International Day of the World's Indigenous People, 9th August

09th August 2016 marked “ten” years of Thailand signing United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), while last year 2015 Chulalongkorn University hosted the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People[1]. On different location, this year the international event was commemorated within a huge venue of Chiang Mai 700th Anniversary Stadium Sport Complex, Chiang Mai province with a distinguished participation from Chaing Mai’s vice governor, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and chiefs and representatives of about 37 indigenous people in Thailand.

The dormitory of 700 year stadium is chosen to hold hundreds people including indigenous people, journalists, government officials, academics, students and researchers in the field. The event is scheduled to last for the whole day, but I cannot make to the end due to my afternoon appointment with my professor. According to my half day observation, the event basically dedicates to raising awareness of Thailand’s Indigenous people and the beyond in addition with issues related to sustainable development and put on a round table for discussion.

In the wake of social progress and industrialization as well as globalization, issues are left behind after development and spread to the areas where indigenous people live. Common issues posted during the event lie on land crisis (land grabbing, land accumulation by local and international investments, and sacred land disturbance by investors), education marginalization, food security, exclusiveness of indigenous people by the local officials. Bad time never lasts forever while issues have been addressed by local NGOS in collaboration with the local government. Therefore our job as the next younger generation is to promote sustainable developments in less side affects on the local people. Policy makers have to do further research on the scale of negative effects of any development project in comparison between what to lose and what to gain.

Thank you for reading !

[1] Further reading at: http://aippnet.org/thailand-commemorates-international-day-of-the-world-s-indigenous-peoples/