Join Statement
On Asian African Forum for Genetic Resources - Cultural
Expression and Traditional Knowledge
Bandung-Indonesia, 18-20 June 2007
“Genetic
resources is a cultural identity for ethnical community and indigenous peoples,
thus extinction of genetic resources process is also the extinction of the
living culture of ethnical community and indigenous peoples”
The survival
history of ethnical community and indigenous peoples is very close with their
ability and their skill to manage genetic resources in sustain manner. Either
for food, living ground, or clothe, as the basic ground for human being. The
utilization and perpetuation of genetic resources is closely related with
traditional wisdom of the community. This perspective has not been seen on the
Asia Africa Forum for Intellectual Property Rights and Genetic Resources,
Traditional Knowledge and Culture Expression (GRTKEF) in Bandung
The perspective
dividing genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and cultural expression is
not appropriate with the reality exist within the traditional community.
Traditional wisdom consists of three important elements. First, the religious
values and social ethical as the ground for utilization and management
practices for genetic resources. Second, norm and customary law, rules the
relation between community and their surrounding natural environment. Third, local knowledge and skill obtained
from empirical experience for several years or even more than hundred years on
managing the genetic resources and their natural environment. The whole is an
entire system as a ground for the social live, culture, economic and communal
politic of traditional community. Therefore, it is impossible to manage them
separately.
Hence, the
utilization and protection of genetic resources should come from the cultural
values or cultural expression as a part of their daily life. Therefore, the
protection mechanism try to impose by WIPO should not making worst the
condition. It should prevent the elimination cases for ethnical community and
indigenous peoples from the core of the protective region of genetic resources.
At the moment,
several neglected communities, ethnical, women, and farmer in Indonesia
Several
important questions remains, to whom the protection system impose by WIPO is
for? For the capitalist, or for the community living with genetic resources?
There is no answer for these questions.
Thus, we - civil
society, ethnical community and indigenous peoples - ask Indonesian government
to:
- Increase firm political will in
managing protection system related with genetic resource
- Create a holistic sui generic protection system for
GRTKEF and ensure the sustainability with a new approach where management
emphasize the unique characteristic of traditional knowledge and
innovation, not merely focus on individual rights and commercial purposes
- Strengthen Inter Governmental
cooperation to take integrated and appropriate action for the existence of
GRTKEF
- Open space for traditional
knowledge, ethnical community and indigenous people as a formal
- Have the courage to take action to
build strong alliance with Asian African country to fight for a holistic protection of GRTKEF
to ensure sustainability and the living tradition within ethnical
community and indigenous peoples
We also invite
and call the ethnical community, indigenous people and traditional community
together with civil society in Asian African countries and in the world for to unite and fight for a holistic protection
to ensure the protection of the communities on WIPO forums and other
international fora.
Bandung-Indonesia, 20 Juni 2007
JKTI (Jaringan Kearifan Tradisional Indonesia)/ITWN (Indonesian Traditional
Wisdom Network) , AMAN ( Aliansi Masyarakat Adat
Nusantara), Institute for Global Justice, Yayasan KEHATI, Konphalindo, Majelis
Kebudayaan, Majelis Adat Krama Sasak, Sekretariat Bersama Indonesia Berseru,
Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL).
For futher information and Contact Person :
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