APA, GOIP expect gov't to back UN Indigenous Peoples rights declaration

APA, GOIP expect gov't to back UN Indigenous Peoples rights declaration

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) said yesterday that they expect the Guyana Government to vote for the immediate adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on September 13.

According to a joint APA/GOIP press release, the government has had a further opportunity to make its input to the Declaration and it was also on record as stating that "the Government of Guyana unequivocally supports the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the belief that such a document would strengthen global efforts to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples."

"We strongly believe that the Declaration which was already adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2006 represents the most important international instrument for the promotion and protection of human rights for indigenous peoples," the release stated.

And it noted also that indigenous peoples around the world have been lobbying their governments to support the adoption of the Declaration as this would be a major step towards eliminating the widespread human rights violations suffered by over 370 million indigenous peoples worldwide.

The APA and GOIP said further that they were aware that the Declaration which previously came up for consideration before the UN General Assembly in November 2006 was deferred to allow member states the opportunity to have further consultations. Since then a number of proposed amendments to the Declaration have been made, they said, and Guyana was among a group of seven states which had called for amendments to the Declaration.

The release also recalled statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an August 16 press release which said, among other things, that the deferral of the adoption of the Declaration provided "small states like Guyana with a significant Amerindian population to share views and make timely inputs on the text since Guyana which does not have a mission in Geneva was constrained in participating in the lengthy preparation of the Draft Declaration."

Source: Stabroek News, 7 Sept. 2007

PRESS CONFERENCE on Indigenous Rights Declaration

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

PRESS CONFERENCE on indigenous rights declaration

Indigenous peoples’ representatives, at a Headquarters press conference this morning, endorsed the amended text of the draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and called for its adoption by consensus by the General Assembly next week.

Speaking to the press about the latest developments regarding the negotiations on the draft were: Les Malezer, Chair of the Global Indigenous Caucus; Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; and Joseph Ole Simel, Coordinator of the African Regional Indigenous Caucus.

The draft was forwarded to the Assembly following its approval by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 29 June 2006, and action on the text is expected on 13 September. Initially scheduled for November 2006, the adoption of the text was deferred, on a motion by African States, until the end of the Assembly’s current session in September 2007, so that further consultations could take place.

Mr. Malezer said that, presented with an agreement between the African Group and co-sponsors of the draft, the Steering Committee -- a body made up of representatives from seven regional groups -- had asked for indigenous peoples’ opinions on the Declaration and formed its response on the basis of those communications. While many of the indigenous peoples supported the amended Declaration, many others took the position not to oppose its adoption. Some felt strongly that they should not be bound by the process and emphasized the right of indigenous peoples to decide their own arrangements in their own time frame.

See full story at:
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/070906_Indigenous.doc.htm



UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

Press Conference on Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Joseph Ole Simel, Coordinator of the African Regional Indigenous Caucus, responds to the amendments proposed by Member States to the draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples during a press conference, at UN Headquarters in New York.

Location: United Nations, New York Date: 06 September 2007

Indigenous Peoples of Suriname Speak Out on UN Declaration

Paramaribo, 10 August 2007

To: the President of the Republic of Suriname
Drs R.R. Venetiaan
Paramaribo - Suriname

Esteemed President,

By means of this letter, the Organization of Indigenous People in Suriname (OIS) requests your attention for the following:

The day of August 9 is declared by the government to be “National Day of Indigenous People” and is at the same time declared a national holiday.

Assigning this day to the original inhabitants of Suriname – known to you all as Indigenous, called Indians before – was applauded very much by us, as an organization that attends to the interests of this group.

We have experienced this gesture towards the Indigenous community as a very positive one and have seen this in the light of recognition of our people within the Surinamese population.

But, to our big surprise we have learned only a few days after the proclamation of this day, both in the national media and also from our international contacts, that the state of Suriname has voted against acceptance of the “Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” during the consultation round at the United Nations.

Because of this act of the state of Suriname, which works against the rights of the Indigenous Peoples all over the world but especially against the rights of the Indigenous People in Suriname, we as representatives of the Indigenous People in Suriname must conclude that we, Indigenous People, still will have a very long way to go in order to go get recognition of the rights and titles to our lands, etc.

The OIS sees this act of the state of Suriname as a failure to appreciate the position of the Indigenous People, because the state of Suriname being also the only country in the western hemisphere that still has not ratified ILO Convention 169.

On behalf of the Indigenous People of Suriname and also on behalf of our Indigenous brothers and sisters everywhere else in the world, we want to call on you as President to take case that Suriname will vote in favor of the “Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” during the vote on September 3 in the United Nations.

Since you have expressed in your speech in Palm Garden on the 9th of August 2007, that you really recognize the Indigenous People, we as Indigenous People would really appreciate if you would convert your words in this respect into deeds.

The Organization of Indigenous People in Suriname,
Leon Ericson Wijngaarde
(President)

GUYANA TAKES RETRORADE STEP ON UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Joint GOIP/APA Press Release

GUYANA TAKES RETRORADE STEP ON UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

As Guyana and the rest of the world commemorate another International Day of Indigenous Peoples on August 9, 2007, the Guyanese Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) and the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) are calling on the Government of Guyana to vote for the approval of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration) when it again comes before the UN General Assembly next month.

We are extremely disappointed to learn that Guyana has joined with six other states namely Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Russia and Surinam in asking for the Declaration which represents over two decades of expert and rigorous effort involving states and indigenous peoples to be redrafted. This represents a most retrograde step on the part of Guyana and those states which have taken this position. We are dismayed that Guyana has aligned itself with this small group of states which are proposing that one-sided changes are made to a vital document that constitutes the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples.

We gravely concerned about this development taking into consideration that GOIP had written to His Excellency President Jagdeo on February 7, 2007, requesting that Guyana endorse the Declaration. In a response dated June 14, 2007, the Honourable Minister of Amerindian Affairs stated that the Government of Guyana “is fully supportive of a process that would result in a Declaration that is unambiguous, preserves national unity and ultimately improve the lot of the world’s indigenous peoples.”

GOIP and APA are convinced that the Declaration which was adopted by the Human Rights Council of the UN in June 2006 represents the most important international instrument for the promotion and protection of human rights for indigenous peoples which fits the criteria that the Government says it is supportive of. We are therefore dismayed that the Government has suddenly taken this extreme position.

The GOIP and APA hereby urge the Government to reconsider its position and support the adoption of the Declaration in its present form.

GOIP Executive Committee,
APA Executive Committee,
7th August, 2007

Radio Interview with UCTP President and Chairman: 08.12.2007

Radio Interview with UCTP President and Chairman: 08.12.2007 : This Sunday, August 12th, 2007, UCTP President and Chairman, Roberto Mucaro Borrero will be interviewed on "Janet's House World Radio Show",which airs on WURD 900am in Philadelphia, PA from 3:05p.m. – 4:00p.m (EST) with host El Shafiyq.The radio program is streamed online and anyone with a computer can listen at http://www.900amwurd.com/ as well as call in to the show's 800# at 1-866-361-0900.You can visit the Janet's House World Radio Show website at www.janetshouse.com .