This is our struggle to defend land, to defend nature and

This is our struggle to defend land, to defend nature and to defend life itself for all the planet,” said legendary Chief Raoni Metuktire of the Kayapó people from the Xingu region of the Brazilian Amazon at a press conference at the UN COP21 climate summit happening now in Paris. The Kayapó face the destruction of their homeland as a result of the construction of the Belo Monte dam, the third largest in the world on the Xingu River, a tributary to the Amazon. "What are we doing as Indigenous peoples? We are protecting the very balance of the Mother Earth. We hope that you can understand that. We hope that you understand that." A reference to the 'rights of Indigenous peoples' has been cut from the main text of a draft UN agreement following the conclusion of a round of talks headed by negotiators for the countries around the table. Indigenous delegates and activists attending the conference have denounced the decision.

Currently, the preamble of the draft text includes a reference to the rights of Indigenous peoples and the reference is also included in Annex 2 accompanying the document. The Annex 2 list of inserts in the article of the draft agreement that would also hold the reference to Indigenous peoples includes recognition human rights and gender equality, along with the right of “peoples under occupation.” The COP21 concludes on Dec. 11th and the deal must be ratified by the legislative bodies of the signatories.

Photo by Caroline Bennett/@carobennett | @amazonwatch for @everydayclimatechange

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Selected by @austin_merrill / @everydayafrica

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