A proposed law in Peru – Proyecto de Ley No. 3518/2022-CR – includes provisions that seek to change Peruvian law regarding the rights and the recognition of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (Pueblos Indígenas en Aislamiento y Contacto Inicial in Spanish (PIACI)). Many organizations, including the Asociación Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP), have raised serious concerns about the potential impacts of this proposed law.
AIDESEP sent a letter to the GCF Task Force Global Secretariat on May 31, 2023, regarding their concerns and statements attributed to the Regional Government of Loreto (a GCF Task Force member jurisdiction). AIDESEP’s letter referenced the important commitments and principles endorsed by all GCF Task Force member jurisdictions, which are critical commitments to engagement, rights recognition, and partnership between subnational governments and Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC).
The GCF Task Force’s subnational governmental partnerships also work through a regional committee in Peru, called Grupo Perú de Pueblos Indígenas del GCF Task Force (of which AIDESEP is a member), as well as a global IPLC committee. This type of governmental-IPLC collaboration is fundamental to the implementation of our Guiding Principles for Collaboration and Partnership between Subnational Governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, as well as to thoughtful, integrated action around indigenous rights, and we will continue to work through these committees.
The GCF Task Force Secretariat sent an initial response to AIDESEP’s communication on June 2, noting as follows:
“We share the concerns about any situation that could mean non-compliance with the commitments of the Rio Branco Declaration, the Guiding Principles for Collaboration and Partnership between Subnational Governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, the Manaus Action Plan, and the Declaration of San Martin. We are reviewing your request and look forward to responding to you as soon as possible.” (links added)
Immediately the following week, our Country Director in Peru, Fabiola Munoz, met with the Governor of Loreto, René Chávez, and with AIDESEP leaders during a summit in Iquitos. This summit was co-organized by the Mancomunidad Regional Amazonica, the Grupo Perú, the Regional Government of Loreto, the GCF Task Force, and others. During the dialogue facilitated by the GCF Task Force, AIDESEP leaders expressed their concerns over the controversial proposed law to the Governor of Loreto. The Governor publicly expressed his respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and his commitment to continue working for their benefit. He also ratified the importance of compliance with the Guiding Principles. See Attached for more details (in Spanish) on the outcomes of this meeting.
In addition to these actions, the GCF Task Force Secretariat sent a formal request to the Governor last week seeking further explanation. Our letter stressed that “non-compliance with GCF Task Force commitments, including especially the Guiding Principles, poses a serious risk to the network, to the reputation of our Governors and the work we do, and to the important relationships to which all GCF Task Force members are committed with respect to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”
As a global network, we work to support our 43 member jurisdictions and our partners as they strive to implement jurisdictional approaches to reduce deforestation, develop and strengthen partnerships, and promote sustainable economic development. We stress for our member jurisdictions the seriousness of their commitments within the GCF Task Force network and beyond, and the fundamental role of Indigenous Peoples within the regional and global GCF Task Force network. We will continue working to strengthen dialogue and partnership pursuant to our Guiding Principles.