Jean La Rose (born 6 May 1962) is an
Arawak
The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Greater ...
environmentalist and
indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
rights activist in
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
. She was awarded the
Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists, one from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. ...
in 2002 for her work to halt mining in their territories, to secure inhabitants full rights to traditional lands, and to save Guyana's forests.
[Goldman Environmental Prize]
Jean La Rose
(Retrieved on November 10, 2007)
She is the Executive Director of Amerindian Peoples Association which was founded in 1991, La Rose joining in 1994. She worked with
Oxfam
Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International.
History
Founded at 17 Broad Street, Oxford, as the Oxford Co ...
charities for funding.
According to La Rose, bringing indigenous issues to the national stage is to "preserve the environment in a wholesome way. We want to do our farming yes, We want to preserve our cultural sites. We want to preserve our languages. We can still preserve many of these things if legislation and policy protects us."
Personal life
Born in Guyana's North West district, La Rose attended Rosa Roman Catholic School (Now Santa Rosa Primary), then obtained a scholarship to attend South Georgetown Secondary School, graduating in 1974. She worked at the
University of Guyana
The University of Guyana, in Georgetown, Guyana, is Guyana's national higher education institution. It was established in April 1963 with the following Mission: "To discover, generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge of the highest standard for ...
library, until securing a scholarship to study there for her Bachelor’s Degree in History in 1991. In 1992, she participated in an International Cooperative Human Rights Training Programme, sponsored by the Canadian Human Rights Foundation in Quebec and in 1998 an course on ‘Indigenous Rights in the International System, organized by the International Training Centre for Indigenous Peoples in Greenland. These programs gave La Rose insight to the deficiencies of the Amerindian Act for protecting indigenous people.
In Guyana, she coordinated a signature campaign to put a moratorium on timber concessions at a 1994 World Bank Meeting, as well as other efforts in campaigning for "reducing the effect and impact of mining on indigenous communities, reviewing the Amerindian Act, reforming the
Constitution of Guyana
The Constitution of Guyana is the highest governing document in the Republic of Guyana. It came into effect on October 6, 1980, replacing the constitution enacted in 1966 upon its independence from the United Kingdom. The current Constitution of ...
to include indigenous and environmental rights, renouncing the Beal Aerospace Project in the
Waini area, amending the
Kaieteur National Park
Kaieteur National Park is a national park located in the Potaro-Siparuni Region of Guyana. The Park's boundaries and purpose are defined in the Kaieteur National Park Act, and was created to preserve the natural scenery (including Kaieteur Falls) ...
Act to encompass right of occupation and use for
, and ensuring Amerindian rights in the establishment of protected areas." In 1998, she worked with Amerindian communities to put forth a lawsuit for land titles. Amerindians were granted land under the Constitution of Guyana, however, destructive mining activities adjacent to Amerindian owned lands impact their water supply.
She was elected vice-chairman of the Constitution Reform Commission in 1999 resulting in creation of the Indigenous Peoples Commission and Article 149 G.
In 2017, she worked with indigenous communities of the greater Caribbean region to form a group similar to Latin American countries.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rose, Jean La
Guyanese environmentalists
Guyanese people of Arawak descent
Living people
Goldman Environmental Prize awardees
1962 births