The following comes from the Indigenous Peoples Caucus, via http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com. It’s a notice/invite to help get the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples approved…
I’ve studied the declaration previously, had some concerns over how a few things were expressed, but overall it’s really passed due for it to have some standing. Of course, at this point it’s not likely the declaration will really accomplish that much, because like all UN declarations, it’s an agreement of good faith rather than, something that can be enforced—but it’s no less a good starting point to (hopefully) help bring some sanity to the world.
URGENT MATTER - INDIGENOUS PEOPLES - GLOBAL CONSULTATION
IMPORTANT NOTICE
An agreement has been reached over the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The ‘Co-sponsors’ and the Africa Group of States have now reached agreement over an amended version of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Indigenous Peoples Caucus is undertaking an urgent consultation with Indigenous Peoples delegations to determine whether the amended Declaration is to be supported or rejected. This important consultation ultimately means the amended Declaration is to be approved by the General Assembly or not adopted.
The States that are bound in this agreement will represent a clear majority of the UN members and it will guarantee adoption. It is possible that all States will support the amended Declaration, except a few ‘hard-line’ opponents. We know who those opponents are.
These urgent consultations will determine whether we can live with the amendments, and the Declaration is adopted, OR whether we cannot accept the agreed version, and the Declaration will not be adopted. Your careful scrutiny, combined with priority attention to this consultation, is called for.
Please contact for more information:
Les Malezer
Chairperson, Indigenous Peoples Caucus: les.malezer@faira.org.au
Cell: +1 (646) 338 3029
Website: http://www.ipcaucus.net/
OFFICE
The Church Center
777 UN Plaza
IITC Office, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 (212) 682 3633 ext. 3123
Fax: +1 (212) 682 5354
The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a strange topic. Most Indigenous don’t even know about it, let alone the UN. Upon any inspection, one can easily figure out the UN is largely dominated by the imperialist powers in the world, and their neo-colonies. yata yata yata, preaching the converted here.
What is really interesting is what the Ministry of Popular Powers for Indigenous peoples of Venezuela had to say about the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the recent gathering there. In the last vote on the declaration, Venezuela abstained from the vote. Previous (the previous two votes, I believe), they were in support of the declaration. It was after the Ministry of Popular Powers for the Indigenous peoples was created that they took a different stance on the declaration.
Venezuela said they are not supporting the declaration because the UN is an imperialist-run organization, and this Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is by extension, an imperialist document. She asserted that they are strongly anti-imperialist, and because of that they cannot support this imperialist document.
So the imperialists are against it (Canada, Russia, the US, and a few more). And the anti-imperialists are against it.
It’s also unfortunate to hear about how much work has gone into this declaration. For 25 years now people from all over have worked on this document. Yeah, it won’t translate to any real action. Just another strongly worded document. But I guess one hope is the educational value in it. I can’t seem to find some other way to create value.
Great to hear from you again OldManRivers.
I’m a little surprised at Venezuela’s position, but it’s understandable. The ILO Convention 169 seems to be in similar standing.
Speaking of the UN… They actually
adhere to something called blue water (or salt water) thesis, which effectively makes it illegal for Indigenous Nations ‘enclosed’ in States to be truly sovereign and self-governing—it is said, because “the territorial integrity of the nation state must be maintained.”
This theory justifies tribal sovereignty and the notion that Indigenous Nations on this land are ‘domestic-dependent Nations’…
I wonder where the declaration stands in regard to it?
In any case, yeah, 25 years is a long time for something that can have no authority…
Declaration or no declaration, we still need to come together and stand on our own as separate and distinct Peoples.
Welcome back OldmanRivers.
A.