Presentation of Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network to the 6th Session of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 14-25 May 2007, UN Headquarters, New York
Agenda Item 5: Human Rights
by Jiten Yumnam
Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network

Dear Madame Chairperson,

I am Jiten Yumnam, a Meitei from Manipur in India’s North East, representing the Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, based in Baguio City, Philippines, formed in the first International Indigenous Youth Network, 2002. I am pleased to present today discussions and recommendations of the recently concluded founding conference of Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network in April, 2007 at Baguio City, Philippines on “Militarization and Impact on Indigenous Youths”

Militarization and Indigenous Youths in Asia

As Indigenous Peoples call and struggle for recognition of their Right to Self Determination and to live with dignity, while resisting continued colonialism, discrimination and hegemony by States, the States and its imperialist allies continues rejection of their call, responding with brute force and repressions with their military might.

This trend of state negativism and resort to militarism has taken serious toll on Indigenous youths as they join their elders, assuming responsibilities in their resistance and fight for justice, including through armed movements and for Right to Self Determination. Youths are targeted by militaries most both with suspicion, directing attacking their physical, mental and spiritual integrity.

Some Heavily Militarized Areas in Asia

I would like to draw your attention to some specific situations afflicted with heavy militarization and prevailing impunity in Asia and Pacific Region. Indigenous Peoples and youths struggling for rights and survival in Chittagong Hill Tract (Bangladesh), Cordillera (Philippines) Karen, Chin, Mon areas of Burma, West Papua (Indonesia), Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Assam (North East India), Guam Island in Pacific etc experienced some of the most brutal form of state militarism and state terrorism.
By declaring states of emergency, laws on "disturbed areas" and other draconian measures, many Asian countries had legitimized acts of violence by the military on Indigenous Peoples.

In Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh military forces and Bengali settlers has been committing a horrible legacy of violence, rape, loot, murder, sacrilege of religion and forcible occupation of Jumma peoples' land and property.

In West Papua, since transfer of colony to Indonesian administration the Indonesian military has taken control over natural resources in West Papua, this has resulted in many illegal activities; illegal logging, illegal fishing, even illegal prostitution is a project with full backing by Indonesia military.

Indigenous peoples in the Philippines, indigenous youths were targeted to extra judicial execution, torture, rape and other forms of violations. Youth organizers are being harassed by the military and their offices put under surveillance.
In Karen and Chin States in Burma, the indigenous peoples are used as forced labor for state sponsored development activities that often confiscate indigenous peoples land and violence against indigenous women is escalating. Rape of Indigenous Women is a weapon used by the Burmese Military to intimidate, challenge and suppress Indigenous Peoples.

The military response to the National Liberation Movements by Indigenous Peoples in Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Assam in India’s NE resulted in the imposition of Emergency Legislations, including the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, suspending their fundamental rights, including “right to life” and permitting full scale deployment of federal armies to counter existing insurgency . The Act permits the Indian Armed Forces to, to kill on mere suspicion without due legal process and these had lead to unwarranted use of excess forces victimizing indigenous youths to extrajudicial executions, killings in fake encounters, arbitrary arrest and torture, unleashing a reign of terror in these regions and enforcing a climate of impunity, where Indian Armies involved in violations remained scot free. Recently in Manipur, an Indigenous Rights activist attending UNPFII meet, 2006 was arbitrarily detained and severely tortured.

Indigenous Peoples of Okinawa in Southern Japan continues to suffer massive militarization by United States forces, loss of land and subjection of their women to sexual harassment by US military personnel.
The Pacific Islands also confronts massive militarization from foreign military bases, primarily the United States. Recent renegotiation of United States defense agreements in Asia will send more than 8,000 military personnel and 10,000 dependents from Okinawa and South Korea to Guam Islands in Pacific, that already suffered enormously due to US military presence in their midst. The Chamoru people of Guam today stand at the crosshairs of the U.S. military siege in the Pacific.
The Chamoru people continue to be subjected to the existence of toxic elements left by the U.S. military as a result of the storage of chemical agents, PCB-contamination in the waters, and down-winder's radiation, as well as, radiation from the washing-down of airplanes and ships used in monitoring nuclear testing in the Pacific. Their telecommunications network is fully privatized, their power distributor partly privatized, and their water agency is under attack. The Port Authority of Guam, on an island that imports 85-90% of its food, is also being threatened by privatization.

Militarization and Impacts

This militarization is clearly an assault on the indigenous peoples territories and peaceful existence and weakened community cohesion and unity, because of psywar, red-baiting and other divide and rule tactics employed by the military.
Extrajudicial Execution, Arbitrary detention, Involuntary disappearances, Sexual harassment of Indigenous Peoples, women, imposition of food blockades and setting up of massive checkpoints, using Indigenous Peoples as human shields in Army occupations, forced recruitment of paramilitary forces are much worrisome concerns.
Excessive military presences in Indigenous Peoples areas spreads human misery; murder, rapes, unlawful persecution, arrest, abductions, disappearances and the lose of parents and other family members by many children who then can not continue their culture or schooling.
Militarization has led to massive occupation of Prime agricultural land, sacred cultural sites, educational areas and even residential areas and has destroyed the cultural, historic. Recruitment of Indigenous Youths in the Paramilitary force has led to much division and confusion among indigenous peoples, as it lead indigenous peoples to kill each other, their own brothers and sisters and also led to subversion of the indigenous peoples own system of security, cooperation and brotherhood and divided opinions. The Military Civic Action Programme in indigenous areas, including road construction, pacification programmes and socio economic development programmes further divided the community, causing unwarranted intrusion into their social and cultural fabric

Impunity

Impunity, consistent pattern of denying justice, has become a regular feature not only in India’s North East, but also in other highly militarized areas. The Burmese military, Nepali Armed Forces, Philippines Military, Bangladesh and Indonesian military involved in blatant violations of Indigenous Peoples rights continues to escape prosecution and justice as their respective continues to insist on anti people and suppressive governances. Peoples call for justice is further met with brute force, extending and consolidating acts of injustice.

Demands:

APIYN would like urge upon all Nation States to recognize the inherent right to Self Determination and recognize the political rights of Indigenous peoples in Armed Conflict situations.

Urge Upon UNPFII to call upon all States to end impunity by prosecuting all military personnel involved in blatant human rights violations in Nepal , Burma , West Pupua in Indonesia , India ’s NE States of Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Nagaland etc, Chittagong Hill Tract ( Bangladesh ), Philippines (Cordillera, Mindanao).

That the Permanent Forum conduct a study on impact of Militarization on Indigenous Peoples and especially on youths and children with due identification and impacts of emergency or special laws, decrees and orders that facilitate full scale and free militarization and utilization of indigenous peoples lands, territories, and resources, and its multidimensional impacts on indigenous peoples.

Calls upon States to repeal all Emergency, extra legal, draconian laws, decrees and orders imposed on Indigenous Peoples Land.

APIYN calls upon UN Special Rapporteur and experts, primarily on SR on Indigenous Issues, Extra Judicial Execution, Torture, Violence Against Women to visit and assess some of these highly militarized areas.

Request the Permanent Forum urgently take up “Militarization in Indigenous Peoples Land” as a theme of its session at the earliest to fully address the impending threats to the survival and dignity of Indigenous Peoples.