UN rapporteur urges Ecuador to put indigenous peoples' rights ahead of economic rights – La República CE



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QUITO-ECUADOR (29/11/2018). Press conference to share the preliminary findings of the expert SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli – Corpuz. PHOTOS: API / CRISTINA VEGA.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuztoday asked the Government of Ecuador to put forward the rights of these communities against the economic benefits of resource extraction.

Tauli-Corpuz concluded Thursday an eleven-day mission to Ecuador and a press conference in Quito urged Lenin Moreno's government to take "urgent" measures "to protect the international rights of indigenous peoples since" the demand for extractive resources and new development projects put additional pressure on their territories. "

According to the UN rapporteur, indigenous peoples are disappointed "by the slow pace of advocacy policies" on their lands, territories and resources, as well as their permanent institutions, as well as to participate and dispose of indigenous peoples. Decision-making autonomy. .

"There is no adequate mechanism on the part of the state to ensure that indigenous peoples can exercise their fundamental rights," said Tauli-Corpuz.

The Philippine human rights expert, however, said he was satisfied with the government's initiative "to establish an ongoing dialogue with indigenous peoples" and stressed that the Ecuador was "at a decisive moment" after "a decade of regression" in the country. protection of their privileges.

The main indigenous Ecuadorian organizations have criticized the fact that during the government of Rafael Correa (2007-2017) their rights were violated and their leaders persecuted for participating in protests against extractive projects in different parts of the country. country.

The rapporteur has suggested to the current executive to conduct "adequate consultation processes and free, prior and informed consent, to recognize the autonomy and justice of indigenous peoples and to take urgent measures to rebuild indigenous peoples". health institutions and intercultural education ".

In this sense, the UN representative criticized the fact that the economic resources that the government allocates to the Secretariat for interculturality, which promotes the intercultural and bilingual education of indigenous peoples, are "minimal" "and that they even" reduced "this year.

"The government should expand the revitalization of the bilingual education centers of indigenous communities, as have already made some peoples of the northern border, who are an example to be followed for others", a- he declared.

Tauli-Corpuz also urged indigenous and mainstream judicial authorities to maintain a "productive" dialogue to end the criminalization of indigenous peoples and to develop the necessary legislative measures to coordinate them.

He also stated that there was "multiple discrimination" against indigenous women because of their aboriginal status and that many of them were living in poverty, and cautioned that "the growing existence of prostitution and human trafficking" in the territories close to the resource exploitation areas.

"You can not defend constitutional principles without full recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples in accordance with international law, and you can not get the protection of the rights of nature without defending those who protect nature," he said. concluded.

The final report prepared by the Special Rapporteur will be presented in September 2019 to the United Nations Human Rights Council, although the recommendations have already been submitted today to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a preliminary report. . EFE

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