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Chanting Guyanas climate change mantra: Wai Wais choose "conservation
economy"
By Neil Marks
THE district of Konahsen, which shares ties with the Amazon forest, is now
designated a Community Owned Conservation Area (COCA), but it is by no means
a new concept for the Wai Wai people.
Of all people, they have lived conservation," said Major General (rtd)
Joseph Singh, a board member of Conservation International Guyana (CIG) at
the Georgetown launching ceremony for the COCA Friday evening. "The only
true rainforest tribe is the Wai Wai people".
The launching took place at the Umana Yana, the cone-shaped meeting place
resembling a traditional Amerindian dwelling house built by the Wai Wai for
the hosting of foreign ministers of the Non Aligned Movement back in 1972.
It was the appropriate venue for the launching, and for Major General Singh,
it was an event that would now allow him to "sleep in peace" knowing that he
had seen the vision of the first Kayaritomo or chief of the Wai Wai Elka,
made firm. Konashen means "Place of God".
Singh recalled that in 1969, when he was then a young soldier, it was Elka's
desire for his forest not to be plundered and for his people not to be
displaced, as was the case in neighbouring Brazil, which holds the bulk of
the Amazon forest, and is one of the most important regions in the world in
the fight against climate change.
In fact, Singh said it was the cooperation of the Wai Wai, who noticed
discolouration in the water, which helped the Army to stamp out illegal
mining in two instances.
Singh said that vision of Elka has been shared by all the chiefs of the Wai
Wai, though their population in the Konashen district has dwindled and is
now about 205 people.
The Wai Wai will prove to all that they are worthy stewards of the
environment and its eco-systems," said Singh.
He noted that the Wai Wai live in the headwaters of Guyana's largest river,
the Essequibo, effectively making the Wai Wai protectors of the country's
largest source of fresh water.
They received legal rights to their land (625,000-hectare or 1.54 million
acres) in 2004, and recognizing that marrying traditional knowledge and
modern technology can only be an incentive for the proper management of
their homeland, they immediately asked for CI's help in creating the
necessary management plan and regulations to become a COCA.
In the time that followed, the Wai Wai leadership worked with CI, The
Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to
develop a management plan and structure that will bring economic benefit to
the Wai Wai while protecting part of the largest remaining swathes of
pristine rainforest on Earth.
Under regulations passed by the Guyana parliament, the Wai Wai community
formally designated their land a protected area and adopted the management
plan, which was developed with the support of CI.
As managers of their COCA, the small group of of Wai Wai are building a
"conservation economy" based on the sustainable use of their natural
resources. The plan will create jobs from conservation activities, such as
newly trained para-biologists working with researchers to assess the
territory's flora and fauna, and local rangers patrolling the area. Other
economic activities include ecotourism and expanding the traditional Wai Wai
craft business.
By making their homeland a Community Owned Conservation Area, the Wai Wai
will join and benefit from Guyana's National Protected Areas System and an
endowment trust being established by the government of Guyana. CI's Global
Conservation Fund and the German government are major contributors to the
endowment fund.
The Wai Wai homeland is part of the Guayana Shield, a huge stretch of Amazon
rainforest across six South American countries. The region provides habitat
to the jaguar, blue poison frog, cock of the rock, scarlet macaw and other
Amazon wildlife.
CI is promoting the value of the Wai Wai tropical forest for carbon
sequestration, clean watersheds and other ecosystem services it provides.
Cutting and burning tropical forests contributes 20 percent of the total
greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, and the world's
burgeoning carbon market means developing countries such as Guyana could
benefit from the market value of standing rainforests that absorb
atmospheric carbon.
While Major General Singh said the Wai Wai "know about climate change, they
don't need anyone to tell them," President Bharrat Jagdeo said it is not the
argument that the Wai Wai do not understand climate change, the problem is
that their voice is not taken seriously.
He said the Wai Wai people have seen floods which have destroyed their
agriculture, and their way of life, although they by themselves have not
contributed to these woes since they have been practicing sound conservation
practices.
Mr Jagdeo said he was happy that all the Amerindian Toshaos have agreed to
sign a resolution calling for the international community to reward Guyana
for keeping its forest intact, almost 80 percent of which remains in its
pristine state.
He said while initiatives like that of the Wai Wai COCA, and Guyana's
preservation of its rainforest may make this country a "museum piece", the
government wants to see the developed world pay, because they are the ones
who are the biggest polluters and destroyers of the environment.
Mr Jagdeo said countries like Guyana which have preserved the environment
should not bear the burden of saving the world and should be rewarded, "and
rewarded substantially".
He said this will be the government's mantra for the future, starting with
the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia in December,
when global crusaders against climate change meet to start robust
discussions on framing a new agreement to replace the first international
agreement on climate change, known as the Kyoto Protocol.
Protectors of the forest, like the Wai Wai people know that while they have
agreed to protect the forest, they would get a better life if they get
money. "Everybody want money," Paul Chekema, a former Wai Wai chief bluntly
put it.
He said while they have seen improved access to education and healthcare,
getting jobs to make a living has been difficult. Chekema, who has called
for the early establishment of the Trust Fund, is confident that the COCA
will help to change their economic stand in life, while at the same time,
protect their land.
We want to serve our area...We want to protect our water for all who are in
Essequibo," said Chekema.
The current Wai Wai chief, Cemci James Suse, shares the same view. Citing an
example, he said when they tried to catch fish to sell, they end up losing,
since the closest community and market for them, Aishalton, is a two week
journey, and they don't know how to keep the fish alive for that long.
He said the lack of jobs has forced the Wai Wai youth across the border to
Brazil and they never return, resulting in the dwindling population, which
was at one time some 800. He related that because of the migration, the Wai
Wai only have "four old people with us".
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Ms Carolyn Rodrigues noted that the first
launch of the COCA took place on September 26, 2007 in the village of
Masakenari, where the Wai Wai live in the Konashen district.
It was also launched at a Latin American Parks Conference in Argentina,
which helped to bring international recognition to the project.
This shows the power of giving land rights to indigenous populations,
because they know what's best for their communities," CI President Russell
A. Mittermeier was quoted as saying in a press release by CI announcing the
COCA.
"The Wai Wai could have sold off the timber and other natural assets for a
one-time payoff, but instead they chose to protect the rainforest and allow
future generations to continue to benefit from it."
CI works in more than 40 countries on four continents to help people find
economic alternatives without harming their natural environments
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