15/07/2026
The 19th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)
13-17 July, 2026
Geneva, Switzerland
Indigenous Peoples' Sovereignty Amidst Conflict: Addressing Resource Militarization and Land Rights in Asia
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
Presented by Jagat Baram, Executive Council Member of AIPP
Distinguished representatives of Indigenous Peoples, esteemed delegates, and colleagues,
Namaste in my national language & Good afternoon,
Across Asia, Indigenous Peoples continue to face conflicts that are deeply rooted in the struggle over land, territories, natural resources, and the fundamental right to self-determination. These conflicts are not isolated incidents. They are often intensified by the militarization of Indigenous territories to facilitate large-scale extractive industries, infrastructure development, and even projects promoted under the banner of green development or conservation.
While these initiatives are frequently presented as pathways to national progress or climate action, too often they result in the displacement of Indigenous communities, the erosion of customary governance systems, and violations of internationally recognized human rights. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved if the underlying causes of conflict remain unaddressed.
As the Expert Mechanism prepares its 2026 thematic study, we urge the international community to recognize that lasting peace must begin with justice. This means respecting Indigenous Peoples' collective rights to lands, territories, and resources, recognizing their right to self-determination, and ensuring the full and effective implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all development, reconstruction, conservation, and peacebuilding initiatives.
In the context of Nepal, there is Indigenous Nationalities Act 2002 and Indigenous Commission 2019; but now, government trying to dissolve those laws so we are fighting to stop it, while the Indigenous Peoples of Nepal have long been advocating for the recognition of their identity and the protection of their rights, the state has responded by using military force to brutally suppress these Indigenous movements. When Indigenous communities have urged the government to ensure that hydropower projects, transmission lines, and other development initiatives proceed only after obtaining their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the government has repeatedly deployed the Military and police to carry out violent attacks against them.
The memories of these acts of repression remain, during peaceful demonstrations against such state violence, security forces opened fire on Indigenous protesters, killing our Indigenous activists—tragedies that can never be forgotten. Likewise, when Indigenous people entered forests to collect forest products for their livelihoods, military reportedly assaulted them with r***e butts and military boots, inflicting severe suffering and, in some cases, causing the deaths of Indigenous men and women. These incidents have deeply traumatized our communities.
Similarly, even when the Supreme Court issued an instructive order in the government's name to implement Article 56 of the Constitution of Nepal and create an Autonomous Territory for the Baram indigenous peoples, we indigenous people have been subjected to injustice because the government did not implement the Supreme Court's order too.
Therefore, through today's panel discussion, I would like, as an Indigenous activist and representative from Nepal, to respectfully urge, through AIPP, in this EMRIP session, that the Government of Nepal put an end to such repression, implement ILO Convention No. 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and ensure the full realization and protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Our first objective is to demonstrate the close relationship between militarization and the weakening of Indigenous customary governance systems. Indigenous institutions have long provided effective mechanisms for managing land, resolving disputes, and maintaining peace within communities. However, increased military presence and externally imposed governance structures often undermine these systems, limiting Indigenous Peoples' ability to exercise their rights and protect their territories.
Second, we call for the recognition and inclusion of Indigenous-led conflict resolution mechanisms within national peacebuilding and peace processes. Indigenous customary laws and governance systems have successfully maintained social harmony for generations. These systems should not be viewed as alternatives to formal institutions, but as essential partners in building inclusive and sustainable peace.
Third, we emphasize the urgent need to strengthen the protection of Indigenous Peoples' Human Rights Defenders. Across Asia, Indigenous leaders, indigenous peoples human rights & environmental defenders, women, and youth continue to face intimidation, criminalization, surveillance, arbitrary detention, and violence for peacefully defending their lands and communities. Protecting these defenders is not only a human rights obligation but also a prerequisite for meaningful dialogue and conflict prevention.
Finally, we highlight the growing importance of Indigenous data sovereignty and digital security. In conflict-affected areas, digital technologies can serve as powerful tools for documenting human rights violations, preserving Indigenous knowledge, and supporting accountability. At the same time, increased surveillance and digital insecurity place Indigenous communities and defenders at greater risk. Indigenous Peoples must have control over how their data is collected, managed, protected, and used.
Our discussion also draws attention to three emerging issues. First, the phenomenon of "green dispossession," where conservation or climate-related projects become militarized and lead to the exclusion of Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral lands. Second, the importance of protecting digital democracy and ensuring that technology strengthens rather than undermines Indigenous rights. Third, the need for transitional justice processes that recognize Indigenous customary laws and governance systems as legitimate foundations for reconciliation and peace.
Through this discussion, we hope to contribute practical, Asia-specific recommendations to the EMRIP 2026 thematic study. We also seek to raise international awareness of the realities faced by Indigenous Peoples living in conflict-affected areas and to strengthen engagement between Indigenous leaders, United Nations mechanisms, and Member States.
In closing, peace cannot be imposed through militarization, nor can development be sustained through dispossession. Genuine peace is built upon justice, respect for human rights, and recognition of Indigenous Peoples as equal partners in shaping their own futures.
We therefore call upon Member States, United Nations agencies, and all stakeholders to work alongside Indigenous Peoples in protecting their lands, respecting their governance systems, safeguarding their defenders, and ensuring that peacebuilding efforts fully uphold Indigenous rights.
Thank you.
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact
Asia Indigenous Youth Platform - AIYP
Nuwakot Nefin
Resham Gurung
Indigenous Knowledge and Peoples of Asia-IKPA
IPAS Fund
Pawanka Fund
Luchie Maranan
