HUNGER STRIKE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Update 03.12.2004

End of the Indigenous Hunger Strike


SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATIVES' HUNGER STRIKE AND SPIRITUAL FAST AT THE UN WORKING GROUP ON THE DRAFT DECLARATION FOR THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

3. Dezember 2004

To the Communications Media
To the Indigenous Peoples of the World
Sisters and Brothers
Ladies and Gentlemen

This morning, Thursday December 2, 2004, we, the Indigenous Peoples' delegates who joined together in a hunger strike and spiritual fast inside the United Nations during the 10th session of the Intersessional Working Group on the Draft Declaration on the Rights on Indigenous Peoples, participated in a traditional Lakota ceremony to end our fast.

Through this ceremony we offered our profound thanks for the many positive outcomes of this action, which far exceeded our expectations. We also offered our prayers for the many peoples, organizations and individuals that supported us and provided assistance.

This support was vital to the success of our efforts and made this small sacrifice worthwhile.

We have decided to end our hunger strike and spiritual fast for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in response to an appeal by the representative of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights and the Vice President of the UN Commission on Human Rights who have met with us, listened to us with open minds and hearts, and responded to our concerns with proposals that offered from our point of view, concrete and positive steps forward.

They requested that we end this action because most of our immediate objectives have been accomplished. Over the long term, they will continue to work with us to insure that no document different from the Sub-Commission text will be adopted by the Human Rights Commission if it is not produced by a consensus of the Indigenous Peoples.

We offered to present our concerns in writing to the High Commissioner, to the Chair of the Human Rights Commission and to all the Chairs of the regional caucuses, so the can be fully aware of what took place in the Working Group.

They offered to set up a meeting between the Office of the Human Rights Commission and us, prior to the Human Rights Commission session in March of 2005.

They agreed, if the Working Group's time is extended, to establish new procedures for participation, ones that would guarantee that the voice of Indigenous Peoples and organizations who cannot be present in Geneva can also be heard.

We, as Indigenous peoples' delegates from different countries, undertook this action, with the support and solidarity of Indigenous Peoples and organizations from around the world, to call the world's attention to the continued attempts by some states, as well as this UN process itself, to weaken and undermine the Draft Declaration developed in the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations and adopted by the UN Sub Commission for the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. The outpouring of messages of support for this position from all parts of the world continues. As of last night we had received several hundred faxes and e-mail messages. We encourage everyone who has made their position known as a result of this action to continue to monitor the situation regarding the UN Draft Declaration, especially the position of the countries in which they live. We ask you to continue to let these governments know that Indigenous Peoples will not allow our rights to be negotiated, compromised or diminished in this UN process, which Indigenous Peoples initiated more than 20 years ago. We will continue to call for the adoption of the Sub Commission text which has been approved by two UN bodies and has been endorsed and supported by hundreds of Indigenous Peoples and organizations as the minimum standard required for the recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples' rights internationally.

We want to thank Mr.Dzidek Kedzia, Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Ambassador Gordan Markotic, Vice President of the Office of the Commission on Human Rights, for their very positive approach in responding to our concerns.

We sincerely thank the members of INDIGENEVE for their hard work and generous assistance.

We especially thank the hundreds of Indigenous Peoples, Organizations, friends and supporters who wrote to us with messages of support. We strongly urge that their voices continue to be heard in these discussions, which directly affect their lives and survival.

We especially appreciate and acknowledge our brother, Marcelino Diaz de Jesus, known to many of us, who has been in a hunger strike in his community in Mexico, in solidarity with ours, as have many others around the world.

Brothers and sisters, we are in this great house but it is not our house. We are in a palace where documents are written for Peoples but not for our Indigenous Peoples. They open doors for us to enter but they close their ears and hearts. What can we do? We can do many things, even a hunger strike. But there is one thing we should never do - we should never, never give up our rights.

For our Peoples, our Future Generations, and For All Our Relations,

Adelard Blackman, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Canada ;
Andrea Carmen, Yaqui Nation, Arizona United States ;
Alexis Tiouka, Kaliña, French Guyana ;
Charmaine White Face, Ogala Tetuwan, Sioux Nation Territory, North America ;
Danny Billie, Traditional Independent Seminole Nation of Florida, United States;
Saul Vicente, Zapoteca, Mexico.

"support indigenous in a hunger strike in UN" 
"apoyo a Indígenas en una huelga de Hambre en la ONU" 
"soutien Indigènes en grève de la faim à l'ONU"

ENGLISH / FRANCAIS / ESPANOL


HUNGER STRIKE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UNITED NATIONS!

Today, November 29th, 2004, at 11 am, we, Indigenous Peoples' delegates, declare a hunger strike and spiritual fast inside the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, during this 3rd week of the 10th session of the Intersessional Working Group on the United Nations Draft Declaration for the Rights on Indigenous Peoples.

Send expressions of solidarity from Indigenous Peoples and supporters for the “hunger strike for Indigenous Rights” and for the adoption of the current text of the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to the UN Session during this week.

Send faxes to: ++ 41 22 917 00 79 (DoCip, for logistic support)
E-mails to: indigenousolidarity@yahoo.com 

To have your support letter posted on the IITC web page, also send it to: iitc@e-w-t.net , with "to post" in the subject line.

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GREVE DE LA FAIM PAR DES REPRESENTANTS DES PEUPLES AUTOCHTONES AUX NATIONS UNIES!


Aujourd’hui, lundi 29 novembre 2004 à 11h, nous, délégués des Peuples Autochtones, entamons une grève de la faim et un jeûne spirituel à l’intérieur du Palais des Nations à Genève, durant cette 3ème semaine de la 10ème session du Groupe de Travail Intersession sur le Projet de Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les Droits des Peuples Autochtones.

Envoyez l’expression de votre solidarité de Peuples Autochtones et de partisans de la «Grève de la faim pour les Droits des Autochtones» et pour l’adoption du texte actuel du projet de Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les Droits des Peuples Autochtones à la Session des Nations Unies cette semaine. 

Envoyez vos faxs à : ++ 41 22 917 00 79 (DoCip, en soutien logistique)
Envoyez vos E-mails à : indigenousolidarity@yahoo.com 

Pour avoir votre lettre de soutien publiée sur le site web du IITC, envoyez aussi votre message à iitc@e-w-t.net , avec "to post" comme sujet de votre e-mail.

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!HUELGA DE HAMBRE DE REPRESENTANTES DE PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS EN LAS NACIONES UNIDAS!


Hoy, 29 de noviembre de 2004, siendo las 11 de la mañana, nosotros delegados de los pueblos indígenas nos declaramos en huelga de hambre y ayuno espiritual dentro de las Naciones Unidas Palacio de Naciones en Ginebra, durante esta tercera semana de la décima sesión del grupo de trabajo sobre el Proyecto de Declaración de Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas.

Envien muestras de solidaridad por parte de Pueblos Indígenas y por todos los simpatizantes apoyando la "huelga de hambre por los derechos de los Pueblos Indigenas”, y por la adopción del texto actual del Proyecto de Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas a la Sesión de la ONU durante esta semana.

Mandar fax a: ++ 41 22 917 00 79 (DoCip, apoyo logistico)
Correos electrónicos a: indigenousolidarity@yahoo.com 

Para tener su carta en la pagina Web de la Organización IITC, envíelo a: iitc@e-w-t.net , con "to post" en la línea sujeta.


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HUNGER STRIKE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UNITED NATIONS!



Today, November 29th, 2004, at 11 am, we, Indigenous Peoples' delegates, declare a hunger strike and spiritual fast inside the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, during this 3rd week of the 10th session of the Intersessional Working Group on the United Nations Draft Declaration for the Rights on Indigenous Peoples.


We, Indigenous peoples' delegates from different countries, undertake this action, with the support and solidarity of Indigenous Peoples and organizations from around the world, to call the world’s attention to the continued attempts by some states, as well as this UN process itself, to weaken and undermine the Draft Declaration developed in the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations and adopted by the UN Subcommission for the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in 1994.


The Sub Commission text has also been endorsed and supported by hundreds of Indigenous Peoples and organizations around the world as the minimum standard required for the recognition and protection of Indigenous Peoples' rights internationally.


We delegates who will undertake the hunger strike, along with the undersigned Indigenous Peoples, organizations, tribal governments, Nations, communities and Networks, call for the Sub Commission text of the Declaration to be sent back to the UN Commission on Human Rights with the message that in 10 years, proposals by States to weaken or amend the text have not gained the consensus of the Working Group participants, which include both states and Indigenous Peoples. 


Mr. Luis Chavez, the Chairman Rapporteur of the Working Group should report this reality and not present a “consolidated text” as if it was “close to consensus.” The Commission on Human Rights must establish a process that does not provide a handful of States an opportunity to weaken the human rights of Indigenous Peoples. The process also must take into account the voices of the great numbers of Indigenous Peoples from all parts of the world. 


We will not allow our rights to be negotiated, compromised or diminished in this UN process, which was initiated more than 20 years ago by Indigenous Peoples. The United Nations itself says that human rights are inherent and inalienable, and must be applied to all Peoples without discrimination. 


We request that the Secretariat of this session immediately inform the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and the High Commissioner herself of this action. We also request that the Secretariat arrange for the hunger strikers to be able remain in the UN during the entire week of the session.


Indigenous delegates participating in the hunger strike inside the United Nations include: 


Adelard Blackman, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Canada ;

Andrea Carmen, Yaqui Nation, Arizona United States ;

Alexis Tiouka, Kaliña, French Guyana ;

Charmaine White Face, Ogala Tetuwan, Sioux Nation Territory, North America ; 

Danny Billie, Traditional Independent Seminole Nation of Florida, United States;

Saul Vicente, Zapoteca, Mexico.

For more information in Geneva contact:


Andrea Carmen (English, Spanish), IITC, 076 546 04 21 

(for International calls dial ++ 41 76 546 04 21)


Cyril Schönbächler (French, English), IndiGeneva, 078 716 52 39 or 022 733 28 73

(for International calls dial ++ 41 78 716 52 39 or ++ 41 22 733 28 73)


Anne-Marie Cruz (French, English, Spanish), IndiGeneva, 076 450 83 18

(for International calls dial ++ 41 76 450 83 18)