PENAMPANG: Indigenous people should be allowed to remain on their lands and continue to live their lives.
“Let us help improve their existing livelihood rather than destroy what they have been working for their whole lives. Do not let them fall victims to development, as it will burden them more rather than allowing them to enjoy the benefits,” said Partners of Community Organisations (PACOS) Trust president Professor Dr Felix Tongkul.
Describing the indigenous people as ‘soft’, he said they would only act aggressively when pressured and under a lot of stress.
“These people have lived on the land for so long, probably grow some rubber trees or other types of crops; they are very much comfortable with their lifestyles.
“Instead of forcing them out of their comfort zone to make way for development projects such as roads, dams or oil palm plantations, I believe it would be better to help improve their livelihood by providing training, teach them how to market their products or other skills.
“In fact, re-shifting these people will be a burden to the government as they will have to pay compensation and other expenses to the victims; it can be a heavy burden for the government. Plus no amount of money can compensate for the losses of these indigenous people,” he said.
Speaking during the closing of a four-day national level World Indigenous People Day celebration at the KadazanDusun Cultural Association building here yesterday, Tongkul said it was important for the government to create a balance between development and the fate of the indigenous people in the country.
“The government should be more sensitive towards the indigenous people’s rights. It is important for the leaders to think of ways to further improve the existing facilities available rather than destroying them, because we have learned a lot from their traditional practices such as the tagal system. The United Nations has recognised the rights of the indigenous people, so why are the federal and state governments not cooperating?
“If the government does not understand what the indigenous people’s rights are, maybe they should refer to the UN representatives.”
PACOS Trust is a community based voluntary organisation registered under the Trustees Ordinance Chapter 148, Sabah, to help raise the quality of life of the indigenous communities. Although it has only been registered with the ordinance in 1997, it has been actively involved with communities since 1987 as a different legal entity.
“For the last 17 years, we have been fighting for the recognition of the indigenous people’s rights, I believe it is timely to find solutions to these problems, or else we will keep repeating the failures forever,” he said.
Indigenous People Network of Malaysia (JAOS) president Thomas Jalong, in echoing Tongkul’s words, added that the source of the conflict came from policies and regulations that disrespect the indigenous people’s rights.
“Instead, the indigenous people are dubbed culprits when they voice out their grouses. On September 13, 2007, a comprehensive document on the Declaration of the Indigenous People’s Rights was recognised which reflects the commitment to protect them from being abused by irresponsible quarters.
“Realising this, the government should take inputs from the declaration to be included during the policy making so that the rights of the indigenous people are protected and respected,” he said.
With the theme, Women, Youth and Forest, the event gathered some 250 indigenous people nationwide to provide an avenue for effective dialogues, exhibitions, concerts and campaigns.
It also encourages participation from government agencies and civil society in open dialogues with the indigenous people, while strengthening cooperation between the indigenous people and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) in the national inquiry on customary land rights’ processes.