UNDG Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples Issues

From the February 2008 UN OHCHR Update on Minority Issues "The United Nations Development Group approved Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples' Issues on 1 February 2008. The Guidelines are designed to assist UN Country Teams integrate indigenous peoples' issues into country policies and programmes. The Guidelines were drafted by a group on UN organizations and specialized agencies under the aegis of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples'Issues." The text is available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/docs/guidelines.pdf

10 anniversary of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

On March 11, the Council of Europe opened a Conference on the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The program of the conference is here: http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/minorities/1._GENERAL_PRESENTATION/ PDF_Programme%20conference%20%20E%20080305.pdf Further information is here on the website of the Secretariat of the Framework Convention: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/Minorities/ The website for the COE Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is located here: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/minlang/Default_en.asp

Response of CERD to US Reports on treatment of Indigenous Peoples by USA

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has issued it's report on the review of the reports of the USA on the treatment of indigenous peoples within the US and it's territories. The report criticizes the US on several issues; lack of consultation with indigenous groups, interpretation of "racial discrimination"; physical violence against indigenous women; and treatment of sacred sites, etc. It refers to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a doc the US needs to use as a guideline. The report is here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/co/CERD-C-USA-CO-6.pdf A consolidated Shadow Report by US indigenous groups is available here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/ngos/usa/USHRN8.doc and the International Indian Treaty Council has issued a press release here: http://www.treatycouncil.org/PDFs/PressReleaseCERDfinal30808%20_2_.pdf

Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples

On 13 Feb 2008, Hon. Kevin Rudd, M.P., the Prime Minister of Australia, presented an Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples in Parliament. The Leader of the Opposition also spoke on the same matter. See http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/ See, also, this collection of quotes on the issue: http://viv.id.au/blog/?p=1446

Forum on Minority Issues

Forum on Minority Issues Replacing the former Working Group on Minorities, the Forum on Minority Issues was established on 28 September 2007 at the 6th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) as a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on minority issues and for contributing to the work of the Independent Expert on minority issues. Its tasks will be: * To identify issues and best practices * To make recommendations on the implementation of the 1992 United Nations Minorities Declaration * To provide the Independent Expert on Minority Issues with information * To contribute to the High Commissioner's efforts of improving the co-operation among United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, Funds and Programmes on activities related to the promotion and protection of the rights of minorities The Forum will be open to the participation of: * States * UN mechanisms, bodies and agencies * National human rights institutions * Academics and experts * NGOs The Forum will meet for 2 days every year. The Forum Chair will be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council in consultation with regional groups and in accordance with regional rotation. The Independent Expert on minority issues will guide the work of the Forum by recommending focus topics. She will also transmit the Forum's thematic recommendations to the HRC. It is suggested that the first meeting of the Forum should take place in September 2008. Details will follow in due course.

10th Anniversary of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

Press release - 071(2008) 10th anniversary of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities Statement by Ján Kubiš, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Strasbourg, 01.02.2008 - Ján Kubiš, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic and chairman-in-office of the Committee of Ministers, said the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was an important day in the Council of Europe’s efforts to protect and promote human rights in Europe, of which the rights of persons belonging to national minorities are part and parcel. Mr. Kubiš recalled that the Convention was the first legally-binding multilateral instrument on minority protection. Continued here: http://www.coe.int/t/dc/press/WCD/AllPR_en.asp#

Expert mechanism adds implementation clout to UN declaration

Posted: January 04, 2008
by: Gale Courey Toensing / Indian Country Today

GENEVA - The adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the U.N. General Assembly last September was hailed as a historic political and moral victory for the world's 370 million indigenous peoples. Now that victory will be backed up with some practical clout to implement the declaration's principles of self-government, protection of cultural identities and control over traditional lands and territories.

On Dec. 13, the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution to establish the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The expert mechanism will report directly to the council as a subsidiary body that will ''assist the Human Rights Council in the implementation of its mandate.'' The body will consist of five independent experts selected according to U.N. criteria.

The resolution creating the expert mechanism ''strongly recommends'' the inclusion of indigenous experts. Members of the group will provide thematic expertise and make proposals and recommendations directly to the council regarding the rights of indigenous peoples.

Continued at http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096416412

Draft Reso;ution is at http://www.docip.org/anglais/NewMechanismL42Rev1FINAL.pdf

Lakotah Unilateral Withdrawal from All Agreements and Treaties with the United States of America

Press conference - December 17, 2007

We as the freedom loving Lakotah People are the predecessor sovereign of Dakota Territory as evidenced by the Treaties with the United States Government, including, but not limited to, the Treaty of 1851 and the Treaty of 1868 at Fort Laramie. Lakotah, formally and unilaterally withdraws from all agreements and treaties imposed by the United States Government on the Lakotah People. Lakotah , and the population therein, have waited for at least 155 years for the United States of America to adhere to the provisions of the above referenced treaties. The continuing violations of these treaties’ terms have resulted in the near annihilation of our people physically, spiritually, and culturally. Lakotah rejects United States Termination By Appropriation policy from 1871 to the present. In addition, the evidence of gross violations of the above referenced treaties are listed herein. Lakotah encourages the United States of America, through its Government ,to enter into dialogue with Lakotah regarding the boundaries, the land and the resources therein.

Even though we are citizens of the United States of America, we are denied protections of the United States Constitution while living on Indian reservations, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The operation of the United States in the nefarious ways outlined above are a violation, not only of the sovereignty and independence of Lakotah, not only of the solemn treaty signed between the U.S. and Lakotah, but it is a violation of the fundamental law of the United States itself. Article Six of the United States Constitution explicitly states that treaties signed by the United States are the supreme law of the land, and must be respected by every court and by every lawmaker, as such.

Continued at http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2008/01/lakotah_unilate.html

Indigenous Women and the United Nations System

Indigenous Women and the United Nations System is a publication issued at the 6th Session of the Task Force on Indigenous Women and it relates 18 case studies from 2005 and 2006.

The Task Force on Indigenous Women is a new organ from the Inter Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Comments on the Declaration

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Towards Re-empowerment

JURIST Guest Columnists S. James Anaya of the Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona, and Siegfried Wiessner of St. Thomas University School of Law say that the UN General Assembly's recent landslide adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a milestone in the re-empowerment of the world's aboriginal groups, and that, in important parts, it reaffirms customary international law in the field ...

Continued at http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2007/10/un-declaration-on-rights-of-indigenous.php