U N I T E D N A T I O N S
CONFEDERACY OF TREATY SIX FIRST NATIONS
Head Office:
Louis Bull First Nation:
Treaty Six Territory
PO Box 130,
Hobbema, AB T0C 1N0
Phone: (403) 585-3978 - FAX: (403) 585-3799
Edm. Direct: (403) 423-2064
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sub-Commission on prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
Working Group on Indigenous Peoples
12th SESSION
AGENDA ITEM 4
The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations of western
Canada have sent a delegation this year to once again
participate in the technical meeting on the Decade and the
Wording Group on indigenous Peoples. We have been sent here
to (he United Nations with specific instructions. To insure
that our inherent and treaty rights protected with in the
Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- To insure that the Declaration will stand that test of
time and that language is strong enough so as not to
compromise the rights of our future generations.
- Prior to coming to Geneva we convened meetings with our
elders and leaders to discuss the Draft Declaration.
- Although there are a lot of positives in the Draft
Declaration we do have problems with some of the wording
and provisions in the Draft Declaration as it now stand.
It is unfortunate that we will not be able to propose any
more amendments to the Draft Declaration. We went through
the draft clause by clause with our elders and they have
indicated to us areas of serious concern regarding our
inherent and treaty rights. Although we did not meet the
deadline of May 15 we will be submitting our concerns as
told to us by our elders.
- The most important concern is that the right to
sovereignty and self-determination in its truest sense be
retained without any qualifier. In this regard we are in
support of the other indigenous Peoples who would like to
have article 31 removes because of its limiting
implications.
- We also continue to have serious problems with the
continuing reference to indigenous Peoples as "ethnic".
- These are only two examples of many concerns that we still
have with the Draft Declaration in its present form.
- We would also again reiterate that it is imperative that
some concrete and meaningful action be taken not only by
this body but also by the Sub-Commission to ensure that
there is full participation by Indigenous Peoples at all
levels where the Draft Declaration will be discussed. This
could be done as soon as possible so that it will
facilitate direct involvement as soon as 1995.
- We are also concerned that because the debate on the Draft
Declaration has been closed that by no means is the work
of the Working Group finished Much more needs to be done
and accomplished by the Working Group on Indigenous
Peoples in the area of standard setting We also need to
continue to monitor the progress of the Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples as it makes its way through
the United Nations system, among other activities.
- Another concern that we have is what exactly is meant by
the "permanent forum". We are hoping that we do not lose
the momentum and the credibility that has been gained by
the Working Group on Indigenous Peoples for a forum that
is yet unclear in its composition and mandate. It could be
very well be the W.G.I.P. could be that "permanent forum"
in a restructured form to be agreed upon by Indigenous
Peoples It is also our hope that the program of the
upcoming decade of Indigenous Peoples will continue to
promote concrete, action-oriented, standard-setting
activities that will be of a direct benefit to Indigenous
Peoples at the grass-roots level. In other words, actions
taken here and agreed upon should be reflected in the
actions taken at the national level of the countries in
which Indigenous Peoples now reside. We thank you for this
opportunity and may the Creator guide us in our
deliberations.
Sub Office:
10621 - 100 Avenue,
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0B3
Tel: (403) 944-0334 - FAX (403) 944-0346
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