HUNGER STRIKE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UNITED NATIONS!

 

 

Today, November 29^th, 2004, at 11 am, we, Indigenous Peoples' delegates, declare a hunger strike and spiritual fast inside the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, during this 3^rd week of the 10^th session of the Intersessional Working Group on the United Nations Draft Declaration for the Rights on Indigenous Peoples.

 

 

We, Indigenous peoples' delegates from different countries, undertake this action, with the support and solidarity of Indigenous Peoples and organizations from around the world, to call the world’s attention to the continued attempts by some states, as well as this UN process itself, to weaken and undermine the Draft Declaration developed in the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations and adopted by the UN Subcommission for the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in 1994.

 

The Sub Commission text has also been endorsed and supported by hundreds of Indigenous Peoples and organizations around the world as the minimum standard required for the recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples' rights internationally.

 

We delegates who will undertake the hunger strike, along with the undersigned Indigenous Peoples, organizations, tribal governments, Nations, communities and Networks, call for the Sub Commission text of the Declaration to be sent back to the UN Commission on Human Rights with the message that in 10 years, proposals by States to weaken or amend the text have not gained the consensus of the Working Group participants, which include both states and Indigenous Peoples.

 

Mr. Luis Chavez, the Chairman Rapporteur of the Working Group should report this reality and not present a “consolidated text” as if it was “close to consensus.” The Commission on Human Rights must establish a process that does not provide a handful of States an opportunity to weaken the human rights of Indigenous Peoples. The process also must take into account the voices of the great numbers of Indigenous Peoples from all parts of the world. 

 

We will not allow our rights to be negotiated, compromised or diminished in this UN process, which was initiated more than 20 years ago by Indigenous Peoples. The United Nations itself says that human rights are inherent and inalienable, and must be applied to all Peoples without discrimination.

 

We request that the Secretariat of this session immediately inform the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and the High Commissioner herself of this action.  We also request that the Secretariat arrange for the hunger strikers to be able remain in the UN during the entire week of the session.

 

Indigenous delegates participating in the hunger strike inside the United Nations include:

 

Adelard Blackman, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Canada ;

Andrea Carmen, Yaqui Nation, Arizona United States ;

Alexis Tiouka, Kaliña, French Guyana ;

Charmaine White Face, Ogala Tetuwan, Sioux Nation Territory, North America ;

Danny Billie, Traditional Independent Seminole Nation of Florida, United States;

Saul Vicente, Zapoteca, Mexico.

 

 

 

 

For more information in Geneva contact:

 

Andrea Carmen (English, Spanish), IITC, 076 546 04 21

(for International calls dial ++ 41 76 546 04 21)

 

Cyril Schönbächler (French, English), IndiGeneva, 078 716 52 39 or 022 733 28 73

(for International calls dial ++ 41 78 716 52 39 or ++ 41 22 733 28 73)

 

Anne-Marie Cruz (French, English, Spanish), IndiGeneva, 076 450 83 18

(for International calls dial ++ 41 76 450 83 18)

 

 

The following organizations, Nations, Tribal Governments and communities have signed on in support of this action and of the position we present:

 

Africa

 

Indigenous Peoples African Coordinating Committee (IPACC)

 

Argentina

 

Asociación Mapuche los Toldos

Organizacion de Naciones y Pueblos Indígenas en Argentina

Comisión de Juristas en la República de Argentina

 

Argentina/Bolivia/Chile/Peru

 

Parlamento del Pueblo Kullana Aymara

 

Arctic

 

Indigenous Peoples and Nations Coalition

Kasgit Council of Elders, Nutmlak (Inherent Traditional Government), Iupik Nation, Alaska

Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government, Alaska

 

Asia

 

Alifurus in Maluku (Moluccas)

 

Bolivia

 

Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores campesinos de Bolivia (CSUTCB)

Taypi Ceqe (Organización Indígena Aymara)

 

Canada

 

Buffalo River Dene Nation

Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations

Ermineskin Cree Nation

Indigenous Organization of Indigenous Resource Development (IOIRD)

Innu Council of Nitassinan

Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

 

Chile

 

Consejo de Todas las Tierras

 

Colombia

 

Akuaipa Waimakat (Asociación de Derechos Humanos Wayuu de la Guajira)

Organización Zonal Indígena del Putumayo (OZIP)

 

Ecuador

 

Instituto Cientifico de Culturas Indigenas (Amawta Runakunapak Yachay)

 

French Guyana

 

Fédération des Organisations autochtones de Guyane (FOAG), membre de la COICA

 

Guatemala

 

Comite Campesina del Altiplano (CCDA)

CONAVIGUA

Defensoria Maya

Fundacion Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala)

Oxlajuj Ajpop de los Ajq'ijab' (Conferencia Nacional de Ministros de la Espritualidad Maya de Guatemala)

 

Kenya

 

Maimyoito Pastoralist Intgegrated Organization

 

Mexico

 

Academia Mexicana de Derechos Humanos

Agencia Internacional de Prensa India (AIPIN)

Alianza de Organizaciones Sociales

Alianza de Pueblos Indígena de la Sierra Oriente del Estado de México

Alianza Indígena Mexicana-Anipa Hidalgo

Anipa Chihuahua

Anipa Guerrero

Anipa Quintana Roo

Anipa Tabasco

Asamblea Nacional Indígena Plural por la Autonomía

Asamblea Nacional por la Autonomia (ANIPA)

Asociacion Nacional de Abogados Democraticos (ANAD)

Axale, S.S.S.

Centro de Derechos Humanos Yaxkin

Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social, A.C.

Centro para el Autodesarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas del Alto Balsas

Centros de Derechos Humanos Digna Ochoa

CEREAL GUADALAJARA

CEREAL MEXICO

Cesem A.C.

Coalicion de Atencion a la Juventud

Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos A.C.

Consejo de la Nación Amuzga

Consejo de la Nacion Nahua

Consejo de la Nacionalidad Otomí

Consejo de Organizaciones Triquis

Consejo de Pueblos Nahuas del Alto Balsas, Guerrero, A.C.

Consejo Indígena Municipal Chocholteco

Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaca "Ricardo Flores Magón" (CIPO-RFM – Oaxaca)

Consejo Mazahua Región Almoloya de Juárez

Consejo Tradicional de los Pueblos Indios de Sonora

Cooperativa Flores de la Tierra Amuzga

Coordinadora de Grupos Culturales Indígenas y Populares

Coordinadora Guerrerense de Mujeres Indígenas

Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas

Coordinadora Regional de Organizaciones Indígenas de la Sierra de Zongolica

Educa A.C.

Federación de Indígenas Migrantes de Acapulco

Foro Migraciones

Fraternidad Revolucionaria

Frente Independiente de Pueblos Indios

Frente Indigena Campesino y Popular (FICAPO, A.P.N.)

Fundación Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Mexico)

Incide Social

Jovenes En Alternativa Pacifica

La Coordinadora Nacional de Mujeres Indigenas

Mephaa-Savi Mujeres Indígenas

Nacion Purepecha Zapatista

Ndu Nu Ñu Savi

Noche Sihuame Sanse Tajome

Organización de Artesanos Migrantes "Tonhalli"

Organización Nación Purhepecha

Parlamento Indígena Estatal Campesino y Popular

Red Codapi

Red Indígena de Turismo Alternativo de México

Red Indígena de Turismo de México

Regiones Autónomas Pluriétnicas

Romero" (SICSAL)

Se Ojtli Yankuik, A.C.

Secretariado Internacional Cristiano de Solidaridad con América Latina "Oscar A.

SEPROJUSDAC, AC

Taller Universitario de Derechos Humanos A. C.

Umbral Axochiatl

Yoloxochitl SPR

 

Morroco

 

Tamaynut (Amazigh Peoples)

 

Pacific

 

Aotearoa Indigenous Rights Trust (Aotearoa/New Zealand)

Nation of Hawaii (Hawaii)

Sovereign Union of Aboriginal Natives and Peoples in Australia

Te Rau Aroha (Aotearoa/New Zealand)

 

Panama

 

Asociación Nabguana

Comunidad de Ustupu, Kuna Yala

Fundación Dobbo Yala

Fundación para la Promoción del Conocimiento Indígena

Jóvenes Ngobe – Bugle

Movimiento Juventud Kuna

Nis Bundor

Organización de Jóvenes Embera – Wounam de Panamáde

Red de Mujeres sobre la Biodiversidad

 

 

United States

 

Abya Yala Nexus

Cactus Valley/Red Willow Springs Sovereign Community, Big Mountain, Arizona

Centro Mundo Maya

El Colectivo de Contacto Ancestral

Indigenous Environmental Network

Pit River Tribe, California

Seminole Sovereignty Protection Initiative, Oklahoma

Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council

Traditional Independent Seminole Nation of Florida

Wanblee Wakpeh Oyate, Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota

White Clay Society, Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana

Yoemem Tekia Foundation (Pascua Yaqui Reservation, Arizona)

 

Multi-regional

 

Coordinadora Indígena de la Cuenca Amazonica (COICA)

Indigenous World Association

International Indian Treaty Council

Land is Life