It's an interesting question and totally unenforcable as law. Who is indigenous where and what percentage of indigenous descent is critical to the rights granted.
I am, by descent, Blackfoot Indian, Scots, Irish and Welsh--but that's how far back. I would postulate that many of us if not most of us could if we had perfect knowledge trace our ancestry back to Abraham. Which square milimeter of Israel becomes mine by that lineage? Regards, Scott Military SF technothriller, Sword of the Dajjal, e-book from http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_07/sword_dajjal.html http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook47261.htm?cached (later in the year in print) Erotic paranormal thriller Jars of Doom, out from Blu Phi'er 2008. I BLog!: http://cscottsaylorsbooks.blogspot.com/ ----- Original Message ---- From: Ursus Maximus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Baha'i Studies <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 2:03:40 PM Subject: Re: UN Adopts Historic Statement on Native Rights Albert, P.S. Both of my parents were descended from Native Americans, as well as from European ancestors. To those of you living in the USA and not of Indian descent, can I have your houses now, please? ;-)) Ron On 9/19/07, Ursus Maximus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I do not understand what is significant about this. Reading the > extract you quote, Albert, it says that indigenous people (which is an > undefined term, where I live this is fought out in the courts for > decades) have rights over their land and resources. However, where I > live (in the USA) indigenous people have no land or resources (other > than gambling casinos, which are contrary to Baha'i law). So, the only > way "control over land and resources " means anything, is if people of > non-indigenous descent (how to define this?) are forced to give up all > the land and resources to people of indigenous descent. Is this the > intent of this resolution? If not, I think it is meaningless. > > One more thing. Before we begin to celebrate too joyously, consider > that returning land and resources to "indigenous" owners would mean > forfeiting the Baha'i World Center in it's entirety to Palestinians > (who would most likely be virulently anti-Baha'i). > > Whatever happened to the principle of being non-political? This is not > only political, but, if it were ever to be actually enforced, would > cause widespread divisiveness and warfare. > > > Ron > On 9/19/07, Albert Verbrugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > It is with particular satisfaction and some surprise that a process > > started in 1982 in which the International Bahá'í Community was involved > > came to fruition on September 13th, 2007. The satisfaction is obvious, > > however, the Governments that opposed it's fruition namely, Canada, > > Australia, New Zealand and the United States is surprising. Be as it may > > the UN has enshrined in its Constitution that Indigenous peoples Rights > > "are" Human rights. > > > > Albert > > > > > > "The fundamental principle of the oneness of mankind, and the aim of the > > Faith to promote unity in diversity, underlie the Bahá'í approach to > > indigenous peoples. Their rights are inseparable from human rights for > > all, and the Bahá'í Faith upholds the right of indigenous peoples to > > develop and take pride in their own identity, culture and language. > > Great importance is attached to teaching the Faith to the indigenous > > populations in a country, more especially since they have so often been > > neglected or downtrodden by other segments of society; in many instances > > their suffering has made them particularly receptive to the Message of > > Bahá'u'lláh. > > > > ...A unique feature of the Bahá'í Administrative Order is the manner in > > which it enables all the diverse elements of the Bahá'í community, drawn > > from a variety of ethnic, racial, cultural and educational backgrounds, > > to work together in a mutually supportive and spiritually beneficial > > manner. This is in direct contrast to the declining social order > > external to the Bahá'í community, in which each segment seeks to pursue > > a separate path in its social and political organization and activities." > > > > (25 July 1995, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an > > individual believer) [6] > > > > > > "...the oneness of mankind will not be based on forced assimilation, but > > upon protection of cultural diversity. At the same time, however, we > > should beware of inadvertently settling upon a limited model, such as > > the one sometimes associated in contemporary discourse on > > multiculturalism. A distinctively Bahá'í culture will welcome an > > infinite diversity in regard to secondary characteristics, but also > > firmly uphold unity in regard to fundamental principles, thereby > > achieving a vigorous complementarity. For example, in Selections from > > the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), page > > 260-1, we find the following intriguing statement: > > > > What a blessing that will be -- when all shall come together, even as > > once separate torrents, rivers and streams, running brooks and single > > drops, when collected together in one place will form a mighty sea. And > > to such a degree will the inherent unity of all prevail, that the > > traditions, rules, customs and distinctions in the fanciful life of > > these populations will be effaced and vanish away like isolated drops, > > once the great sea of oneness doth leap and surge and roll." > > > > (The Universal House of Justice, 1998 Dec 16, Traditional practices > > in Africa) > > > > > > > > UN Adopts Historic Statement on Native Rights > > > > Thu Sep 13, 10:05 PM ET > > > > UNITED NATIONS, Sep 13 (OneWorld) - Despite strong objections from the > > United States and some of its allies, the UN General Assembly adopted a > > resolution Thursday calling for the recognition of the world's 370 > > million indigenous peoples' right to self-determination and control over > > their lands and resources. > > > > The adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous > > Peoples comes after 22 years of diplomatic negotiations at the United > > Nations involving its member states, international civil society groups, > > and representatives of the world's aboriginal communities. > > > > An overwhelming majority of UN member countries endorsed the > > Declaration, with 143 voting in favor, 4 against, and 11 abstaining. > > > > The United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand stood alone in > > voting against the resolution. The nations that neither supported nor > > objected were Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, > > Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, Samoa, and Ukraine. > > > > "It's a triumph for indigenous peoples around the world," said UN > > Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the General Assembly vote. "This > > marks a historic moment when member states and indigenous peoples have > > reconciled with their painful histories." > > > > http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20070914/wl_oneworld/45361531601189739282;_ylt=Auvi5jfu8l7szrgEpLorGh0E1vAI > > > > > > > > The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto > > ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is > > intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or > > entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state > > privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this > > message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, > > dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly > > prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately > > notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this > > e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > Rights of Indigenous Populations > > [BIC Document #88-0801] > > > > Geneva, Switzerland > > 1-5 August 1988 > > > > "Madam Chairman, > > > > At this session, the Working Group has entered a new season in its > > endeavors. After six years of careful study of the concrete problems and > > issues facing indigenous peoples and their governments, the Working > > Group is ready to begin the drafting of an international declaration to > > safeguard the rights and promote the status of indigenous peoples. > > Throughout these six years, members of the Working Group, and of the > > many indigenous organizations that have contributed to its activities, > > have shown great dedication, sincerity and good will in forging ahead > > with their task. Their efforts are about to bear fruit. > > > > The Bahá'í International Community congratulates you, Madam Chairman, on > > preparing a well-conceived draft set of principles as a starting-point > > for discussion. We would like to make a few comments on these draft > > principles, on the content of a declaration on indigenous rights, and on > > the process of drafting the declaration...." > > > > http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/88-0801.htm > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Albert Verbrugh wrote: > > > Thu Sep 13, 10:05 PM ET > > > > > > UNITED NATIONS, Sep 13 (OneWorld) - Despite strong objections from the > > > United States and some of its allies, the UN General Assembly adopted a > > > resolution Thursday calling for the recognition of the world's 370 > > > million indigenous peoples' right to self-determination and control over > > > their lands and resources. > > > > > > The adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous > > > Peoples comes after 22 years of diplomatic negotiations at the United > > > Nations involving its member states, international civil society groups, > > > and representatives of the world's aboriginal communities. > > > > > > An overwhelming majority of UN member countries endorsed the > > > Declaration, with 143 voting in favor, 4 against, and 11 abstaining. > > > > > > The United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand stood alone in > > > voting against the resolution. The nations that neither supported nor > > > objected were Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, > > > Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, Samoa, and Ukraine. > > > > > > "It's a triumph for indigenous peoples around the world," said UN > > > Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the General Assembly vote. "This > > > marks a historic moment when member states and indigenous peoples have > > > reconciled with their painful histories." > > > > > > http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20070914/wl_oneworld/45361531601189739282;_ylt=Auvi5jfu8l7szrgEpLorGh0E1vAI > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto > > > ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and > > > is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or > > > entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and > > > state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader > > > of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that > > > retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is > > > strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please > > > immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently > > > delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Unsubscribe: send a blank email to > > > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subscribe: > > > http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st > > > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > > > Mail - mailto:[email protected] > > > Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st > > > News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > > > Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist > > > Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st > > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > > Mail - mailto:[email protected] > > Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st > > News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > > Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist > > Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
