And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
NETWARRIORS FRONTLINE REPORTS
17th WGIP 7/28/99
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Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
Monitor Working Group on Indigenous Populations
17th Session 26 July 30 July
Disclaimer: This monitor is not an official transcript of the Working
Group, but represents substantially what was communicated during the
meetings. UNPO appologizes for any inacuracies. If you have corrections,
comments or suggestions please contact the UNPO Secretariat in Room A 388.
Monday July 26, 1999
Day 1, Afternoon session
1. Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Declared the meeting on IP open. She informed the
participants of the results of the private meeting that in view of large
number of speakers wishing to present a statement during the meeting all
speakers interventions are to be limited to 5 minutes only. The only
exceptions are to be made for high-level representatives of governments who
have come to provide comprehensive information about government policy. She
encouraged all delegates to respect a 5 minute limit in order to give the
opportunity to other colleagues to deliver statements. She urged
participant to consider the possibility of delivering joint statements. She
further stated that consideration of item 4 was to take place during the
course of the afternoon & on Tuesday. On Tuesday and Wednesday items 5 & 6
on land and (health) would be discussed. Then there was to be a review of
developments pertaining to human rights and fundamental freedoms of IP. She
recalled that the discussion of these items would offer all delegations the
chance to provide recent information in countries relating to IP, and not
for complaints citing other mechanisms are better suited for such
statements. The floor was then passed to Gloria Stickwan/ Atna Athabascan
Tribe
2. Gloria Stickwan/ Atna Athabascan Tribe: Thanked Madam Chairperson for
the opportunity to speak. She explained that she was an Atha Athabaskan
Indian from the Copper River region of Alaska, and the subsistence
coordinator for her area. She wished to discuss the issue of subsistence in
the State of Alaska. She explained the geographical and harsh physical
conditions of her region, and noted that the population of the area was
between 4000-5000 people, of which 20% were Alaska natives. She stressed
the importance of subsistance activities in providing food for families and
material for shelter and clothing. In particular, she mentioned the
importance of fishing, hunting, gathering plants and berries activities
which had been carried out for thousands of years. Since the 1940s, the
Ahtna people have changed their lifestyles and no longer travel between
summer and winter camps as they did previously. They began to settle down
and send their children to a Bureau of Indian Affairs School, administered
by the U.S Federal Government. This change in lifestyle has forced Ahtna
People to take on low paying and seasonal jobs, and has resulted in them
being unable to meet their subsistence needs. At the same time, their
situation of poverty prevents them from being able to invest in off-road
vehicles to facilitate hunting. She requested that subsistence be given a
priority for fishing and hunting, where there is a shortage of resources.
3. Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Passed the floor to Jos Morales/ Consejo de
Organizaciones (CUTO), Tukum Umaw, Guatemala who was not present. She
clarified a point regarding the absence of speakers. The practice of the WG
is that those who are absent- with the consent of the participants - will
not be able to take the floor. This was decided owing to time restrictions.
She thanked the participants for their understanding. She then gave the
floor to the speaker Mr. Ahmed Ouma Omar Eihadji/ Association ASSA (Sahel
Solidarit et Action). He was not present. The next speaker was Neigulo
Krome/ Naga people's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR)- also not present.
The floor was then passed to Councillor Eric J. Large/ Saddle Lake First
Nation.
4. Eric Large/ Saddle Lake First Nation: Read a letter related to child
adoption in Canada. It stated that Canadian High Court had violated two
major international instruments: the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Convention on the Rights of the
Child by awarding an Indigenous child to adoptive grandparents as reported
on 18th February 1999. The transferral of this child was in contravention
to article 2 of the Convention on Genocide, ratified by Canada, as it
denies the child the possibility of knowing his Indigenous heritage and
separates the child from his rights to Indigenous lands territories. The
act of removing this child secondly violated the Convention on the Rights
of the Child (art. 30) which states that linguistic, ethnic minorities and
their children shall not be denied right to their heritage. He mentioned
that the Chief and Council of Saddles Lake First Nation are considering
taking action against Canada at the United Nations to have the Conventions
enforced and for Canada to be censured.
7. Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Gave the floor to the next speaker: Mr George
Wuethrich/ Comit Sociale des Chagossiens. While he prepared the Secretariat
made an intervention.
8: Secretary Mr. J. Burger: Requested that all those receiving grants from
the Voluntary fund- of which there are 62- leave to collect their
bursaries. The administrator was due to leave in 10 minutes.
9: Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Gave the floor to Mr George Wuethrich/ Comit Sociale
des Chagossiens.
10: Mr George Wuethrich/ Comit Sociale des Chagossiens: Insisted on the
fact that the Comit Sociale des Chagossiens was the only legitimate
representative body of the Chagossien people. He underlined that the
Chagossien cause was greatly helped by the Mauritian president who made a
speech at the UN tribunal in Sep 1998 for Anglo-American recognition of the
fundamental rights of the Chagossiens. This brought a new element to the
Chagossien struggle. He underlined that many families from Archipeli
islands were displaced to Maurice island 30 years ago by the British
government to make way for an American military base on one of the islands
(Diego Garcia), and that, even now, many still wish to return to their own
islands. He further stated the PM's conclusion was to respect the rights of
the Chagossien people, including the right to return to their land. He
encouraged contructive dialogue, which Mr George Wuethrich confirmed as the
prefered method of cooperation of the Chagossien people, bar one or two
detractors. Mr Wuethrich insisted on negotiations with the British and
Mauriciane authorities with a view to finding a solution.
11: Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Introduced the next speaker Mr. Bart Bernhard/ The
Mena Muria Foundation Human Rights for the Moluccas
12: Bart Bernhard/The Mena Muria Foundation Human Rights for the Moluccas:
Talked of the recent riots in the Muluka, and underlined the suffering of
the people of the Mollucas. He explained how a difference of opinion
between a bus driver and a passanger escalated into full-scale riots in
which religious muslims and christians were killed. Mr Bernhard indicated
that the cause of the riots was due to other factors than religious
tensions. He indicated that IP felt that tensions between IP, transmigrants
and migrants from central Java and South Sulawesi also played a fundamental
part. He suggested that the population transfers had disturbed the way of
life of the IP. He underlined that migrants were often favoured over IP for
jobs, education and land ownership. The Indigenous common law system and,
in particular, the "pela-gandong customary law" system has been distrubed
by the riots. Peaceful coexistence between all religious groups and
Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples has to be established, while
respecting mutual trust and democratic reforms in harmony with the
fundamental rights of IP.
13: Chair Mrs. E. Daes: Introduced the next speaker Senor Alejandro E. Cruz
Lopez/ delegate of the Consejo Indigena Popular de Oaxaca "Ricardo Flores
Magon", Mexico.
14: Alejandro E. Cruz Lopez/ delegate of the Consejo Indigena Popular de
Oaxaca "Ricardo Flores Magon", Mexico: Expressed his concerns regarding the
rights of IP, and indicated that he wanted approval of the new legal
instrument as soon as possible in order to contribute to improving the
situation. He said that the people of Oaxaca had suffered invasion with
terrible results, and that now they were suffering internal colonisation.
He further stated that the indigenous people on Mexican territory in Oaxaca
were in poverty and marginalised. The government had catalogued the area as
one of great poverty with the lowest employment. Immigration and emigration
had broken families. He stated that those who return, comeback with customs
which break up the communities. He commented that the local and national
government had tried to destroy organisations, such as the "Ricardo Flores
Magon" organisation. He further states that 106 indigenous people had lost
their children through beating and that survivors still suffer torture and
beating. He called for individuals to be brought to book. Local government
is not investigating crimes and the second most important post in country
is occupied by someone involved in the crimes. The Mexican Government
violates human rights, without the voice of human rights being heard and
investigated under a system of the rule of law. On behalf of his
organisation, he asked the UN to look into this.
The Power of Peace
____________________________________________________
Survive & Resist Genocide - We Want Peace
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS MEDIA IN ACTION
>>>>>>>>> NetWarriors <<<<<<<<<<
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Peace without Truth is Genocide
Una Paz sin la Verdad es Genocidio
La paix sans la verite est Genocide
>>>>>><<<<<<<
http://www.hookele.com/hawaii
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
doctrine of international copyright law.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
UPDATES: CAMP
JUSTICE http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/
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