First Indigenous Workshop on Information and Communication Technologies

The First Indigenous Workshop on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was held as part of a regional initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Government of Mexico, through its Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) and the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI), at Mexico City’s Palacio Postal, November 28-30, 2005, to facilitate and promote the implementation of ICTs among the indigenous communities of the Americas.  One hundred and fifty individuals, including indigenous representatives from 19 American and Caribbean countries, participated in this event.

Indigenous peoples are more marginalized than most other peoples of the Americas; the digital divide in their case is an alarming reflection of this. Therefore, the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) assigned particular priority to implementation of its objectives in the area of indigenous peoples and indicated the need to take account of cultural characteristics and the specific development needs of indigenous people in creating policies and projects involving them. Accordingly, the Rio de Janeiro Commitment of the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for WSIS Phase II sets forth the commitment of the Latin American and Caribbean countries to create programmes to meet the needs of indigenous peoples, with their close collaboration and involvement in the decision-making process.

It should be noted that despite the various indigenous meetings held during the preparations for WSIS Phase II, no elements were available for implementation of the aforementioned commitments, as a participatory scheme was lacking to involve indigenous stakeholders in project planning and execution.  In view of this, with the aim of more successful implementation by the ITU of the indigenous peoples initiative emanating from WTDC-2002 and the ITU regional project IsAP No. X7010205, research was conducted to identify the main indigenous players involved in the ICT area.  In addition, this workshop was held, with the following objectives:  to determine, from the indigenous peoples themselves, their needs and aspirations in the ICT area in order to establish a general vision of the indigenous peoples of the Hemisphere; promote the exchange of experiences and ways of incorporating ICTs; conclude agreements and define strategies to strengthen existing actions; and lay the groundwork for creating a portal for the implementation and exchange of indigenous telecommunication-related experiences in the Americas region.

The work of the three-day workshop was carried out in a spirit of open participation by indigenous representatives in decision-making, and constituted an event unprecedented in the Americas region.  Its outcomes may be summarized as follows:

1. Preliminary identification of a network of over 150 participants from different countries, comprising indigenous organizations, civil society organizations working in this area, and governmental and international entities providing support to indigenous programs and projects.  The network was made available to participants and is available via the Internet.

2. Definition of shared problems and areas of opportunity, as well as ways these might be addressed, wherein the lack of connectivity and the need for a digital territory for these peoples were underscored.  In addition, identification of action lines in accordance with the topics discussed in the panels.  These are indicated below.

3. Establishment of an indigenous committee to continue the workshop’s efforts and implement actions to ensure indigenous representation in this sector.

As indicated above, the workshop was conducted as plenary sessions and panels, which generated the following action lines:  

Panel 1:  Telecommunication project self-management.  Meetings with indigenous organizations, organizations of people of African descent, and universities; exchange of local experiences; explanation and dissemination of traditional means of support (tequio, minga, faena [forms of indigenous collective work]); establishment of a representative committee; consensus-building regarding ICT-related needs; and seeking governmental commitment (Annex 1)

Panel 2:  Training and development of local content:  Establishment of an indigenous agenda, communication rights, an agenda on ICTs for development, and an environmental agenda, whose activities, topics, and opportunities are described in Annex 2.

Panel 3:  Software development, technical operation, and connectivity:  Establishment of a regional portal, software localization, and dissemination media (Annex 3)

Panel 4:  Convergence projects (the Internet and other media):  Establishment of a committee of indigenous peoples of the Americas; generation of an indigenous digital territory; promotion of legislative amendments regarding communication media that are beneficial for such peoples; and promotion of broad consultation on the topic of ICTs and indigenous-related matters (Annex 4)

Panel 5:  Community experiences of ICTs.  Exchange of experiences and information; working group for the design of the regional portal (Annex 5)

In addition, at the participants’ request, three additional panels were formed to discuss the following topics and main outcomes within the workshop’s areas of competence:

Panel 6:  ICT agenda.  This panel presented a series of principles, frameworks, and processes that an indigenous ICT agenda in the region would have to address, participants indicating a need for ITU follow-up and assistance for future discussion of this topic (Annex 6).

Panel 7:  Content.  This panel presented conclusions regarding ICT-related rights that had to be taken into account in work on this topic and a legal framework to facilitate the implementation of such rights.  It also presented summaries of ICTs and development in connection with how tools were to be generated to facilitate such development.  In addition, it proposed to establish an agenda on ICTs and the environment and another on respect for, and protection and strengthening of indigenous languages, and to establish a committee for follow up and to create spaces for discussion in international forums of the topic of ICTs and indigenous people (Annex 7).

The recommendations and action lines indicated above will be the main input for the third execution phase of IsAP project No. X7010205.

Panel 8:  Organizational processes.  Whereas the different panels discussed the topic of establishing an indigenous committee, this panel reached the agreement that was adopted by the plenary to establish a broad interim and pluralistic committee comprising one indigenous representative for each participating country.  Its outcomes were:

Agreements:

To establish a broad interim and pluralistic committee comprising at least one person from each participating country to continue the work of this workshop.

To hold regional, national, and local meetings to continue this consultation process, with the aim of ensuring representativeness.

Some of the draft documents generated in this workshop may serve as a framework for said committee and other workshop agreements.

Tasks:

1.             To convene all indigenous peoples and, at that meeting, to develop lines of action in a framework of autonomy.  Continued consideration of the Tunis agreements.

2.             To carry out national and regional activities to begin consultations and informational efforts regarding the outcomes so as to obtain inputs endorsed by our indigenous peoples and peoples of African descent at the next international meeting on ICTs.

3.             In all events related to indigenous peoples and ICTs, to take into account the outcomes of this workshop.

4.             To identify the different needs with the aim of seeking alternative solutions mutually agreed among the peoples.

With these outcomes, by its final plenary session, the workshop had brought about what some participants viewed as the fulfillment of a legend:  when the condor and the eagle join forces, this will signify the dawn of the revival of spirituality, the protection of mother earth, and a metamorphosis towards the development of indigenous communities in a framework of self-determination, peace, and stability.  This was how 12 indigenous representatives, from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and the Navajo Nation, expressed their shared interest in gaining access to ICTs based on respect for tradition and culture.  To that end, the Interim Indigenous Committee for the Americas Region was established, open to participation by any other interested indigenous representatives.  In addition, the representatives appointed to this Committee, with the exceptions of the representatives of Argentina, Nicaragua, and Ecuador, signed the document “Constitution of the Indigenous Committee on Information and Communication Technologies” (Annex 9).

When the meeting had closed, the Interim Committee met to determine how it would operate, continue consultations, and serve as a consultative body in designing and executing projects related to ICTs and indigenous peoples in the Americas region.

Consequently, this workshop may be considered an achievement for the region, as it contributed guidelines for the development of a regional portal.  In addition, it constituted an historic event that enabled the groundwork to be laid for implementation of the Geneva Plan of Action as it pertains to indigenous peoples and for participation by groups of interest in actions involving such peoples, as well as for implementation of paragraph 22 of the Tunis Commitment, which indicates that particular attention must be given to the special situation of indigenous peoples, as well as to the preservation of their heritage and their cultural legacy.