And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: June 12, 1999 As reported by Turtle Island Native Network http://www.turtleisland.org --------------------------------------------------------- United Nations International Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Issues A First Nations' delegation from Canada has returned home after a historic meeting with the United Nations Secretary General Koffi Anan to request the appointment of an International Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Issues. The United Nations has declared the last five years and the next five years as the International Decade for Indigenous Peoples. Chief Ed John, representing the British Columbia First Nations Summit said we needed to see some type of progress on these issues, on the domestic front as well as on the international front. We asked the Secretary-General that he take a leadership role in this matter with respect to the United Nations and suggested that one of the ways to move this issue along was to appoint a goodwill ambassador for indigenous issues--basically human rights related issues. In our case,in Canada,land rights issues,land claims issues,dealing with - in British Columbia for example,the resolution of the land question,the fairness of negotiations,government policies that stand in the way of progress for resolving these issues.Governments continue to proceed with the alienation of lands and resources,while we're at the negotiating table at our expense.I mean we didn't go into that level of discussion with the Secretary-General.He advised us that they were key before the United Nations - that the indigenous issue was a crucial issue.And he suggested to us that it was a good idea that we have someone that tracks the issue. But he decided that it was something that he needed to think about and that he would respond to this by way of letter to the national office - to the National Chief, Phil Fontaine. Regarding treaty negotiations Chief ed John said many First Nations in British Columbia, are now moving to the courts because of the unsatisfactory state of negotiations with government.Another forum of course is the kinds of actions that we've seen in the past, which have not been satisfactory but in many cases have drawn the attention to the issues - those things like blockades and other forms of direct action. This going to the United Nations is another forum, through diplomatic channels, with the UN. Of course the UN is not going to say to British Columbia or to Canada look, solve this problem. That's not their role. Their role is quite different.It's essentially to bring in aboriginal issues - indigenous issues to another level,to another forum,for the international world.In this case for the Secretary-General to be aware that notwithstanding that there are negotiations taking place, that there are some major obstacles,as far as the First Nations are concerned. We always have been at the table in good faith.This is another option to ensure - because right now, the governments of Canada and British Columbia are before the Court of Appeal, saying that they have no legal responsibility to negotiate in good faith, period. So that says to me,there's a big problem here. I'll give you an example.In the Prince George area,the Province of British Columbia has written a letter to our First Nations,saying they're planning to proceed - you know - haste with the division and the dividing of the timber sales in the area, at the expense of our people and at the expense of our negotiations. So that's a problem when the government proceeds to alienate resources and the very land and the very resources, which we're negotiating.We've advanced the idea of trying to set up an interim measures process, leading to an interim measures agreement. The governments have come back and said well we'd like to set up an interim measures table but only on the issue of consultation. So we're no further ahead with the government on their approach like that.The fact that the Secretary-General has taken some time out of his schedule - you know there's big issues in the world right now. There's big issues in Kosovo, and that's taken up their time. And within that context, for him to take some of his time and to sit and listen to us, to us is a very important signal. We've also invited him to the Assembly of First Nations joint meeting with the Congress of American Indians,meeting in July - July 20th to the 23rd, in Vancouver. We've invited him to attend that.It's very unlikely,given his schedule, that he will attend. But the issue of an observer on his behalf has been raised. And we expect - hopefully that he will appoint an observer to our meeting. June 8, 1999 NATIONAL CHIEF PHIL FONTAINE MEETS UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine, accompanied by a delegation of First Nations Chiefs from across Canada, will meet the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan on Tuesday, June 8 at noon at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Also present will be the Vice-Chief from Quebec, Ghislain Picard, Shirley Adamson, Grand Chief for the Council of Yukon First Nations and Edward John, Grand Chief of the First Nations Summit from British Columbia. This private meeting is the first ever between a UN Secretary-General and Indigenous leaders from Canada. "We are quite pleased to have the opportunity to discuss our issues from the perspective of First Nations citizens in Canada. The United Nations has many various commissions which are deeply involved in a multitude of indigenous issues and interests. All of these have critical and direct bearing on our peoples and we need to be able to present our issues directly to the head of this prestigious organization", stated National Chief Fontaine. While the National Chief appreciates that the UN has played an important role in addressing such critical issues as human rights, he is concerned that the world body must take a more pro-active role in examining indigenous peoples' conditions and in pressing governments around the globe to correct them. "We want to explore with Mr. Annan ways in which the United Nations can assist indigenous peoples in having governments recognize that indigenous peoples possess an inherent right to self-government and self-determination. We acknowledge the role that the UN has taken to rectify past injustices but the organization must now add the weight of its institution on governments to act on this fundamental right", added the National Chief. National Chief Fontaine will also ask the Secretary-General to create a permanent forum within the UN to coordinate and advise the organization on indigenous issues. This forum must be situated, mandated and sufficiently-financed to be able to act and report to the UN independently from outside pressures and influences. "The United Nations clearly has a lead role in the globalization of the world village. Mr. Annan, as Secretary-General, is a key player who wields a lot of influence with leaders around the world. We're calling upon him, in that role, to take a firm stand in defense of indigenous peoples around the world and to use all the forums at his disposal to bring our issues to the forefront", concluded National Chief Fontaine. For additional information, contact Jean LaRose at (613) 241-6789, ext. 251 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------- Turtle Island Native Network Your Aboriginal News and Information Network on the Internet http://www.turtleisland.org Winner - 1999 Aboriginal Media Arts Award. "Let's do it before we don't do it!" Tehaliwaskenhas - G.R.(Bob) Kennedy INFOCOM Management 1 - 1986 Glenidle Road, Sooke, BC V0S 1N0 Phone: (250) 642-0277 Fax: (250) 642-0278 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.turtleisland.org Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
