APA calls out government again for failing to respect rights of Indigenous peoples

Apr 17, 2023 News

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– urges proper consultations on carbon sale initiative

Kaieteur News – The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) said it is not opposed to development but maintains that development should not come at the cost of Indigenous peoples’ full and informed participation.

The association comments come amid a flurry of attacks by the government, particularly Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and the National Toshaos Council after the APA had filed a complaint to Architecture for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Transactions (ART) Secretariat hosted by Winrock International.

On March 8, 2023, the APA, following consultation with Indigenous leaders filed a complaint with the ART Secretariat outlining the Government’s violation of the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The complaint stems from the December 2022 issuance of carbon credits to the Government of Guyana and the failure to address the gross violation of the TREES Standards.

In a statement, the APA said its objections to the manner of consultation and “deliberate violation of the FPIC process by the Government are well documented in the local media and with our partners.” “Those objections were raised during the certifying process and after the first issuance of carbon credits by ART. Therefore, it is disingenuous on the part of Vice President Jagdeo to accuse the Association of nit-picking on indigenous issues,” the APA statement noted.

The association observed that at his press conference, on Thursday, April 14, 2023, the Vice President continued to peddle accusations that the APA is being controlled by the political Opposition. “APA has repeatedly stated that it is a politically neutral organisation. The Vice President seems incapable of comprehending this point since he sees any criticism of his government as an attack that requires him to go to battle. Vice President Jagdeo also claimed that the APA is trying to block funding to Indigenous communities. This, again, is a misrepresentation of the Association’s position. We have asked the ART Secretariat and Board to publish its reasons for its decisions to approve the credits, considering the substantial concerns we have raised regarding Guyana’s respect for Indigenous peoples’ rights and therefore compliance with the TREES standard. We also recommended that the credits issued to Guyana that have not yet been purchased be frozen and suspended and that no further credits be issued until the government fully respects the rights of Indigenous peoples.”

The Amerindian body said the Vice President Jagdeo, in his tirade against the APA, failed to address the substance of the Association’s complaint to ART which is his government’s failure to respect the right of Indigenous peoples to proper consultations and failure to fully comply with TREES Standard, among others. Additionally, Vice President Jagdeo has consistently failed to defend his government’s violation of Indigenous peoples’ right to FPIC. “We are extremely concerned to see the ART Secretariat and the verification body, Aster Global Environmental Services, take the Government’s claims of having respected Indigenous peoples’ rights at face value without a critical analysis of whether the Government’s actions constituted proper consultation, let alone true respect for Indigenous peoples’ rights to effective participation and FPIC. The Government’s summary of “consultations” did not record comments specifically made by many Indigenous peoples at these meetings that they did not consider that the meeting could properly be called a “consultation”, but a mere information-sharing session. In addition, the Government’s own summary of “consultations” noted requests for information to be shared in simplified language and in translations, and for training to help communities better understand the LCDS. Despite Government officials’ commitment to share translations and to conduct training of trainers, to date, there have been no translated copies of the LCDS, or simplified information regarding ART-TREES shared in Indigenous languages, nor any such training conducted.”

The APA said the right to effective participation requires, inter alia, that Indigenous peoples are provided with adequate time and understandable information [including translation into a language that they understand], and access to technical support and guidance so that they can effectively participate in the decision-making process. These requirements were not met by the Government and several Indigenous communities have complained in that regard.

It is alarming that Vice President Jagdeo continues to attack the APA as opposed to providing evidence that the principles governing FPIC, and effective participation were adhered to. In that regard, we challenge the Vice President and his Government to answer the following questions: [How much time were Indigenous communities given to prepare for those “consultations”? How long did a “consultation” session last?; How many sessions were held with the communities?; Were Indigenous communities presented with simplified/user-friendly versions of documents relating to the LCDS 2030, ART TREES Standards and carbon markets?; Were those documents sent beforehand?; Were Indigenous peoples afforded the opportunity to present their own proposals on how a carbon crediting scheme can work?; Was there any meaningful way for Indigenous peoples to present our own proposals for benefit sharing under this carbon deal? ; Does the government believe that their “consultations” were effective in seeking the consent of Indigenous communities prior to the sale of carbon credits? ; Was there any meaningful opportunity for Indigenous peoples to give or deny consent to their lands being included in the proposal?]

As such, the APA reiterated that it is not opposed to development but maintains that development should not come at the cost of Indigenous peoples’ full and informed participation.

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• governments, LCDS, regard., The Amerindian Peoples Association, TREES, violation of the principles

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