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UN General Assembly press release

Global Warming, Increasing Exploitation Of Natural Resources, Dispossessing Indigenous Peoples Of Ancestral Lands

Sixty-second General Assembly - Third Committee - 19th Meeting (AM)

Small Number of Isolated Communities at Risk of Physically Disappearing

Despite recent progress, as seen in new norms and institutions as well as policies at all levels addressing the rights of the world’s indigenous peoples, there was still an “implementation gap” between those norms and practice, and a number of negative trends vis-à-vis that marginalized population, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it held its discussion on the rights of indigenous peoples.

“Extractive activities, large commercial plantations and non-sustainable consumption patterns have led to widespread pollution and environmental degradation,” Rodolfo Stavenhagen, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, told the Committee today as he presented the findings of his recent studies. The end result, he said, was that indigenous peoples, whose lives were closely linked to their lands, were dramatically affected by such trends, which had in turn led to their forced displacements.

In addition, Mr. Stavenhagen continued, various Arctic peoples were now suffering the direct consequences of global warming. And further compounding all of the negatives already cited was the criminalization of the social organizations of indigenous peoples which defended their rights. That by itself had generated new human rights violations, he observed.

The Special Rapporteur underscored that the decrease of territory belonging to indigenous peoples had been intensified by the dynamics of the globalized economy and its attendant increase in water and energy exploitation. A small number of isolated communities were actually at risk of physical disappearance because of those trends, he warned.

Many delegates mentioned the landmark status of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in enumerating the rights of that marginalized population, and reiterated their hopes that countries would work faithfully towards its implementation. Through the Declaration, many said that the international community had begun repayment of a historic debt to indigenous peoples.

The representative of Finland (on behalf of the Nordic countries), said that there should be more elaboration of how a human rights-based approach to development could serve the needs of indigenous peoples, including achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Focus also had to be maintained on the rights of indigenous women, who suffered from discrimination both as women and as indigenous people, he noted. Ecuador’s representative, on the other hand, welcomed the broad debate in the General Assembly on the devastating effects of global warming on indigenous peoples.

The representative of the Philippines said his delegation had helped push for the early adoption of the Declaration, and had played a key role in guiding positions to a middle ground while ensuring the approval of this landmark document that addressed the needs and rights of “our indigenous brethren”. If nations worked together to preserve and protect marginalized and indigenous peoples, the international community would be able to preserve and protect cultural diversity -- a special hallmark of the human race, he said.

The representative of the United States said his country had voted against the Declaration because many of its core provisions had been unclear. He added that, in renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur in September, the Human Rights Council had made clear that he was only supposed to promote the Declaration “where appropriate”. That meant that the Special Rapporteur had no mandate to promote the Declaration in States that had voted against its adoption at the General Assembly.

The Special Rapporteur underscored that the decrease of territory belonging to indigenous peoples had been intensified by the dynamics of the globalized economy and its attendant increase in water and energy exploitation. A small number of isolated communities were actually at risk of physical disappearance because of those trends, he warned.

Many delegates mentioned the landmark status of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in enumerating the rights of that marginalized population, and reiterated their hopes that countries would work faithfully towards its implementation. Through the Declaration, many said that the international community had begun repayment of a historic debt to indigenous peoples.

The representative of Finland (on behalf of the Nordic countries), said that there should be more elaboration of how a human rights-based approach to development could serve the needs of indigenous peoples, including achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Focus also had to be maintained on the rights of indigenous women, who suffered from discrimination both as women and as indigenous people, he noted. Ecuador’s representative, on the other hand, welcomed the broad debate in the General Assembly on the devastating effects of global warming on indigenous peoples.

The representative of the Philippines said his delegation had helped push for the early adoption of the Declaration, and had played a key role in guiding positions to a middle ground while ensuring the approval of this landmark document that addressed the needs and rights of “our indigenous brethren”. If nations worked together to preserve and protect marginalized and indigenous peoples, the international community would be able to preserve and protect cultural diversity -- a special hallmark of the human race, he said.

The representative of the United States said his country had voted against the Declaration because many of its core provisions had been unclear. He added that, in renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur in September, the Human Rights Council had made clear that he was only supposed to promote the Declaration “where appropriate”. That meant that the Special Rapporteur had no mandate to promote the Declaration in States that had voted against its adoption at the General Assembly.

Statements were also made today by the representatives of Cuba, Bolivia, China, the Russian Federation, Guatemala, Guyana, Greece, Peru, Fiji, Algeria, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Mexico.

The representatives of the International Organization for Migration and the International Fund for Agricultural Development also spoke this morning.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 23 to begin its general discussion on human rights.

Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to hold its discussion on indigenous issues, which includes the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

There will also be a presentation by and dialogue with Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples.

On 22 December 2004, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/59/174 for a Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, which commenced on 1 January 2005.

The Decade has five main objectives. The first is to promote non-discrimination and the inclusion of indigenous peoples in the design, implementation and evaluation of international, regional and national processes on laws, policies, resources, programmes and projects.

The second objective is to promote the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples in decisions which directly or indirectly affect their lifestyles, traditional lands and territories as well as their cultural integrity.

The second decade also seeks to redefine development policies that depart from a vision of equity and are at the same time culturally appropriate. This includes respect for the cultural and linguistic diversity of indigenous peoples.

The fourth objective looks to adopt targeted policies, programmes, projects and budgets for the development of indigenous peoples, including concrete benchmarks, with particular emphasis on indigenous women, children and youth.

The final objective focuses on developing strong monitoring mechanisms to enhance accountability at the international, regional and national level, on the implementation of legal, policy and operational frameworks for the protection of indigenous peoples and the improvement of their lives.

In addition a Trust Fund for the Second Decade was established to promote, support and implement the objectives of the Decade. The Fund will give priority to projects concerning the main areas of the Second Decade: culture, education, health, human rights, the environment and social and economic development. ...