The
Day Drawing Attention to Indigenous Cultures
& Rights
The United Nation
General Assembly on 23 December 1994 designated 9
August to be observed as the "International
Day of the World's Indigenous People"
every year during the International Decade of the
World's Indigenous People (Resolution 49/214). The date marks the day of the
first meeting in 1982 of the Working Group of
Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on
Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities of the Commission on Human Rights.
First observed in 1995, its commemoration offers
the world community an opportunity to reiterate
the principles of respect for human rights
enshrined in the Charter and to find solutions to
alleviate the plight of indigenous people.
1993
----- The Year Seeking New Partnership
Recognising the need for
a new approach to the issue of indigenous
peoples, the United Nation General Assembly on 18
December 1990 proclaimed 1993 the "International
Year of the World's Indigenous People"
(Resolution 45/164). Under the theme "Indigenous
People - A New Partnership", the Year aimed
to develop a new and equitable relationship
between the international community, States and
indigenous peoples based on the participation of
indigenous people in the planning, implementation
and evaluation of projects affecting their living
conditions and future.
1995-2004
----- The Decade Affirming Commitment
Following a
recommendation by the second World Conference on
Human Rights (June 1993), where States were
called to "take concerted positive steps to
ensure respect for all human rights and
fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, on the
basis of equality and non-discrimination, and
recognise the value and diversity of their
distinct identities, cultures and social
organisation", the General Assembly on 21
December 1993 proclaimed 1995-2004 the "International Decade
of the World's Indigenous People"
(Resolution 48/163). The theme, "Indigenous
People: Partnership in Action" goes with the
objective of strengthening international
cooperation for the solution of problems faced by
indigenous people in such areas as human rights,
the environment, development, education and
health. The Decade constitutes a time-frame for
the United Nations system, Governments, non-governmental
organizations and others to commit themselves to
the promotion and protection of the human rights
of indigenous people, as well as to give priority
to the new role of indigenous people as decision
makers and beneficiaries of national, regional
and international activities.
Sources:
Untied
Nations
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Who are the
Indigenous Peoples? There is no official
definition on Indigenous Peoples, and actually,
definitions developed in the past carry flaws or
create confusions.
The generally
accepted descriptions on Indigenous Peoples may
give you the basic ideas about who they are:
- The
First People
Indigenous Peoples refer to the first to
settle in the country, with other names
such as aborigines.
- Cultural
Difference
In Africa and Asia where processes of
conquests and colonial structures took
place, indigenous peoples refer to groups
that clearly distinguish themselves in a
socio-cultural context from the
surrounding population. They are
characterised by a common culture and
language, common spiritual ideas, an
identifiable territory and a certain
economic structure.
1972:
Working Definition A
definition developed by Mr. José
Martinez Cobo, Special Rapporteur on
Discrimination against Indigenous
Populations, was accepted by the Working
Group on Indigenous Populations (Sanders
1989):
"Indigenous
populations are composed of the existing
descendants of the peoples who inhabited
the present territory of a country wholly
or partially at the time when persons of
a different culture or ethnic origin
arrived there from other parts of the
world, overcame them, by conquest,
settlement or other means, reduced them
to a non-dominant or colonial condition;
who today live more in conformity with
their particular social, economic and
cultural customs and traditions than with
the institutions of the country of which
they now form part, under a state
structure which incorporates mainly
national, social and cultural
characteristics of other segments of the
population which are predominant."
Flaws Created:
- The definition
freezes the identity of
indigenous peoples in a
historical-chronological axis
By identifying
indigenous peoples with those who
'inhabited' an area before it was
conquered or colonised by 'people
from other parts of the world',
it has limited the applicability
of this definition mainly to pre-colonial
populations. It refers to only
500 years of European colonialism
while ignores the history of non-European
civilisations.
- The definition on the
indigenous culture, customs,
religion, society and history is
too simplistic
The survival of the
indigenous identity is explained
by its isolation on the one hand
and its marginalisation and
discrimination on the other. It
treats the indigenous peoples in
terms of an ethnographic
present', as if the thousands of
years of human history and
interactions had never
substantially altered the
cultures of different peoples.
- The definition fails
to explain the phenomena of
survival of the 'indigenous'
identity in the face of adversity
Ethnic identities
have also survived. But not all
ethnic communities have lived in
isolation. Many ethnic
communities have completely lost
control over their 'homeland' or
the terrain which was the cradle
of their culture. Yet their
identities have survived. What
then are the differences between
the ethnic groups and the
indigenous peoples?
1983: More Inclusive
Realising that Mr. Cobo's original
definition was not adequate to cover the
isolated and marginal tribal populations
of the Asian continent, the scope and the
ambit of the 'working definition' was
enlarged. It was decided that all those
marginal and isolated groups existing in
many countries who may not have suffered
conquest or direct colonisation might be
considered as indigenous peoples if they
fulfilled the following criteria:
(a) they are
the descendants of groups, which were in
the territory at the time when other
groups of different cultures or ethnic
origin arrived there
(b) precisely because of their isolation
from other segments of the country's
population they have almost preserved
intact the customs and traditions of
their ancestors which are similar to
those characterised as indigenous
(c) they are, even if only formally,
placed under a state structure which
incorporates national, social and
cultural characteristics alien to their
own
(FICN. 41Sub.211983121 Adds. para. 3 79)
1986: Self-identification
It was added that any individual who
identified himself or herself as
indigenous and was accepted by the group
or the community as one of its members
was to be regarded as an indigenous
person (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1986/7/Add.4. para.381).
This preserves for these communities the
sovereign right and power to decide who
belongs to them, without external
interference.
The
draft Universal Declaration on the Rights
of the indigenous Peoples prepared by the
Working Group does not include a
definition of indigenous peoples or
populations. This omission has been
justified by the Chairperson - Rapporteur
of the Working Group Ms. Erica Irene Daes
- on the ground that "historically,
indigenous peoples have suffered, from
definitions imposed by others" and
as a result, in certain countries many
indigenous peoples have been declassified.
(E/ CN.4/Stib.2/AC.4/1995/3, page 3).
Excerpt
from "Definition
and Delimitation of the Indigenous
Peoples of Asia", by Tapan Bose.
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Sources: International Work
Group for Indigenous Affairs
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How Indigenous
Peoples Became A Disadvantaged Group? Despite their diversity,
indigenous peoples are facing similar problems.
They are among the most disadvantaged groups on
Earth. They are subjected to slavery and forced
labour. They face discrimination, poverty, poor
health, unemployment and high rates of
imprisonment.
Examples
in
India - SUA020605(8) / UA010303(3)
Philippines - UA020415(6)
Colonisation
During the period of European colonial expansion,
many indigenous peoples were wiped out and their
land taken by force. They experienced massacres,
forced relocations, removal of their children and
other forms of assimilation. In Asia and Africa,
artificial colonial borders have separated
peoples or turned them into powerless minorities.
Ecocide/Development
Indigenous communities are threatened by
destruction of the natural basis of existence of
their culture. Under the name of development,
their land and resources are expropriated or
spoiled by activities such as deforestation,
mining, dam and irrigation projects, road
construction, toxic waste dumping and nuclear
testing.
Cultural
Extinction/Ethnocide
Many indigenous communities experienced forced
assimilation by prohibition of mother tongue,
religion and cultural ways of expression, and
denial of the existence of whole peoples in the
public life of a state. This process normally
happens gradually and unnoticed by the public.
Non-Dominance
Indigenous peoples are those who are not in power
in modern national states. With a different way
of life, they are perceived by the dominant
society as being inferior. They normally are not
represented by the decision-making elite in their
respective national state. In addition,
indigenous communities are increasingly
marginalized by the population surrounding them,
causing the concept of "indigenous peoples"
to become a political term.
International
Ignorance
Around the world, indigenous peoples have
struggled to gain control over their land and
lives and recognition of their rights. The
concerns of indigenous peoples were not addressed
as a concern of the international community until
the 1970s. In 1982, the UN established a Working
Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP).
The
Fourth World
This
"World" comprises those peoples
that strive for autonomy and
international recognition. The indigenous
people had been victims of invasions,
conquests and robbery, and it is their
right to claim back their lost rights.
While they are aware of their original
sovereignty, they also know about their
mutual relationship through the "We-feeling"
that is firmly established in their
consciousness. Nothing seems more natural
to indigenous peoples than to go their
own self-determined way, independent of
the context of the national state
surrounding them. They want to be
referred to as independent peoples in
order to obtain the right to self-determination,
or at least to strive for partial
autonomy.
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Sources:
Diplomacy
Training Program
Margareta
Weisser Foundation for Indigenous People in Asia
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Links
To Related United Nations' Sites: United Nations
UN
Development Programme
International
Labour Organisation
UN Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organisation
World Intellectual
Property Organisation
World
Bank
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Non-Government
Organisations Working for
Indigenous Peoples' Rights: International Work Group
for Indigenous Affairs
aims at defending and endorsing the rights of
indigenous peoples in concurrence with their own
efforts and desires. It works for giving
indigenous peoples the possibility of organising
themselves and opening up channels for indigenous
peoples' own organisations to claim their rights.
Its publications - a yearbook named The
Indigenous World, a quarterly journal named
Indigenous Affairs, and some thematic books,
provides comprensive information on Indigenous
issues.
Margareta
Weisser Foundation for Indigenous People in Asia
is committed to maintaining the cultural variety
on our planet with the aim of supporting
indigenous peoples in Asia in their struggle for
physical and cultural survival.
Indigenous
Knowledge Page
is the sharing of information
among the various stakeholders in development and
to contribute to the challenge of knowledge for
development, which is to combine indigenous (local)
knowledge with similar experiences from around
the world, and with elements from the world of
science and technology.
Indigenous
Peoples and Community Development
is a unit
of the Inter-American Development Bank focuses on
issues of poverty reduction and social equity as
they affect indigenous populations. Other areas
of concern are community consultation and
participation, involuntary resettlement, and
sociocultural soundness issues in general.
Indigenous Peoples
Biodiversity Information Network
is a
mechanism to exchange information about
experiences and projects and to increase
collaboration among indigenous groups working on
common causes related to biodiversity use and
conservation.
Researching
Indigenous Peoples Rights Under International Law
The
World Wide Web Virtual Library: Indigenous
Studies
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