Statement by the International Indian Treaty Council, Movimiento de la Junventud Kuna (Panama), Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations (Canada), and Consejo de Todas Las Teirras (Chile)

Addressing the Current process in the UN Intersessional Working Group on the Draft Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Monday morning, December 12^th, 2006

Thank you Mr Chairman and Good morning to all delegations,

I will be brief in stating our concerns but this does not minimize their seriousness for us Mr. Chairman. On Friday afternoon you distributed a text whcih was presented as your summary of the discussions last week on Self-Determination.  We do not need to reiterate the central importance of this matter for us, as we have done so allready countless times over the years.  Neither do we plan at this time to address the specific themes or articles in question, as you have assured us that we will return to these themes and articles before the end of this session.

We do have concerns and two specific questions for you Mr. Chairman, which call into question for us the process of this Workign Group and the value, effectiveness and nature of our participation in it.

Although you stated your intent to summarize in the document you distributed Friday the discussions in the Working Group on this central matters and group of articles, we note with extreme concern that you have included text in these proposals as well as a new operative arcticle which was proposed by a small number of states and opposed by an overwhelming majority of Indigenous Peoples’ delegations as well as a significant number of other states, but without any notation so stating in your summary. 

We have been patient and have participated in this process over many years in good faith.  But our question now, as we come to what may be the concluding sessions in which our full and equal participation is supposedly assured, is this: what is the actual role of  the Indigenous delegations in this Working Group? At what point should we consider that we are in fact some kind of  “window dressing” or backdrop for a process which refelcts the views of the “real” participants who’s views will determine the actual and final outcome of how the rights of our Peoples are recognized now and for our future generations?   Is this really an aspirational Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or is the real intent to insure the rights of States and third parties as per the status quo?  Is this the direction, as your summary seems to indicate, that we are being taken in spite of our protests? 

Please clairfy this for us so that we can decide how we should proceed accordingly.           

Please Mr. Chairman, also clarify for us the status and final destiny of the “summary” you distributed Friday.  In years past we have seen too often that what is first presented as a summary of the discussions, whether we think it acturately refects the input or views of the majority of the delegations present, ends up as text presented to the Commission on Human Rights.  

We appreciate any clarifications you can offer us Mr. Chairman, as we and those we represent back home have a very great deal invested in this process and its outcome.

Thank you.