9/22/2018
Indigenous Peoples Present their Community Protocols to the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak – ICCA Consortium
Most recently, from 10-11 April 2018, PACOS Trust organised an advocacy skills
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for representatives of the five communities.
The workshop
aimed to improve
the knowledge, capacity and understanding of the communities in negotiation
processes, particularly in effective advocacy and presentation of community views to
build mutual understanding and resolve conflict, and also to strengthen their
awareness of the importance of traditional leadership and governance. Through an
innovative “Advocacy Market” format, community participants were exposed to various
advocacy skills ranging from artistic expressions through mainstream and social
media, film, photography, and story-telling to more formal channels such as forums,
petitions, mediation and litigation by individuals with expertise and experience in
each field.
A highlight of the workshop was the keynote speech by the Chief Judge of Sabah and
Sarawak, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum. Tan Sri Malanjum
emphasised the importance of Indigenous peoples securing their territories and
retaining their cultures and adat (customs) as without adat, they will lose their
identity. He also reminded the communities that even though they are up against
powerful forces, they should stay strong and united in negotiations with external
stakeholders.
Another highlight of the workshop was the five communities’ presentation of their
community protocols to Tan Sri Malanjum and to the chairman of the Native Laws,
Materials and Cases Committee, Datuk Douglas Cristo Primus Sikayun (also a recently
retired High Court Judge of Sabah and Sarawak), who had together written and
officially signed a foreword for the protocols. A few government officers and native
chiefs were also in attendance for these presentations. The communities spoke about
their traditional customs and practices as well as their challenges and hopes for the
governance and management of their territories and natural resources before
presenting the signed copies of their protocols to Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and Datuk
Douglas Cristo Primus Sikayun.
The second day of the workshop opened with a presentation by a native lawyer on
mediation as an important form of alternative dispute resolution. The community
participants took part in a mediation role play activity to put their negotiation skills
into practice and to better understand how a mediation process involves multiple
rights-holder and stakeholder perspectives, including company managers,
government officers and community leaders, youths and elders. At the end of the
workshop, participants developed plans and strategies for engaging with stakeholders,
especially politicians and political candidates as Malaysia’s 14th General Election draws
near.
https://www.iccaconsortium.org/index.php/2018/04/10/indigenous-peoples-present-their-community-protocols-to-the-chief-judge-of-sabah-and-sar…
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