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APIYN release

HUNGDUAN, Ifugao — The Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network (APIYN) and Insight Share in partnership with Ifugao Research and Development Center (IRDC) produced “Lives in the Forest”, a participatory video (PV) on indigenous perspective on Reduce Emission through Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) mechanism and traditional forest management.

The said video is a result of the Participatory Video Training for indigenous peoples (IP) youth facilitators in Hungduan, Ifugao on November 10-20, 2010.

Ivan Torafing, secretary general of the APIYN said the activity was attended by 18 participants from 15 different indigenous communities in eight different countries. He said the PV training aimed to equip the participants with video skills like capturing a good view, interview techniques, and video editing. He added that the youth also learned to maximize Youtube, Facebook and other similar websites.

Torafing said the training will help the IP youth in informing and educating the wider public about the issues on climate change and problems their communities are confronting.

In the said video, the participants reiterated their opposition to REDD and asserted that indigenous environment preservation practices are still the best solutions to climate change.

REDD is a market-based solution to climate change introduce by the first world countries.

Meenakshi Munda, chairperson of APIYN stressed that IPs have sustained their forests for generations through their traditional knowledge. “Forget REDD, listen to IPs for the protection of the environment,” she stressed.

The traditional forest management practice of the Tuwali of Ifugao maintaining the muyong (communal forest) is similar to the other IPs worldwide. Just like their IP brothers and sisters, the Tuwali protect the muyong from deforestation to ensure food and water supply.

“Our daily lives revolve around tilling our land and protecting our muyong,” Donato Bitog, a Tuwali of Hungduan, Ifugao said. “We do not need REDD to protect our muyong,” he added.

IP representatives from Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, India and Bangladesh shared how they lost their lands and forests due to their governments’ implementation of these market-based solutions to climate change.

Insee Kampeerapanyakul from Chiangmai, Thailand said their government forced them out of their territories and took away their forest. “We have no home after the government forced us out. We are prohibited to enter the forest to get food and water,” he added.

He pointed out that his people have lived in the forest for generations. He added that his people protected the forest because it is the source of food and water.

“The government was not able to protect and preserve our forest, since they do not love, care or even live in them. But we can still save them,” he said.

Gareth Benest of InsightShare, a London-based group expert in PV, together with Keidy Transfiguracion of APIYN facilitated the said training.

The PV will be shown to the 16th Conference of Parties in Cancun, Mexico on November 29-December 10 this year. # nordis.net