A/77/514 of the planet by 2030 must not disproportionately affect indigenous peoples or their human rights. 36. As the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders ("HRDs") observes, protection of environmental HRDs—including indigenous peoples—is "inherently linked" to the "protection of their communities and peoples,"83 including their freedom of religion or belief. Yet State and non-State actors intimidate, torture, and even murder them for advocating for their rights and protection of sacred lands, such as Brazilian miners reportedly "open[ing] fire with automatic weapons from speed boats" on Yanomami peoples.84 In 2021, Front Line Defenders verified murders of 358 HRDs across 35 countries, 26% of whom were indigenous.85 Insecurity and impunity foster such violence, with indigenous HRDs in Colombia being increasingly caught up in the crosshairs of paramilitary and criminal violence and targeted in their homes during COVID-19 lockdowns.86 37. Indigenous women HRDs have described experiencing gendered forms of violence, harassment, and intimidation from State and non-State actors seeking to quell their advocacy as "a triple punishment:" for being indigenous women and HRDs against powerful interests.87 They also report threats of sexual and gender-based violence (“SGBV”) and smear campaigns (e.g., accusations of "unfaithfulness") on online platforms. 88 Civil society highlight that Indian security forces have systematically used SBGV to intimidate, humiliate and terrorize Adivasi activists, undermining community cohesion and resistance to land displacement and exploitation.89 C. Restrictions on manifestations of indigenous spirituality 38. Countless indigenous communities have reported living with historical and ongoing violations of their freedom of religion or belief through State restrictions on ceremonial practices and spiritual leaders, often aimed at forced assimilation and conversion. Until the early 20th century, Japan banned several Ainu practices, including their bear-spirit-sending ceremony (iyomante), ostensibly only reversing the decision to capitalize on its tourism value as a "savage spectacle."90 Canada and the USA previously banned Sun Dances, potlatches, and other traditional practices considered "anti-Christian" that are essential for worship and intergenerational transmission of knowledge.91 Given their spiritual centrality, some still practised them clandestinely. Religious organizations have similarly stigmatized and banned indigenous spiritual practices as "morally damaging" or "corrupt."92 Greenlandic experts observe that the State-sponsored Lutheran Church imposed such restrictions, impairing their drum dance and shamans. 39. According to the Expert Mechanism on Rights of Indigenous Peoples ("EMRIP"), improper acquisition, retention, and use of ceremonial objects may violate indigenous peoples' right to freedom of religion or belief. 93 Many indigenous peoples regard these objects, and human remains as physical representations or homes of spirit, respectively, 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 A/HRC/46/35,(para.54). https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/war-on-indigenous-amazon-communities-inbrazil. https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/2021_global_analysis_-_final.pdf,(p.5). https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/environmental-activists/last-line-defence/; https://static.globalwitness.org/interactives/2021/led-data-explorer/data/global_witness_led_20-1021.csv Submission-Survival International. A/HRC/50/26,(para.32). A/HRC/40/60,(paras.63-65); A/HRC/39/17,(para.78). https://assets.survivalinternational.org/documents/2057/Brutalized_for_resistance.pdf. https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/ainu-e-instructional-resources-for-the-studyof-japans-other-people/ https://archive.nytimes.com/tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/the-potlatch-scandal-bustedfor-generosity/; http://projects.leadr.msu.edu/firststoryna/exhibits/show/blackfootmoccasins/american-indian-religious-free E.g. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41348743,(pp.850-851). A/HRC/45/35. 11