UN affirms Indigenous Peoples are not equal to all other Peoples

The follow release was sent out yesterday by the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus at the UN. I post in here in the context of Hawaiian issues to point out that for Kanaka Oiwi, your status as an indigenous people provides little foundation internationally. It is rather your status as descendants of nationals of the fully recognized independent and sovereign country of the Hawaiian kingdom that provides your strong legal, political, and diplomatic foundation. Apropos that this release was sent out on Hawaiian Independence Day.

(BTW, about 10 years ago, my wife Kekula was very active in this effort for the Draft Declaration, traveling to Working Group sessions at Geneva and New York several times as a delegate for the International Indian Treaty Council, and in 1996 through her work with NetWarriors with my support from home she and I pioneered the use of the Internet for real-time reporting and support at the UN, setting up a website and listserv, sending out regular updates from the session, and then receiving messages of support from around the world that were posted on a bulletin board outside the meeting room for all the delegates—states and indigenous—to see. But even at that time, she was working on behalf of other indigenous peoples around the world, and recognized that this was not the venue for Hawaii due to its unique history and status as a fully recognized member of the World Family of Nations. At that time the U.S. and other countries were trying to remove any right of self-determination for indigenous peoples, or redefine self-determination in a domestic context to preclude any right to independence. Ten years later now and the Declaration still hasn't been adopted.)

From the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus.
28 November 2006
(Contact information at end of release.)
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' CAUCUS
www.ipcaucus.net

28 November 2006

UN affirms Indigenous Peoples are not equal to all other Peoples

The Indigenous Caucus is shocked and outraged by the actions of the United Nations, who today failed to adopt the most important international instrument for the promotion and protection of human rights for Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which represents more than 20 years of work within the UN, constitutes the minimum standards for their survival, dignity and well-being.

The newly created UN Human Rights Council, which is the premier international body to deal with human rights, adopted the Declaration in June of this year. The Declaration was one of the substantial achievements of the Council. However, it was delivered a huge blow today by African States, most of whom had chosen not to participate throughout this standard-setting process. Africa took the lead in blocking the adoption of the Declaration, which strategy was supported and encouraged by New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the United States.

It is clear that these actions are a politicization of human rights that show complete disregard for the ongoing human rights abuses suffered by Indigenous Peoples. This betrayal and injustice severely impacts 370 million Indigenous people in all regions of the world, who are among the most marginalized and vulnerable.

On May 24, 2002, Secretary General Kofi Annan, had proclaimed that the world's Indigenous Peoples "have a home at the United Nations." However, today's vote by opposing States clearly demonstrates that this is not the case.

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Indigenous Peoples Caucus
At UN Headquarters, New York

Contacts:

Les Malezer, Chairperson, Indigenous Peoples Caucus - +1 917 774 7346
Mattias Ahren, Arctic Caucus, Indigenous Peoples - +47 47 379161
Grand Chief Ed John, North American Caucus, Indigenous Peoples - +1 604
219 1705
Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, Asian Caucus, Indigenous Peoples - +1 520 461 2042

Posted: Wed - November 29, 2006 at 06:47 AM

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UN affirms Indigenous Peoples are not equal to all other Peoples

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