In order to promote awareness on the conditions of existence of the indigenous peoples, the United Nations organization (UN) instituted the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, celebrated on August 9.
The date is remembered annually, in reference to the day of the first meeting of the United Nations Workgroup on Indigenous Populations, which contained important human rights guidelines and how these established rights can protect indigenous peoples, and respect their cultures, different languages and the preservation of their customs.
According to the report presented by the UN, there are some 476 million indigenous people in the world, and of these, 45 million live in Latin America; many inhabiting the lands of the Amazon and other regions of South America.
“The Day of Indigenous Peoples reminds us of the importance of including these indigenous nations as a fundamental part of humanity, because they are the guardians of the Kingdoms of Nature and have an important task of manifesting ancestral wisdom. Thus, these peoples have expressed themselves in the strengthening of their communities in social, political areas and in economic development projects, seeking an integration into society as a whole,” emphasizes the administrator of Lasting Solutions of the IndigenousCultural and Training Center (ICTC), managed by the Fraternity – InternationalHumanitarian Federation (FIHF), headquartered in Boa Vista, Roraima.
Venezuelan Indigenous Peoples as Immigrants and Refugees
With an increasing Venezuelan migration flow, which is expanding more and more within Brazilian territory, the forced international displacement of indigenous peoples is a situation requiring special attention on the part of organizations active in humanitarian crises, because to the condition of being refugees is added the factor of a cultural difference. There are already thousands of Warao, E’ñepa, Pemon, Tauerepand, besides other tribes coming from Venezuela, who are living in Brazil.
According to the UN Agency for Refugees (UNHCR), of the more than 5 thousand indigenous Venezuelans registered in Brazilian territory, 3.2 thousand are requesting refugee status, which is to say, they present themselves legally as individuals who were forced to leave their country and territory due to a well-founded fear of persecution or ongoing violation of human rights.
The Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) was the first organization to reach Roraima in 2016 for an emergency action, which due to continuing demand, became a permanent mission, giving rise to the Roraima Humanitarian Mission.
Since then, different stages in the humanitarian response have been following each other, and the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) participated in all those phases; and continues to work on the improvement of humanitarian aid, especially for the indigenous peoples.
It was the manager of the first shelters exclusively for indigenous people in Roraima, and currently coordinates the Indigenous Culturaland Training Center (ICTC) in partnership with Operation Welcome, a safe place culturally adapted for the socioeconomic inclusion of indigenous immigrants and refugees, and indigenous people of host Brazilian communities, through the Continuing Training Program, entrepreneurship and access to the job market.
According to Imer, the ICTC enables “peaceful coexistence among immigrant indigenous peoples and Venezuelan, Guyanese and Brazilian ethnic refugees. It brings about the possibility for the genuine manifestation of their cultures and enables the strengthening of their customs and traditions through various activities for the development of individuals, groups and communities.”
On this Day, when there is the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on such an important date, it becomes ever more necessary that the rights of the indigenous peoples be recognized, and the world show more solidarity and respect for their ancestral knowledge and wisdom.
