Morung Express News
Kohima | August 9
Highlighting the roadmap for empowering indigenous communities across the region, Gam A. Shimray Secretary General, AIPP (Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact) urged that, "we must remember what matters most to us- our land rights, our self-governance and indigenous sovereignty."
In his message on the occassion of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, he underlined that it is important to realise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping the future and impressed upon that Indigenous Peoples must be wise in this moment.
This year, the day is being observed under the theme, "Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures."
Further delving on the theme, he cited that "language is at the heart of our identity but most of our language is silent in AI's world." "This is not just silence. It is more than that. It reveals deeply that we are excluded from the world's systems that is defining tomorrow", he put across.
In this regard, he also underlined that if indigenous peoples do not act, AI will "widen, divide, erase our voices and also deepen the inequalities we face."
Towards this end, he emphasized that, "we must ask ourselves who is building these technologies and for whom?" If indigenous peoples are not part of the design, he underscored that, "we will be shaped by forces that do not understand."
However, with intention, investment and indigenous leadership, the AIPP Secretary General pointed out that, "AI can help revive languages, preserve oral traditions and reclaim our spaces in the digital world."
In the meantime, he also advised that, "we must not be distracted and remember what matters most to us- our land rights, our self-governance and indigenous sovereignty."
"We must defend our rights but we must be also ready to shape our future in our own terms", he affirmed.
