International Conference on Conflict Resolution, Peace-building, Sustainable Development and Indigenous Peoples

December 6 - 8, 2000,  Metro Manila, Philippines

Introduction

Many of the social conflicts that transpired all over the world in recent years have an ethnic dimension. The key actors involved are the indigenous peoples, nation-states, and multinational corporations/transnational corporations and liberation movements. 

The stakes are high on all camps. Indigenous peoples, on the basis of historical claims  clamor  for their rights to their ancestral territories and the resources therein, right to self-determination, identity and culture. Many nation-states see such demands as threats to national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Some multinational/transnational corporations argue that the assertion of these rights are obstacles to free trade and hamper free enterprise and impede profit maximization. 

These seemingly irreconcilable differences have led to  vicious cycles of conflict and conflict-resolution, warfare and peace building.

Several indigenous peoples especially from the developing world have been pushed to take up arms in defense of their ancestral territories against the nation-states and also against corporations involved in primary resource extraction. 

The effects of warfare are tremendous and far-reaching.  Women and children bear the worst impact of warfare.   Yet, women are not mere passive victims of conflicts. In many cases, they are also actual combatants or peace negotiators or mediators. These aspects of gender/women role in conflict resolution and peace-building need to be further explored.

Peace and development are two sides of the same coin.   Militarization begets armed opposition; violence leads to another violence. In the process, indigenous peoples' initiatives towards sustainable development are displaced, if not totally eroded or prevented.  

In  recent years there have been some peace accords negotiated by indigenous peoples themselves  or jointly with other revolutionary groups.  There are some similarities in the experiences of indigenous peoples in such situations but there are many distinct characteristics too.

Besides peace accords, there is also a need to to look into the conflict and negotiation processes between indigenous peoples and multinational corporations/transnational corporations. For example, the Memoranda of Agreement between indigenous peoples and mining corporation or a hydroelectric company, can be analyzed to see how indigenous concerns were considered and implemented.

While there have been  studies done on conflict resolution,  there is still  a  yawning gap between  research and policy  advocacy with regard to the issue.   Studies are  mostly  conducted by  social  scientists and so-called  conflict  resolution "experts"  with their  ready-made  categories and  prescriptions  for  peace-building.  The indigenous  peoples'   perspectives  are  usually  relegated to the background.

Tebtebba Foundation (Indigenous Peoples' International Center for Policy Research and Education) seeks to  recover and  give importance to  the indigenous voice.  It  takes the initiative to gather as many indigenous as well as non-indigenous scholars, peace activists and even ex-combatants to an "International Conference on Conflict Resolution, Peace-Building, Sustainable Development, and Indigenous Peoples"

Conference Themes

The conference will be organized  around the following themes:

Contact Information

Telephone

(63) 74 4439459/(63) 74 4447703

FAX

(63) 74 4439459

Postal address

P.O Box 1993, 2600 Baguio City, Philippines

E- mail

tebtebba@skyinet.net

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Last modified: October 11, 2000