Bring in the Clowns: UN Climate Summit Durban, South Africa

Bring in the Clowns: UN Climate Summit in Durban

By Brenda Norrell

Photo 1: Grassroots Global Justice delegation photo. Kandi Mossett from North Dakota in upper right. Photo 2: Screen capture video. Photo 3: Pablo Solon by Friends of the Earth.

(Thurs. Dec. 8, 2011) The UN Climate Summit in Durban, South Africa, is proving to be another apocalypse for Indigenous Peoples. Still, Native American and First Nation activists are struggling to protect Mother Earth from the destruction and schemes.

When all else failed, they brought in the clowns today. UN security ejected one of the clowns and assaulted a photographer.

During a press conference at the UN Climate Conference COP 17 organized by the Global Justice Ecology Project, Indigenous Peoples gave powerful testimonies about the impacts of carbon offsets schemes through the so-called "Green Economy."

Indigenous speakers condemned the Green Economy as a repeat of the failed and unjust dominant economic model. It follows the expansion of the controversial REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) offset scheme to privatize and market the carbon stored in oceans, soils, agriculture, and biodiversity.

 A team of clowns dressed as Uncle Sam and his economic advisors defended the 1 percent global elite that the Green Economy is designed to serve. Clowns, led by Uncle Sam, then took over the stage and spoke on behalf of the United States and the global elites, the Global Justice Ecology Project said.

"We are the ones that caused the climate crisis," the clowns announced. "And we are the only ones that can solve it!  Clowns, led by Uncle Sam, then took over the stage and spoke on behalf of the United States and the global elites.

During follow up interviews in the hallway of the ICC, UN Security detained Kevin Buckland, youth from the US in clown regalia, while being interviewed on camera. He was debadged and evicted for alleged violation of the UN code of Conduct. (Clown suits are not, apparently, in the dress code.)

While taking photos to document Buckland's detention, Vermont-based photographer Orin Langelle, Co-Director of Global Justice Ecology Project, on assignment for Z Magazine, was assaulted by UN Security who shoved his camera in his face.

During the press conference, Kandi Mossett, Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara, from North Dakota, and member of the Indigenous Environmental Network, spoke of the destruction for her people.

“This is the seventeenth Conference of the Polluters. And what have they done in that time? Nothing!”

In tears, Mossett said, “I grew up on a reservation. We are watching our people die. While I was here my cousin died. He was only 36 years old. Heart attacks, cancers, asthma. Everybody is being affected by the dirty industries on the reservation -- industries allowed to continue polluting because of offsets. Because of REDD.”

“We called for a moratorium on REDD because that is the only thing that is going to save people -- to stop these crazy policies. As Indigenous Peoples, as traditional people, we know better than anybody, better than these high level people, how to live upon the land. We resist these people that say 'we will make the decisions for you.'”

“I can't tell you what it's like to keep going to these funerals, when the coffins are getting smaller and smaller.”
 

“I'm not here to compare our struggles; I'm here to unite. Because there is strength in unity and we must unite.”

Pablo Solon of Bolivia said what is happening at the climate summit in Durban, is a continuation of failed climate talks in Copenhagen and Cancun.

“After 9 days of negotiations there is no doubt that we saw this movie before. It is the third remake of Copenhagen and Cancun. Same actors. Same script. The documents are produced outside the formal negotiating scenario. In private meetings, dinners which the 193 member states do not attend.

 “The result of these meetings is known only on the last day. In the case of Copenhagen it was at two in the morning after the event should have already ended. In Cancun, the draft decision just appeared at 5 p.m. on the last day and was not opened for negotiation, not even to correct a comma. Bolivia stood firm on both occasions. The reason: the very low emission reduction commitments of industrialized countries that would lead to an increase in average global temperatures of more than 4° Celsius.”

Solon is carrying forward the protocols from the Conference for the World Peoples Conference on Cliamte Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Indigenous Peoples gathered from around the world to set the standards in 2010.

Read more from Pablo Solon: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/12/bolivias-pablo-solon-great-escape-iii.html

Watch video of press conference of IEN speaker Kandi Mossett. The article includes the clown’s statement on video. http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/12/clown-ejected-photographer-assaulted-at.html