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Daily notes from the
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,
13-24 May 2002, New York
RAPPORTEUR: Rhiannon Morgan, independent researcher for IMADR
NOTE: This report is by no means meant to serve as an official record of
the actual discussion of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and
IMADR does not assume any responsibility for any inaccurate summary of a
statement wherever it may exist.
Monday 13th May
The forum was opened with a traditional welcome from the Haudenosaunee,
followed by a number of high-ranking UN officials, including the President
of ECOSOC, Ivan Simonovic, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Mary Robinson. The tone of the speeches was optimistic, and there was a
general sense that the inauguration represented an historic event and a
great achievement. Mary Robinson spoke of epartnershipf, and noted that,
for the first time in a UN meeting, the seating arrangements had been
changed so as to reflect this new spirit of partnership.[1] In this
respect Ivan Simonovic also described the forum as einnovativef, and
expressed his hope that the seating would promote dialogue and mutual
respect. Mary Robinson also spoke of the bodyfs potential to address
indigenous issues in a truly holistic and comprehensive manner, but warned
that the members would need to gain an appreciation of the strengths and
limitations of the UN system.
Following the formal inauguration, the PF went through the adoption of the
agenda, the rules of procedure, and the organization of work. This was
followed by some general statements under agenda item no.5, including an
intervention from Erica Daes, the former Chairperson of the WGIP. She
described the Permanent Forum as the glink to the operational side of the
UNh, and expressed her wish to see the forum assist UN specialized
agencies to do their jobs better. She also expressed her belief that the
PF would need a secretariat of its own in order to function properly.
Indigenous guest speakers also addressed the forum, including Willie
Littlechild (PF member), Matthew Coon Come, and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz. The
latter speaker offered a number of conditions for the PF to be effective,
including the establishment of a secretariat, the allotment of an adequate
budget for the secretariat and the intersessional work of the PF members,
an overarching framework, such as the Draft Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, which could serve as a guide for the PF, the creation
of mechanisms which could allow for greater consultation with indigenous
peoples at the international, regional and national levels, and finally an
evaluation and review of UN bodies and funds in the implementation of
their projects and programs related to indigenous peoples.
Tuesday 14th May
The PF proceeded in the morning session with agenda item no.6, that is, a
review of activities of the UN system on selected topics. The first chosen
topic was economic and social development. The chosen format invited the
UN agencies to make the first interventions. A large number of UN
specialized agencies were in attendance, and there were interventions
from, amongst others, the World Bank, UNDP, the ILO, and UN-Habitat. These
interventions were followed with a short question and answer edialoguef
between the PF members and the representatives of these UN agencies and
bodies. This was quite interesting to observe, and indeed, since UN
meetings are normally more about monologue than dialogue and interaction,
it represented a flexible departure and new approach. The questions were
practical and some of the issues raised are likely to be included in the
conclusions of the meeting.
In the afternoon session, statements were heard from indigenous and state
delegates on the issue of social and economic development. Some of these
statements were general and spoke on a general level of the difficulties
faced by their peoples and communities in relation to social and economic
development, whilst others issued specific recommendations to the PF
members. Thus, the International Indian Treaty Council, for example, asked
the PF to recommend (through the Council) the WSSD to adopt a strong
statement that gthe process of development requires the collective human
rights of indigenous peoples be observed in the development processh. As
another example, the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact recommended that the PF
request all UN agencies and programmes to compile and disseminate cases of
best practices that would serve as a positive illustration for any future
projects involving indigenous peoples.
Wednesday 15th May
The review of activities relating to indigenous peoples within the UN
system continued under a new theme: environment. Statements on the theme
of environment were made by UNEP and the Secretariat for the Convention on
Biological Diversity. This was followed by an interactive discussion, in
which several members of the PF took the floor to address the statements
of the UN agencies and to ask questions of the representatives. Statements
on the theme of environment were then invited from indigenous
organizations. Some 20 or more IPOs took the floor to speak on this issue.
The statements of course differed as to their content, but some
cross-cutting concerns were the removal of indigenous peoples from their
territories, deforestation, desertification, pollution of indigenous
waters, and global warming. There was much discussion of the forthcoming
WSSD, and the urgent need for indigenous peoples to fully participate in
that process. A summary of the discussions on environment was made by PF
member Parshuram Tamang.
Following completion of the theme of environment, the PF continued to the
next theme: health. With no UN agencies ready to speak on the issue (most
had gone home as the afternoon drew to a close), however, the PF took
statements from Canada and the Chin Human Rights Organization.
Thursday 16th May
The PF continued with the theme of health through the morning session.
Interventions were heard from some specialized agencies, including the
United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA), indigenous and state delegates. Of
the latter, Chile spoke of the value of indigenous participation in
designing indigenous health programs, as well as the need to create
systems that incorporate both Western and indigenous notions of health.
Canada acknowledged that on a national level within Canada significant
challenges remained, and noted diabetes, heart disease, and mental health,
including high suicide, as serious problem areas. Canada noted that the PF
was well placed to identify best practices for ensuring that indigenous
peoples have access to culturally appropriate health services. Indigenous
delegates spoke of the interconnectedness between health and environment,
and between health and social and economic development.
Following discussions on health, the PF terminated item 6, and moved on to
agenda item no.5, that is, general statements. The PF heard from both
state and indigenous delegates on a variety of issues. A recurring issue
was the need for a permanent and well-funded Secretariat.
Friday 17th May
During the morning session, the PF continued with consideration of agenda
item no. 5. There was no afternoon session.
Monday 20th
Proceedings during the second week continued under agenda item no.6, that
is, a review of activities within the United Nations System, this time on
the topic of education and culture. Statements were heard from UNESCO and
UNICEF. The former stated that UNESCO was engaged in protecting and
preserving indigenous cultures and cultural diversity in line with the
goals of the UN Decade of Indigenous Peoples. UNICEF referred to the
outcome document of the recent Special Session on Children, which directs
states to provide indigenous children with education that respects their
heritage and sustains their cultural identity. UNICEF stated that it made
special efforts to promote bilingual and multicultural education and
referred to projects in Guatemala and Venezuela. The interventions were
followed by an interactive dialogue between the PF members and the
representatives of the agencies, which was itself followed by some thirty
interventions from indigenous delegates. Numerous indigenous delegates
spoke of the vulnerability of their cultures and languages, the pressing
need for culturally appropriate education, and the use of education as a
tool in assimilation and colonisation. Vice Chair Njuma Ekundanayo
summarised the discussion on the theme.
Following completion of the theme of education and culture, the PF
continued to the topic of human rights. Statements were heard from the
following specialised agencies: UNOHCHR and the ILO. The OHCHR elaborated
on a number of its activities relating to indigenous issues, including the
indigenous fellowship program and voluntary fund for indigenous peoples.
The ILO charted some of its history in relation to indigenous peoples,
reaching back to the 1920s, and outlined its current activities. These
fall within two major areas: a) supervision of the two ILO Conventions on
indigenous and tribal peoples, and b) providing technical assistance
within this framework. Following the usual format adopted by the PF, the
interventions of the agencies were followed up with an interactive
dialogue and equestion and answerf session between the PF members and
the representatives of the agencies. Some interventions from indigenous
and state delegates were taken following this dialogue.
Tuesday 21st
The PF continued to hear statements on the topic of human rights through
the morning session. Some statements on the theme of human rights
addressed local situations and specific incidences of human rights abuses
within states. Others made institutional recommendations to the PF
relating to human rights.
On completion of the theme of human rights, the PF reverted to agenda item
no.5, that is, general statements. Interventions made under this agenda
item addressed a wide range of issues, and will be covered in the final
report.
Wednesday 22nd
The PF continued to hear general statements through much of the morning.
On completion of this agenda item, the PF picked up agenda item no.7, the
work plan of the Permanent Forum. Interventions were first heard from some
PF members who chose to take the floor. These included Pashuram Tamang and
Wayne Lord. The latter emphasised that the work of the PF was ongoing, and
that delegates should not be disheartened if they did not see their
concerns reflected in the work plan. Their concerns, he stated, had been
heard, and could be taken up in subsequent years.
A number of indigenous delegates and state delegates also made
interventions on this agenda item. Of the latter, statements were heard
from Mexico and New Zealand. Indigenous organisations also intervened with
their suggestions for the work plan. Some top priority issues that could
be discerned were as follows: the budget of the PF, the need for an
adequately funded and resourced Secretariat, the urgent need to overcome
the stalemate within the Working Group on the Draft Declaration and to
adopt that text without changes as soon as possible, and the need for
indigenous childrenfs issues to be a separate and permanent focus in the
agenda and work plan of the PF.
To be continued.
THE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM
(IMADR)
[1] It is customary for IPOs and NGOs to face the backs of the heads of
state delegates, but the seating was rearranged in order that indigenous
and state delegates might face each other directly.
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