INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS YOUTH CONFERENCE
STATEMENT TO THE WORLD SUMMIT
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT


We, the 83 participants from 17 countries that attended the International Indigenous Youth Conference held in Baguio City, Philippines from April 17-21, 2002, would like to forward the following concerns to the World Summit on Sustainable Development:

CONSIDERING that sustainable traditional practices by our ancestors such as those in agriculture, fishing, small-scale mining, and forest management are still practiced by the present generation. That these traditional sustainable practices emanates from our indigenous concept and practice of land stewardship, use, management and transfer.

EXAMINING that after ten years of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992, we have noticed insignificant changes on the development practices being implemented by WTO-GATT, WB, IMF and other international development bodies. The promises of Rio conference that are supposed to be anchored on a development, which is sustainable, equitable and participatory has yet to be realized. This is especially true for us, indigenous peoples. So-called development projects such as mega-dams, huge corporate mining projects, loggings and others are being enforced on our ancestral lands without our free, prior and informed consent even though these projects are known for its non-sustainability and inequitability. The indigenous peoples attest to the irreparable damage to the environment of these projects. Our legitimate struggles are often repressed through armed intervention by the state. We are aware that indigenous peoples do not get a considerable share from these projects. Large chunk of benefits accrue to the already very rich.

BELIEVING that crucial to the realization of a sustainable, equitable and participatory development is the recognition of our land rights and the right to self-determination.

We are one in declaring that the following resolutions to be adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa from August 26 to September 4, 2002:

1. We call on the participants of the WSSD to support the demand of indigenous peoples for the right to ancestral land and self determination one of which is to immediately affirm the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in its original text, adopted by the Sub-Commission on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights.

2. We call on the participants of the WSSD to demand to the IMF, WB and other multi-lateral bodies to immediately stop the construction of on-going mega-dams, huge mining and logging projects.

3. We call on the participants of WSSD to demand upon the member states of the United Nations the complete and immediate withdrawal of all military and para-military personnel and resources in indigenous peoples territories.

4. We call on the participants of WSSD to ensure full and active participation of indigenous peoples on all processes and activities relating to the sustainable development.

5. We call on the participants of WSSD to support indigenous youth initiatives.

6. We recommend the WSSD to establish an Indigenous Youth Advisory Group at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to ensure participation of indigenous youth.

7. We call on the participants of WSSD to create a partnership with the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, in establishing an indigenous monitoring body for the purpose of maintaining, respecting and asserting the rights of indigenous peoples for Free, Prior and Informed Consent for activities and interactions implemented in their ancestral territories.

8. We call on WSSD to demand upon the member states of the United Nations to increase their respective budgets for social services especially on education and health; and, to decrease their budgets for foreign debt servicing and military expenditures.