During the General Assembly, young people continued preparing the Climate Rights Charter for Indigenous Youth of Rio Negro, which will be taken to COP 30 in Belém
*With collaboration from Rede Wayuri
Indigenous adolescents and young people, gathered in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM) for the 5th Elective General Assembly of the Department of Indigenous Adolescents and Young People of Rio Negro (Dajirn), reflected on the effects of the climate crisis and environmental racism felt and observed in one of the most preserved regions of Brazil: the Upper Rio Negro, in the northwest of the State of Amazonas.
Around 23 young people representing the coordination of associations from the upper Rio Negro and Xié (Caibarnx), the middle and lower Rio Negro (Caimbrn), the Iauaretê District (Coidi), the lower Tiquié, Uaupés and tributaries (Diawi'i), Baniwa and Koripako (Nadzoeri) and the headquarters of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira participated in the assembly, held between the 26rd and 100th of October.
The assembly is promoted by the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (Foirn).
Representatives of 24 ethnic groups from the five regional coordinators of the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (Foirn) reported the increase in heat that is hampering work on the farms, food insecurity caused by droughts and major floods, the lack of basic sanitation and access to treated water.
The meeting continues a path taken by young leaders in the region, together with the socio-environmental movement, to build the Climate Rights Charter for Indigenous Youth of Rio Negro.
The letter's main objective is to present the priority demands of the territories from the perspective of indigenous youth and promote dialogue with society, influence decision-making spaces and generate an impact at the UN Climate Conference in Belém (PA) in 2025 - COP 30 - a space where signatory countries negotiate agreements on climate change that directly affect the lives of local communities.
Indigenous peoples are among the populations that contribute the least to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world, they are those who contribute the most to the preservation of forests and rivers, but they are among the populations that are most impacted by the effects of the climate crisis, exposing environmental racism and climate injustices, concepts and agendas that are often distant from the territories.
For an ideal future in communities
The priority thematic axes defined by the young people during the meeting were: 1. waste management; 2. food security; 3. health; 4. safety to act in defense of communities and the environment; preservation of culture, generational dialogue, indigenous knowledge and wisdom in dialogue with science; 5. environmental policy on the agenda of state and municipal governments.
Based on their experiences and observations of the local and global context, the young people highlighted that indigenous populations, riverside communities, women, children and the elderly are the groups most affected by climate change in the world. “The rich won’t be affected, right, because they have technology. They pollute, but those who are affected are us, the riverside communities, the favela dwellers, and especially us indigenous people,” observes Osvaldo Cardoso da Silva, from the Baniwa people, Nadzoeri coordinator.
Phenomena such as excessive heat, unseasonal summers, floods and uncontrolled droughts were the most mentioned impacts. “With longer droughts and heavy rains in unexpected periods, this affects local agriculture, making cultivation and food security difficult, since many communities depend on agriculture,” reported Caimbrn representatives Mariete and Francicleia, from the Baré people.
“This is an imbalance that is not natural, it is caused by predatory activity, and it is a reality that we are living in,” said João Alex, from the Yanomami people, member of the Caimbrn delegation.
In the exercise of imagining what an ideal future would be like for their communities, access to treated water, quality healthcare and renewable energy sources were some of the points presented, in addition to the collection and proper disposal of waste, basic sanitation and investment in technologies and alternatives for generating income that respect the communities' ways of life, their cultures and the environment.
“More health and well-being for all. Imagine a community free from disease and with clean water and basic sanitation. May indigenous culture and tradition be preserved and celebrated. Imagine a community proud of its history and identity, passing on its values to future generations,” said a representative from the headquarters.
Based on the discussions and the collection of ideas presented by the assembly's working groups, Dajirn's leaders will move on to the stage of writing the Climate Rights Charter, which also includes returning the text to the territories for review and approval by the communities and associations until reaching its final version to be presented at COP 30.
'For the new generations'
Jucimery Teixeira Garcia, from the Tariano people, was elected the new coordinator of the Department of Indigenous Adolescents and Youth of FOIRN for the next four years. Representing the associations of the Iauaretê District, she was moved to thank the votes of confidence from her family, the community and the adolescents and youth present at the assembly.
“I want you, the youth, to always be active with me, so that we can join forces,” she said, reinforcing the desire for recognition of young voices both in the territories and abroad.
In his speech, Jucimery recalled that the work he does at the head of the department, in addition to strengthening the self-esteem of young people, is also for the next generations. “We also have to work for those who are coming, for our children, for our brothers, our cousins, and even future children too,” he concluded.
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