Pacific Northwest Treaty Proposed for Expansion to Include all Pacific Rim
Indigenous Peoples
Kona, Hawaii -- Signatories to the Pacific Northwest Treaty are
considering amendments that would expand the Treaty to indigenous nations
across the Pacific Rim. The three year old Treaty, which has been
already signed by more than 70 First Nations; Tribes; and Aboriginal Clans
from British Columbia, the United States, and Australia, is intended to
bring together indigenous governments in a cooperative effort to protect
the natural resources, environment, economies, and sovereignty of native
people.
As written, the Treaty has focused on the Pacific Northwest and fisheries
issues, including the protection of aquatic biological diversity.
Interest from other areas and peoples of the Pacific Rim to become
signatories has given rise to the need to expand the geographical area
covered by the Treaty. The changes were developed by Ken Malloway,
Tzeachten First Nation, in order ensure that all native peoples of the
Pacific Rim can continue to build their alliances, and create a more
potent presence for discussions and negotiations on natural resource
issues at the international level.
In addition to the action to broaden the Treaty geographically,
participants in the Kona Hawaii based conference are exploring policies
dealing with global issues related to sustainability and conservation of
diverse fisheries; threats to the rights of indigenous peoples to hunt and
fish in traditional areas; global industrialization of aquatic resources;
and environmental protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Native Hawaiian speaker Yuklin Aluli, said "We must not be made into
museum pieces, with only small subsistence fisheries due to the industrial
exploitation of fisheries resources going on off-shore." She urged
conference attendees to continue to fight not only for traditional
subsistence fisheries, but fisheries that are adequate to provide economic
benefits and livelihoods to native people.
Fred Fortier, Chairman of the British Columbia Aboriginal Fisheries
Commission, urged swift action by Conference delegates to deal with
on-going efforts by the United Nations Conventions on Biological Diversity
and the Law of the Sea which would affect the access rights of indigenous
communities to their traditional natural resources. 'We cannot allow
Canada or the United States to appoint us to some advisory committee to
the actual conference negotiations. We must demand a place at the table
for all native people," said Fortier.
There is growing awareness that by protecting traditional lifestyles
associated with local aquatic resources, the global community protects
aquatic biological diversity as an underpinning of healthy fisheries
industry around the world, according to Fortier.
"This Treaty calls for united action by indigenous peoples to protect
sovereign cultural, economic, and environmental rights and resources" said
Stan Jones, Chairman of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington State and
co-chair of the conference. Gibby Jacob, of the Squamish Nation in
British Columbia and also conference co-chair agreed with Jones, stating
that "By expanding the Treaty throughout the Pacific Rim, we are sending a
powerful message to the non- indigenous governments of the world that we
will stand up for our rights and we will do it together." The conference
is scheduled to continue through Thursday.
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For more information see the Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Information
Network (IBIN) web site (http://www.ibin.org) in the Indigenous Fisheries
Forum.
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