fPcN interCultural:

friends of Peoples close to Nature

& statement of principles.

The forum for friends of "Peoples close to Nature" (f P c N) is a global movement of individuals and groups dedicated to the survival of tribal peoples, in particular hunter-gatherers. These were the first and are the last societies on Earth to have a non-exploitative relationship with the natural world. Our task: is to help them preserve their unique cultures from enforced assimilation, 'the ideologies of 'progress' and 'growth' and absorption in the global economy.

Among the peoples we work with and support are:

In Asia:

* the Aeta, Akha, Ati, Agta, Batak, Mamanwa, Jarawa, Manik (Kenseu and Kintak) Lanoh, Kintah, Yahai, Tboli and the Mendrik.
* the Wanniya-laeto (Veddah) (Sri Lanka)
All of south east Asia
(commonly referred to as Negritos)

In Oceana:

* the Tjapukai in Australasia, the tribes
of West Papua
* the Adivasis, Chenchu and Kurumba of the Indian subcontinent,
* the Kwaio and Landalanga on Malaita in the south west Pacific,
(commonly referred to as Negritos)

In Africa:

* the Ogiek
* the Batwa, Bahrwa, Baka, Aka and Bambuti of central Africa (commonly referred
to as Pygmees)
* the Hadzabe, San, (Hai//om,
!Kung and G/WI) of south Africa
(commonly referred to as Bushmen)

In the Americas:

* the Jupaú ("Uru eu Wau Wau"), Ayoreos and Mequens
(commonly referred to as Indians).

These peoples are not looking for 'equal opportunities' but the just to be left alone, to live as they have always done, practising their traditional religions or folk beliefs and organising their societies in their own way. Many of the peoples we work with do not slot easily into bureaucratic categories, and so they are denied fundamental human-rights and often face systematic persecution, genocide and murder.

The activities of modern, urban man have caused the most terrible destruction of nature and a levelling-down of human cultures to a banal, homogeneous pulp. The globalist ideal is not a variety of cultures and subcultures tolerating each other, but Amazonian Indians working for oil multinationals, eating at McDonalds, watching the satellite TV and listening to pop music on a Sony Walkman. Consumer-capitalism destroys both cultural and ecological diversity. It alienates the individual from their nature and puts sterile competition in place of loyalty to their environment, people & culture.

f P c N aims to reverse the process of development. Instead of imposing on tribal peoples modern offices, modern schools and modern superstores, we should learn from their reverence for nature, their lack of sentimental hypocrisy, their ancient wisdom, their physical and moral strength. We are uncompromisingly on the side of peoples who resist the forces of 'civilisation' which have for centuries corrupted our own world. Their struggles have become ours, too.

f P c N gives its preferential support to tribes, groups and communities who wish to retain their traditional lifestyles. We consider peoples living close to nature to be completely sovereign. No government, corporation, missionary group or NGO should have the right to impose on them; alien political systems, religions, or money-worshipping economics.

We fully support their struggle for self-defence against invaders, settlers and colonists, their wishes to govern themselves in their own ways and according to their own traditions. We condemn alike the activities of police and armies, liberal educationalists, 'politically correct' officials, corrupt dictatorships, religious missions and greedy corporations.

f P c N views policies of assimilation and integration as mechanisms of ethnocide. We categorically oppose development
aid which presents westernisation as inevitable or desirable. For the last pure tribes on our Earth, the best form of 'aid' is to be left to live in peace.

Unlike, other human-rights or environmental NGOs, we oppose the introduction of Western-style schooling, with the false 'choices' it offers, the greed it teaches and its potential to pollute & erode distinctive cultures.

f P c N is aware that the christian & islamic, as well as other institutionalised religions are, responsible for the deaths of millions of primitive peoples and the destruction of tribal cultures, past and at present.

f P c N, as a result, is opposed to any organisation that, directly or indirectly works for, or supports; the imposing of alien religions, from any religious body, on tribal peoples, savage culture and the free peoples that still maintain their close relationship with their nature.

f P c N will not tolerate such abuse or support any organisation or individual that promotes such false religious doctrines, in the name of any god.

f P c N will do all it can, to expose & stop such forms of genocide.

f P c N supports non-hierarchic tribal peoples and will support tribes, wishing to free themselves from alien religious doctrines and liberate themselves from religious persecution & oppression.

f P c N will work with organisations and individuals, who are sympathetic to the above.

We make a connection between bio diversity and human, or cultural diversity. Just as deforestation threatens our climate, so by destroying a people or a distinctive way of life, we destroy a part of ourselves. We need tribal peoples far more than they need us " They" show us how we once lived in harmony with nature and how we might live again.