Self-Determination

Mililani Trask frankly states that there is not much work which can be done in the 2 days of discussions which make up the WCIP. She is not surprised by the lack of funding and the limitations on which issues can be discussed, but describes the resulting meeting as a betrayal because the WCIP was meant to bring people together to discuss many issues facing Indigenous Peoples and address how to move forward.  

Alexey Tsykarev discusses the situation in Russia for Indigenous Peoples. Even though Russia abstained from voting for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007, many of the articles in the Declaration exist in Russian legislation, however, the implementation at the federal, regional and local level is still a problem. 

John Scott highlights the importance of using processes established by Indigenous communities when gaining free, prior and informed consent for activities which will take place on their lands. He also talks about the importance of including traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples at the UN Permanent Forum.  

Vicky Tauli-Corpuz talks about the importance of Indigenous Peoples using the range of international instruments and mechanisms in place, to pressure their governments to implement changes. 

Bestang Dekdeken discusses the problems with FPIC as it is currently enforced in the Philippines, for example, how mining coorporations and extractive industries are able to find loopholes in FPIC in order to carry out their projects. 

Bestang Dekdeken discusses the work of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance and their struggle in the Philippines Cordillera region to defend their land against the government and mining corporations.

Antonio Gonzales, director of the American Indian Movement AIM West, explains why the use of Indigneous Peoples as mascots is culturally offensive and can no longer be tolerated in the 21st century. We caught up with Antonio Gonzales at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples Issues, New York.

Antonio Gonzales explains how without proper enforcement governments, cooperations, and extractive industries willingly ignore frameworks like FPIC  which are designed to protect the rights of indigneous peoples. 

Antonio Gonzales has spent many years working with international forums for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. He has witnessed achievements but draws attention to the fact that indigenous communities across the world are struggling to bring their governments to the table for discussion. He is currently advocating for an International Convention.  

The WCIP was a meeting of the UN General Assembly where the concerns of Indigenous Peoples were discussed, along with best practices on how to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

This series of 24 PSAs is based on the Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, which took place in September of 2014 in New York. The PSAs highlight specific passages of the Outcome Document in an effort to inform audiences of exactly what the document contains and encourage action.