Page 37 - Hello Philippines December 2015 'B' ISSUE

December 2015 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition
UN rapporteur at COP21: Indigenous peoples should not be left out
PARIS, France - An agreement
on climate change should include
the voices of more than 370 million
indigenous peoples, and their rights
having to do with climate change
mitigation and adaptation should
be considered in the deal that is
being finalized by governments from
more than 190 nations, according to
Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, United Nations
rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
“Indigenous peoples have
contributed little to climate change,
but they suffer the worst impacts.
The agreement being struck here
must respect human rights and that
includes rights of the indigenous
peoples all over the world,” Corpuz
told InterAksyon.
The Paris deal being hammered
out in the French capital for nearly
two weeks aims to deliver a robust,
universal agreement to curb global
greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change installtion art at
COP21 grounds. Photographed by the
author.
The latest draft text on the table
as of Thursday stated that all parties
should respect the rights of indigenous
peoples when taking action on
climate change. But the bracketed
Election lawyer: Poe should
call up new evidence
MANILA - Election lawyer Enrique
“Buko” de la Cruz tells TV5 ReAKSYON
program host Luchi Cruz Valdez that
Senator and presidential aspirant
Grace Poe would be wise to change
tact and shift from frayed conventional
arguments to new evidence, like DNA
test results, to bolster her position
on the foundling/citizenship issue
before her Commission on Elections
(Comelec) disqualification cases.
“The cases being hurled against
Senator Poe seem to be getting more
and more grueling,” said Atty. De La
Cruz. “There are now two Comelec
divisions that have initially ruled
against her, involving five out of the
seven election commissioners [three
in the Second Division and two in the
First Division].”
“It’s high time Senator Poe comes
up with convincing arguments and
or new evidence since the time those
rulings were made, because if she
sticks to the same lines of argument
as before, then there is hardly any
motivation for the commissioners
to change their original positions or
opinion,” De la Cruz elaborated, in
Filipino.
Time is of the essence, as Comelec
is to start printing the ballots for the
2016 elections by February, and these
cases would determine whether or
not Poe gets included in the approved
list of candidates.
NEWS www.hello-philippines.com 35
references to human rights, the rights
of indigenous peoples, migrants, Candide Mezua Salazar from the Embera–Wounaan semi-nomadic indigenous people in Panamama, gestures during the opening of the Equator prize 2015 award
children, persons with disabilities, ceremony in COP21. Photo by Miguel Medina / AFP
and people in vulnerable situations
and under occupation, means it is “It is upsetting and alarming that to cope, as we do not have the means,” like the United States and European
still a contentious issue and could be the current draft has removed the she added. Union members not only continue
removed from the final text of the section in the preamble of the Paris to shirk from their responsibility
agreement. agreement the reference to indigenous Lidy Nakpil, coordinator of in leading the fight against climate
peoples rights, as well as on women and the Asian Peoples Movement on catastrophe, they are passing off more
“With climate change we are seeing gender empowerment. That is a bad Debt and Development, said the of the blame and the responsibility to
that there is more poverty, hunger, sign. The respect for human rights is extreme weather phenomena being developing countries, Nakpil added.
food insecurity as well as deprivation a very critical part of agreement,” said experienced by small, low-lying
of their lands and territories. This has Carling, who hails from a Kankanaey countries like the Philippines is yet Emmanuel De Guzman, head of
already created many disputes now. So tribe in Northern Philippines. another reminder that governments the Philippine delegation, said, “the
we really need to convince the states need to take further steps in solving fight is not yet over. We can achieve
that this is the most moral thing to Carling appealed to the the climate crisis. our goal in pushing for a deal that is
do and that they are legally obliged governments to recognize the situation acceptable to all. The Philippines has
to implement and comply with their of indigenous peoples who are highly “Our survival is non-negotiable. been vocal in putting on the table the
human rights obligations,” Corpuz affected by climate change. There is a great need for countries to set 1.5 degrees global warming limit,
said. high ambitions in climate reduction as as well as on human rights, finance,
“There has to be clear, ambitious well as address finance,” Nakpil said. technology transfer, capacity building
Corpuz said indigenous peoples are commitments from governments and development.” n Imelda V. Abano /
contributing in the global solutions to simply because it will be more difficult The biggest fight is still about
climate change by guarding the forest for us in the indigenous communities differentiation, or who does what. InterAksyon / December 12, 2015 / 4:48 pm
in many traditional ways, such as Unfortunately, developed countries
the decrease in level of deforestation
where indigenous peoples rights are
recognized.
Joan Carling, secretary general of
the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, said
the role of indigenous peoples has been
largely ignored at the climate talks,
saying it is “imperative” that the rights
of millions of indigenous peoples are
recognized and respected.
54 Pembroke Road, basement office, London W8 6NX
Tel. 020 7602 7171 Tel/fax. 020 7602 7598
Atty. Enrique de la Cruz explains to ReAKSYON host Luchi Cruz Valdez www. lakbayasiapilgrimages.co.uk email. lakbayasia@btconnect.com ORIGINAL CREATION & COPYRIGHT RESERVED BY © HELLO PHILIPPINES 2015
why Senator and presidential aspirant Grace Poe needs to present new
evidence to affirm her status as a natural-born Filipino. Image extracted PILGRIMAGES & TOURS are our life: join us!
from TV5 broadcast. Inset shows Senator Poe.
CAEN! TOUR/Pilgrimage 22-24 JAN. 2016
“Ang kailangan ay maghanap na siya ng bagong
ebidensya, hindi yung mga lumang argumento, kasi kung Our Lady of Salvation & the French Coast!
yun pa ring argumento ang gagamitin niya, yung sinasabi
niyang international law will prevail ... na kawawa naman PILIPINAS 15 FEB. - 2 MAR. 2016
ang mga katulad niyang foundling ... mukhang hindi na
bumenta doon sa mga miembro ng Comelec eh. Ang JOIN US LUZON – VISAYAS - MINDANAO
kailangan siguro ay bagong ebidensya, tulad ng sinasabi
niyang DNA evidence (She should look for new evidence, PALAWAN El Nido - ILOLO Islas Gigantes - DAKAK Resort Dapitan -
no more of the old tact leaning on the applicability of DIVINE MERCY - Cagayan de Oro - PEARL FARM RESORT & more!
international law principles, and the emotional tug of
‘woe are we poor unfortunate foundlings’, that have ST. PATRICK’s FEAST IRELAND­ 14-19 MAR. 2015
left the Comelec members unmoved. New evidence is
warranted, such as DNA evidence),” De la Cruz explained, Our Lady of KNOCK and the South Co. Wexford
alluding to the need for Senator Poe to persuasively
establish her Filipino parentage to scrub away the Central SCOTLAND Weekend 22-24 APRIL 2016
challenges to her status as a natural-born Filipino. n 2-13 MAY 2016 HOLY LAND & GREECE
InterAksyon.com / December 12, 2015 / 7:50 pm The HOLY Family, St. Paul + 1 day islands cruises!
FATIMA, LOURDES, FRANCE, ANDORA
11 days Pilgrimages 21-31 May 2016
Plus Mongolia, Iceland/Greenland… and more cruises!