Page 149 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol III

968 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

Selection from the Latest Version of the Draft United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 1993

ANNEX I from their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and
philosophies,
DRAFT DECLARATION AS AGREED UPON BY
WELCOMING the fact that indigenous peoples are
THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP AT
organizing themselves for political, economic, social
ITS ELEVENTH SESSION
and cultural enhancement and in order to bring an
AFFIRMING that indigenous peoples are equal in end to all forms of discrimination and oppression
dignity and rights to all other peoples, while recogniz- wherever they occur,
ing the right of all peoples to be different, to consider
CONVINCED that control by indigenous peoples
themselves different, and to be respected as such,
over developments affecting them and their lands, ter-
AFFIRMING ALSO that all peoples contribute to the ritories and resources will enable them to maintain
diversity and richness of civilizations and cultures, and strengthen their institutions, cultures and tradi-
which constitute the common heritage of humankind, tions, and to promote their development in accor-
dance with their aspirations and needs,
AFFIRMING FURTHER that all doctrines, policies
and practices based on or advocating superiority of RECOGNIZING ALSO that respect for indigenous
peoples or individuals on the basis of national origin, knowledge, cultures and traditional practices contrib-
racial, religious, ethnic or cultural differences are racist, utes to sustainable and equitable development and
scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condem- proper management of the environment,
nable and socially unjust,
EMPHASIZING the need for demilitarization of the
REAFFIRMING also that indigenous peoples, in the lands and territories of indigenous peoples, which will
exercise of their rights, should be free from discrimi- contribute to peace, economic and social progress
nation of any kind, and development, understanding and friendly rela-
tions among nations and peoples of the world,
CONCERNED that indigenous peoples have been
deprived of their human rights and fundamental free- RECOGNIZING in particular the right of indige-
doms, resulting, inter alia, in their colonization and nous families and communities to retain shared
dispossession of their lands, territories and resources, responsibility for the upbringing, training, education
thus preventing them from exercising, in particular, and well-being of their children,
their right to development in accordance with their
RECOGNIZING ALSO that indigenous peoples
own needs and interests,
have the right freely to determine their relationships
RECOGNIZING the urgent need to respect and with States in a spirit of coexistence, mutual benefit
promote the inherent rights and characteristics of and full respect,
indigenous peoples, especially their rights to their
CONSIDERING that treaties, agreements and other
lands, territories and resources, which derive from
arrangements between States and indigenous peoples
their political, economic and social structures and

rights in terms of land, culture, and political organization. voice.This was especially the case after 1992, when the
A number of Latin American governments have accepted indigenous reacted to the quincentennial celebrations of
ILO Convention 169 as part of their constitutions, the Columbus voyage.The most vociferous were the Ecua-
including Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Costa Rica. dorian Indians, who had earlier formed CONAIE (Con-
As Latin America democratized beginning in the federación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador —
1980s, indigenous groups organized and gained some Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador),