Ole Henrik Magga and Mililani Trask
 Members of the UN Permanent Forum
 at the WSIS

Obstacles and Outcomes for Indigenous Peoples

Ole Henrik Magga, a prominent Saami from Norway and the current Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, speaking in a UN Press Conference at the WSIS, included the following points in his summary:

"Our Declaration recognizes both obstacles and good practices.

Indigenous Peoples hold States primarily responsible for our inclusion in the information society - Indigenous Peoples are part of your populations - not an add on problem - nor an after thought - and as such they deserve the equitable access to new technologies.

It must be Indigenous Peoples themselves, who decide on how and when they access and use new technologies.

Indigenous Peoples know that - little is gained if some of them advance and others are left behind".