Transcript of the speech written and delivered by Myra Colis, founding chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation, under the theme “Climate Movement & Global Struggle for Self-Determination” during the Indigenous Liberation Day 2021 . Organized by Stichting Aralez in coordination with different indigenous peoples groups in the Netherlands, the event took place at Nelson Mandela Park in Amsterdam on October 16, 2021. Featured image is by Rodolfo Vejar Photography.
Good afternoon everyone! It’s so empowering to see you all today.
There is no doubt that climate change is real and the warming up of the Earth’s atmosphere leads to the destruction of human lives, livelihoods, cultures, and ecosystems. It could also go as worse as the disappearance of communities and island states in the next 30-50 years if we don’t mitigate now. Hence, we are gathered here today to raise our cause and concerns.
In the Philippines, one of the harsh effects of climate change is the worsening shortage of water supply in Manila and nearby urban areas due to the drying of the land, also known as the El Nino phenomenon. In response to this serious problem, the Philippine government has resorted to building more dams as the solution to the shortage of water supply. I have nothing against building dams especially if it’s pursued for the good of the people or for the country’s economic development. But the problem with building dams as is always the case in the Philippines is that they’re always built on lands or areas where the indigenous people live and have claims of ancestral domain! As everyone of you is already aware of, our land is our home, our livelihood, our life; it is the foundation of our identity, our existence and even our spirituality.
So imagine when you take away the very land that people call home just because the majority rule says it’s good for the so-called economic development. What would become of the people deprived of their own ancestral land? Clearly, they could be displaced, become refugees in their own country, stripped off of their fundamental human rights– namely the right to life, which means that nobody, including the government, can try to end one’s life. But you see, taking the land of the indigenous people to be able to build a dam that can supply water to the majority of people in the urban areas is clearly a violation of this right. Any government should instead take appropriate steps to ensure and safeguard this right to life.
But as far as I’m aware of, when indigenous people leaders stand up to oppose the destruction of their home lands and the destruction of the environment in the Philippines, what we see now are recent examples of repression from the government itself. Isn’t the government supposed to be the one safeguarding our minority rights to make sense of the so-called majority rule? Sadly, it’s not the case. The environment we have been trying to protect for centuries are now under threat by aggressive developments in the name of socio-economic progress. Like I said, the indigenous people like myself are also pro-development and progress. Besides, who wants to be left behind? But what we are deeply concerned about is the continuing attack against fellow indigenous people and environmentalists in the Philippines. We hear news of them either killed or imprisoned if not missing or disappeared.
So what can I say? On behalf of fellow indigenous peoples not only in the Philippines but also worldwide, I call on governments to respect our minority rights as indigenous people. Please ensure that our right to a free and prior informed consent should always be observed at all times, especially when implementing development projects that adversely affect the life and the lands of indigenous people and communities. We ask that minority views be given a fair play in legislatures, the media, and in the public square. And speaking from the point of view of indigenous peoples in developing countries like the Philippines, I would also like to make an appeal to lending institutions like the World Bank and developed countries investing in the Philippines and other countries to reconsider your lending requirements for development purposes. Again, please ensure that our right as indigenous people to a free and prior informed consent be seriously taken into consideration before funding any dam projects.
So as we move on in fighting the hazardous climate change on a global level, MABIKAs Foundation will also continue to link up with you, fellow IP groups, organizations and advocates in the Netherlands and beyond for climate change mitigation and social justice. We, at MABIKAs Foundation, stand proud with the rest of you and the rest of indigenous peoples groups worldwide in declaring that through our collective efforts to protect our cultural practices of land use, we have also continuously preserved the environment’s diversity and integrity.
To end, I, Myra Colis of MABIKAs Foundation, call for us all to continue to restore Mother Earth. Resist development aggression. Stop attacks on indigenous peoples and environmentalists. Strengthen solidarity among Indigenous peoples and advocates. And since there is NO Planet B, together let’s keep fighting until our concerns are heard. Let’s keep fighting until our cause fulfilled. Thank you very much.
