevent attacks against them and that guarantee accountability in this regard.

  9. Ratify and give effective implementation to the Escazú Protocol.

 

We remain at your disposal to provide all necessary support, both from the GTI-PIACI and from our network of allies, for the implementation of these recommendations. We are committed to collaborating in whatever is necessary to ensure the success of this project.


Don't let their future fade away! Sign now and be part of the change.



Meet the signatory organisations


Member organisations of the GTI - PIACI

Asociación Interétnica de desarrollo de la Selva Peruana - AIDESEP 

Amazon Conservation Team - ACT 

Centro de Estudios Jurídicos e Investigación Social - CEJIS 

Central de Comunidades Indígena Tacana II del Río Madre de Dios - CITRMD

Coordenação das Organizações Indígenas da Amazônia Brasileira - COIAB 

Consejo Machiguenga del Río Urubamba - COMARU

Centro de Trabalho Indigenista - CTI 

Equipe de Apoio aos Povos Indígenas Livres - EAPIL/CIMI

Federación Nativa del Río Madre de Dios y Afluentes - FENAMAD

Fondo Ecuatoriano Populorum Progressio - FEPP 

Iniciativa Amotocodie - IA

Instituto Maira

Land Is Life - LIL

Organization of Indigenous People of Suriname - OIS

Observatório dos Direitos Humanos dos Povos Indígenas Isolados e de Recente Contato - OPI

Organización de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonia Colombiana - OPIAC 

Organización Payipie Ichadie Totobiegosode - OPIT 

Organización Regional Aidesep Ucayali - ORAU

Organización Regional De Pueblos Indígenas De Amazonas - ORPIA

Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente - ORPIO 

Grupo de Trabajo Socioambiental de la Amazonía - Wataniba


Allies and partners organizations

  1. Action For Forest

  2. Agencia Internacional de Prensa Indígena - AIPIN

  3. Alianza Amazónica para la Reducción de los Impactos de la Minería de Oro - AARIMO

  4. Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques - AMPB

  5. Alianza Noramazónica - ANA

  6. ARCADUDA Vive

  7. Articulação das mulheres indígenas do oeste de Santa Catarina - Terra indígena Toldo Imbu

  8. Articulação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas do Nordeste, Minas Gerais e Espírito Santo - APOINME

  9. Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil - APIB

  10. Asociación de Autoridades Indígenas de la Zona de Puerto Arica

  11. Asociación de Comunidades Nativas de Masisea y Calleria - ACONAMAC

  12. Asociación de los pueblos Okmoyana, Kararayana y Xowyana del río Jatapu - AYMARA

  13. Asociación de Mujeres Afro y Desplazadas Edificando Redes - ASOMADERE

  14. Asociación de Profesionales de Trabajo Social del Paraguay Filial Concepción

  15. Asociación Integral de Productoras y Productores Ecológicos Sumaj Amparita

  16. Asociación Kukama Bajo Nauta - FEPYBABAN

  17. Asociación Kukama Bajo Nauta de Pueblos interregionales del Perú - AKUBANA - PIP

  18. Asociación Mujeres Waorani de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana - AMWAE

  19. Asociación para los Pueblos Amenazados - APA

  20. Asociación Pro Purús - Propurus

  21. Associação Ayrumã

  22. Associação Cooperativa de Idéias e Soluções para o EcoDesenvolvimento - ECOOTOPIA

  23. Associação da Comunidade Indigena Kariri Sapuyá de Santa Rosa

  24. Associação dos Povos Indígenas do Rio Humaitá - ASPIRH

  25. Associação dos Produtores Rurais da Comunidade de Morada Nova - APROMOVA

  26. Associação Multiétnica Wyka Kwara

  27. Aty Guasu

  28. Autônoma Brasil

  29. Canal @abyayala473 de Comunicação

  30. CantoRodado

  31. Centro Amazônico de Defesa, Estudo e Pesquisa Indígena - CADEPI

  32. Centro de Investigación, Diseño Artesanal y Cooperativa - CIDAC

  33. Centro de Orientación y Defensa de Derechos Humanos Bolivia

  34. Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos - Perú Equidad

  35. Centro por los Derechos Indígenas y la Justicia Ambiental - CIREJ

  36. Climate and Land Use Alliance -CLUA

  37. Colectivo de Trabajo Jenzera

  38. Colegio Técnico Agropecuario San Juan, Paraguay

  39. Coletivo de mulheres As Mariamas

  40. Colmena Lab

  41. Comissão Pró Indígenas do Acre - CPI-Acre

  42. Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador - CONAIE

  43. Consejo Comunitario de Comunidades Negras de La Cuenca del Río Acandí Seco, El Cedro y El Juancho – COCOMASECO

  44. Consejo Indigena del Bajo Madre de Dios - COINBAMAD

  45. Conselho Indígena Kukama da Amazônia ŸTKA

  46. Conselho Wayamu

  47. Cooperativa de Produtores e Agroindústria de Tatuaia

  48. Coordinadora Regional de Pueblos Indígenas AIDESEP - CORPIAA

  49. Defensoria Pública da União - DPU

  50. Departamento de Antropologia e Arqueologia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG

  51. Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales - DAR

  52. Derechos Ambientales y Recursos

  53. EarthRights International

  54. Faculdade de medicina da Universidade de São Paulo - FMUSP

  55. Federación de Ayllus Originarios Indígenas del Norte de Potosí - FAOI-NP

  56. Federacion de Comunidades del Distrito de Jenaro Herrera - FECODIJEH

  57. Federación de Comunidades del río Tapiche y Blanco - FECORITAYB

  58. Federación de Comunidades Indígenas del Río Pisqui - FECOIRP

  59. Federación de Comunidades Nativas de la Provincia de Puerto Inca - FECONAPIA

  60. Federación de Comunidades Nativas de la Provincia de Requena - FECONAPRE

  61. Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Bajo Ucayali - FECONUB

  62. Federación de Comunidades Nativas para el Desarrollo Integral del Yurua - Yono Sharakoiai - ACONADIYSH

  63. Federación de Comunidades nativas para el Desarrollo Integral del Yurua a Provincia de Purus - FECONAPU

  64. Federación de Comunidades Nativas Ticuna del Bajo Amazonas - FECOTIBA

  65. Federación de Comunidades Ticuna y Yagua - FECOTYBA

  66. Federación de mujeres indígenas de la provincia de Huanca Sancos - Ayacucho

  67. Federación Indigena Alto Río Inuya y Mapuya - FIARIM

  68. Federaciones de Comunidades Nativas del río Ucayali y Afluentes - FECONAU

  69. Federaciones de las Comunidades Indígenas del Distrito de Padre Marquez - FECIDPAM

  70. Frente em defesa do Rio Branco

  71. Friends of the Earth US

  72. Fundación Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular - CINEP

  73. Fundacion de Kambak

  74. Fundación Entropika Colombia

  75. Fundación Nacional del Indio - FUNAI

  76. Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible - FCDS Perú

  77. Gordon y Betty Moore Foundation

  78. Grupo de Pesquisa Povos Indígenas e Política Global - PUC-Rio

  79. Grupo de Trabalho Amazônico Alto Solimões - GTA Alto Solimões

  80. Grupo Intercultural Almáciga

  81. Guardianas Alemania

  82. Imagen Colectiva & Asoc

  83. Impronta Comunicaciones

  84. Instituto Aldeias (Brasil)

  85. Instituto Anima de Cultura e Desenvolvimento Sustentavel

  86. Instituto de Defensa Legal - IDL

  87. Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indigena - IEPE

  88. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Roraima - IFRR do Rio Branco

  89. Instituto para el Futuro Común Amerindio - IFCA

  90. Instituto para el Futuro Común Amerindio Colombia - IFCAAIZA

  91. Instituto Socioambiental - ISA

  92. Instituto Sociedade Populacao e Naturaleza - ISPN

  93. Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia - IPAM

  94. International Rivers Brasil

  95. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - IWGIA

  96. Juntanza Ambiental Nacional

  97. Key Group Advisors SAS

  98. Kusikuna e.V. (Alemania)

  99. Latinoamérica Sustentable

  100. Madani Foundation for Development

  101. MAPPHA

  102. Museo Artecampo: Arte Originario y Popular de las Tierras Bajas

  103. Nacionalidad Waorani del Ecuador - NAWE

  104. Observatório Interinstitucional em Cibercultura e os Povos Indígenas

  105. Organização das Mulheres Xokleng Zág Pil

  106. Organização indígenas quatro penas de Apuí - OIQPA

  107. Organización ARCADUDA

  108. Organización de apoyo legal y social - ORÉ

  109. Organización de Mujeres Indígenas de Autana - OMIDA

  110. Organizacion General Mayoruna - OGM

  111. Organización Matsés

  112. Povo Borum-kren do Brasil

  113. Povo Potiguara Sagi Jacu em Baía Formosa /RN

  114. Proética-Capítulo Peruano de Transparencia Internacional

  115. Programa Pueblos Indígenas en Estado Natural - PIEN

  116. Pueblo Ancestral Kichwa de Sarayaku - Kawsak Sacha

  117. Pueblo Ancestral Kichwa Kasak Sacha

  118. Quipa Collective

  119. Rainforest Foundation Norway - RFN

  120. Rainforest Foundation US - RFUS

  121. Re:wild

  122. Red Amazónica de Información Socioambiental Georreferenciada - RAISG

  123. Rede de Cooperação Amazônica - RCA

  124. Rede Xingu+

  125. S.I.U.C/Nordeste do Brasil

  126. Saririnaka -Bolivia

  127. Sociedad Colombiana de Etnobiología - SCE

  128. Sociedad Zoológica de Frankfurt - Colombia - FZS

  129. Sociedad Zoológica de Frankfurt - Perú - FZS

  130. Somos Sur Bolivia

  131. Tejido de Cultura Viva Comunitaria, Regional La Paz-Bolivia

  132. Tuparyk

  133. Unión de Pueblos Indígenas del Javari - UNIVAJA

  134. Unip união dos povos indígenas de médio Solimões- Amazonas Brasil

  135. Universidad de los Andes Colombia

  136. Universidad Politécnica Salesiana del Ecuador - UPS

  137. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira - UTP

  138. Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina

  139. Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP

  140. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG

  141. Universidade Federal do Pará

  142. Waponi Amazon

Personal signatures

  1. Alba Rocío Simaluisa

  2. Analu Marques

  3. Andreia Ferreira Soares

  4. Antenor Vaz

  5. Blanche Piponiot

  6. Carmen Gil Vrolijk

  7. Carolina Klaas

  8. Catalina Álvarez

  9. Daniel Aristizabal

  10. Delvair Montagner

  11. Eduardo Massa de Mendonça

  12. Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño (Ex relatora para los derechos de los pueblos indigenas /CIDH)

  13. Esperanza Leal Gómez

  14. Eulina Magalhães Caetano

  15. Fernando Augusto Batista

  16. Genaro Bautista

  17. German Mejia

  18. Giovanina Morffe Wataniba

  19. Ignacio Senín Fernández

  20. Irene Lema

  21. Jessica Holles

  22. José Colares Junior

  23. Lina Valencia

  24. Luiz Tolentino

  25. Marcelo Marques Ferreira

  26. Marcelo dos Santos

  27. Maria Alice

  28. Mayra Elmalan

  29. Miguel Vargas

  30. Patricia Bruzzi

  31. Patricia Vasconcelos Boavista da Cunha

  32. Uitisi Tecoa Pindo

  33. Vanessa Braham

  34. Yrvis Méndez



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