Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Continental Indigenous Peoples Solidarity


Phoenix, Arizona
January 9, 2013


At the First Continental Indigenous Encounter that took place in Quito, Ecuador in 1990 it was Rose Augér, of the Cree Nation who brought the ceremonial message of the Sacred Fire which illuminated the path of continental indigenous solidarity, vision, and spirit to that historic event over twenty years ago.  Today once again it is another indigenous woman of the north - Theresa Spence, Chief of Attawapiskat who has ignited a new phase of an ancient cause, one that goes back to our ancestral responsibilities as Nations of Indigenous Peoples, OrigiNations of the Natural World.  We are called upon once again to defend our Nationhood and our Sacred Mother Earth.

Today we stand together in Ceremonial Solidarity as a Continental Indigenous Movement of Abya Yala to remind the government states of the Americas that yes, they may be states of status within the UN system, within the system of the Organization of American States, within the International Monetary System, within each and every one of the States of Colonialism, but it is WE, the ORIGINATIONS of ABYA YALA who remain the NATIONS of Indigenous Peoples of the continent and the Natural World across the entire planet.


As Nations, we have TREATIES with your states.  As states, you have TREATIES with our NATIONS, and our CONFEDERATIONS OF NATIONS.  These mutual TREATY RIGHTS and obligations must be fulfilled in good faith.  And further, since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on September 13, 2007, which confirms that: “Indigenous Peoples are EQUAL to all other Peoples”, WE MUST DEMAND ONCE AGAIN that our TREATIES be integrated into the CORPUS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW as TREATIES EQUAL TO ALL OTHER TREATIES.  As INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, the venues to address TREATY ISSUES must be competent to address the international scope of the issues, one that is competent in jurisdiction - namely an INTERNATIONAL VENUE. 

Yet unless such a venue has as fundamental element the OFFICIAL ARCHIVE of the Treaties in Question, not merely as a set of DOMESTIC AGREEMENTS between government states and Indigenous Populations, but as TREATIES between Nations and States, the process will not produce justice as an outcome.  Therefore, it is essential that the need for an official Treaty Archive of Indigenous Treaties within the UN system itself be addressed as a fundamental FIRST STEP to address the common concerns.

Continental Confederation of the Eagle and Condor

The delegation that travelled to Quito, Ecuador in 1990 and participated in the First Continental Encounter of Indigenous Nations, Pueblos, and Organizations included members of the O’otham and Opata Nations, Aztecas and Chichimecas, and many others from across the entire hemisphere.  Since then to now we have not been idle.  The Fifth Continental Indigenous Summit of Abya Yala is now in planning, to take place in Colombia.  We join again now with efforts of the Indigenous Nations from North to South, from coast to coast in Continental Ceremonial Solidarity towards the realization of full Self-Determination of our Nations of Indigenous Peoples of Abya Yala.


Decolonize: NOW!

The Law of Exceptions
NAFTA and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Open Letter to the Ministers of State and Public Constituencies of Canada-US-Mexico
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Declaration of Quito 1990