タイ森林群、世界自然遺産に登録　少数民族の人権懸念

【バンコクＡＦＰ＝時事】国連教育科学文化機関（ユネスコ）の世界遺産委員会は２６日、タイ西部にあるケーンクラチャン森林群を世界自然遺産に登録したと発表した。同森林群をめぐっては、域内の少数民族の人権侵害が懸念されている。（写真はタイ・ケーンクラチャン国立公園で、トラップカメラで撮影されたシャムワニ。ケーンクラチャン国立公園提供）
　ケーンクラチャン森林群は、ミャンマー国境付近に位置し、広さは４８万ヘクタール以上。野生動物保護区と三つの国立公園を有しており、絶滅が危惧されるシャムワニが生息するなど、生物多様性に富んでいる。
　同森林群は少数民族カレンの居住地となっており、タイ政府は長年、暴力や嫌がらせによってカレンをこの地から追い出そうとしてきたとされている。
　政府は、ケーンクラチャン森林群を世界自然遺産に登録しようと長年活動をしていた。プラユット・チャンオーチャー首相はユネスコの決定を受け、同森林群を「国際的基準」に従って保護すると誓った。
　プラユット氏は２７日、政府は今後、「ケーンクラチャン森林群を共に回復させ、地元住民の生活の発展と人権を促進する」とフェイスブックに投稿した。
　国連の専門家らは先週、ユネスコの世界遺産委員会に対し、独立監視団が同森林群を訪れ、カレンに対する懸念が解消されるまで、決定を延期するよう求めた。
　国連人権高等弁務官事務所の発表で専門家３人は、「これは重要な前例となる。アジアの自然保護区域において少数民族の権利がどれほど尊重されるかという政策に影響を及ぼす可能性がある」と指摘した。
　「自然公園内のカレンは、強制的に立ち退かされ、家を焼かれている」
　世界遺産委員会は２０１６年と１９年、人権問題を理由にケーンクラチャン森林群を登録しなかった。
　タイ当局は、少数民族の農耕が森林に損害を与えるとしているが、活動家らは伝統的な農耕は環境を破壊しないと主張。人権保護団体は、タイ当局が少数民族を立ち退かせるため、嫌がらせと暴力を使っていると非難している。
　捜査当局によると１９年、５年前から行方不明となっていたカレンの指導者の黒焦げになった骨が、ケーンクラチャン森林群内で発見された。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/07/29-13:32）

A vast forest complex in Thailand has been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, despite the UN's own experts warning of human rights violations against indigenous people in the area.
The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in western Thailand is rich in biodiversity, including the critically endangered Siamese crocodile, UNESCO said Monday in its listing announcement.
But it is also home to an indigenous community of ethnic Karen people, who have long accused the Thai government of using violence and harassment to push them off their land.
Thailand had lobbied for years to get World Heritage status for the complex, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha praised UNESCO's decision, vowing to protect the forest according to international standards.
From now on, the government will... restore the forest together and promote the livelihood development and human rights of locals, he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
Everyone will be part of co-management so they will feel a sense of ownership.
United Nations experts last week urged the UNESCO committee to defer a decision until independent monitors have visited the area and the concerns about the indigenous people have been addressed.
This is an important precedent-setting case, and may influence policies on how indigenous peoples' rights are respected in protected areas across Asia, the three experts said in a statement released Friday by the office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner.
The indigenous Karen in the national park continue to be forcibly evicted and their houses burnt.
They also said the World Heritage nomination process did not have effective participation of indigenous people, calling for indigenous people to be treated as partners in protecting the forest, not threats.
The park's listing dismayed activist Pongsak Tonnamphet, an indigenous resident of the area.
The decision was not made based on basic human rights principles... the minority had no chance to speak, the 24-year-old told AFP on Tuesday.
- Long-running dispute -
The World Heritage Committee did not list the park in 2016 and 2019 because of rights concerns.
The dispute has been simmering for decades.
While many indigenous residents were allegedly driven out of the area, those remaining were not allowed to cultivate the land.
Authorities say their farming activities would damage the forest, but activists argue that traditional farming methods do not harm the environment.
Rights campaigners have accused Thai officials of using harassment and violence to force indigenous people out.
The charred bones of a high-profile ethnic Karen leader were found inside the park in 2019, five years after he disappeared, according to Thai investigators.
Park officials at the time were the last to see him alive, but serious charges including premeditated murder were dropped in early 2020, with authorities citing a lack of evidence.
Ahead of the decision, an indigenous rights group held a protest in front of the environment ministry in Bangkok on Monday, flinging red paint at its signage.
Located near the border with Myanmar, the Kaeng Krachan complex is spread over more than 480,000 hectares, and includes three national parks and a wildlife sanctuary.