A conference for indigenous peoples has ended with a statement that their ways of life must be protected by law, regardless of what country they're in.
More than 300 people representing some 50 indigenous organizations from Chile to Alaska attended the five-day conference, which concluded Monday. The conference called International Testimonials on the Violation of Indigenous Sovereignty Rights was held to help find ways to protect the sovereignty of native peoples in the Western Hemisphere.A Council of Indigenous Listeners, which heard testimony from 40 groups, will prepare a document to submit to the United Nations on how to protect native sovereignty, said Dwayne Yazzie, a Navajo from Shiprock, N.M.
At a news conference after the closing session, Yazzie noted that the United Nations "International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples" was nearing an end.
"The sacredness of land and indigenous language . . . must be understood as a sovereign right. Inherent indigenous rights must be protected by . . . law, regardless of the economic and political power of the nation-states," he said, reading from the statement released after the session.
The United Nations was seen as a key to solving the problem.
"We think the U.N. can take part in pressuring governments to protect human rights of indigenous people," said Marcial Arias, a Kunas Indian from Panama. "Our most important demand is direct participation in the process of the U.N. itself. Otherwise, we don't see hope of the needs we present to them actually being addressed."