CONSEJO INTERNACIONAL DE TRATADOS INDIOS

The Commission on the Protection of Sacred Sites, Cultural and Spiritual Rights would like to reaffirm the following I.I.T.C. Resolutions:

1.      Resolution No. 2002 – 10 adopted on September 21, 2002 at the Regular meeting of the I.I.T.C. Board of Directors gathers at Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana.

2.      I.I.T.C. Conference Resolution by the Health Commission, February 2002, in Kahutapu Marae, Wairoa, Tauranga Moana.

3.      I.I.T.C. Conference Resolution be the Women’s Commission, February 2002, in Kahutapu Marae, Wairoa, Tauranga Moana.

4.      I.I.T.C. Conference Resolution by the Commission on Sustainable Development and Environment, February 2002, in Kahutapu Marae, Wairoa, Tauranga Moana.

Further, we would like the I.I.T.C. to consider the following:

1.      To call upon the Special Rapporteur for Religious Intolerance to follow up on his 1998 investigation on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief with a special focus on Indigenous Peoples.  To use the International Declaration on Human Rights, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Covenant on Economic, Social and Civil Rights and other International instruments. 

2.      Follow-up on all relevant international instruments such as the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on Biological Diversity and provide information to our communities on how we can access these instruments to provide the protection of our Sacred Sites, Cultural and Spiritual Sites.  One strategy in this area may be to investigate how the UNESCO initiative regarding World Heritage Sites may provide protections needed.

3.      Investigate how legal instruments such as the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act can provide an international model of protection, which would include protecting the rights of so-called un-recognized Indigenous Peoples.

4.      Follow up on relevant legislation concerning border crossing such as Homeland Security and its effects on the crossing of ceremonial participants, the transportation of ceremonial items (i.e sacred regalia, cultural objects, herbal medicines) as well as the desecration of these items by border agents.  We affirm that being able to bring ceremonial participants and items across the U.S. border that runs through our Nations is essential to the stability of our religious practices and cultural sovereignty. 

One way for the I.I.T.C. to continue supporting this issue would be to facilitate a meeting with tribes affected by border issues and offer legal expertise on these new laws that may affect our religious freedom, and provide education on how the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues may be applied to this issue.

We further request that the I.I.T.C. call upon the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to investigate, report on and provide recommendations on this issue with special attention to the rights of Indigenous Representatives crossing any international borders with ceremonial items to participate in ceremonial and cultural exchange.

Finally, we call upon the I.I.T.C. to facilitate a forum for an international gathering of Spiritual Leaders, who can provide further guidance in these areas.