Marginalization of Indigenous and vulnerable communities
It is estimated that there are about 260 million indigenous people in Asia. Although, Indigenous Peoples have unique, distinctive cultures, languages, legal systems and histories and share a strong connection to the environment and their territories, across Asia they are the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized people.
Like in other parts of the world, in Asia too, the Indigenous people face problems of widespread land confiscation, negative environmental, social, and health impacts, and threats to traditional and sustainable livelihoods. Removal and control over traditional lands and natural resources for development projects such as dams, eco parks and military bases in indigenous people’s territories is driving violent conflict and related human rights violations in several parts of Asia. Indigenous people and communities in Asia remain among the most persecuted of all minorities, facing discrimination not only on the basis of their religion and ethnicity but also because of their indigenous identity and their socio-economic status. Militarization, displacement, oppression and the struggle for their right to self-determination are issues faced by the Asian Indigenous Peoples.
A major challenge for Indigenous people is to see action from States to implement their international human rights commitments in national laws, policies and programs. The struggle of Indigenous people and other vulnerable ethnic and caste groups due to discrimination in various forms continue to be a pervasive phenomenon in different countries in Asia. Myanmar is still seeing serious human rights violations in different areas of the indigenous ethnic communities. Military offensives in Kachin and Northern Shan states, a lack of significant legislative and institutional reforms, and persecution of Muslim Rohingya in Arakan State are specific examples. The struggle of the Indigenous ethnic people in West Papua has a long history of their ongoing demands for their rights. The discriminated Dalits in India and other South Asian countries due to their caste identities and centuries old caste based discriminations deny their basic human rights and dignity. Though the world sees indigenous and vulnerable as disgraced and powerless, God is always present in the struggles of those unjustly pushed to the margins of society. God hears the cry of the oppressed and accompanies them in their journey towards liberation (Exodus 3:7-8). Marginalized people resist injustice and oppression in their own ways and through their struggles for life, justice and dignity and rights for themselves and for all, unveil the presence and power of God in their lives.
Keeping in view the increasing number of marginalized communities and their serious concerns, Asian Churches are called to accompany indigenous, Dalit and other vulnerable communities in their struggle for justice and equality and overcome the culture and practices that discriminate and dehumanize people and advocate for the dignity of life for all. Specific activities include ‘Advocacy on the Land Rights of Indigenous People’s in Asia and their struggle against land grabbing’ and ‘Advocacy for abolition of manual scavenging by Dalits and caste discrimination in India’.