A grouping comprising virtually all the major Indigenous Peoples organisations in Guyana has been formed, and it aims to be a common platform for representation of the issues and rights of Amerindians.
The formation of the Caucus of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) was announced yesterday and its 14 members are among the most active of indigenous organisations in the country with representation from all the districts where Indigenous People reside. The 15th member, the Indigenous Peoples Commission – a constitutional body – is an ex officio member.
The development is seen as significant as it brings the major indigenous groups on a common platform to represent their issues. In the past, though the organisations have largely common goals, their focus have been different and working collectively was more the exception than the rule. Some of the organisations have in the past also been shunned by the then PPP/C government while others received state support.
“It is envisioned that the role of the caucus will be to formulate and enable a common platform for representation of issues and rights of Indigenous Peoples,” said a statement yesterday, which was issued by the Secretariat of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) on behalf of the CIP.
The members of the CIP are the NTC, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), the Guyanese Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), the Moruca Sub Regional District Council (MSRDC), the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC), the North Pakaraimas District Council (NPDC), the Region 10 Regional Council, the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB), the Kanuku Mountains Community Representative Group (KMCRG), the South Communities Peoples Development Association (SCPDA), the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), the National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF), the Indigenous Cultural Movement of Guyana (ICMOG), The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) and ex officio member, the IPC.
The statement said that emerging priority issues to be focused on by the CIP are land rights, governance and leadership, the right to free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples in the developmental framework of Guyana, and enhancing indigenous women and youth in representation and participation in national decision-making.
In giving an overview of the formation of the CIP, the statement said that the caucus originally emerged in December 2016 out of a two-day consensus-building workshop with the objective of selecting three Indigenous Peoples representatives to serve on the National Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee of the Forest Carbon Partner-ship Facility – REDD+ Readiness programme in Guyana.
The caucus reconvened for a follow-up Consolidation Workshop on July 26 – 27, 2019 with an expanded membership of 15 Indigenous Peoples civil society organisations, the statement said. It said that the workshop recommitted to the need of an Indigenous Peoples Caucus in Guyana and its consolidation and formalisation.
Discussions were held concerning the CIP’s vision, mission and purpose, structure, composition and representation. It is envisioned that the role of the caucus will be to formulate and enable a common platform for representation of issues and rights of Indigenous Peoples, the statement said.
It revealed that an Interim Steering Commit-tee comprising nine representatives of the CIP was established by consensus/ election and collectively approved at the workshop with elections to take place at a later date
The Interim Steering Committee of the CIP will work to draft an action platform and work plan and refine the roles and functions of the CIP, the statement said.
The Interim Steering Committee comprises nine representative organisations of the CIP including three NTC members: NTC chairman Nicholas Fredericks, NTC assistant secretary/treasurer Loretta Fiedtkou and Toshao of Orealla, Carl Peneux.
Other CIP steering members come from the district councils, the NPDC, the MSRDC, the UMDC, the SRDC and the NRDDB, while two are from the Indigenous non-governmental organisations, APA and SCPDA.
The statement said that the CIP workshop was supported by the Inter-American Development Bank upon the request of the NTC.
Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs Sydney Allicock was informed last Saturday, at the closing session of the workshop, of the formation of the CIP.
“The minister welcomed the establishment of the CIP and urged it to strengthen unity amongst Indigenous Peoples and to also strengthen the role and work of the National Toshaos Council,” the statement said.
