Sorry this took so long to post. Susan
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Tue, 18 Jul 1995 22:20:52 -0300
Send reply to: Innu people forum list <INNU-L@ODIE.CCS.YORKU.CA>
From: Foundation Innu Support Group <innusuppnl@GN.APC.ORG>
Subject: Leg Hold Trap
To: Multiple recipients of list INNU-L <INNU-L@ODIE.CCS.YORKU.CA>
July 18, 1995
As response on "Against the Leg Hold Trap" the letter send by the Dutch
Support Group which mirrored our opinion.
Sir Leon Brittan
Commissioner for Foreign Economic Relations
European Commission
Wetstraat 200
B-1049 Brussel
Belgium
Re: fur trade regulation, 3254/91
The Hague, June 29, 1995.
Dear Sir Brittan,
On behalf on the foundation Innu Support Group I am writing you in regard to
the European Union's Regulation on the imports of pelts of certain wild
animals ('fur trade' regulation, 3254/91).
We believe that the implementation of this Regulation in its actual form will
have a severe negative impact on the survival of many indigenous peoples of the
world and communities in the Arctic and sub-arctic in particular, in whose
economies are largely or completely dependent on cash incomes from the fur
trade. Furthermore, also the social and cultural consequences will be dramatic,
since these peoples have separate cultures and identities that are very much
rooted in the practices of hunting and trapping.
For example the Innu (Indians) in Nitassinan known as Labrador and Quebec,
Canada -seriously effected by low-level flights on 30 meter of the European air
forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and in the near
further of Belgium, Italy and France- are a hunting, trapping and gathering
nomadic Nation.
The Innu are dependent for their sustainable development of fur trapping as
well.
We support regulations which can improve the welfare of animals, but at the
same time support indigenous peoples' rights and possibilities to trap and
trade. We are also convinced that the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and
sub-Arctic play a crucial role in the sustainable development of the natural
resources of this region, and therefore should be recognized as partners, as
has been recognized by Agenda 21 and international organizations like WWF,
UNEP and IUCN in their publication 'Caring for the Earth'.
In this UN-Decade for Indigenous Peoples we would like to propose to initiate
a dialogue with Arctic indigenous peoples in order to ensure that implementa-
tion of the Regulation would not only promote animal welfare, but also result
in an improvement of the economic, social and cultural conditions of the
indigenous peoples. And furthermore would recognize their important role in
the sustainable development of the Arctic and sub-Arctic and support their
rights to self-determination and control over their territories and natural
resources.
The education of the peoples of the European Union about the indigenous
peoples dependence of fur trade is a role of the European Union.
A postpone of the Regulation until the European Union has his policy on
Indigenous Peoples is on his place.
Yours sincerely,
G. de Groot
chairman
foundation Innu Support Group.
Letter sent by the European Alliance of Indigenous Peoples:
Sir Leon Brittan
Commissioner for Foreign Economic Relations
European Commission
Wetstraat 200
1049 Brussel
June 16, 1995
Dear Sir Brittan,
We are writing you in regard to the European Union's Regulation on the
imports of pelts of certain wild animals ('fur trade' regulation, 3254/91).
We believe that the implementation of this Regulation in its actual form
will have a severe negative impact on the survival of many indigenous people
and communities, whose economies are largely or completely dependent on cash
incomes from the fur trade. Furthermore, also the social and cultural
consequences will be dramatic, since these peoples have separate cultures
and identities that are very much rooted in the practices of hunting and
trapping.
We were informed recently about Commissioner Bjerregaard's announce-
ment that she will not propose a revision or postponement of the Regulation.
We believe that this would be an unjustifiable position, with which the
Commission would be missing a chance to reconcile itself with the indigenous
peoples of the world, and of the Arctic in particular.
Especially the reference in the Regulation towards the need for the
implementation of internationally agreed standards of humane trapping, while
these are not available yet, makes any implementation of the Regulation,
starting on January 1, 1996, impossible. The lack of international standards
creates a very insecure situation for those indigenous peoples that are working
towards a sustainable exploitation of wildlife, and who, like in the Canadian
North West Territories, have invested immense amounts of time, money, and
energy to converse their trapping practices to modern and more humane
trapping methods.
We support any regulation which can improve the welfare of animals, but
at the same time support indigenous peoples' rights and possibilities to
trap and trade. We are also convinced that the indigenous peoples of the
Arctic play a crucial role in the sustainable development of the natural
resources of this region, and therefore should be recognized as partners, as
has been recognized by international organisations like WWF, UNEP and IUCN
in their publication
'Caring for the Earth'.
We would like to propose that the implementation of the Regulation
would be postponed with at least five years. This would give the European
Union the possibility to:
1. implement its trapping standards in the EU member states first;
2. actively promote the adoption of internationally accepted trapping standards;
3. initiate a dialogue with Arctic indigenous peoples in order to ensure that
implementation of the Regulation would not only promote animal welfare, but
also result in an improvement of the economic, social and cultural conditions
of the indigenous peoples. And furthermore would recognize their important
role in the sustainable development of the Arctic and support their rights to
self-determination and control over their territories and natural resources.
Yours sincerely,
Wendel Trio
Campaigner