A slight setback for the World’s Indigenous Peoples on long walk toward liberation!
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was shamefully rejected Tuesday, November 28, 2006 in United Nations Third Committee of the General Assembly on a resolution put forward by the Namibian delegation on behalf of the African countries. It called for a delay in adoption of the Declaration, deferring the matter to be concluded at the end of this 61st session of the GA which will be in September 2007. The vote, not surprisingly, consisted of eighty-two countries in favor, sixty-seven countries against, and twenty-five nation-states with abstentions. There were eighteen countries absent! Read the details and begin to develop new strategies in your regions. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/gashc3878.doc.htm
In resolution 2006/2 of 29 June 2006 the first session of the new UN Human Rights Council adopted the text of the Declaration and forwarded it to be adopted by the UN General Assembly. The group of countries, mainly from Latin America and Europe who co-sponsored the resolution for adoption of the Declaration, immediately withdrew their co-sponsorship when the African amendment delaying the adoption was approved. They then abstained when the amended resolution was in turn adopted in the 3rd Committee by a vote of 83 in favor, none against and 91abstentions.
African states were joined in their vote by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Russian Federation, outspoken opponents of the Declaration. The US also opposed the Declaration but abstained on both votes, because they also do not want to continue discussions on this issue. And, indeed it is ironic of the fact that Namibia itself recently struggled for independence and the recognition of their human rights and now they turn their back on the Indigenous Peoples who supported them for many years.
This vote presents a crucial yet temporary setback in the struggle for the recognition of human rights of the world’s Indigenous Peoples. The overwhelming majority have steadfastly maintained that the principles of sovereign rights, Treaty and land rights, self-determination and other rights contained in the Declaration are the minimum standards for the promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples communities and their traditional and cultural way of life. It is imperative that the declaration maintain its present form and is not allowed to be weakened any further by the states who used this procedural move to express their opposition to the text and the rights it affirms. They intend to vote “no” when and if the Declaration reaches the plenary at the General Assembly. The IITC re-affirms its support of the Human Rights Council’s decision to adopt this text.
However disparaging the situation may seem as a result of the despicable vote by governments there is “…always time to recover” as our deceased leader of Hawai’i, Mr. Kawaipuna Prejean once said. He and other IITC leaders who have passed on, including Bill Wahpepah, Ed Burnstick and Ingred Washinawatok, Nilak Butler, all were very much involved in the process of the Declaration development from its early days. A historical reminder of importance for Indigenous peoples to continue the fight are the dreams that brought Indigenous peoples together at the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, held September 20-23, 1977 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The result of the conference was the Declaration of Principles for the Defense of the Indigenous Nations and Peoples of the Western Hemisphere, one of the precursors of what eventually became the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is still our political agenda today.
Now is the time to step up efforts to organize actions to pressure states and to prepare public awareness campaigns to educate the public calling for their support. The Declaration contains inherent human rights of Indigenous peoples of Mother earth and cannot be allowed to be deferred, denied, nor excluded from recognition. Changes to the document can also not be made by states with any legitimacy without Indigenous peoples consent.
This appeal for dignity and respect will not die as a result of Tuesday’s vote. If governments ignore these human rights for Indigenous peoples now is a betrayal. Together we can secure passage of this historic document for all our relations. Aho!
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COUNCIL
2390 Mission St., Suite 301
San Francisco, CA. 94110
Telephone (1) (415) 641-4482
Fax (1) (415) 641-1298
email: iitc@treatycouncil.org
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was shamefully rejected Tuesday, November 28, 2006 in United Nations Third Committee of the General Assembly on a resolution put forward by the Namibian delegation on behalf of the African countries. It called for a delay in adoption of the Declaration, deferring the matter to be concluded at the end of this 61st session of the GA which will be in September 2007. The vote, not surprisingly, consisted of eighty-two countries in favor, sixty-seven countries against, and twenty-five nation-states with abstentions. There were eighteen countries absent! Read the details and begin to develop new strategies in your regions. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/gashc3878.doc.htm
In resolution 2006/2 of 29 June 2006 the first session of the new UN Human Rights Council adopted the text of the Declaration and forwarded it to be adopted by the UN General Assembly. The group of countries, mainly from Latin America and Europe who co-sponsored the resolution for adoption of the Declaration, immediately withdrew their co-sponsorship when the African amendment delaying the adoption was approved. They then abstained when the amended resolution was in turn adopted in the 3rd Committee by a vote of 83 in favor, none against and 91abstentions.
African states were joined in their vote by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Russian Federation, outspoken opponents of the Declaration. The US also opposed the Declaration but abstained on both votes, because they also do not want to continue discussions on this issue. And, indeed it is ironic of the fact that Namibia itself recently struggled for independence and the recognition of their human rights and now they turn their back on the Indigenous Peoples who supported them for many years.
This vote presents a crucial yet temporary setback in the struggle for the recognition of human rights of the world’s Indigenous Peoples. The overwhelming majority have steadfastly maintained that the principles of sovereign rights, Treaty and land rights, self-determination and other rights contained in the Declaration are the minimum standards for the promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples communities and their traditional and cultural way of life. It is imperative that the declaration maintain its present form and is not allowed to be weakened any further by the states who used this procedural move to express their opposition to the text and the rights it affirms. They intend to vote “no” when and if the Declaration reaches the plenary at the General Assembly. The IITC re-affirms its support of the Human Rights Council’s decision to adopt this text.
However disparaging the situation may seem as a result of the despicable vote by governments there is “…always time to recover” as our deceased leader of Hawai’i, Mr. Kawaipuna Prejean once said. He and other IITC leaders who have passed on, including Bill Wahpepah, Ed Burnstick and Ingred Washinawatok, Nilak Butler, all were very much involved in the process of the Declaration development from its early days. A historical reminder of importance for Indigenous peoples to continue the fight are the dreams that brought Indigenous peoples together at the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, held September 20-23, 1977 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The result of the conference was the Declaration of Principles for the Defense of the Indigenous Nations and Peoples of the Western Hemisphere, one of the precursors of what eventually became the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is still our political agenda today.
Now is the time to step up efforts to organize actions to pressure states and to prepare public awareness campaigns to educate the public calling for their support. The Declaration contains inherent human rights of Indigenous peoples of Mother earth and cannot be allowed to be deferred, denied, nor excluded from recognition. Changes to the document can also not be made by states with any legitimacy without Indigenous peoples consent.
This appeal for dignity and respect will not die as a result of Tuesday’s vote. If governments ignore these human rights for Indigenous peoples now is a betrayal. Together we can secure passage of this historic document for all our relations. Aho!
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COUNCIL
2390 Mission St., Suite 301
San Francisco, CA. 94110
Telephone (1) (415) 641-4482
Fax (1) (415) 641-1298
email: iitc@treatycouncil.org