CONSEJO INTERNACIONAL DE TRATADOS INDIOS

TEBTEBBA, the Indigenous group from the Philippines sent this out. This is for all US Indigenous Nations, Councils, Organizations and Individuals to do. - TG, Indigenous Environmental Network.

tebtebba@tebtebba.org wrote:

Dear sisters and brothers,

At the upcoming meeting of the United Nations’ Third Committee, a

committee of the UN General Assembly which address indigenous peoples’

issues, among other issues, a RESOLUTION on the framework of the

Programme of Action for the Second Decade of the World’s Indigenous

People will be voted upon. The United States of America and France are

the only State governments, which do not support the resolution’s use of

the letter “s” in the term “indigenous peoples.”  In its plural form,

“peoples” signifies the recognition of indigenous peoples as nations

with inherent rights of self-determination.  The use of the term

“indigenous peoples” is important for the dignity and human rights of

indigenous peoples, nations, and tribes which must be continued to be

affirmed.

The term “indigenous peoples” was recognized in previous United Nations

documents such as Declaration and Plan of Action of the World Summit on

Sustainable Development and the Declaration and Plan of Action of the

World Summit on Information Society as well as the 2005 World Summit

Outcome Document.

As this crucial vote will occur next week (tentative November 22, 2005),

we urge indigenous peoples and their allies to write to the USA

Department of State and the Mission of the United States of America to

the United Nations to support the use of the letter “s” in the term

indigenous peoples within the draft Resolution on the framework of the

Programme of Action for the Second Decade of the World’s Indigenous

People.

Please send an email message, call or fax:

United States Mission to the United Nations

Press and Public Affairs Section

140 East 45th Street

New York, N.Y. 10017

Press inquiries and opinions: 212-415-4050

Fax: 212-415-4053

Email: usunpublicaffairs@state.gov

And please call:

Office of the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Washington Office

U.S. Permanent Representative John C. Danforth

Telephone: 202-736-7555
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Dear Ambassador Bolton:

On behalf of the [insert your Tribal name] I am writing to stress the

importance of including the term “indigenous peoples” in the draft

Resolution regarding the framework of the Programme of Action for the

Second Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, which will be voted upon

within the Third Committee next week at the United Nations.

The use of the term “indigenous peoples,” as opposed to referencing only

individual indigenous people, more accurately acknowledges the unique

history, status and cultural identities of indigenous communities.  This

recognition serves to advance the dignity and human rights of indigenous

communities with the goal of preserving all of the world’s cultural

diversity.  The importance of the term “indigenous peoples” was

recognized when it was used in previous United Nations documents such as

Declaration and Plan of Action of the World Summit on Sustainable

Development and the Declaration and Plan of Action of the World Summit

on Information Society as well as the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.

We urge you to support the use of the term indigenous peoples within the

draft Resolution on the framework of the Programme of Action for the

Second Decade of the Worlds Indigenous People.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[your name]

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