“Interactive dialogue with: Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) focusing on the right to land and the repatriation of ceremonial objects, human remains, and intangible cultural heritage A/HRC/RES/33/25, A/HRC/45/35, A/HRC/45/38"

Agenda Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development and Item:5 - Human rights bodies and mechanisms

Statement by: International-Lawyers.Org

24 September 2020

Thank you, President,

We thank the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People for the update and for engaging in this panel discussion on the protection of indigenous human rights defenders.

The United Nations has played a vital role in facilitating dialogue on the right to self-determination of indigenous people. Their right to self-determination remains threatened by western ideologies of modernity that are enforced upon indigenous communities across the globe.

International Lawyers and Geneva International Centre for Justice are deeply concerned that Indigenous human rights defenders are frequently subject to threats and attacks. They are often exposed to violence without sufficient and necessary guarantees for their protection. Ideas, values, and opinions of indigenous human rights defenders are often dogmatised as hindering economic development.

We call on the Expert Mechanism to give more focus to those, that advocate for the protection of land, resources, and the environment, since they are particularly prone to attacks and violence. The close relationship between indigenous people and the environment has existed since time immemorial and their environmental concerns must be heeded as essential to save the planet from further degradation and destruction.

It is of grave importance to grant indigenous communities’ autonomy over their land, and to include them and their representatives, in all stages of decision-making processes, whether local, national, regional or international.

We call upon the Council and the Expert Mechanism to facilitate dialogue and to work relentlessly towards guaranteeing the protection of indigenous communities and their advocates.

Thank You

Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice