Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, the Private Sector and Development a Capacity Building

Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, the Private Sector and Development – A Capacity Building Program for Civil Society

Malaysia. February –March, 2017

Participant Biographies

BANGLADESH

Mr Gabriel Tripura – Executive Director KOTHOWAIN

Mr Tripura is the founder and current Executive Director of Kothowain, a vulnerable peoples’ development organisation. The organisation aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of Indigenous peoples in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, who face extreme poverty, low literacy rates, social and political conflict and a high incidence of human rights violations. He also works as a social development worker and has been involved in implementing various community development programs individually and through local NGO partnerships.

Mr Mithun Kumar Urao – Assistant Advocacy Officer. Maleya Foundation

Mr Urao is an Assistant Advocacy Officer at Maleya, raising awareness about Indigenous Peoples’ rights among networks, organisations and different levels of government. Maleya Foundation works to build up capacity in human rights issues and carries out advocacy at local, national and international levels, particularly for Indigenous Peoples’ development, human rights, gender justice and climate change. Mr Urao is also an organiser and activist in Jatiya Adivasi Parishad (JAP), an Indigenous peoples’ organisation focused on land rights of Indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. He is also a student leader and the General Secretary of the Indigenous Students Council in Bangladesh

Rani Yan Yan – Advisor. The Chakma Circle

Ms Yan is currently an advisor to the Chakma Circle, a traditional administrative and judicial institution of the Indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. The CC works to defend and protect the human rights of Indigenous people through various activities in collaboration with local, national and regional human rights organisations, civil society and traditional leaders. Rani Yan Yan particularly focuses on equal rights and representation of women, and lobbying about violence against women and justice in traditional communities.

CAMBODIA

Mr Vuthy Sem – Activist, Earth Rights International (ERI) Mekong School

Mr Sem is currently a student at ERI Mekong School, focussing on human rights advocacy. ERI is a non-profit NGO that combines the power of the law and the power of people in defence of human and earth rights. Vuthy has worked as a community organiser, providing legal training on land law, Indigenous peoples rights, human rights and forest conservation as part of the campaign to protect the Preylang forest. He is committed to supporting Indigenous communities in Cambodia struggling with human rights violations especially related to land grabbing, mining and dam building.

Samrith Vaing – Project Officer, Cambodia Indigenous Peoples Organisation (CIPO)

Mr Vaing is currently a Project Officer at CIPO. CIPO is a non-profit, non-government organisation that works to promote social welfare and the traditional culture of the Indigenous peoples in Cambodia. Samrith’s work is focused on land security and Indigenous peoples rights and he facilitates capacity building on land law and Indigenous peoples rights and he provides technical assistance with complaints related to land grabbing and land conflicts.

INDIA

Chaoba Sharma Takhenchangbam- Chief Functionary, Peoples Foundation

Mr Takhenchangbam is the Secretary and Chief Functionary at Peoples Foundation, a non-profit organisation working on issues of peace building, human rights and sustainable development. The organisation aims to promote a culture of understanding and appreciation for the diverse cultures and ethnicities in Manipur State. Chaoba’s role includes research and campaign advocacy related to mega development initiatives such as the Mapithel dam constrictions and oil exploration and drilling in Manipur. He is involved in community mobilisation and providing technical support for grass roots organisations.

Solemwon Ramson- Member, Naga Women’s Union (NWU)

Ms Ramson is a member of NWU, an organisation that works with the villages to create awareness of Indigenous people’s rights and provide leadership training for Indigenous people especially women. Solemwon is an active member of the regional capacity building program and she hopes that by attending this training she will gain more knowledge about the international mechanisms available for defending Indigenous peoples rights and learn from the experience of other regional participants.

INDONESIA

Pinarsita Juliana – Coordinator of the Media and Campaign Division at Justice and Peace Integrity of Creation Kalimantan (JPIC)

Ms Pinarsita is the Coordinator of the Media and Campaign Division JPIC Kalimantan. The organisation works on issues of human rights and ecology, with a focus on community development, training and advocacy for Indigenous peoples’ rights. Ms Pinarsita is responsible for documenting the struggles of Indigenous communities in Central Kalimantan. Her films are used to increase awareness within the local government of the human rights violations occurring in these communities as well helping to unite these communities.

Rosmina Marice Ribka Windesi – Staff Member, Alliance of Democracy for Papua (ADP)

Ms Windesi works for ADP an organisation set up to provide minority Indigenous peoples with access to justice and empowerment. Her role at ADP includes community training and consultation, data maintenance and liaising with other NGOs working on human rights. Rosmina participated in community data collection for The Asia Foundation and has been involved in assisting Papuan political prisoners.

Agustinus Mahuze – Member, Menggey Merauke

Mr Mahuze is a member of Menggey Merauke in Papua, advocating for the rights of Indigenous people and the preservation of ethnic languages in Papua. Agustinus is the assistant researcher documenting the ethnic languages, Marori and Kanum. He also works at a health vocational college where he teaches nursing, pharmacy and analysis and counsels students in problemsolving .

Januarius Lagowan – General Secretary, Asosiasi Mahasiswa Pegunungan Tengah Papua se Indonesia / Chief, Papuan Movement of Catholic Student

Mr Lagowan is a Papuan activist working to promote and protect Papuan basic rights and Papuan Indigenous rights including the right to self-determination. He organises Papuan students and the Papuan Movement of Catholic students to build support for advocacy on human rights issues in Papua.

MALAYSIA

Albert Bansa – Media Coordinator, Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (JOAS)

Mr Bansa is the Media Coordinator at JOAS, the umbrella network for 21 community-based non-government organisations. JOAS’ main focus is Indigenous rights and advocacy, representing communities locally, regionally and internationally. Mr Bansa’s duties involve managing the organisation’s social media, web site publication, liaising with press and other media, documentation and the dissemination of information to JOAS members and the general public.

Ovieonna Cyril – Project Manager, Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (JOAS)

Ms. Cyril is currently a Project Manager at JOAS. JOAS promotes and defends the rights of Indigenous peoples including human rights, traditional knowledge and biodiversity, climate change, media advocacy, capacity building, women and youth and forest and protected areas. Ovieonna coordinates and manages the Sabah projects. Her role includes mobilising support, technical and otherwise, from JOAS members and other stakeholders in order to successfully implement projects. She also facilitates the youth network

Hetly Bohon – Community Mapping Coordinator, Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (JOAS)

Mr. Bohon is the Community Mapping Coordinator at JOAS. JOAS is Malaysia’s leading non-government organisation, working for the recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples. Hetly collects the data from communities and using mapping software develops community maps. Tracking and mapping their land is very important for communities facing pressure from developers.

Beverly Joeman - Secretariat Director, Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (JOAS)

Ms Joeman is the Secretariat Director at JOAS, an organisation advocating for Indigenous rights and sustainable development in Malaysia. Beverly oversees the operations of the JOAS secretariat office in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. She manages the staff and volunteers, the financial and administrative operations of the offices, assisting the JOAS committees in achieving their goals and programmes.

Kinilius Sadampal (TG) – Area Base Coordinator, Partners of Community Organisation (PACOS) Trust

Mr Sadampal is the Area Base Coordinator at PACOS Trust , a community-based organisation dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities in Sabah, Malaysia. His role is one of bridging community and office. He monitors and collects data on projects in the community, the community learning centre and people’s organisations and provides communication training with the community as part of PACOS Trusts’ Land Rights and Resource Management advocacy. Kinilius also coordinates the Human Rights Run (HRR).

Irene Mositol – Supervisor and Trainer, Partners of Community Organisation (PACOS) Trust

Ms Mositol is the Kivatu Nature Farm (KNF) Supervisor and trainer at PACOS Trust, a community-based organisation dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities in Sabah, Malaysia. PACOS supports a network of Indigenous organisations that are fighting for ancestral land claims and their natural resources, acting as an intermediary between these community organisations and foreign entities. Ms. Irene supervises the activities at Kivatu Nature Farm including the nature farming training and involvement of interns, visitors and volunteers. She is also a committee member of the Human Rights Run (HRR).

Sinimis Angelica Suimin (Angie) – Consultant, Sustainability and Grassroot Empowerment Consultancy

Ms Suimin works as a Social and Rural Community Development Consultant at Sustainability and Grassroot Empowerment Consultancy, dealing with forest conflict mediation between industry and Indigenous peoples of rural Sabah. She advocates for transparent land dealings and conducts participatory mapping in order to ensure the fair participation of the Indigenous communities to voice their concerns and rights over traditional territories in Benkoka Peninsular. Ms Suimin is also the Secretary General for the North Borneo Herbal Growers and Practitioners in Sabah, where she advocates on behalf of Indigenous peoples as herbal practitioners and their traditional practices.

MYANMAR

Aye Myant Su Kyaw-Executive Director, Manaung Networking Group.

Ms Myant Su Kyaw works with two organisations focused on Indigenous people and their rights. She is the Director of Irrawaddy and Rakhine Indigenous Protect (IRIP) and youth development project coordinator at Arakan National Network (ANN). With IRIP she organises youth meetings and youth development activities and with ANN she liaises with other NGOs for trainings in Rakhine State and advocates on human rights issues, such as land grabbing, with political leaders and regional ministers.

NEPAL

Mr Raju Bikram Rai – Project Coordinator, NGO – Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities (NGO-FONIN)

Mr Rai is currently working as project coordinator with NGO-FONIN, an umbrella organisation of Indigenous people’s organisations formed to promote and protect the basic rights of Indigenous people nationally. He is working on their project “Building the Resiliency of Indigenous Communities on Climate Change Adaptation”. His role involves coordinating and facilitating advocacy with governments, facilitating networking and alliance building and capacity building with member organisations including on UNDRIP and FPIC

Laxmi Gurung – President, Indigenous Women League Nepal (IWL)

Ms Gurung is the President of IWL, an organisation that lobbies and advocates for the human rights of Nepalese women, particularly Indigenous women. Her role includes facilitating training human rights trainings on issues such as on food rights, gender and social inclusion, climate change and customary law and advocacy for human rights such as the right to food for Indigenous women and children. Ms Gurung is a founding member and Board Secretary of Nepal Gurung (Tamu) Women Association, an NGO promoting the welfare and rights of Indigenous Gurung women. She has also worked as a researcher, trainer and as an Indigenous women activist for several years in Nepal.

PHILIPPINES

Ms Czarina Golda Musni - Project Officer Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP-NMR) Inc/ Indigenous Peoples

Ms Musni is a pro bono lawyer and currently a Project Officer of the ‘Healing the Hurt’ project with RMP-NMR. The aim of the project is to combat discrimination, human rights violations and impunity against the Indigenous peoples (‘Lumad’) of Mindanao, Philippines. Czarina role focuses on building the capacity of Indigenous communities to monitor, document and report human rights violations. She works with the leaders of community organisations and traditional structures to enable them to lead their communities in campaigning against land grabbing and violations of civil and political rights.

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