Open letter from the Indigenous Collective

Open letter from the Indigenous Collective of scholars and authors
( A group brought together by Ganesh N Devy as contributors to Environment and Belief Systems: Key Concepts in Indigenous Studies)

International Response to the Regimes indulging in Discrimination & Spreading Hatred

“We are an informal international collective of Indigenous persons, friends of the indigenous, activists and scholars deeply engaged in the culture, life and rights of the indigenous peoples.

We wish to express our complete solidarity with the individuals, groups and organisations voicing protest against racism in many countries.

We know that discrimination on the basis of race, gender, caste, religion and language is being promoted by the regimes, political parties and various non-state groups by unleashing, through intimidation and threats, hatred, scorn and contempt for our fellow humans.

We want the world to know that the Indigenous peoples of the world oppose discrimination in every form and contempt in any society.

We want the world to know that the Indigenous people have always thought of all humans as the children of the Mother Earth, equal in their entitlement and equal in their obligations.

We appeal to all world leaders, peace-loving thinkers, activists and organisations to come together at this crucial moment in our history and do everything that they can to deter the divisive forces, to prevent nations form being pushed into terminally destructive nuclear wars and to restore peace, amity and social harmony and to prevent and eradicate slavery of every kind.

We like to remind all nations and all peoples, black or white, poor or rich, old or young, women or men that we all belong to the earth, that the earth does not belong to us. Let us never forget that in that belonging we have been, are and shall ever remain equal and free. “

Anne Brewster, Sydney, Australia

Lee Joachim, Yorta Yorta Nation, Australia

Martin Bryant, Sydney, Australia

Penny Allan, Sydney, Australia

Tracey Benson, Canberra, Australia

Deborah McGregor, Toronto, Canada

Priscilla Settee, Saskatoon, SK. Canada

Roberto Viereck Salinas, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, London, U. K. & Bogota, Colombia

Katja Sarkowsky, Augsburg, Germany

G. N. Devy, Dharwad, India

Kalpana Kannabiran, Hyderabad, India

Molly Kaushal, New Delhi, India

Virginius Xaxa, Delhi, India

Charles Dawson, Te Whanganui-ā-Tara/Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

Chris Prentice, Dunedin, New Zealand

Huhana Smith, Ngati Tukorehe, Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga, New Zealand

Huhana Smith, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

Pualele Penehuro Fatu Lefale, Wellington, New Zealand

Robert Sullivan, Ngāpuhi Nui Tonu, Ngāi Tahu, Aotearoa New Zealand

Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

Aone van Engelenhoven, Leiden, Netherlands

Lily Rose Tope, Quezon City, Philippines

Brendon Nicholls, Leeds, United Kingdom

James L. Cox, Cupar, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ximena, Cordova, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Rebecca Root, New York City, United States

Seth Garfield, Austin, United States