Indigenous Statement on Community Radio as Supplement to the Bangalore Declaration

With reference to Article 16 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Indigenous Peoples (IP) have the right to establish their own community radios in their own languages and have access to non-indigenous CRs without discrimination.

Indigenous Peoples recognizes the need for ICTs and for widespread development of Community Radios (CRs) to provide creative solutions to the realization of voices and participation by IPs in decision making and to address development problems faced by IPs in the A-P region. This is emphasized in the E-Bario Vision of 2007, created by 14 indigenous media organizations.

As a first step towards the realization of the above vision statement within the context of the AMARC regional action plan and in view of the Bangalore Declaration, the group of Indigenous Peoples at the Bangalore A-P conference (20-23 Feb 2010) recommend the creation of a Network of Indigenous Community Radio Broadcasters - including broadcasters covering all areas with a large proportion of IPs-- to collaborate on achieving the following:

1. Raise awareness and influence policy makers and civil society organizations towards freedom of expression, rights to information and community radio legislation that include provisions of specific interest and value to Indigenous Peoples in Asia and Pacific
2. Training of Indigenous community journalists and broadcasters in reporting on Indigenous Peoples issues and in harnessing ICT/new media
3. Develop the capacity of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations for the setting up and making  Community Radios sustainable and facilitating combinations and integration with other community media channels (internet, digital platforms, TV and traditional folk media, etc)
4. Create the opportunity for indigenous people to come together to establish a “community of practice” and replicate these practices  in Indigenous Peoples (IPs) communities

Research and documentation of traditional knowledge that is important to the preservation and conservation of indigenous traditions, languages, culture and community-based natural resources management and on appropriate formats for broadcasting for and within the context of cultural diversity.

In the realization of the Bangalore Declaration on Community Radio as well as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) the above statement and priorities for action will be instrumental for Indigenous Peoples’ inclusion in society on their own terms through self-determination and for amplifying their voices and participation in decision making processes that affects them.