The ILO Convention 169 and the Central African Republic: from catalyst to benchmark

ABSTRACT

In ratifying the ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO 169) in 2010, the Central African Republic (CAR) became the first African country to join the Convention. Following the ratification of the Convention, the CAR has engaged in a process of integration of the Convention within its national political and legal system. However, due to the widespread conflicts that has marked the country since 2013, the process of implementation of the Convention and the rights of indigenous peoples have greatly suffered. The conflict has had seriously impact on indigenous peoples of the country who have been severely affected by the violence. With this in mind, the aim of this article is to offer an overview on some of the main issues faced by indigenous peoples in the country and to offer some analysis on the potential impact that the ILO 169 has had and could have in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous peoples
• ILO 169
• Africa
• Baka (Pygmies)
• Central African Republic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jérémie Gilbert, is Professor of Human Rights Law at the University of Roehampton (UK). As a legal expert, he has been involved in providing legal briefs, expert opinions and carrying out evidence gathering in several cases involving indigenous peoples’ land rights across the globe. He has conducted a national study and advocacy work to support the implementation of the C169 in the Central African Republic between 2010 and 2012 on behalf of the UK Rainforest Foundation.

Notes

1 See Jérémie Gilbert, Étude de la législation de la République Centrafricaine au vu de la Convention 169 de l’Organisation internationale du travail relative aux peuples indigènes et tribaux (Rainforest Foundation UK, High Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance, 2012).

2 See: Alexis Arieff, ‘Crisis in the Central African Republic’, Current Politics and Economics of Africa 7, no. 1 (2014): 27.

3 See: Association pour l’Intégration et le Développement Social des Peuhls de Centrafrique, Les Peuhls MBororo de Centrafrique, une communauté qui souffre (CCFD-Terre Solidaire, FIDH, June 2015), http://ccfd-terresolidaire.org/IMG/pdf/rapport_.pdf (accessed August 14, 2019).

4 Jennings, Paige Wilhite, Central African Republic on the Eve of Elections: From Crisis to Reconciliation (Minority Rights Group International, 2015).

5 See Jerome Sitamon, ‘Les Ba’Aka de la reserve de Dzanga-Sangha: situation actuelle’ (Rapport de Consultation, Bayanga: Projet Dzanga-Sangha, 2006).

6 See: Chris Ballard, ‘Strange alliance: Pygmies in the colonial imaginary’, World Archaeology 38, no. 1 (2006): 133–51; Herman Lebovics, ‘Eskimos in the Museum, Pygmy in a Cage, Social Darwinism Everywhere’, The Invention of Race: Scientific and Popular Representations (2014): 259.

7 See Francesca Thornberry, Working Conditions of Indigenous Women and Men in Central Africa: An Analysis Based on Available Evidence (International Labour Organization, 2017).

8 Report of the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities, Visit to the Central African Republic – January 2007 (ACHPR and IWGIA, 2009), p. 45.

9 See: Anna Giolitto, Etude des cas de discrimination, abus et violations des Droits de l’Homme envers les Pygmées Aka de la Lobaye République Centrafricaine (COOPI, 2006).

10 See: Olivia Woodburne, Securing Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in Conservation: Review of Policy and Implementation in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area Complex, Central African Republic (Forest Peoples Programme, 2009).

11 Report of the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities, Visit to the Central African Republic – January 2007 (ACHPR and IWGIA, 2009).

12 See Minority Rights Group International, World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Central African Republic: Aka (London: Minority Rights Group International, 2018).

13 See: Albert K. Barume, ‘Responding to the Concerns of the African States’, in Making the Declaration Work: The United Nations Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ed. Claire Charters and Rodolfo Stavenhagen (IWGIA, 2009); and Willem van Genugten, ‘Protection of Indigenous Peoples on the African Continent: Concepts, Position Seeking, and the Interaction of Legal Systems’, American Journal of International Law 104, no. 1 (2010): 29.

14 However legal mechanisms to protect indigenous rights are being adopted in Burundi, Congo Republic, South Africa and Ethiopia. For analysis and overview, see: Francesca Thornberry and Frans Viljoen, Overview Report on the Constitutional and Legislative Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 24 African Countries (International Labour Organization and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 2009).

15 The Haut Commissariat aux Droits de l’Homme et à la Bonne Gouvernance, is an independent office directly attached to the president office.

16 See: Jean Jacques Urbain Mathamale’s Chapter on the Central African Republic, in The Indigenous World 2015 (IWGIA, 2015).

17 For a detailed analysis, see: Jeremie Gilbert, Étude de la législation de la République Centrafricaine au vu de la Convention 169 de l’Organisation internationale du travail relative aux peuples indigènes et tribaux (Rainforest Foundation UK, 2012).

18 See Global Witness, Bois de sang, comment l’Europe a aidé à financer la guerre dans la République centrafricaine (Global Witness, 2015); Chauvin, Emmanuel, Benoît Lallau, and Géraud Magrin, ‘Le contrôle des ressources dans une guerre civile régionalisée (Centrafrique). Une dynamique de décentralisation par les armes‪’, Les Cahiers d’Outre Mer 272, no. 4 (2015): 467–79.

19 See Albert K. Barume, ‘Unaccounted For: Indigenous Peoples as Victims of Conflicts in Africa’, in Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Unreported Struggles: Conflict and Peace (Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, 2017), 55–67.