THE MOSOPISYEK OF BENET PROPOSE JOINT CONSERVATION OF ANCESTRAL LAND: CALL FOR DIALOGUE WITH UGANDA GOVERNMENT AND WILDLIFE AUTHORITY
David Chemutai, coordinator of the Benet Mosopisyek community, declares that the eviction of the community from their ancestral land was illegal. And now, he says, “Whenever our community tries to access the ancestral land for resources and cultural issues, they face human rights abuses like torture,shootings, and illegal arrests.” Chemutai also mentions that three people were reportedly shot in November. The community coordinator is calling for dialogue and an end to the violence and the dispute with the government and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). “We need joint conservation. The community should be given a chance to conserve the forest.” However, after a number of meetings with UWA staff, including the Executive Director, and being asked to put the plan in writing, the proposal was rejected. The plan has now been presented to the Ugandan Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism. Says Chemutai, “Instead of the government allowing the Mosop Benet Indigenous community to carry out joint conservation to save our forest, and handing over the 6,000 ha. of land meant for resettlement of Mosop Benet… demolishing our houses, destroying our crops and impounding our cattle is the order of the day.” Land is Life wholeheartedly supports the call for dialogue and Joint Conservation made by the Mosop Benet. We urge the Government of President Yoweri Museveni and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, to enter into good faith dialogue and come to an agreement with the community; cooperation and Joint Conservation rather than violence, is the best way to ensure the vitality of the land. The violence and displacements, which are clear violations of the human rights of the Mosopisyek Benet people, have been going on too long, and conservation can never be an excuse for displacing Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral lands. The UWA, conservation, and violence The Mount Elgon National Park area of Uganda was home to the Mosopisyek of Benet (Mosop Benet) Indigenous People well before it was declared a forest reserve in 1920 by the British colonial administration. In 1968, six years after the British left, the newly independent Ugandan government declared the area a central reserve, and in 1993 named it Mt. Elgon National Park, all without the free, prior and informed consent of the Mosop Benet. Since the designation of the Mt. Elgon region as a conservation area in 1920, the Ugandan government has assumed primary responsibility for environmental protection, and it is this obligation that is being utilized by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to justify displacing thousands, and preventing the Mosop Benet from accessing their ancestral lands and the sacred sites that are an essential element of their culture. The forced evictions from disputed areas led to legal action being taken against the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and while the resulting judgment recognized the rights of the community, and allowed them agricultural and grazing rights, the judgment was never implemented. As a consequence, the violence and displacements continue. According to a recent report published by the Mosop Benet community elders: “Since October 2022, the Benet Mosop have suffered escalating and relentless attacks carried out by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) agents, including human rights violations such as shootings, rape, torture, burning and demolition of the houses and impounding of cattle. Since the institution of litigation, these attacks have become more frequent, more violent and accompanied by a heightened level of property destruction. UWA employs lethal force, either shooting or beating up community members found within the boundaries of the (Mount Elgon) Park or on its outskirts. The current attacks, characterized by their brutal and violent nature, have escalated the perilous threat of sustaining gunshot wounds, and even losing one’s life. Fourthly, in a bid to further intimidate the community, UWA agents are incessantly threatening BCMA’s leaders for daring to stand up for the rights of the community. Among the most grievous violations, on 28th December 2022, a 16-years-old Benet Mosop girl was raped by a UWA agent, and on 10th February 2023, a 45-year-old man was shot dead by rangers who had found him collecting firewood in Mt. Elgon forest. In fact, the exacerbated nature of these violent attacks caught the attention of government officials.” The Joint Conservation Proposal A Mosop Benet community proposal for Joint Conservation with the UWA includes, amongst others, the following recommendations: A system through which Mosopisyek observers are permitted to observe activities in each part of the park, to report unlawful users like poachers and those depleting our trees, and to track changes of the local ecosystem to know what is needed, based on historical knowledge. An initiative which specifically engages Mosopisyek of Benet as the protectors of the moorland, in conjunction with rights to access and use the grazing of the moorland in agreed ways, including limitations on stock, and a system of regulation by appointed clan cluster leaders. The launching of discussions to understand the problems of the present composition and settlement of the Benet Resettlement Scheme 6,000 ha. Gazzeted (set aside) for farming. This needs discussion between the Mosopisyek of Benet council of elders and government about how it can be handled, since it’s already occupied by majority Sabinys (People) and displacement will cause conflicts. The 2,250 ha above the 6,000 ha. is also a water catchment area. A discussion can be held on how to replant indigenous trees to combat climate change. Uganda TV Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB5J0OqQZSM&authuser=0
Celebrating Indigenous Voices on International Women’s Day
Today, on the 8th of March, Land is Life joins the celebrations of International Women’s Day – a day dedicated to the recognition of women’s and girls’ rights and achievements. Among many Indigenous peoples, women have traditionally played central and respected roles as custodians of their lands and cultures. However, the loss of collective ownership of natural resources, top-down policies, and depletion of ecosystems, have led to the erosion of their rights. Social structures imposed by colonial and dominant cultures have placed Indigenous women in the margins of the margins, where they face discrimination both for being women and for being Indigenous. Lack of access to land and other resources, under-representation in decision-making processes, and violence are obstacles that many Indigenous women face in their lives. Yet they persist. As caretakers of land and water, knowledge-holders, healers, and transmitters of culture, Indigenous women have organized at local, national and international levels to address the common issues that they face. Many times, it is Indigenous women who stand at the frontlines of the struggles to protect their territories, cultures, and lives. With them lie many of the solutions to our contemporary problems – if they are given spaces to be genuinely listened to. At Land is Life, we find that supporting Indigenous women is the most effective way to support Indigenous communities – it is one of the guiding principles of our daily work. Land is Life advocates for: Indigenous women’s representation and capacity in decision-making at local, national, and international levels Inclusive governance of natural resources: The traditional knowledge of Indigenous women should be guiding the governance and protection of natural resources. Socio-economic development and self-determination: Indigenous women should have the means to develop their livelihoods and well-being in ways that support their desires and needs. Please find below a collection of thoughts from Indigenous rights defenders who are leaders of Land is Life’s mission.
Land is Life stands in solidarity with the Lepcha Indigenous people in India
Land is Life stands in solidarity with the Lepcha Indigenous people who are fighting for the last free-flowing stretch of the Teesta River in Sikkim, Northeast India, threatened by massive dam construction. Teesta is a cross-border river originating in the eastern Himalayas and flowing through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal into Bangladesh. Over the past few decades, the river has been dammed with multiple hydropower plants, such as the 510 MW Teesta V Hydroelectric project. Loss of fish habitats, increasing erosion and landslides, lack of water for irrigation as well as depletion of plant, insect and bird species, are examples of the effects caused by hydropower construction that has altered almost the entire river system. Since 2007, the Indigenous Lepcha have been revisiting the planned 520 MW Teesta IV Hydroelectric Project that is now threatening the last 11 km stretch of free flow of the river in their ancestral land of Dzongu. The Dzongu is a biodiverse butterfly and bird hotspot with fragile ecosystems. The Lepcha fear the loss of their sacred river, the surrounding ecosystems, and the cultural heritage and livelihoods tied to them. To join forces in protecting their river, the Lepcha established the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), an organization devoted to fighting hydropower construction and to forming sustainable alternatives to dams. In addition to organizing various protests, petitions, and a 915-day hunger strike, ACT focuses on developing sustainable livelihoods, such as agroecology and eco-tourism, as alternatives to industrial unsustainable development projects. ACT has also appealed to the government to declare the last free-flowing stretch of the river as a river sanctuary. Even though Dzongu has been officially declared as Indigenous territory by the Government of Sikkim, the Indian Government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation keep pursuing the project without the consent of the affected people. A land acquisition notification was recently issued in Dzongu, to build a tunnel under several villages, which would lead to people losing their ancestral lands and increase the risk of landslides. Land is Life stands in solidarity with the Lepcha people and echoes the demands on the Indian Government to withdraw the Teesta IV Hydroelectric Project. Free, Prior and Informed Consent processes should be put in place immediately. Instead of taming the last free-flowing stretch of the Teesta River, the cultural and ecological values should be elevated by the establishment of a river sanctuary. The Lepcha should be the ones deciding on how to develop their ancestral lands and waters.
Land is Life Calls for Dropping the Charges against Bestang, Kim and Khim
Land is Life stands in solidarity with our Asia Program Director and Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) Secretary General Bestang Sarah Dekdeken, and journalists Kimberlie Quitasol and Khim Russel Abalos who have been falsely accused of cyber libel. They were sued by a former police chief who accused them of blaming him for the dismantling of a memorial to Macli-ing Dulang, Pedro Dungoc, and Lumbaya Gayudan, three Indigenous Kalinga leaders who successfully campaigned against the Chico Dam project in the 1970s. The monument was built by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance in 2017 and removed forcibly in 2020. Bestang was able to post bail and the trial is ongoing. The case is an example of the Philippine State’s systematic political persecution targeting Indigenous Rights Defenders. It is an attempt to silence criticism against state-perpetrated human rights violations and abuses, where the law is being weaponized against the people. The case is aimed at sowing fear among communities, activists, and critics. Land is Life joins the calls on the Philippine Government to urgently drop the trumped-up charges against Bestang, Kim and Khim. We firmly stand in solidarity with Philippine activists who are continuously being subjected to judicial harassment for defending human rights.
Partner Highlight: Dignité Pygmée Supports Indigenous Pygmy Communities by Empowering Women
Founded in 2004 to support the livelihoods and rights of Pygmy communities, DIPY is one of the few organizations established and run by Pygmies themselves. Pygmies are Indigenous peoples inhabiting the Congo basin whose culture and livelihoods are deeply tied to the forests. Since periods of colonialism, Pygmies have been considered illegal occupants on their ancestral lands. Still today, they are extremely marginalized within the society. For example, authorities failed to appropriately investigate the massacre of 66 Pygmies that took place a year ago. Pygmies do not have the means to participate in decision-making processes over their lands as in the establishment of almost all protected areas in the DRC. Their forest-dependent culture is threatened by increasing loggings and a rapidly modernizing culture. Deforestation has already led to a loss of livelihoods and growing poverty. It was only in 2021 when DRC’s legislature passed legislation designed to ensure its Indigenous peoples the same basic rights as other Congolese citizens (this law remains in congress and has not been signed or enforced by the federal government). DIPY works to secure the customary land and resource rights of Pygmy communities. The dignity of Pygmy women is at the core of DIPY’s work. As women play a key role in the Pygmy society, their empowerment supports the well-being of the communities as a whole. Therefore, after a six-month feasibility study on the “non-timber forest product” (NTFP) value chain, DIPY and Land is Life joined forces to launch a pilot initiative entitled Economic Empowerment of Pygmy Women in 2019. The initiative promotes the traditional role of Pygmy women in their food systems through the gathering and selling of NTFPs. This means that by receiving a fair income from their sustainably gathered products, the Pygmy communities have better means to fight poverty and maintain their forest-based economy through their own strategies. The initiative trains Pygmy women to develop their own economic and social systems of benefit sharing, trade, and sustainable use of resources. With the pilot initiative, three women-led cooperatives have been established in three Pygmy communities – Inongo, Bolingo, and Ikita – in the province of Mai-Ndombe, western DRC. The cooperatives aim at improving the financial and material autonomy of Pygmy women by supporting them in aggregating and selling their traditional goods, such as honey, handicrafts, fish, mushrooms, nuts, edible insects, fruits and berries, at larger scales. The cooperatives are associated with canteens where communities can buy basic manufactured goods at low prices or through traditional barter. The initiative has supported the communities in renting a space for the storage and sales of the products in Kinshasa as well as in building their own wooden river boat to facilitate the transportation of goods to the markets. Literacy and accounting training has been organized to build the capacity of the women to manage their cooperatives efficiently. So far, 1,812 Pygmy women have directly benefited from the initiative, and other indirect beneficiaries in the Mai-Ndombe province count up to 474,325 people. Besides economic empowerment, the program also encourages the Pygmies to preserve their traditional knowledge and practices that have for centuries maintained a large part of the Congo Basin’s biodiversity. The initiative is also increasing the motivation and commitment of other forest-dependent communities to protect forests for their proven added value vis-à-vis slash-and-burn agriculture. It thus contributes to reducing deforestation and, consequently, the negative effects of climate change. DIPY’s initiative has the potential to be replicated across other Pygmy communities in the DRC. The long-term goal is to elevate the capacity and representation of the Pygmies at all levels of decision-making so that they will be able to maintain their role as the “guardians of the forest”.
Land is Life condemns Shell’s mining plans along South Africa’s Wild Coast
Since the end of apartheid in 1994 there has been a renewed assault on the livelihoods, cultural practices, and heritage of the Indigenous inhabitants of the Wild Coast, South Africa. This has taken the form of repeated attempts to strip-mine the coastline – building a highway through the region that will facilitate mining and urban spread, and most recently, plans by energy giant, Shell, to prospect for oil and gas deposits off the coast. In each of these initiatives, the government has ridden roughshod over the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Indigenous peoples, to play a meaningful role when decisions are made about how their lands are managed, developed, or exploited. Instead of protecting the rights of affected communities, South Africa’s political leaders have sided with local and foreign oil and mining interests to impose development plans that risk destroying local livelihoods. In 2021, oil giant Shell embarked on an aggressive spin campaign to convince the world it was going green. In its “net-zero emissions” strategy Shell promised to reduce its fossil fuels production, increase carbon capture and storage, and transition to renewable energy production. The company even issued a statement to the COP26 climate summit to pressure governments to implement more ambitious policies. A day after the beginning of COP26, Shell announced it would commence oil exploration in the pristine waters of the Wild Coast of South Africa, a region particularly rich in biodiversity. In practical terms, this means that 48 guns, dragged by a large vessel, would send powerful blasts into the ocean floor every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, for five months. Scientists have warned that the blasts are so loud that they can completely devastate the sensitive marine ecosystem that the coastal communities depend on for their livelihoods. Even though Shell claims it has followed all the rules set down by the government, the local communities temporarily won a court order that interdicts Shell from continuing with its seismic survey. The main review application will still be heard. These coastal communities are already feeling the impact of climate change through frequent severe storms that destroy food and increased livestock diseases over the recent years. South Africa is a leading polluter in the continent and should be focusing on cutting down its carbon emissions. The government should not sacrifice Indigenous livelihoods for short-term profits that only a small group of businesses will benefit from. The Indigenous communities not only depend on the marine ecosystem for their livelihoods but also for its cultural value – for them, the ocean is sacred. Land is Life stands in solidarity with the Indigenous communities and calls upon Shell to withdraw its operations from the Wild Coast. The Indigenous peoples’ right to a safe and healthy environment, stated in the South African Constitution, as well as the internationally declared rights to self-determination and Free, Prior and Informed Consent should be upheld.
Strengthening Indigenous Agroecology as a Response to Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss: Land is Life’s Agroecology Exchanges between Mesoamerica and Sub-Saharan Africa
On the 17th and 19th of January, Land is Life hosted two virtual knowledge exchange workshops between Indigenous communities and organizations from Sub-Saharan Africa and Mesoamerica, focusing on agroecology. We invited participants from the two regions to get together virtually and share experiences of agroecology in different environmental and cultural conditions, to define problems in common, and to look for solutions to challenges regarding Indigenous food sovereignty. Agroecology refers to a range of agricultural practices that alongside food production enhance biodiversity. Land is Life’s approach to agroecology highlights its cultural and social aspects – agroecological processes need to be defined by the communities themselves, based on their traditional knowledge, values, and local resources. Agroecology should serve as a methodology to strengthen Indigenous rights by having communities exercise self-determination over what they eat and how it is produced. The first workshop focused on the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. It brought together representatives from Indigenous organizations from across seven African countries to discuss opportunities, challenges, needs, and existing practices regarding agroecology in the region. According to Samuel Ndobe from Cameroon, “agroecology used to be something that our great-grandparents practiced, before being colonized and introduced to monocultures and high input agriculture.” Today, it is generally viewed as a backward and unproductive practice, and thus suffers from a lack of political support and funding. The most pressing needs defined by the participants were improved access to land, community-led initiatives, water harvesting and storage systems, Indigenous seed banks, access to markets, as well as research and education on agroecological farming. In the second workshop, experiences and thoughts were shared between participants from Sub-Saharan Africa and Mesoamerica. Three Miskitu representatives from Karata Indigenous Territory in Nicaragua, shared their experiences of agroecological restoration. The restoration process started after two powerful hurricanes hit Central America in late 2020 and destroyed the entire food system of Karata, based on ancestral fishery and agroforestry. Land is Life initiated the restoration process in 2021 by providing two Miskitu communities with tools to develop agro-ecological restoration strategies based on their own governance systems. The team has since promoted an agroecological ordering plan, as well as recovery practices for genetic material for traditional use in agroforestry crops in both Miskitu communities. The two hurricanes are not single events but examples of natural disasters that are becoming increasingly more common due to intensifying climate change – a major threat to food security shared by the participants from Mesoamerica and Sub-Saharan Africa. Several participants pointed out the potential of agroecology as a tool to mitigate, as well as adapt to climate change. Crop diversity, for example, adds to carbon sequestration, water regulation, pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility, subsequently mitigating the adverse effects of the climate crisis. Leonida Odongo from Haki Nawiri Afrika, Kenya, encouraged people to begin with taking a close look at the soil, as a healthy soil forms the base for sustainable food production. She also shed light on agroecology as a tool for women’s empowerment. It tends to be men who have control over the resources even though the majority of food producers in Sub-Saharan Africa are women. Many voices from the two regions highlighted the role of agroecology not only as a set of practices but also as a global movement that unites Indigenous food producers around the world. It has the potential to act as a tool to fight common struggles that Indigenous peoples and their food systems are facing globally. We thank all those who joined and participated in these exchanges, and we look forward to partnering in future discussions around increasing food sovereignty. Land is Life hopes to replicate its Mesoamerica strategy to build out approaches to promote food system resilience across our Sub-Saharan network.
Snowchange Cooperative supports Indigenous rights and restores damaged landscapes
Along with welcoming a new year, we would like to share a glimpse of the work of Land is Life’s close partner in the Arctic and Boreal regions, Snowchange Cooperative, a nonprofit based in Finland. Snowchange is a network of Indigenous and local communities that is devoted to advancing traditional knowledge and livelihoods in policy-making and practice. In 2019, Land is Life and Snowchange joined forces to expand our Indigenous-led grantmaking initiative to the Arctic region. The collaboration has led to carrying out 15 Indigenous-led projects in the Arctic, ranging from traditional knowledge mapping to strengthening food sovereignty. In addition, Land is Life has supported the conservation of Kivisuo, a large intact peatland, biodiversity hotspot and carbon sink, and the restoration of Kissapuro brook, that are both part of Snowchange’s Landscape Rewilding Program. The community-based program conserves intact ecosystems and restores habitats that have been disturbed by industrial land use, such as peat mining, forestry, and hydropower. In 2021 the Rewilding Program reached its scope to 55 sites, covering more than 31,000 hectares. One of the key areas of the program is the Njauddâm River Watershed, a cross-border basin in northern Finland and Norway. It is home to the Skolt Sámi, a small Indigenous group belonging to the Sámi Peoples, who practice traditional fishing and reindeer herding in the borderland between present-day Finland, Russia, and Norway. The Njauddâm River is an important Atlantic salmon river with whom the Skolts have a deep relationship, consisting of fishing, oral histories, handicrafts, songs, and language. However, the river and thus the Skolt Sámi ways of life are facing major threats, caused by climate change, salmon farming along Norway’s coast, releases from the nearby mining activities, as well as expanding tourism development. In 2011, to address these challenges, the Skolt Sámi collaborated with Snowchange to launch the Njauddâm River Collaborative Management Plan, first of its kind in Finland. A decade of work has resulted in large-scale ecological restoration, documentation of Indigenous observations of climate and biodiversity impacts, documentation of traditional land use and culture, scientific research on climate and biodiversity changes, as well as development of new management and governance models of the basin. In 2021, the first-ever microplastics survey was conducted in the region with alarming results. Additionally, Ruʹvddvääʹrr, a large Skolt Sámi Indigenous forest with recovering habitats and ecological and cultural value, was safeguarded with the Rewilding Program. Community-led restoration and conservation are empowering practices of crucial importance as they pave the way towards a growing recognition of land rights, Indigenous self-determination, and a more equitable governance of natural resources where traditional livelihoods are allowed to thrive in healthy landscapes. Skolt Sámi Elder Vladimir Feodoroff cleaning a freshly caught grayling by Njauddâm River. Skolt Sámi fisherman Juha Feodoroff and a seasonal helping hand (on the right) seining for whitefish on Lake Jänisjärvi.
Partner Highlight: Snowchange Cooperative’s Rewilding Program supports Indigenous rights and restores damaged landscapes
Along with welcoming a new year, we would like to share a glimpse of the work of Land is Life’s close partner in the Arctic and Boreal regions, Snowchange Cooperative, a nonprofit based in Finland. Snowchange is a network of Indigenous and local communities that is devoted to advancing traditional knowledge and livelihoods in policy-making and practice. In 2019, Land is Life and Snowchange joined forces to expand our Indigenous-led grantmaking initiative to the Arctic region. The collaboration has led to carrying out 15 Indigenous-led projects in the Arctic, ranging from traditional knowledge mapping to strengthening food sovereignty. In addition, Land is Life has supported the conservation of Kivisuo, a large intact peatland, biodiversity hotspot and carbon sink, and the restoration of Kissapuro brook, that are both part of Snowchange’s Landscape Rewilding Program. The community-based program conserves intact ecosystems and restores habitats that have been disturbed by industrial land use, such as peat mining, forestry, and hydropower. In 2021 the Rewilding Program reached its scope to 55 sites, covering more than 31,000 hectares. One of the key areas of the program is the Njauddâm River Watershed, a cross-border basin in northern Finland and Norway. It is home to the Skolt Sámi, a small Indigenous group belonging to the Sámi Peoples, who practice traditional fishing and reindeer herding in the borderland between present-day Finland, Russia, and Norway. The Njauddâm River is an important Atlantic salmon river with whom the Skolts have a deep relationship, consisting of fishing, oral histories, handicrafts, songs, and language. However, the river and thus the Skolt Sámi ways of life are facing major threats, caused by climate change, salmon farming along Norway’s coast, releases from the nearby mining activities, as well as expanding tourism development. In 2011, to address these challenges, the Skolt Sámi collaborated with Snowchange to launch the Njauddâm River Collaborative Management Plan, first of its kind in Finland. A decade of work has resulted in large-scale ecological restoration, documentation of Indigenous observations of climate and biodiversity impacts, documentation of traditional land use and culture, scientific research on climate and biodiversity changes, as well as development of new management and governance models of the basin. In 2021, the first-ever microplastics survey was conducted in the region with alarming results. Additionally, Ruʹvddvääʹrr, a large Skolt Sámi Indigenous forest with recovering habitats and ecological and cultural value, was safeguarded with the Rewilding Program. Community-led restoration and conservation are empowering practices of crucial importance as they pave the way towards a growing recognition of land rights, Indigenous self-determination, and a more equitable governance of natural resources where traditional livelihoods are allowed to thrive in healthy landscapes.
Annual Meeting of the International Working Group of Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact – GTI PIACI
The International Working Group of Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact (GTI-PIACI), is an international working group made up by indigenous organizations and non-governmental organizations who are committed with the protection, defense and promotion of the rights of these peoples, in the Amazon and the Gran Chaco. At the October 2019 Lima Convening that established the Working Group, Land is Life was unanimously chosen by the 21 Indigenous organizations to act as the Secretariat of the GTI-PIACI. Dear allies & friends, Between the 8th and 11th of December in Panama City, delegates from 15 Indigenous organizations and NGOs from 7 countries got together to discuss the protection of Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation (PIACI) in the Amazon, Brazilian Cerrado, and Gran Chaco regions. After two years of challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected many Indigenous territories, leaders, and institutions, we were able to hold our annual meeting to establish a work plan for the upcoming years and to share updates on the national and regional situations regarding the protection of the lives and territories of Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. There is still a lot to be done to improve the state of protection of PIACI. Various threats are deepening the vulnerability of Indigenous territories, as revealed in the meeting’s presentations from each country. The expanding drug trade and illegal mining remain a constant threat across the Amazon region. Increasing deforestation and wildfires are destroying the forests, which for the Ayoreo, who inhabit the Gran Chaco between Bolivia and Paraguay, has immensely limited their living conditions and poses growing concerns to their livelihood. As the GTI-PIACI, we collectively were able to achieve the following during the four-day meeting: We identified the importance of a methodology for protection, including territorial, cultural and technological aspects, as well as confirmation from Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. The methodology will be unique to each region. We recognized the possibilities and limitations of national and international legal frameworks in developing strategies for protection in each country, as well as in international human rights systems. We conducted learning sessions with experts on newly developed resources that provide us with a more comprehensive understanding of areas of destruction from deforestation, including its impacts and damages. We agreed upon establishing a system of early warnings regarding development plans and projects that are threatening areas where presence of Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation has been identified. With this, as the Secretariat for the GTI-PIACI, we want to thank all the Indigenous leaders for their participation and dedicated work for the protection of Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. The collaborative nature of our Working Group allows us to be strategic with our efforts towards protecting all those who live in voluntary isolation. In solidarity, Land is Life, The Secretariat of the GTI-PIACI