And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1999 19:03:10 -1000
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: IITC CHR-Intervention Agenda item 17: Promotion and Protection of
Human Rights (d) Science and Environment
United Nations Commission on Human Rights Fifty-fifth Session Written
Intervention submitted by the International Indian Treaty Council
Indigenous Peoples from around the world are currently involved in critical
international discussions with states and within international treaty-making
processes regarding the causes, impacts and solutions of the growing crisis of
global climate change as well as the dispersion of Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPS).
Indigenous Peoples' day to day survival is based upon their subsistence ways of
life in close relationship to the ecosystems where they have traditionally
hunted, fished, farmed and gathered for their survival. The cumulative effects
of global climate change and the proliferation of POPS in air, waters, food
chains and human tissues have begun to have a devastating impact on Indigenous
communities. Indigenous Peoples' traditional interdependence and spiritual
relationship with their natural surroundings provide them with acute and
immediate awareness of the growing impacts on plants, animals, water quality
and human health.
The extent of the pending crisis has been clearly identified by western
scientists as well as by Indigenous traditional teachings. Indigenous Peoples
are beginning to make their voices heard in response to these critical threats
to their ways of life and the survival of all living things.
For example, on January 25, 1999 at the 2nd session of the Intergovernmental
Negotiations Committee on POPS in Nairobi, Kenya, the following statement,
excerpted below, was presented by a representative of the Indigenous
Environmental Network (IEN). IEN is based in aboriginal lands in what is now
the United States, with over 200 affiliated Indigenous organizations,
traditional societies and tribal sovereign governments from the United States
and Canada, as well as Mexico, Central and South America.
"During the past two years, our organization has directly consulted with
approximately 1,500 Indigenous Peoples on the serious issue of the impact of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) upon our communities - our villages - our
environment.
We are discovering that our Indigenous Peoples from the farming villages of the
south - to the villages of the Arctic north are being disproportionately
impacted from POPs contamination. Our Indigenous Peoples are at higher risk to
POPs exposure due to our land-based and subsistence cultures.
Within the Great Lakes water basin that includes the political transboundaries
of the United States and Canada, there have been marked increases in cancer,
birth defects, diabetes, and immunological based disorders (e.g. allergies and
asthma). Indigenous Peoples within the Great Lakes have reported residues of
certain chemical contaminants in their tissue. Residues of these chemicals,
such as PCBs, DDT, and dioxin are stockpiled in the blood, fat, and mothers
breast milk of our Indigenous women - who are the first environment of our
Peoples. POPs remain stockpiled in the sedimentation of riverbeds, on the land
and bodies of our habitat, often without adequate remediation.
In Sonora, Mexico, high levels of multiple pesticides were found in the cord
blood of newborns and in breast milk of the Indigenous Yaqui farmers.
Persistent organic pollutants affects the traditional cultural and religious
practices of Indigenous Peoples throughout the world. The continued production,
release, and use of POPs affect our right to maintain a sustainable and
subsistence way of life. POPs chemicals affects our right to fish, to hunt, and
to gather within environments that are clean. In many areas of North America we
do not have access to chemical free plants that we use for healing our
families. We have women basketweavers that are contaminated from persistent
toxic substances. This situation reflects Indigenous Peoples issues throughout
the world.
National and international policies that prevent Indigenous Peoples from
practicing their cultural and religious rights become a religious intolerance
that violates basic principles of human rights. Fundamental human rights demand
the right for all people throughout the world to live in a safe and healthy
environment free from disproportionate toxic burdens and discriminatory
treatment. Yes, this is a life and death situation - but not only for
Indigenous Peoples - but all people, all races, all nationalities and the
biodiversity of the planet".
>From 28 October to 1 November, 1999 Indigenous Peoples of the Turtle Island
(North America) gathered for the "Circles of Wisdom," Native Peoples/Native
Homelands Climate Change Workshop in Albuquerque, New Mexico within what is
known as the United States. The Indigenous Peoples of North America sent over
180 delegates to share ideas on the impact of climate change and climate
variability on Indigenous Peoples and all life on Mother Earth.
This historic gathering enabled a meeting between the Indigenous elders,
government representatives, environmentalists, educators, community leaders and
United States scientists involved in identifying the impacts of climate change.
The gathering provided a teaching and reminder to the scientists working on
climate change issues that these things were foreseen and global warming is
being caused by unsustainable technologies and developments throughout the
world.
The Indigenous participants in the gathering adopted the "ALBUQUERQUE
DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE", excepted below. The Declaration was submitted
for consideration at the Conference of the Parties IV of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
November 2- 13, 1998.
"A growing body of western scientific evidence now suggests what Indigenous
Peoples have expressed for a long time: life as we know it is in danger. We can
no longer afford to ignore the consequences of this evidence."
"There is a direct relationship between the denial of Indigenous Peoples land
and water rights, along with the appropriation without consent of Indigenous
Peoples' natural resources, and the causes of global climate change today.
Examples include deforestation, contamination of land and water by pesticides
and industrial waste, toxic and radioactive poisoning, military and mining
impacts."
"In June 1997, more than 2,000 U.S. scientists, from over 150 countries,
including Nobel Laureates, signed the Scientists Statement on Global Climate
Disruption which reads, in part, the "accumulation of greenhouses gases commits
the sacred earth irreversibly to further global climate change and consequent
ecological, economic, social and spiritual disruption" (Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change, December 1995). Climate imbalance will cause the greatest
suffering to the Indigenous peoples and most pristine ecosystems globally."
"Within the next 20 years, temperatures over land areas of North America,
Europe and Northern Asia will increase as much as 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit
over today's normal temperatures, well in excess of the global average (IPCC
Report 1998). This increase in temperature will cause the sea level to rise
(5-25 feet over the next 500 years), drying out North America's soil moisture
(20 - 50%), and result in major increases in the summer heat index (10 - 25
degrees F)."
"The burning of oil, gas, and coal ("fossil fuels") is the primary source of
human-induced climate change... The mining and drilling for coal, oil, and gas,
as well as other mineral extractions, results in substantial local
environmental consequences, including severe degradation of air, forests,
rivers, oceans and farmlands. Cultural impacts, forced removal, land
appropriation, destruction of sacred and historical significant areas,
breakdown of Indigenous social systems, and violence against women and children
are too often the outcomes of fossil fuel development on Indigenous Peoples.
Fossil fuel extraction areas are home to some of Mother Earth's last and most
vulnerable Indigenous populations, resulting in accelerated losses of
biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and ultimately in ethnocide and genocide."
"We request that the potential consequences of climate imbalance for Indigenous
Peoples and our environments, economies, culture, place and role in the natural
order be addressed by:
1. Establishing and funding an Inter-sessional Open-ended Working Group for
Indigenous Peoples within the Conference of the Parties (COPs) of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC);
2. Provisions for case studies be established within the framework of FCCC
that would allow for assessing how climate changes effect different regions of
Indigenous Peoples and local communities; assessing climate changes on flora
and fauna, freshwater and oceans, forestry, traditional agricultural practices,
medicinal plants and other biodiversity that impact subsistence and land-based
cultures of Indigenous Peoples; and other case studies that would provide a
clearer understanding of all effects and impacts of climate change and warming
upon Indigenous Peoples and local communities;
3. Indigenous Peoples have the right, responsibility and expertise to
participate as equal partners at every level of decision-making including needs
assessments, case studies, within national and international policy-making
activities concerning climate change impacts, causes and solutions;
4. Within the FCCC, establish protocols that would actively promote
international energy efficient and sustainable forms of development, including
the widespread use of appropriately scaled solar energy and renewable energy
technologies as well as sustainable agricultural and forestry practice models;
5. Mandating a moratorium on new exploration and projects for extraction for
fossil fuel reserves in pristine areas. Exploration and development in the
traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples of the world must be done with
the full consent of Indigenous Peoples, respecting their right to decline a
project that may adversely impact them;
6. Imposing a legally binding obligation to restore all areas already
affected by oil, gas, and coal exploration and exploitation by the corporations
or public entities that are responsible. This restoration must be done such
that Indigenous Peoples can continue traditional uses of their lands."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
! INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COUNCIL !
<http://hookele.com/iitc/index>http://hookele.com/iitc/index
sent by: Information Office Administrative Office
2390 Mission Street, #301-302 456 N. Alaska Street
San Francisco, California 94110 Palmer, Alaska 99645
Telephone: (415)641-4482 Telephone: (907) 745-4482
Fax: (415)641-1298 Fax: (970) 745-4484
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
