2006 Intervention of the IPCGC to the UNPFII

Intervention of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 5th Session

Intervention of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean: Caney Quinto Mundo, Puerto Rico; Guyana Organization of Indigenous Peoples, Guyana; Hoboshirima Arawak Community, Venezuela; United Confederation of Taino People

Monday, 22 May 2006
Plenary Session: Ongoing priorities and themes
Agenda Item 4(b)

With regard to Agenda Item 4(b), we welcome this opportunity to address the human rights of Indigenous peoples specifically as it relates to the Indigenous Peoples of the Greater Caribbean.

With this in mind and in accordance with Item 85 and 86 of the Plan of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean recommends that Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues:

1) Hold a Caribbean regional meeting on indigenous issues on the Island of Trinidad among existing organizations to strengthen cooperation, coordination, and capacity building among Indigenous Peoples of the Greater Caribbean.

2) Facilitate Regional Special Consultative Session to focus on the unique situation of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples. Organization and planning of the regional meeting and special consultative session should take place in collaboration with the member organizations and communities represented within the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean and the Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples.

3) Ensure the regional meeting and Special Consultative Session is open to representatives of indigenous organizations from throughout the Greater Caribbean region.

4) Pay particular attention to ensuring access including equal funding to representatives from the Island of Borikén (the Free Associated State of Puerto Rico) to ensure their participation at the Regional and Special Consultative Session. Since Puerto Rico is not a member State of any UN or OAS International Bodies, Agencies or Organizations because of its colonial status, Indigenous Representatives have been denied funding by the UN Voluntary Found for Indigenous Peoples to participate in meetings, conferences, regional specific consultations, capacity building opportunities and conferences in Geneva, the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere.

Failure to address the effects of institutionalized colonialism only serves to perpetuate colonialism, and affect our ability to participate effectively within these systems as Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean, which is not the intention of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

5) Encourage the financial contributions and participation of all relevant UN agencies and programs (e.g. UNESCO, UNDP, UNEP, ILO etc.) for the Regional and Special Consultative Session.

6) Invite the Special Rapportuer on the Situation of the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People to the Special Consultative Session to review the particular situation of indigenous Caribbean communities including their claims that;

a. national laws and policies are discriminatory and inconsistent with International Human Rights laws and standards, as in the case of the recent Amerindian Act of Guyana.

b. The legal and judicial systems discriminate against indigenous peoples asserting, claiming and enjoying their rights to their lands, territories and resources as in the recent case of the Taino Peoples Reclamation of Caguana Ceremonial Grounds in Utuado, Puerto Rico.

7) Specific mention should be made in the fifth session report of the inclusion of the Indigenous Taino Peoples of Borikén (the "free" associated state of Puerto Rico).

8) Call upon States to create adequate mechanisms in conjunction with the Indigenous Peoples of the Greater Caribbean to facilitate uninterrupted communication and border crossings between the Arawak, Carib and Warao Peoples of Venezuela, Guyana, and Surinam, the Taino Peoples of Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Dominican Republic, and the Carib Peoples of Dominica and Trinidad who all share common ancestral heritages.

Justification: The Greater Caribbean is defined here as an area of cooperation in recognition of common ancestral heritages and common geographic spaces shared by the Indigenous Peoples of the region.

Public Notice: UNPFII 2006

Public Notice: The Fifth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 15 to 26 May 2006.

As in previous sessions, the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) is facilitating activities and administrative services for the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean (IPCGC). Please inform us of your planned attendance and desire to participate as part of the Caucus, which is open to representatives of indigenous Caribbean Organizations and communities.

Consistent with the UNPFII, the IPCGC follows an organizational structure similar to the Association of Caribbean States whereas the “Greater Caribbean” is defined here as an area of cooperation in recognition of common ancestral heritages and common geographic spaces shared by the Indigenous Peoples of the region.

Please send all correspondence to the United Confederation of Taino People’s Regional Coordinating Office at uctp_ny@yahoo.com

We say bo’matum (thank you) in advance for your attention and consideration.

UN Recognizes Unique Situation of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples in Official Report

United Nations, NY (UCTP Taino News) – One year ago, back in December 2004, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 59/174 establishing the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Although it may not be common knowledge, as a result of this resolution’s adoption, the Second Decade officially commenced on January 1st 2005. This resolution also requested that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan submit a report on a Comprehensive Program of Action for the Second International Decade to the sixtieth session of the General Assembly. The Program of Action was discussed and adopted by the General Assembly on November 21st 2005.

Highlighting the importance of participation within the international system, the program of action was developed based upon comments received from the UN system, governments, indigenous peoples' and civil society organizations. Twenty-two indigenous organizations provided input for the program of action. Among these submissions, the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) was the only entity representing Caribbean Indigenous Peoples to submit a formal proposal to be considered within this process. As a result of UCTP participation, the efforts of the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus of the Greater Caribbean was also recognized within the official report. Based on consultations among regional representatives, the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean submitted various interventions during the fourth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues held in May 2005. The Caucus will reconvene at the next session to be held in May 2006.

See Full Article at:
UN Recognizes Unique Situation of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples in Official Report

Public Notice: Summit of the Americas 2005

Public Notice: Summit of the Americas 2005

This is to inform the Caribbean Indigenous Community that the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) has nominated Naniki Reyes Ocasio, a representative of the Consejo General de Tainos Borincanos to present a position paper on Intellectual Property, Culture and Heritage at the Indigenous Summit of the Americas to be held Argentina from October 27-29, 2005.

This nomination was sent to Albert DeTerville who has been identified as a member of the Indigenous Summit Planning Committee (ISPC), and who along with the other ISPC members, is charged with the responsibility of the planning and implementation of the Second Indigenous Peoples Summit of the Americas. Albert DeTerville is expected to maintain a dialogue with indigenous Caribbean constituents throughout the planning and implementation process.

The nomination was also sent to the AFN and ONPIA, who are the main partners in the planning and implementation of the Indigenous Summit as well as the Secretariat of the ISPC.

Caribbean Native nations join U.N. Permanent Forum

A group of Caribbean indigenous nations gathered for special ceremonies and events in late May during the 4th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, held in New York City. The indigenous movement in the Caribbean represents one of the lesser-known currents of Native cultural and political resurgence. This spring at the United Nations, the various delegations of Caribbean indigenous peoples coalesced in interesting and welcome ways.

For the first time in many years, Caribbean indigenous representatives were able to meet, share food and culture, and get down to the hard work of U.N. resolutions, interventions and document reaffirmation that marks much of international work. The Taino Nation of the Antilles, with primary bases in Puerto Rico and New York City, organized events for Caribbean delegates. It fund-raised the costs of one delegate from Dominica and coordinated presentations. Roberto Borrero, a Taino who serves on the NGO committee of the Indigenous Permanent Forum, also helped fund delegates to the event and has been active in hemispheric organizing. An Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Greater Caribbean has been formed.

Carib cultural activist Prosper Paris, among others, joined the U.N. events. Prosper is from the Carib Territory in the north coast of the small Caribbean island of Dominica. He was one of several presenters on a panel on Indigenous Education and Cultural Survival organized by the Taino Nation. This writer chaired the panel, held at the customary indigenous gathering place in New York City: the United Nations Church Center at 777 United Nations Plaza, where several dozen Taino, Carib, Arawak, Guajiro and other indigenous peoples gathered.

The notable event, ably organized by Vanessa Pastrana, Inarunikia, among other volunteers from the Taino Nation, featured a dance presentation from young Taino people and recitations in the Taino language that are the product of a vigorous reconstruction and relearning of the insular Arawak language by members of that nation since the 1980s.

"From Cuba, in the mountains of the Sierra, from Dominican Republic, from our own Boriken [Puerto Rico], we have met relatives, holding on to our identity and retaking our indigenous roots,'' said Cacique Cibanakan, of the Taino Nation. ''Our hearts pound with excitement that our people are coming together."

Indigenous delegates from all over the world arrive in New York City every spring for the now-permanent U.N. forum on Indigenous peoples' issues. There are always dozens if not hundreds of important and fascinating stories - both positive and negative - on the conditions of tribal peoples and on the always tortuous and troubled trajectory in the world of highly exploitative industries, with their rapacious hunger for indigenous lands and natural resources.

In too many cases, the political contentions of land and resources are accompanied by attacks on Native leaders and political and social structures. Quechua and Aymara from Bolivia and Ecuador, Kuna from Panama, Maya from Guatemala, northern Canadian Cree leaders, Lakota treaty chiefs and Haudenosaunee traditionalists from the United States and Saami from Norway, among many others, sustained a necessary dialogue on human rights and development through the work of U.N. gatherings.

In New York representing the Arawak community at Joboshirima in Venezuela, Chief Reginaldo Fredericks found a not-so-distant relative in Daniel Rivera, Wakonax, one of the active leaders in the Taino movement in Puerto Rico and the diaspora. The Arawak chief, who is Onishido Clan and lives mostly in the rain forest, was very happy to meet Taino relatives.

Among the messages carried by Fredericks from his people is the need to preserve and restore indigenous language. He commended the Taino language recovery program, developed by the nation's elder language advocate, Jose Laboy, Boriquex, and offered to help bring together the Arawak (Lokono) peoples wherever possible. ''It is wonderful we are more and more recognizing each other; we have a lot to offer each other,'' Rivera, who made an intervention at the United Nations on behalf of Caribbean Indian peoples, responded.

Of the many currents of indigenous movement across the Western Hemisphere, the Caribbean is the most hidden and marginalized. As communities, clans and nations coalesce, however, encounters such as the one at the United Nations in New York, provide common ground for exchange and mutual education. The shared cultural history is fascinating.Fredericks narrated stories of his people to the Taino Nation elder, which tell of six original Lokono (later Arawak) nations, which the chief called ''clans.'' Of the six ''clans,'' three are unaccounted for while Taino is in the process of vigorous cultural and social recovery.

According to Fredericks, the ancient Lokono tribes or clans were called Oralido, Cariafudo, Onishido ''rain people,'' Gimragi, Way'u, and the ''good people'' from the great islands (Taino). Today, ''as far as we know,'' the chief reported, only Onishido and Way'u survive on the mainland. The chief was most intrigued that hundreds and perhaps thousands of Taino descendants from the islands of the Greater Antilles are reaffirming themselves. The chief pointed to his headdress, which shows six feathers, symbolizing the six tribes or clans of the Lokono. ''The good island people, the Taino, are one of the six feathers,'' Fredericks reminded the other Caribbean delegates.

From La Guajira, Colombia, Karmen Ramirez represented the Way'u Morerat ORJUWAT organization. She pointed out not only her Native Way'u nation, but also four tribes from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta as Arawaks who originate with the Way'u of the Guajira Peninsula. It was another instance of people from common ancestors and linked contemporary identities meeting and recognizing each other as a result of an indigenous international movement. The Way'u, who also reside in neighboring Venezuela, are one of those peoples hurtfully divided by an international border.

Caribbean indigenous delegates, in the shadows for decades if not centuries, put their statements into the record at the annual U.N. event. The Caribbean indigenous caucus signaled the following major goal: ''That the collective rights of the indigenous peoples of the Greater Caribbean to lands, territories, resources, and traditional knowledge be enshrined in the Constitution of all Greater Caribbean countries and in other states where indigenous peoples exist.''

Author: Jose Barreiro
Source: Indian Country Today