Indigenous and Ethnic Minority International Legal News
Current international law news relating to Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities from IGOs and NGOs as reported by Steven C. Perkins, J.D., M.L.L. (scperkins @ gmail.com)
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Thursday, November 18, 2021
FInland establishes the Sami Truth and Reconsiliation Commission
From the US Library of Congress:
Finland: Sami Truth and Reconciliation Commission Established
On October 28, 2021, the Finnish government established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the historical treatment of the indigenous Sami population and promote the attainment of the Sami people’s rights.
Finnish law recognizes the Sami people as indigenous to Finland, and the Finnish Constitution affords them protection as a native people. (17 § Finlands Grundlag (FFS 11.6.1999/731).) Thus, the Sami people have a right to exercise their culture and language. The Sami people’s right to use its language is further regulated in the Sami Language Act (Samisk sprĂ„klag (FFS 15.12.2003/1086)), whereas the Sami Parliament Act (Sametingslag (FFS 17.7.1995/974)) provides for the establishment of a Sami Parliament and specifies that the Sami, because of their status as indigenous, “shall be guaranteed cultural autonomy within their home area in matters concerning their language and culture. For the management of matters belonging to the cultural autonomy, the ‘Sami’ shall, by elections conducted among them, elect a Sami parliament.” (1 § Sametingslagen.)
Continued: https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2021-11-18/finland-sami-truth-and-reconciliation-commission-established/
Saturday, August 07, 2021
American Indian Tribal Law projects
Wednesday, August 04, 2021
Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
World Indigenous Forum, 13-14 January 2021
Go here for more information on the online program: https://www.worldindigenousforum.com/welcome
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Article: Environmental Justice
Monday, November 04, 2019
Wednesday, August 07, 2019
How scientists are working to partner with indigenous communities for genomics research: SING
From Illinois Public Media News: Christine Herman, reporting:
Many scientists are interested in studying the DNA of Indigenous populations in an effort to reveal the "human migration story" and contribute to our understanding about the genetic basis of disease.
But many in the Indigenous community feel these scientific pursuits have a history of being exploitative, achieved without consideration of the needs or interests of the people who have contributed their DNA for science.
The result is a lack of trust between Indigenous people and scientists, said University of Illinois anthropologist Ripan Malhi.
“There's a long history (of) anthropologists and scientists going to Indigenous communities, getting what they need, leaving and never coming back,” Malhi said. “I learned early on that that was the norm in science and anthropology up until recently.”
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Landmark: A world map of Indigenous Lands
This Alternative to Google Maps Aims to Protect Indigenous Land
Even high tech often ignores indigenous lands, but an ambitious mapping project called LandMark is helping communities stake their claims
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Japan to recognize Ainu as "an indigenous people" reversing 1899 non-recognition law
Japan finally began to acknowledge the existence of the Ainu as an ethnic group in recent decades, under domestic and international pressure. The 1899 law was repealed in 1997, and funds were provided to promote Ainu culture, helping to revive their language, dance and music.
In 2008, Japan’s two houses of parliament passed a joint resolution recognizing the Ainu for the first time as “an indigenous people with a distinct language, religion and culture.”
The new draft bill aims to give some legal weight to that symbolic gesture.
It recognizes the Ainu as an indigenous people for the first time in legislation and lists its objective as “realizing a society that will respect the pride of the Ainu as an ethnic group.” It sets aside money to promote Ainu culture and makes it easier for Ainu people to log in state-owned forests and catch salmon in rivers, NHK reported.