Dear Mr. Amsberg,
We, the undersigned Indigenous Peoples organizations and support NGOs, wish to express our dismay over the long drawn process of the World Bank’s Safeguard Policy review.  Since the Policy review was announced on November 15 2010 (during the High Level Dialogue between Indigenous Peoples and World Bank Senior Management), no concrete steps to engage with indigenous peoples have been undertaken on the review process. Further, no draft policy has been made publicly available till today.  In the recent information update in Panama, indigenous peopleswere informed that the process of review has been extended to end of 2013.

Likewise, we alsowish to express our serious concern about the possibility of the indigenouspeoples Policy being incorporated into a broader social safeguard policy, instead of retaining it as a stand-alone policy for indigenous peoples.

Additionally, we wish to underline our concerns for the proposed Programme for Results (P4R). We believe this will result to the application of safeguard policies only to Bank activities in certain sectors such as infrastructure development. We therefore wish to reiterate that safeguard policies have to apply to the entire WorldBank activities, projects and programmes. If adopted in the current formulation, the P4R may also result in dilution of accountability, as well as social and environmental responsibility of the institution.

We also wish to draw your attention to the findings of the learning review the World Bank Operational Policy 4.10. According to the review, the World Bank lacks tools to adequately assess and monitor the proper application of the safeguard policies.  In particular, this inadequacy relates to the conduct of Free Prior and Informed Consultation, the implementation of Indigenous Peoples Plan and the review of the borrower country legal frameworks on indigenous peoples as well as the need to require a stronger recognition of indigenous peoplesland rights among others.

In adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples  (UNDRIP) in September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly affirmed that respect, protection and fulfillment of the collective rights of indigenous peoples are an integral part of international human rights standards. This underpins the need to re-align social safeguards for indigenous peoples with this human rights instrument.  In this respect, several international institutions, as well as bilateral donors and private banking institutions standards havealready mainstreamed the UNDRIP including the right to Free Prior Informed consent. International Financial Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group also adopted this principle.  Indigenous peoples have long been demanding the World Bank to revise its policy to make it consistent with the UNDRIP.

Given this context, the review of the Indigenous Peoples Policy is long overdue and further delay for another two years is unacceptable. Thus, we urge the WB to review the Indigenous Peoples Policy independently from the other safeguard policies.  The Indigenous Peoples Policy should thereby be maintained as a stand alonepolicy with the incorporation of the following elements:
1.    The right to Free PriorInformed Consent (FPIC) in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention 169, along with the recognition and respect of the rights of indigenous peoples.
2.    The recognition of pastoralism as a livelihood and a lifestyle and the inclusion of pastoralist people as indigenous peoples in World Bank policies, in particular in the Indigenous Peoples Policy.
3.    The recognition and respect of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation. In particular, no project shall take place in their territories.
4.    The effective and immediate solution of the gaps and shortcomings of the implementation of OP4.0 based on the IP Policy Learning review, as described above.

We therefore urge the Bank to immediately draft the revised policy to include the elements listedabove, and make it publicly available in multiple languages not later than December 2011. Likewise, the World Bank should conduct national, regional and global consultations. The revised Indigenous Peoples policy should be submitted to the Board of Executive Directors for its consideration by June of 2012.

We, make this request in good faith, and thank you in advance for your prompt reply

Respectfully,
Ms. Mina Susana Setra and Mr. Soikan Meitiaki

Signed by:

Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP)
Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara - AMAN)
Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO)
Consejo Autonomo Aymara (CCA)
Juventud Organizada para Vivir en Equilibrio con Nanaguadule (JOVEN)
International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forest (IAITPTF)
Red de Mujeres Indigenas sobre Bioidiversidad de America Latina y el Caribe
Asociacion NAPGUANA
Fundacion Para la Promocion del Conocimiento Indigena (FPCI)
Coordinadora de Las Organizaciones Indigenas de La Cuenca Amazonia (COICA)
Center for Sustainable Development in Mountainous Areas
Water and Energy Users’ Federation (WAFED)
Inter Mountain Peoples’ Education and Culture Association
Indigenous Information Network (IIN)
El Conse jo Indigena Mesoamericano (CIMA)
Forest Peoples Program (FPP)
National Association of Professional Environmentalist
Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPlinks)
World Jummo Voice
Red Indigena de Turismo de Mexico
Zambia Climate Change Network
Lelewal Foundation
Community Research and Development Services (CORDS)
Tanzania Intellectual Property Rights Network (TIP-Net)
Dupoto Forest and Wildlife
Sostegno a Nuove Iniziative e Attività (Society for New Initiatives and Activities - SONIA)
Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indigenas de Las Americas
Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN)
Indigenous Education Network of Turtle Island
Centro de Culturas Indigenas del Peru (Chirapaq)
Center for World Indigenous Studies
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Asian Indigenous Women Network (AIWN)
National Forum for Advocacy Nepal (NAFAN)
Association of Collaborative Forest Users Nepal (ACOFUN)
Pakistan Fisherfolks Forum
Women's Initiatives for Society, Culture and Environment (WISE)
Silingang Dapit sa Habagatang Sidlakang Mindanao, inc (SILDAP-SE)
Asamblea Mixe Para El Desarrollo Sostenible A.C
Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)
Alaska Native Science Commission
National Indigenous Women’s Federation (NIWF)
Indigenous Livelihoods Enhancement Partners (ILEPA)
Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia - JOAS)
Centro Para La Autonomía y Desarrollo de Pueblos Indígenas (CADPI)
Zabarang Kalyan Samity (ZKS)
Centre for Human Rights and Development
Mongolian People's Coalition for Food Sovereignty
Flemish Centre for Indigenous Peoples
Lelewal Foundation
Ole Siosiomaga Society Incorporated (OLSSI)
Sawit Watch
Yayasan Forum Studi Halmahera (FoSHal) Maluku Utara
Kelompok Studi dan Pengembangan Prakarsa Masyarakat (KSPPM)
Gema Alam
Yayasan Ulayat
Ngata Toro Indigenous Women’s Organization (OPANT)
Keling Kumang Foundation
Akar Foundation
Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association (CIYA)
Borneo Resources Institute, Malaysia, Sarawak (BRIMAS)
International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)
Horn Youth Development Association (HYDA)
Walhi Nusa Tenggara Timur
Walhi Sumatera Barat
Koitsbu (Sunuwar Welfare Society)
Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)
National Federation of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines (KAMP)
Yayasan Merah Putih (YMP)
BAKUMSU Sumatera Utara
Perkumpulan HUMA
The Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples (NCIV)
Zo Indigenous Forum
Jamaa Resource Initiatives
Naga Women ‘s Union
International Council for the Indigenous Peoples of CHT (ICIP-CHT)
Voices for Interactive Choices and Empowerment (VOICE)
Tanzania Network for Indigenous Pastoralists (TANIPE)
Centre for Indigenous Peoples of Indus (CIPI)
The Federation of Indigenous Women of Nepal in America (FIWNA)
CHT-American Jumma Peoples Association (CAJPA)
The Corner House, UK
Friends of the Earth, US
Lembaga Bela Banua Talino
Konsorsium Pendukung Sistem Hutan Kerakyatan (KpSHK)
KASAPI
Indigenous Community Support Organization (ICSO)
SAMATA
Perkumpulan TELAPAK
Perkumpulan Punan Arung Buana Kalimantan Tengah
Yayasan Hakiki
LifeMosaic
Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI)
Maleya Foundation
Cultural Survival
Ecology and Action Anthropology (INFOE)
Perkumpulan PETRA
Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF)
Walhi Sulawesi Tengah
Institute Manua Punjung
The National Forum on Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW)
Housing Rights Task Force
Urban Research Centre
CHT Indigenous Jumma Association Australia (CHTIJAA)
Southeast Asia Development Program (ISADP)
Ilchamus Development and Human Rights Organization
Horn Youth Development Association (HYDA)
Le Reseau de Lutte Contre La Faim Au Cameroun (RELUFA)
International Council for the Indigenous Peoples of CHT (ICIP-CHT) Australia and New Zealand Chapter
Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA)
Badan Perjuangan Rakyat Penunggu Indonesia (BPRPI)
Yayasan Peduli Nanggroe Atjeh
The Lebanese Physical Handicappted Union (LPHU)
Yayasan Simeulue
Jaringan Komunitas Masyarakat Adat (JKMA) Aceh
Association pour le Developpement Global des Batwa du Rwanda (ADBR)
Programme d’integation et de Developpement du Peuple Pygmee au Kivu - RDC
Reseau des Populations Autochtones et Locales pour la Gestion Durable des Ecosystemes Forestier - RDC
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
Pastoralists Governance and Development Project
Law and Advocacy for Pastoralist (ALAPA)
Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN)
Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP)
Centre of Research and Development in Upland Area (CERDA)
Non Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) for South and Southeast Asia
SOBREVIVENCIA, Friends of the Earth Paraguay
North East Peoples Alliance
Interfaith Cooperation Forum
Native Science Commission
DAMAAN Development Organization