Off blog obligations have kept me from writing about the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples here. But fear not, dear readers! I shall not miss the opportunity to pass along this article discussing the new era of indigenous rights.
Here’s a snippet:
Over the past 30 years, indigenous peoples around the world have expressed greater public self-consciousness of their needs for recognition of land, resources and greater political and cultural autonomy. While indigenous peoples have always sought to protect their cultures throughout colonial history, the last three decades mark a dramatic increase in the recognition of indigenous rights and self-expression in local, national and global contexts.
Indigenous peoples are surrounded by nation-states as well as regional and local governments that often do not fully honor or recognize indigenous land, or cultural and political rights. Implementation of the indigenous peoples’ movement’s recent achievement, the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, will make it difficult for world governments to ignore indigenous rights.
Update: State of Maine becomes first US state to endorse the Declaration.
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096417103
Further Update: Here’s a link to Donna Loring’s speech, delivered before Maine voted in favor of the Declaration.
http://communityv1.bangornews.com/2008/04/21/blog_entry/donna_loring/603/maine_is_the_first_state_to_vote_in_support_of_the_un_resolution_on_indigenous_rights