On 13 September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA)
adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, with only
four votes against this resolution. Though not a binding document, the
adoption of this Declaration was seen as a huge step forward in the
recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It stands, however, in
stark contrast with the International Labour Organization (ILO) 1989
Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in
Independent Countries, which has till this day only been signed and
ratified by 19 Member states.
(Source: Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
The Hague, May 2008
– On 13 September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA)
adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, with only
four votes against this resolution. Though not a binding document, the
adoption of this Declaration was seen as a huge step forward in the
recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It stands, however, in
stark contrast with the International Labour Organization (ILO) 1989
Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in
Independent Countries, which has till this day only been signed and
ratified by 19 Member states.
Indigenous
peoples have throughout time suffered from marginalisation,
stigmatisation and discrimination, mostly by their colonizing power(s).
Since the 1950s a greater understanding for the dire situation in which
these indigenous peoples find themselves has taken over and specialized
bodies have been created, for instance within the context of the United
Nations, in order to effectively tackle the problems faced by
indigenous peoples.
One
example of such efforts is the 1989 Convention adopted by the
International Labour Organization (ILO) concerning the Indigenous and
Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries. This Convention (No. 169)
revised the outdated 1957 Convention on the same issue. Shockingly,
however, till this very day, only 19 out of the 181 Member states of
the ILO have signed and ratified this Convention, even though the
Convention outlines a large number of rights which are perceived as
normal to non-indigenous citizens.
Selectively
granting groups their human rights consists of a grave breach of the
universal right to freedom from discrimination. Therefore the
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, on behalf of the
undersigned:
- Urges
all Member States to the International Labour Organization (ILO), and
in particular those states who also have European Union Membership, to
sign and ratify the 1989 ILO Convention No. 169 concerning Indigenous
and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries; - Calls
upon all Member States to the International Labour Organization (ILO)
and the international community at large to consult the Indigenous and
Tribal Peoples concerned when considering legislative or administrative
measures which may directly affect them, as has been laid down in
Article 6 of the aforementioned Convention (No. 169); - Calls
upon all Member States to the International Labour Organization (ILO)
and the international community at large to grant Indigenous and Tribal
Peoples in Independent Countries ownership and possession over lands
and natural resources which they traditionally occupy, as has been laid
down in Article 14 of the aforementioned Convention (No. 169).
