OPENING SESSION /
SESION DE APERTURA
OPENING SESSION OF THE 2ND UN PERMANENT
FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES May 12, 2003
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With the sound of the conch shell bringing Permanent
Forum experts, invited guests, Indigenous delegates, UN agencies
representatives and member state officials together, Roberto Mucaro
Borrero (Taino) signaled the ceremonial opening of the Second Session of the
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at United Nations headquarters in
New York. Tadodaho, Chief Sidney Hill, Spiritual leader of the
Haudenosaunee, shared a traditional blessing in his language and guest
speakers brought messages from their organizations to the Forum.
Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Advisor on Gender
Issues and Advancement of Women delivered the message of UN Secretary
General, Kofi Annan. Those assembled met this morning to elect its
officers and adopt the agenda and organization of work. The theme of
this year's session is "Indigenous Children and Youth"
El Foro Permanente de poblaciones indígenas inicia segunda sesión El
Foro Permanente de la ONU para las Cuestiones Indígenas - integrado
por 16 expertos inauguró hoy su segunda sesión en Nueva York con la
participación de más de 500 indígenas de todas las regiones del mundo.
Roberto Mucaro Borrero, Taino de Puerto Rico, llamó la reunión al
orden. Ole Henrik Magga, líder Saami de Noruega, fue reelecto hoy
parapresidir los trabajos del órgano, creado en el año
2000 para asesorar al Consejo Económico y Social de la ONU en materia
de educación, desarrollo, derechos humanos, medio ambiente y otros
temas que afectan a la población autóctona. Tras asumir la presidencia,
Magga pidió un minuto de silencio en homenaje a los indígenas que
perdieron la vida durante los últimos 12 meses: "Durante el año pasado,
hemos experimentado violencia, degradación y asesinatos. Muchos de
nuestros hermanos y hermanas indígenas han perdido la vida, y también
la han perdido niños", dijo Magga. En su mensaje al Foro, el
Secretario General Kofi Annan pidió que se aceleren los esfuerzos para
poner alto a la sistemática discriminación y exclusión que padece la
población indígena.
Comunicado de Prensa
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OPENING SESSION / SESION DE APERTURA
AM PROGRAM - PART 1
AM PROGRAM - PART 2
AM PROGRAM - PART 3
Second Session of the Permanent Forum on
Indigenous People, to seek solutions to the challenges facing
indigenous children and youth.
UN
Webcast: Archived
Video - Morning Session - 1h 36min
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LISTENER'S GUIDE TO PART ONE |
Chief Sidney Hill |
Tadodaho Chief Sidney Hill, Spiritual
leader of the Haudenosaunee, first opens the meeting with a
traditional blessing in his language.
Following the blessing, he noted that 27 years had passed since
indigenous leaders went to the United Nations in Geneva seeking
support for their treaties as instruments of international law,
and viewing the United Nations as a beacon of hope. Since then,
with the support of many good leaders, indigenous peoples had
made progress. Their realities and existence could not be
denied, and the Forum was now a work in progress, with its
second session dedicated to the rights of the child.
He stressed that the Forum needed more time and more support
from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and other United
Nations bodies. It needed to ratify the draft declaration and
recognize the right to self-determination of indigenous peoples.
The Forum must become fully involved in standard setting, and
must become more focused in its work to produce recommendations.
Finally, it needed a substantial budget to support its meetings. |
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Heather Milton Lightning, the
representative for indigenous youth, reads a statement of behalf
of youth representatives from Africa, Asia, South America and
the Pacific. There were many problems facing indigenous youth
today, she said, including the lack of adequate and culturally
appropriate education, and a lack of health care facilities,
especially for maternal and child health care.
Furthermore, HIV/AIDS was having a devastating effect on
communities, indigenous women were experiencing violence and
oppression, and indigenous land was being militarized.
Indigenous youth were a vital part of deliberations on all
matters in the Forum, she continued, and the indigenous youth
representatives called for the establishment of indigenous units
within all United Nations agencies.
Sound of the conch closes the traditional
ceremony. |
Wayne Lord
PF Expert
Canada |
Mr. Wayne Lord, Permanent Forum expert from Canada, announces
the election of officers. |
Ole Henrik Magga
PF Chair
Norway |
The Chair of the Permanent
Forum, Mr. Ole Henrik Magga called for a moment of silence to
honour and remember Indigenous sisters, brothers and children
who, because of violence, degradation and murder during the past
year, are no longer with us. |
UN Secretary General |
Angela
King, Assistant Secretary-General, Special Advisor on Gender
Issues and Advancement of Women delivers the message of UN
Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
Complete message of the
Secretary-General |
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Bacre Ndiaye,
Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights, speaks on behalf of Sergio Vieira de Mello, High
Commissioner for Human Rights, and says the Forum should fully
use the capacity and experience of all United Nations bodies.
The Working Group on Indigenous Populations is mandated to
undertake activities in human rights-related studies and
standard setting, and he encourages the Forum to establish links
with the Group for assistance. |
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Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Second Session
1st & 2nd Meetings (AM & PM)
Summaries of Opening Session Statements
UN Press Release HR/4659
12/05/2003 |
Summaries adapted from UN Press
Release HR/4659 |
