Justice for one is a precedent for all | Hugo Jabini & Wanze Eduards | TEDxAmazônia
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- The speaker, an indigenous Saka person from Surinam, introduces themselves and their people, who are descendants of African slaves who won their freedom over 250 years ago.
- They describe their childhood in the village of Tutuka, surrounded by the rainforest, and their mother's teachings about the importance of the forest.
- After completing primary school, the speaker moved to the city to attend high school, where they faced discrimination and prejudice.
- This experience motivated them to start working with other young Saka people in the city, forming a group to promote Saka culture and traditions.
- The speaker then discusses the Saka people's ongoing fight for their traditional land rights, which led them to organize and take legal action through the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
- In 2007, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of the Saka people, recognizing their rights to their traditional lands.
- The speaker emphasizes that this victory was not only for the Saka people but also for all indigenous people across the Americas, as it set a precedent in international law requiring governments to seek free, prior, and informed consent and share the benefits of economic development.
- Despite the ruling, the speaker and other Saka people have continued to advocate for the implementation of the court's decision and face challenges and threats to their safety.
- The speaker concludes by expressing their gratitude for reconnecting with their roots and their determination to keep defending their ancestral lands.