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ASEAN,
CLIMATE CHANGE,
REDD+ AND
INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES
2 3
marginalization and exploitation they have also lived side-by-side
with other peoples elsewhere in with other peoples, who have
the world, who call themselves been economically and politically
Indigenous Peoples. They found dominant, and who now hold the
that the term “Indigenous economic and political power in
Peoples” much better reflects the the modern nation states that have
particular circumstances and
forms of discrimination they are emerged over the last century.
confronted with, and concluded An estimated 2/3 of the total 300
that the UNDRIP is much more million population of Indigenous
appropriate than other domestic Peoples worldwide live in Asia.
and international human rights
instrument for helping them However, few states in Southeast
address their problems. Asia recognize Indigenous Peoples,
Indigenous Peoples have their or even if they do, their identity has
own distinct language, culture, not been taken into account during
and social and political institutions preparations of national censuses.
that are very different from those Therefore, it is very difficult to
of the mainstream society. When give accurate or even approximate
they call themselves Indigenous figures of the populations of
Peoples they do not necessarily Indigenous Peoples in the ASEAN
claim to be the only people native region. Roughly, the population of
to their countries. In many cases, Indigenous Peoples in the ASEAN
Indigenous Peoples are indeed
THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE ASEAN REGION “aboriginal” or “native” to the region may be as high as or even
The term Indigenous Peoples is Organization has responded 1
lands they live in. But for centuries, more than 100 million people.
increasingly used by peoples in the accordingly and adopted the
ASEAN region who thus far have Declaration on the Rights of
been called “hill tribes”, “native Persons Belonging to National or
people” or “ethnic minorities”, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic
and the various other names in Minorities. Important to note here
their respective local and national is that the Minority Declaration
languages. refers to the individual rights of
The reasons for adopting this the members of minorities.
new term are manifold. One Indigenous Peoples, however,
reason is that most of the names have always stressed the need to
that outsiders have given them recognize their collective rights.
have a negative connotation of And these collective rights are
being backward or primitive. now recognized by the United
Furthermore, while Indigenous Nations Declaration on the Rights
Peoples face the same experience of of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP),
discrimination and marginalization which was adopted by the UN
like other ethnic minorities, there General Assembly in 2007. The
are very important differences in UNDRIP sets the minimum
terms of their rights and identity. standard for the protection of the
Minorities often suffer from collective rights of Indigenous
discrimination and they struggle Peoples.
for the protection of their rights Many peoples in the ASEAN
and their participation in the region have realized that they
larger society. The United Nations share the same experiences of
4 5
THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ASEAN
AND ITS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The ASEAN region is The predicted rising of the sea-
considered to be among the level poses an imminent threat to
world’s regions that are most millions of people living in coastal
vulnerable to climate change. cities and key agricultural areas in
This is because the majority of its the fertile deltas.
population and economic activities According to the Fourth
are concentrated along its long Assessment Report of the
coastlines and its economies are Intergovernmental Panel on
still largely agriculture-based and 3
dependent on natural resources. Climate Change of 2007, most
A study conducted by the Asian of the Southeast Asian region is Malaysia: Impact of climate change on livelihoods in the Dayak-
Development Bank in 2009 expected to experience an overall Bidayuh-Jagoi village of Duyoh in Sarawak
concludes that the region “is likely increase of rainfall and more Traditional livelihoods and other economic activities of Indigenous
to suffer more from climate change extreme downpours, resulting Peoples are also adversely impacted by climate change. In Malaysia, for
in more frequent floods, and an resulting in prolonged droughts, example, rubber tapping has been a source of cash for many Indigenous
than the rest of the world, if no increase of strong winds caused by Peoples in Sarawak and Sabah. Latex is tapped when the leaves of the
action is taken.”2 tropical cyclones. crop failures and even larger forest rubber tree are shed around August and September. With the changes in
fires than already experienced in weather, leaves shed as early as January and thus less latex is gathered
Southeast Asia is already the region. which means less income. Other fruit trees like durian and engkabang
heavily affected by existing (also known as ilipe nut) are indigenous species in Sarawak and these are
For many Indigenous Peoples sources of cash and food. However, bumper crop harvests from these trees
Indonesia: Climate variations observed by the Dayak and Punan climatic fluctuation as a result of in the ASEAN region climate have decreased significantly because of weather changes.
The Dayak have documented climate variations based on various the El Niño-Southern Oscillation Source Galloway McLean 2009, p. 67
traditional indicators, including bird species, rising water levels, and (ENSO) phenomenon. ENSO is change is already a reality. Erratic
traditional medicinal plants. They observed bird species that they had predicted to be more frequent and rainfalls and longer droughts
never seen before, they became aware that the level of water in the rivers reduce the productivity of fields and change. Therefore, for Indigenous
is higher/lower than usual for the season and that the traditional plants of greater intensity in the future, pastures, storms and floods destroy Peoples, climate change poses
used as medicinal remedies can not be found anymore. Behaviour and crops and homes, and warming sea a threat that goes beyond mere
migration patterns of birds that have been used traditionally to guide economic hardship: the destruction
hunting and cultivation activities no longer provide reliable guidance. temperatures harm coral reefs and
One of the remaining hunter-gatherer communities in East Kalimantan thus threaten fish stocks. And the of traditional livelihoods and
is the Punan people. These people decide upon activities such as predicted rise of sea levels poses indigenous cultures that are
planting agricultural and tree crops, clearing cultivation areas, hunting serious threats to communities intrinsically linked with nature
etc. according to the phases of the moon. However, with climate change, and agricultural cycles.
these lunar signals may no longer coincide with the favourable times for living along the coast and on small
these activities and the Punan may be misled in taking their decisions. islands. While Indigenous Peoples’ However, climate change
Source: Galloway McLean 2009, p. 59 diverse and resilient livelihood
poses many other problems
systems have enabled them to for Indigenous Peoples besides
survive in difficult environments, putting their livelihood systems
the speed at which the climate is under stress. Many of the
changing is putting the abilities of mitigation and adaptation
indigenous communities to adapt schemes devised by governments
to test. In addition, the Indigenous and international organisations to
Peoples communities throughout cope with climate change – like the
the region report worsening food expansion of biofuel plantations,
and water insecurity, an increase of building of dams under the
water- and vector-borne diseases, Clean Development Mechanism,
and increasing problems with pests. uranium extraction for nuclear
Belonging to the world’s most power plants, and the inclusion
marginalized, impoverished and of Indigenous Peoples’ forests in
vulnerable peoples, Indigenous REDD without their consent – are
Peoples have only minimal access often directly violating the rights
to resources to cope with climate of Indigenous Peoples.
6 7
ASEAN’S RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
ASEAN has been involved environmental cooperation among
in international negotiations on ASEAN members. The tenth
climate change and the Heads of priority area is “Responding to
its member States have expressed climate change and addressing its
their commitment to playing an impacts” and its strategic objective
active role in addressing climate states:
change on various occasions. Enhance regional and
This commitment was expressed international cooperation to
Malaysia and Indonesia: Oil-palm plantations evict Indigenous in their declarations at the UN address the issue of climate change
Peoples from their traditional lands Climate Change Conferences in and its impacts on socio-economic
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified the Bali, in 2007 and in Copenhagen, development, health and the
production of second-generation biofuels, to be used in place of fossil in 2009. It was also expressed in
fuels, as another way of mitigating climate change. A special report, which the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on environment, in ASEAN Member
included an analysis of some of the problems related to the production States through implementation of
of biofuels (in particular, oil palm), was presented at its sixth session. That Joint Response to Climate Change mitigation and adaptation measures,
report highlighted how Indigenous Peoples in Malaysia and Indonesia th
have been affected by the aggressive expansion of oil palm plantations. issued at the 16 ASEAN Summit based on the principles of equity,
The report was used by the Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (ANMAN), a The report, which was adopted by in Hanoi, on 9 April 2010. flexibility, effectiveness, common
national federation of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations in Indonesia, and the Human Rights Council in ASEAN’s “Vision 2020” calls but differentiated responsibilities,
other organizations as an annex to their submission to the Committee on 2009, outlines various implications for “a clean and green ASEAN” respective capabilities, as well as
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Subsequently, the CERD of climate change and mitigation which ensures the protection of reflecting on different social and
recommended to the Indonesian Government to review the law which measures for the human rights
5
pushed for expansion of oil palm plantations and to ensure that the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other the environment, sustainable economic conditions.
of Indigenous Peoples are respected. As a result, the Government has use of natural resources, and Under this priority area, the
put the plans for expansion on hold. The production of biofuels provides vulnerable groups. The report high quality of life for its people.
both opportunities and challenges. Given the proclivity for agricultural concludes that climate change and However, ASEAN does not have blueprint identifies eleven priority
production among many Indigenous Peoples, biofuels could potentially the various mitigation measures actions, which aim at:
provide great economic opportunities. However, the production of adopted threaten to undermine a specific climate change policy.
biofuels can offset potential gains in greenhouse gas emissions when It is addressing climate change • Increasing the joint efforts
forests are cleared for the production of biofuel like palm oil. The clearing not only Indigenous Peoples’ through the framework of ASEAN among ASEAN members
of forests for biofuel production can also lead to the violation of the land subsistence and livelihood, but also Community building, i.e. the so- • The promotion and facilitation
rights of indigenous peoples, as happened in Indonesia and Malaysia. their cultural and social identity, of exchange of knowledge,
Source Galloway McLean 2009, p. 67 and ultimately, their right to self- called “Road Map for an ASEAN
determination. Thus, while having Community 2009 – 2015”, which experiences and technology
The connection between hardly contributed anything to was adopted by ASEAN’s leaders • International collaboration
climate change and human rights the cause of global warming, shortly after the ASEAN Charter in actions related to forest
has been highlighted in a recent Indigenous Peoples are among the entered into force in December conservation (“afforestation
report of the Office of the High most heavily affected. 2008. Climate change is dealt and reforestation, as well as to
4 with in the context of sustainable reduce deforestation and forest
Commissioner for Human Rights. development, and the strategies degradation”)
and actions are outlined in the • Regional strategizing on
three so-called “Blueprints”: adaptation
Myanmar: Forced labour for Jatropha plantations in Chin State the ASEAN Socio-cultural • Collaboration in addressing
In Myanmar, the government has pushed for jatropha plantations in Community Blueprint, ASEAN hazards
Chin State. Forced labour was used to establish these plantations. The Economic Community Blueprint, • Monitoring of and research on
army was brought in to confiscate indigenous lands, and there was a and the ASEAN Political-Security climate change
loss of income for the people because they were forced to buy jatropha Community Blueprint. • Public awareness raising
seedlings. Fines were imposed as punishment for non-compliance, taking • Encouraging “the participation
away what little cash the people had. The Blueprint for the ASEAN of local government, private
Source Galloway McLean 2009, p. 67 Socio-cultural Community
(ASCC Blueprint) 2009-2015, sector, non-governmental
under section “D. Ensuring organisations, and community
Environmental Sustainability”, to address the impacts of
6
identifies ten priority areas climate change”
of regional importance for ASEAN created the ASEAN
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