INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY – 10 DECEMBER 2006

Statement by Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus

UN’s human rights record challenged by Indigenous Peoples

360 million Indigenous Peoples throughout the world continue to struggle against crippling conditions of poverty, yet the United Nations remains uncertain whether to support human rights for Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous Peoples are clearly the poorest and most oppressed societies in the world. This poverty continues because governments refuse to acknowledge indigenous title to lands and indigenous self-determination.

Last week the United Nations lost credibility when the General Assembly’s ‘Third Committee’ used a procedural vote to prevent final adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The ‘no action’ motion set back twenty-three years of work to complete the human rights standard. This work involved states, human rights experts and Indigenous Peoples participating together in negotiations.

The Third Committee voted to delay the adoption because some states claimed they do not know who are the Indigenous Peoples.

These states also interpreted the Declaration as authorising secession, and enabling veto of parliaments. Such interpretations are eccentric and groundless.

The 53 African member states voted as a bloc to delay adoption of the Declaration. They risk being seen as supporters of continuing colonisation and subjugation of Indigenous Peoples.

UN member states should not be so irresponsible as to dispense such hysterical interpretations of the Declaration and international law.

They discredit the UN’s reputation on human rights and cast doubt upon the integrity of the UN.

The United Nations is sending mixed messages about whether the promotion and protection of human rights is a genuine major objective of the new Millennium.

The United Nations should be held accountable through democratic and transparent procedures wherever the will of the peoples of the world is under threat.

The creation of the Human Rights Council has been a positive step. The Human Rights Council decided, by an overwhelming majority, to adopt the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, at its first session in June 2006.

In particular, Indigenous Peoples call for the immediate adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, without amendment, by the UN General Assembly.

The Indigenous Peoples Caucus calls upon the United Nations to double its commitment and efforts to promote human rights as the major pillar for the global development, equally, of all peoples.


CONTACT: les.malezer@faira.org.au
+61 419 710720