Bearing in mind that:

1. The discussion of the UN Draft Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the Intersessional Working Group established by the Commission on Human Rights is proceeding with difficulties, because there are governments that lack the will to approve the Draft Declaration in its current form, with its strong recognition for the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

2. The fundamental problem posed as an obstacle by some governments, such as the United States, is recognition of self-determination for Indigenous Peoples. These governments argue that this would create new States and result in the break-up of their territories.

3. The Indigenous Peoples consider this refusal to be an act of exclusion,
discrimination and racism of  States opposed to the recognition of Indigenous Peoples, bearing in mind that such rights are already recognized in international law as rights of all Peoples, without exclusion.

4. The contents of the Draft Declaration continue to be nothing less than principles and tenets reaffirming minimum standards for rights of Indigenous Peoples. We cannot renounce its essential aspects for our own survival, such as self-determination, land, and the recognition of Indigenous Peoples as such.

5. The Draft Declaration as approved by the Working Group on Indigenous Populations and the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, and by hundreds of organizations and representatives of Indigenous Peoples from all parts of the world, is serving de facto as an expression of and consciousness raising tool for our communities, as well as for developing and defining the policies of the Indigenous Peoples on the national level.


6. The policy defined by IITC and other representatives of Indigenous Peoples is a single, united policy to defend the text as written, without change. Given this stance, several countries have gradually modified their positions, which gives us hope that continued progress is possible.

7.  What is most essential at the present time is to continue in our defense of the basic rights recognized in the text of the Daft Declaration, such as self-determination, treaties and lands, and reject, on principle, any proposal aimed at undermining its legitimacy, curtailing its contents, or reflecting any discrimination.

8. We define the following elements in the strategy we must advance at this point:

-  To continue working at all international fora for the adoption of the Draft Declaration in its current text

-  To enter into national agreements in each country with other sectors of society, so as to gain support and put pressure on governments with regard to this matter.

-  Initiate a dialogue with governments, but define content and priorities among all Indigenous Peoples.

-  Continue to use the Declaration in practice, as has been done up to now.

-  Commence ongoing, intense work with the governments that are resistant to the Draft Declaration.

-  Continue with an active program of dissemination of the Draft Declaration and educational efforts among Indigenous Peoples in indigenous communities and organizations, and among the governments and courts of the Indigenous Peoples themselves, to clarify the importance of the draft declaration, the meaning of the rights expressed therein, and the importance of indigenous unity vis-à-vis the governments.


Adopted by consensus
June 26th, 1999