The Commission on Human Rights emphasises that in national health emergencies like the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), government responses should leave no one behind, including our indigenous communities and other minority groups.

Indigenous communities around the world face serious threats from the coronavirus pandemic because of their unique health vulnerability, the lack of access to adequate medicine and health services, poor sanitary conditions in far-flung territories, and the constant threat of land dispossession from outsiders.

As most of our indigenous communities have little or no immunity to common diseases, a pandemic could entirely wipe out our tribes if they get exposed to the virus. While, so far, no confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported among indigenous peoples in the country, their welfare should always be included in any decision making that tries to address the spread of the disease.

When natural or manmade emergencies occur, experiences on the ground show that indigenous peoples and other minority groups are at risk of being excluded from humanitarian interventions. The current COVID-19 pandemic is no different. It is a state obligation to ensure that everyone receives emergency aid according to their needs and regardless of status.

We demand that both local and national governments ensure indigenous peoples’ access to food, basic nutrition, and clean water. These communities are generally poorer and have fewer economic resources to buy and store food to sustain themselves while unable to work. Depleting food supply in their respective ancestral domains would prompt them to migrate regularly, thus staying at home would not be applicable to their situation.

All COVID-19-related health services should also be provided free of charge to indigenous peoples who cannot afford to pay. In several community dialogues that the Commission conducted with them on various human rights issues, our indigenous groups have expressed that they continue to experience discrimination in accessing healthcare services. In addition, most of the health clinics and hospitals are far from their area of residence.

Information being disseminated on how to prevent the spread of the disease should also be made available in as many local languages possible, and accessible in simple and comprehensible formats.

There are looming intimidations also that come from people with interests in indigenous lands that might take advantage of this distressful situation. We remind the authorities and communities to look out for opportunistic individuals who would threaten to bring and spread the virus in ancestral domains to drive our indigenous peoples away from their lands.

The Commission also notes that the lack of proof of identity of indigenous peoples should not be in any way become a barrier in receiving government services, especially food and medical attention. The lack of ID cards should not put our ethnic minorities at a major disadvantage.

We recognise that there is a high competition for health services and essential supplies all over the country given the current context. But let us not forget our minorities who are less represented in decision making processes, have endured and continue to face multiple discrimination for a long period of time, and have lower social and economic capital to protect themselves from the threat of COVID-19.

The CHR urges the government to pay a closer look to the various vulnerabilities of its citizens and ensure that all sectors are supported throughout this challenging time with equal treatment and attention. ###