The CMA at 18th session of Emrip

The CMA delegation in Geneva planned to speak on all the major themes on the session's agenda: the right of indigenous peoples to their economies and sustainable development; the right of indigenous peoples to their data, knowledge, and know-how; the role of national and regional human rights institutions in the realization of indigenous peoples' rights; the International Decade of Indigenous Languages; the EMRIP's country engagement; and strengthening the participation of indigenous peoples within the United Nations system.

 

Regarding the right of indigenous peoples to their economies and sustainable development, the CMA representative who spoke on this topic welcomed the report produced by the EMRIP, which recalls that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) "enshrines the inherent right of indigenous peoples to make decisions according to their own laws, customs and traditions, through institutions of their own choosing, including to define the means to be implemented to meet their economic and social needs, and to determine whether, when and how their lands, territories and resources should be developed". The CMA representative also expressed the CMA's support for the EMRIP recommendations contained in this report, particularly those requiring States "to adopt legal frameworks that explicitly recognize and protect the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories, resources and governance systems" and to "legally recognize and protect the collective rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources". The CMA representative then drew attention to the numerous obstacles that hinder development in Amazigh territories and threaten the livelihoods of indigenous Amazigh communities. He cited as examples the illegal appropriation of Amazigh lands, territories, and natural resources and the failure to recognize the Amazigh as an indigenous people, thereby preventing the Amazigh from claiming their rights as mentioned in the UNDRIP. "Fundamental rights such as the right to free, prior, and informed consent, the right to self-determination, and the right to maintain and develop our political, economic, and social systems, including our means of subsistence and development, are completely violated and even criminalized, as is the case in Algeria. Our territories, rich in natural resources, are exploited exclusively by governments, without any benefit to indigenous communities". "We urge all UN bodies to act urgently and firmly to put an end to all forms of dispossession suffered by the Amazigh", declared the CMA representative.

 

On the subject of the rights of indigenous peoples to their data, knowledge, and know-how, the CMA denounced the bad practices of governments in North Africa, which continue to act as if the Amazigh don’t exist, and continue to expropriate their lands and resources, deprive them of their culture, plunder their knowledge and know-how, and falsify their data. The CMA delegate stated: "State administrative and police systems constantly collect data on us, without our consent or participation, and we have no access to this data. « To illustrate this, I will cite just one example: population censuses conducted by governments. In Morocco and Algeria, the latest censuses used questionnaires that excluded the indigenous language, and the method used to interview people was clearly aimed at reducing the number of Amazigh in the countries. In Tunisia, the 2024 census simply forgot to ask the question about who is Amazigh and who is not. As a result, the result of this census indicates that there are no Amazigh in this country because no one identified themselves as Amazigh since the question was not asked of those surveyed. This is pure and simple denial.

 

On the topic of the role of national and regional human rights institutions (NHRIs) in the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples, the CMA representative stated that NHRIs in North African countries never report on the serious and repeated violations of the collective rights of the Amazigh as an indigenous people of the North African region. To date, none of these institutions has produced a single report on the racism, discrimination, land grabs, and repression suffered by the Amazigh. Their publications most often consist of repeating government rhetoric. In Algeria, for example, even the death sentences of 39 Kabyles in 2024, following expeditious and unfair trials, failed to attract the attention of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH). Due to its non-compliance with the Paris Principles, the Algerian CNDH was relegated to B status by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

 

The CMA also spoke on the theme of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032, firstly congratulating the UN for its proclamation of the decade of action for the recognition, preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages. These languages are all in danger of disappearing and therefore require new and vigorous measures to protect and promote them, at the national and international levels. However, the CMA notes that three years after the start of this decade, the action plan designed by the UNESCO-led Global Working Group has not been followed by concrete actions, particularly in Africa. "In our country, no state has developed a national action plan in collaboration with the Amazighs, in accordance with the obligation imposed on them by the United Nations. The public media has not even broadcast the slightest information on this subject. The CMA calls on UNESCO to firmly urge governments, in collaboration with the Amazighs, to implement the International Decade of Indigenous Languages,” the CMA representative stated.

 

Regarding the enhanced participation of indigenous peoples within the United Nations system, the CMA notes that despite notable progress, the participation of indigenous peoples in UN bodies remains largely insufficient, fragmented, and limited to consultative mechanisms without decision-making power. Consequently, to be heard and respected, the voice of indigenous peoples must be integrated into all spheres of UN decision-making.

 

Regarding EMRIP country engagement, in accordance with UN Human Rights Council resolution 33/25 of 30 September 2016 on the mandate of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the CMA notes that, to date, visits by EMRIP experts to countries have remained extremely limited, due to political blockages by States. The CMA therefore suggests that EMRIP experts accept invitations extended to them by representatives of indigenous peoples, without necessarily waiting for government approval.

 

Furthermore, on the sidelines of the Expert Mechanism session, the CMA delegation in Geneva met behind closed doors with EMRIP experts and requested their commitment to the Amazigh people of Libya and Algeria, and provided them with a comprehensive dossier on these two cases. A specific press release will be issued on this subject.

 

The CMA also participated in the side event "Challenges and Perspectives for Indigenous Peoples in Africa: The Situation in DRC, Burkina Faso, and Mali," organized by several African NGOs, on July 17, 2025, in Room XXII, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva.

 

Geneva, 6/07/2025 – 18/07/2025

 

The Board of CMA.