For those interested in the direct relevance of this memo to the subject
matter of the NativeNet list, the following paragraph, which occurs
about halfway through, gives a good indication of that relevance, and
of the strong connection between general concerns about human rights
around the world and those concerns as applied specifically toward
indigenous peoples:
The Columbus 1992 quincentennial continues to loom ahead as
a moment for international efforts to address a broad range
of human rights issues involving American Indians and other
indigenous peoples. Involvement of indigenous peoples in any
program efforts is a high priority, as they have been syste-
matically excluded from most of the fanfare now emerging.
Pending funds, we have planned a three day conference in
Chicago next year involving indigenous peoples from through-
out the Americas.
At the end, this posting solicits participation in a survey which is
designed to promote and strengthen concern (presumably within the
public at large, as well as within the professional academic com-
munity) about the subject of human rights for indigenous peoples.
--Gary ]
Following is the history of the AAA Taskforce on Human Rights, as well
the mission statement, and a survey. This is correspondence I received
over the summer from Dr. C. Patrick Morris, Co-chair of the Taskforce.
The AAA has repeatly denied the Council, and now Taskforce, the right to
exist as an independent unit of the AAA. As anthropologists, we should
voice the right for this organization to exist. Please read the following
and voice your opinion at the AAA meeting in Chicago.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: July 15,1991
To: Task Force on Human Rights Supporter
From: C. Patrick Morris, Co-chair of Proposed AAA Task Force on
Human Rights
I apologize for the long delay in writing as I have had little
positive information to convey. Lack of funds prevents too many mass
mailings. To those new on the network, welcome and thank you for your
interest in our efforts to promote a formal organization within the
American Anthropological Association (AAA) to address human rights
issues and concerns.
Since the New Orleans meeting I have used the time to: (l) lobby
the AAA about our concerns and the still pending request for a unit Task
Force on Human Rights, (2) send notifications of identified human rights
abuses, such as those last fall in Guatemala, and (3) construct a
network of colleagues, organizations and individuals who are interested
in human rights issues. Presently, we have collected more than 460 names
of colleagues and organizations worldwide who are working on human
rights issues involving those peoples and cultures related to
anthropological research and concerns. Unfortunately, what has not been
achieved is formal recognition by the AAA of a Task Force, Council, or
any other "unit" format dedicated to human rights. However, I have been
informed of some decisions from the AAA and I want to convey these to
everyone in the network.
First, I have been informed that: (l) a committee of the AAA has
rejected the proposed Task Force on Human Rights, (2) the AAA has
accepted the idea that some kind of formal group or organization is
needed in the AAA to respond to human rights concerns, and (3) the AAA
has proposed the creation of a 6 person working committee to be headed
by Judith T. Irvine, a member of the AAA Executive Committee, "to make a
recommendation to the Executive Committee about whether the AAA should
set up any new organizational mechanisms concerned with human rights
issues and, if so, what those mechanisms should be." It is hoped that
some decision might be reached by the AAA meetings in Chicago.
Judith Irvine has asked me to serve on this committee of 6. After
consultation with some members of the proposed Task Force, I accepted to
insure that those who have worked for the proposed human rights unit
would have some voice in these AAA efforts. I have informed the AAA that
we would continue with our own efforts.
I do not have the particulars concerning who specifically was
involved in the decision not to recognize our petition for a unit.
Despite the rejection of the Task Force, what is certain is that the
three year effort by those involved in the proposed initial Council and
then Task Force on Human Rights has successfully pushed the human rights
issue onto the AAA organizational agenda. It is hoped that the AAA will
now put in place a formal structure through which the profession can
actively address human rights issues. The Task Force shall continue to
provide coordination for those colleagues interested in the promotion of
human rights concerns within the profession.
As a member of the proposed AAA committee of 6 (sounds like the
"Gang of 5") I would like your suggestions, ideas and concerns. I am
particularly interested in what you see as the most effective
organizational structure that might be adopted by the AAA to address
human rights issues. In a letter sent last January to the AAA Executive
Director, Eugene Sterud, I proposed a two tier structure be created with
the AAA to: (l) allow AAA membership to actively engage in human rights
activities (2) provide the AAA Executive Committee with the capacity for
an Association-wide response to human rights issues related to the
profession as a whole. It was my hope the AAA would view our Task Force
proposal as a likely candidate for the first tier organization of
activists. This did not happen.
Since the committee of 6 is the current focus of the AAA efforts,
please forward your ideas and suggestions to me at the address that
follows and I will present them to the committee.
For those not familiar with the 3 year effort to create a AAA unit
to address human rights issues I have prepared a brief historical
overview.
At the 1988 AAA meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, Robert Hitchcock and
I Co-chaired a session entitled "Internal Human Rights and Indigenous
Peoples: A Professional Responsibility." During the discussions that
followed the presentations it was agreed that steps should be taken to
form a Council on Human Rights within the AAA. Following the meetings I
contacted the Executive Director of the AAA, Eugene Sterud, and
requested information and forms to formally organize a Council. In
January of 1989 I was sent all the necessary forms for incorporation.
One application requirement for incorporation was a petition of
signatures from AAA colleagues. To collect the necessary signatures I
attended the Society for Applied Anthropology in Santa Fe in 1988, and
collected additional signatures at AAA meetings and other anthropology
conferences.
During much of 1989 I carried on a correspondence with the AAA
Executive Director and the then AAA President, Roy Rappaport, regarding
the mission statement and purposes of the proposed Council, especially
questions raised regarding how the proposed "promotion" of human rights
might threaten the "tax exempt status (501c3)" of the AAA. I secured
legal advice and this initial impediment was resolved in our favor. The
Administrative Advisory Committee of the Executive Committee apparently
carried out their own investigation, and the AAA Executive Director
eventually stated that the petition needed further review, and suggested
that a more appropriate "unit" status for human rights issues might be
the "Task Force."
Prior to the 1989 AAA meetings in Washington, D.C., the necessary
petitions and formal papers for incorporation of a AAA unit called "The
Council on Human Rights," along with a mission statement, were forwarded
to the AAA Executive Committee. A meeting room was arranged by the AAA
(the morning before the actual AAA meetings), and it was our
understanding that the AAA Executive Committee would attend or meet with
us to discuss our application.
Unfortunately, the Executive Committee in their AAA Washington
convention business meetings did not reach a decision regarding formal
recognition of the Council but instead again postponed the issue until
the spring Executive Committee meetings. At the spring Executive
Committee meetings it was decided to further delay a decision so the
Committee on Ethics might review our mission statement and other
documents to determine if we might interfere with the mission of the
Committee on Ethics. In the Fall of 1990 the Committee on Ethics held a
conference phone call with Victor Montejo and me to clarify any concerns
regarding the role of the proposed Council on Human Rights and the
Committee on Ethics.
In November of 1990 The Council on Human Rights again held a
meeting at the AAA conference in New Orleans to discuss our petition and
the steps that might be taken to achieve formal recognition. At that
meeting it was proposed from the floor that a Task Force "unit" status
instead of a Council might be more appropriate and more expeditious,
given the concerns expressed by the AAA. The Task Force unit format was
proposed and accepted as a compromise to facilitate formal adoption of a
AAA recognized unit. The Chair of the Committee on Ethics who attended
the meeting assured me and those present that she saw no conflict
between her committee and the proposed Task Force on Human Rights. The
assumption after the meeting was that no further unforeseen obstacles
stood in the way of the proposed formal incorporation of a human rights
unit in the AAA.
However, after returning from the New Orleans meetings I was again
informed that the Executive Committee did not act, and that the formal
recognition of the Task Force issue would again come before the
Executive Committee's spring meeting. Shortly before the spring meeting,
however, I was informed that a AAA committee was asked to make
recommendations regarding whether the AAA should become involved in
human rights in a formal way. The committee agreed with the idea, but
rejected the proposed Task Force. Instead, a new committee sponsored by
the AAA Executive Committee was proposed to spend this summer and fall
determining how best the AAA might address its future involvement in
human rights. I was asked to serve on this committee and after
consultation with Task Force members I agreed to serve. This where we
stand now.
Despite rejection by the AAA, I hope everyone will continue to
support the idea of a Task Force. The work of this Task Force may
eventually provide the basis for what formal organizational steps the
AAA finally takes. At this time our network continues to grow. Also, two
sessions on human rights have been submitted for the AAA Chicago
meetings.
Newsnotes:
Richard Zimmer, (Hutchins School of Liberal Studies, Sonoma State
University, 1801 East Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, CA 94928) has notified
me that he and others are interested in developing a symposium on
"genocide" and would be interested in ideas and individuals that would
like to participate.
The Columbus 1992 quincentennial continues to loom ahead as a moment for
international efforts to address a broad range of human rights issues
involving American Indians and other indigenous peoples. Involvement of
indigenous peoples in any program efforts is a high priority, as they
have been systematically excluded from most of the fanfare now emerging.
Pending funds, we have planned a three day conference in Chicago next
year involving indigenous peoples from throughout the Americas.
If you know of someone or of an organization that would like to be
included in the Task Force on Human Rights Network, please forward the
name and related information using the enclosed data form. Feel free to
copy the form and forward to colleagues.
There will be a meeting of the Task Force on Human Rights at the AAA
Chicago meetings. Place and time will be sent out when confirmed.
Finally, thank you for your interest and support of the Task Force on
Human Rights.
Sincerely,
C. Patrick Morris
Professor
University of Washington
Bothell Branch Campus
Canyon Park Business Center
22011 - 26th Avenue SE
Bothell, WA 98021
206/488-5000
Enclosures:
Mission Statement of the Task Force on Human Rights
The Task Force on Human Rights has as its mission the promotion and
practice of human rights, including the identification, collection, and
dissemination of information on human rights, and reportage of human
rights violations against indigenous people and cultures traditionally
associated with the mission of anthropology. In addition, the Task Force
on Human Rights will actively collaborate with indigenous people to
promote a research agenda to enhance local, national and international
compliance with human rights standards. Furthermore, the Task Force on
Human Rights will promote the development of standards, procedures and
policies that will enhance the profession's support for and
identification with international human rights standards.
AAA Human Rights Taskforce Network Survey
Name_________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________
Telephone____________________________________________________
Institution__________________________________________________
Society memberships in AAA
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Names and addresses of individuals whom you know who might
like information on the Human Rights Taskforce:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Names of groups within AAA that might share common concerns
with the taskforce:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Names and addresses of institutions, either national and/or
international, involved in human rights work (for example:
America's Watch, Amnesty International, etc.):
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Name of U.S. Senators and Congress members who are interested
in human rights issues:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Pertinent literature on human rights:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Research interests related to Human Rights:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Do you have: Give appropriate #
BITNET_________________________________________________
Internet_______________________________________________
UUCPNET________________________________________________
Please send completed surveys to:
Professor C. Patrick Morris
University of Washington
Bothell Branch Campus
Canyon Park Business Center
22011 - 26th Avenue SE
Bothell, WA 98021