UN adopts declaration on rights for indigenous peoples worldwide. USA Objects

[L. Coyote]

UN adopts declaration on rights for indigenous peoples worldwide
AP - Sept. 13, 2007 - http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/13/news/UN-GEN-UN-Indigenous-Peoples.php

UNITED NATIONS: The U.N. General Assembly adopted a declaration Thursday that provides for rights of native peoples worldwide despite objections from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, who argued that it was incompatible with existing laws.

The declaration affirms the equality of the more than 370 million indigenous peoples and their right to maintain their own institutions, cultures and spiritual traditions. It also establishes standards to combat discrimination and marginalization and eliminate human rights violations against them.

The U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was approved by the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2006 and sent to the 192-member General Assembly for adoption. The assembly put off final approval in December but pledged to vote before the end of its current session next week.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Interesting, isn't it? The U.S. claims, officially, this is not clear enough.....

It didn't seem a problem for the signing countries, 143-4. Considering the plight of native people in the objecting countries, it's completely understandable, unfortunately.

From the article:

The declaration, which was approved after more than 20 years of deliberation, calls on states to prevent or redress the forced migration of indigenous peoples, the seizure of their land or their forced integration into other cultures. It also grants indigenous groups control over their religious and cultural sites and the right to manage their own education systems, including teaching in their own languages.

The opponents and many of the countries that abstained said they wanted to work toward a solution, but they took exception to several key parts of the declaration, which they said would give indigenous peoples too many rights and clash with existing national laws.
(snip)

Sad, isn't it? Sheesh. Thanks for posting this.