But it is hard to say and yet to predict to the actions on the ground of the commitments made in the conventions related to the rights of indigenous people.
In the havoc of climate change and its impacts, indigenous peoples of the developing and least developed nations are identified as the most vulnerable for which they were (historically) and are not responsible.
However, it is unpredictable on what kind of stories and cultures we are expecting to celebrate with focusing on indigenous designs through enforcing and letting them borrow money in the name of helping those vulnerable for adaptation and resilience. IS THIS JUSTICE? A big question to those who signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and are agreeing on the principle of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
At the national level, it is yet to ensure, in action, the rights of indigenous people on the land, water and natural resources, which they have been managing since generations though there are mediocre efforts to write such rights in the upcoming new constitution. But this is very important to address if we really desire to let others know our nation as the country of diverse and indigenous communities with indigenous designs, and diverse stories and cultures.
For instance, Chepang, an indigenous tribe in Nepal, is still striving to get its right over the shifting cultivation lands, which are still unregistered, this tribe has been using through balancing the food production and natural resource conservation since generation. But these lands are transformed to annual cultivation cycles to support their increased numbers and to protect lands from being named national then they will have no access and control over.
Otherwise, the Forest Act 1993 of Nepal describes national forest as all forests excluding Private Forests within the Kingdom of Nepal, whether marked or unmarked with forest boundary and the term shall also includes waste or uncultivated lands or unregistered lands surrounded by the Forest or situated near the adjoining Forest as well as paths, ponds, lakes, rivers or streams and riverine lands within the forest. So by definition such lands where the indigenous people are managing since generation fall under government land. Nobody has taken care of addressing such issues that directly relate to their livelihoods. Can we think, at this stage of preserving their designs, cultures, and stories?
Nevertheless, in such scenario, on this special day, still there is a hope from the people who believe on diversity, importance and conservation of indigenous cultures and stories to deal with the future uncertainties to collectively advocate on behalf of the indigenous people to aware policy makers to specifically address their real needs and problems, respect their cultures and learn to build resilience in the face of crisis, ensure their access and rights over the natural resources they have been using sustainably, and designing and implementing indigenous people responsive policies, programmes and opportunities.
Let's hope for an equitable society where the rights and voices of indigenous people are mainstreamed in the development and environmental programmes in the world.
