Bonaire’s human rights concerns taken to UN Indigenous Issues Conference

NEW YORK--The Bonaire Human Rights Organization (BHRO) participated in the 25th Session of the United Nations Indigenous Issues Conference in New York, one of the United Nations’ most important annual gatherings dedicated to Indigenous Peoples worldwide. The two-week session brought together Indigenous representatives, leaders, advocates, human rights experts, and institutions from across the globe to address urgent issues affecting Indigenous communities.

BHRO was represented throughout the session by its President, Davika Bissessar Shaw, and Founder, James Finies. The organization joined Indigenous representatives from communities including the Māori of New Zealand, the Sami of the Arctic, the Maya of Central America, the Mapuche of Chile, the Inuit of Canada and Greenland, Native American Nations, Aboriginal Peoples of Australia, the Ainu of Japan, Tibetan and Uyghur Indigenous communities from China, as well as Indigenous peoples from the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific.

This year’s session focused on Indigenous Peoples’ health in the context of conflict, a theme BHRO stated strongly reflects the realities currently facing Bonaire. The organization pointed to structural inequality, environmental pressure, unresolved self-governance, and rapid demographic displacement as key concerns, noting that the native Indigenous Bonairean population has reportedly declined from nearly 80 percent to less than 30 percent in fifteen years.

During the session, BHRO participated in and contributed to several discussions across more than 50 debates, side events, exhibitions, and cultural gatherings. These addressed critical topics including decolonization, land rights, Indigenous education, language preservation, climate migration, reparatory justice, environmental resource exploitation, Indigenous data sovereignty, and the strengthening of Indigenous institutions.

BHRO also submitted a formal complaint, including recommendations regarding the Bonaire case, to the 25th Session of the United Nations Indigenous Issues Conference. The organization said the submission forms part of its continued effort to bring international attention to Bonaire’s situation and to seek recognition, protection, and self-determination for the Indigenous Bonairean people.

BHRO stated that its participation allowed the organization to once again share Bonaire’s situation with Indigenous peoples, human rights lawyers, advocates, and international institutions from around the world. The organization said it intends to bring home the knowledge, networks, strategic contacts, and shared experiences gained during the conference to strengthen Indigenous awareness, human rights education, and the continued international struggle for Bonaire’s recognition, protection, and self-determination.

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