African Indigenous Peoples Demand More Recognition

By George Okore

KINSHASA---Indigenous Peoples of from Central Africa meeting at the Second International Forum of Indigenous Peoples Central Africa (FIPAC 2) identified several bottlenecks, constraints and challenges that continue to influence their lives.

The meeting held in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR) offered an opportunity for delegates to learn from experiences of implementing recommendations of the first edition, and known changes in institutional, economic, political and global environmental.

The meeting also sought attention of policymakers, partners, and non-Aboriginal communities, a number expectations and suggestions for sustainable management of natural resources and Central African forests and promotion of rights and culture indigenous peoples.

 The meeting decried the low participation of indigenous peoples in national and international decision making, ask for effective mechanisms to ensure active participation of Aboriginal People downstream and upstream decision-making bodies on issues and concerns affecting them. 

According to their spokesman Made Imfondo, the rights of indigenous people go beyond the simple issue of land ownership but should be extended to cultural, religious and economic needs. “Land ownership is essential for our ground anchors for the forced settlement in we face and to secure our space in a context of settlement”, he said.

They said  although some progress were  already achieved,  Aboriginal People were still  marginalized, excluded, treated unfairly and shamelessly exploited the society, development partners and other stakeholders. They asked decision makers and partners to integrate them into the global society to be the same footing as all citizens.

Participants at the conference came from  Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad.