FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 August 2007
Contact:
Claire Greensfelder
+1.510.917.5468
INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF NGOS CALLS FOR ADOPTION OF THE
UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
DENOUNCES CANADA, NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA
FOR "HUMAN RIGHTS HYPOCRISY" IN LEADING THE OPPOSITION
TO THE DECLARATION
PROTESTS AT THREE MISSIONS to the UN TO BE HELD ON
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30TH, 2007
PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY IN FRONT OF
CANADIAN MISSION TO THE UN
AT 12 NOON
1 - Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza (885 2nd Avenue at 47th St)
TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARCH TO MISSIONS OF
NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA
New York, New York: In an urgent effort in support of the upcoming
vote (tentatively scheduled for September 13th) in the UN General
Assembly on United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, over two dozen national and international NGOs in the United
States and Canada have come to New York City to announce their support
for Indigenous peoples rights and to protest the opposition to the
Declaration being led by the governments of Canada, New Zealand and
Australia.
Jerry Mander, Founder and Co-Director of the International Forum on
Globalization (IFG) of San Francisco, the convening organization and
secretariat of The Emergency Coalition of NGOs in Support of the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said:
"We are appalled by this action of human rights hypocrisy-especially
coming from the governments of Canada and New Zealand, countries that
are traditionally considered global leaders for human rights." Mander
continued, "We call upon them to immediately stop their unprincipled
campaign against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples."
Among the signers to the statement of the Emergency Coalition are some
of the world's largest human rights, development, environmental and
indigenous rights organizations including Oxfam America and Oxfam
Australia, Friends of the Earth-US, Transafrica Forum, Survival
International, the Sierra Club, Earth Rights International, Rainforest
Action Network, International Rivers Network, Amazon Watch and the
International Funders of Indigenous Peoples (complete list attached).
Amnesty International - Canada has been waging its own energetic
campaign in support of the Declaration and will participate in the
press conference and protest in front of the Canadian Mission to the UN
on Thursday August 30th. Amnesty Canada's international petition for
the Declaration has been signed by 22,382 individuals from around the
world, and states:
"Either the international community will move ahead with final
adoption [of the Declaration] as has been urged by Indigenous peoples
and their supporters worldwide, or adoption of the Declaration will
once again be delayed due to the demands of a small, yet vocal group of
states."
In an open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, released
on August 9th, the UN International Day of Indigenous Peoples, seven
major Canadian non-governmental and First Nations' organizations,
declared the Harper government's "efforts to block the adoption [of the
Declaration] as a clear reversal of Canadian policy."
The letter continued: "We are outraged that this reversal of policy
was undertaken without meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples,
despite a clear requirement under Canadian law" [to do so].
"Canada's Prime Minister Harper is risking not only his country's
long-fought legacy as a human rights champion but also the future of
the new UN human rights body that his country helped establish. Now
more than ever, the world needs a strong Canada to stand up for
indigenous rights," said Victor Menotti, IFG program director.
After 22 years of negotiations, the UN Declaration was adopted by the
UN Human Rights Council during its inaugural session in June 2006, and
recommended to the UN General Assembly for final passage. If the UN
General Assembly fails to adopt the Declaration, it will represent a
failure of the authority of the newly formed Human Rights Council and
marks an uncertain start of this new body.
"The Emergency Coalition of NGOs in Support of the UN Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is standing with Indigenous nations
around the world," said Rainy Blue Cloud, IFG's Emergency Coalition
Campaigner, "we absolutely support their demand that all governments
vote in favor of the Declaration and we call on Canada, New Zealand and
Australia, in particular, to cease their efforts to derail the process
and to step up to their duty to protect the human rights of all
peoples."
The Declaration represents a significant recognition of the rights and
fundamental freedoms of hundreds of millions of indigenous peoples
around the world who suffer from human rights abuses such as forced
relocation, seizure and exploitation of lands and resources and an
adverse amount of poverty and discrimination. Indigenous languages,
cultures and ways of life continue to be threatened without
international legal protections.
The Declaration would provide moral and legal backing for several
concepts seen as critical to the preservation of the collective rights
of the world's estimated 370 million indigenous peoples, who belong to
5,000 groups spread out across 71 countries. These concepts include the
rights to:
o Self-determination, autonomy and self government
o Education in indigenous languages
o Recognition of indigenous laws, customs and traditions
o Ownership and control of indigenous territories and natural
resources
The Declaration would also empower indigenous peoples to defend their
ancestral lands, often home to some of the world's most pristine
ecosystems and rarest biodiversity, against the operations of the
extractive industries such as mining and oil and gas drilling.
Claire Greensfelder, IFG's Communications Director stated: "According
to the latest calculations, the Declaration just needs a handful of
additional votes in the General Assembly. If it fails to win a
majority, it may be years before the General Assembly will consider it
again. It is imperative that the Declaration be approved in the next
two weeks."
* * *
SCHEDULE OF PROTEST / PRESS EVENTS
THURSDAY 30 AUGUST 2007
NEW YORK CITY
12:00 noon Rally & Press Conference
Outside the Permanent Canadian Mission to the United Nations
1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza - 885 2nd Avenue at 47th Street
Statements by Canadians and other International NGO's
Delivery of letter from the Emergency Coalition to the Canadian
Ambassador
12:45 PM March to The Permanent Mission of New Zealand
1:00 PM Rally & press statements
Outside of the Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the UN
One UN Plaza at 44th Street
Statements by Pacific Islander representatives and Intl NGO's
Delivery of Emergency Coalition letter to New Zealand's Ambassador
1:30 PM March to the Australian Mission to the UN
1:45 PM Rally & Press Statements
Outside the Permanent Mission of Australia to the UN
150 East 42nd Street (between Lexington & 3rd)
Statements by Australian and International NGO's
Delivery of Emergency Coalition letter to Australia's Ambassador
2:30 PM end of action
* * *
Emergency NGO Coalition in Support of the
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Emergency Coalition Secretariat:
The International Forum on Globalization
Emergency Coalition Partners:
ACODE-Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment, Uganda
Africa International Foundation - USA, Kenya, Ghana, East Africa
Chapters
Amazon Alliance
Amazon Watch, USA
Arid Lands, Institute, Kenya
Cultural Survival
Earth Rights International
Flying Eagle Woman Fund, USA
Four Freedoms Foundation, USA
Friends of the Earth, USA
Global Exchange
Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights, USA
INOCHI/Plutonium Free Future, USA/Japan
Indigenous Environmental Network, USA
International Funders of Indigenous Peoples
International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
International Rivers Network
Missionary Oblates, Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Ministry,
USA/Italy
Oceania Human Rights, USA
Oil Change International
Oxfam America
Oxfam Australia
Rainforest Action Network
Rigoberta Menchu Fund
Sierra Club, USA
Solidarity Foundation, USA
Survival International
Transafrica Forum, USA
United Nations Association - USA, East Bay Chapter, California
(partial list-still in formation)
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