NPMHR to celebrate UN Day
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, August 07 2014:
Along with the rest of the world, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) shall celebrate the United Nations International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9 at 11 am, at Tati Hall, Dimori Cove, Kigwema, Kohima in Nagaland.
The NPMHR said indigenous peoples of the world constitute about 370 million which is only about 5% of the world's 7 billion population out of which 70% of them live in Asia including the Nagas.
However, indigenous peoples still constitute 15% of the world's poorest of the poor.
As the last custodians of our mother earth, indigenous peoples are at their most vulnerable stage today making mankind's future, which existed in perfect equilibrium, stand at its most crucial stage.
Beginning with colonialism and imperialism, the exploitation of natural resources has not only dominated human civilization but have also largely contributed to the total displacement and destruction of many human communities.
Today, the cultural practices and traditional control over land, territories, and its resources stand threatened in the name of development and modernization, it added.
"It is a historical aberration that indigenous peoples continue to live and co-habit regions which are also reservoir to some of the world's richest natural resources.
Nagas, like many indigenous peoples of the world, are faced with many common issues like natural gas and oil, land resources, mineral resources, forest resources and its products, etc.
to constitute some of the biggest challenges in recent times.
Whether it is over matters of control, equitable access and benefit sharing, or sustainable use � have the dangerous potential of completely destroying the social and cultural fabric of our society," the NPMHR said.