Over 700 Indigenous Peoples Attend 6th World Indigenous Day In Tenom
KOTA KINABALU, Aug 9 (Bernama) — The Murut Cultural Centre was filled with over 700 Orang Asal in colourful traditional costumes from all over Malaysia as they gather for the four-day World’s Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in Tenom, near here, starting today.
Since 1994, the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (PHOAS) has been observed on Aug 9 annually to promote the protection of the rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.
The celebration, officiated by Sabah Murut Association (SMA) vice president Senator Datuk Dr. Lucas Umbul, was followed by cultural performances, traditional games competition, a youth jamboree and sale of traditional food and crafts.
“The PHOAS theme for Malaysia, ‘Uplifting Indigenous Peoples Customary Institution’ is chosen because customary institutions have long maintained distinct social, economic and political systems of indigenous peoples, which is crucial for our identity and harmonious existence,” said General of the Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS) secretary Mary Giun, in a statement here.
She said the customary law guaranteed the sustainable use of land in a way that was beneficial to Orang Asal as well as the environment.
This grassroot celebration was organised annually by JOAS since 2008 with each region, Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia taking turns as host, she said.
She said this year’s event was possible with the collaboration of local village host organisations that spent the last four months preparing to welcome fellow Orang Asal and visitors.
Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, the European Union (EU) paid tribute to the indigenous people whose tradition and culture had contributed enormously to the world’s cultural heritage.
In a statement issued in conjunction with the international day, EU spokesperson said that the indigenous people’s rights, as defined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), formed an integral part of the EU’s human right policy.
“We continue our engagement in the discussions and we support the participation of indigenous peoples’ delegates aiming to translate the UNDRIP into concrete action and changes on the ground.
“We also note the importance of the engagement of indigenous peoples in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda,” the spokesperson said in the statement, released by the Delegation to the European Union to Malaysia.
— BERNAMA
Source: Berita Wilayah
