THE RIGHT TO EXIST

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.

Let's act now!

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.

Let's act now!

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