Global Indigenous Youth
Caucus Intervention on the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly,
to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
Similarly,
the modalities resolution for the HLPM has specifically omitted recognition of
the international right to self-determination by IP’s and nations, and deleted
from an earlier draft the right of IP’s to full and equal participation in UN
processes that IP’s, such as the HLPM.
Recommendations
1. We recommend that regions support their Indigenous Youth to attend and participate in their regional delegations, as well as gather as the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC) at the Alta meeting. We emphasize having Indigenous youth present at the Alta meeting in order to ensure that the Indigenous youth perspectives and issues are represented throughout the preparatory process and the final outcome document.
2. We recommend that states and other entities follow the example of already committed funders whom have allocated resources for Indigenous Peoples’ preparatory process, which is led by the Global Coordinating Group with the desire of emphasizing Indigenous youth participation.
3. The GIYC holds the position that any resulting documents in relation to the HLPM and its processes, shall protect and advance the inalienable and fundamental rights we have as Indigenous Nations and Peoples, including our right to self-determination. The GIYC is attending the Alta meeting to participate “fully and equally” as people and nations, to support the implementation of the key provisions of UNDRIP to advance the rights and protections of IP’s and nations. The GIYC will “explore and assess” the possible positive and negative impacts of the HLPM and its processes and encourage other caucuses, actors and entities to do the same.
4. We recommend states and various Indigenous actors use a collective rights framework in their analysis and proposal for the implementation of the UNDRIP in relation to the HLPM.
5. We also recommend that a systemic analysis of the history and causes of the colonization, domination and subordination of IP’s and our territories, be undertaken, and that additional studies be commissioned by the Permanent Forum on issues related to the use and impact of the racist Doctrine of Discovery that has allowed States to steal Indigenous territories and resources. We insist that the Doctrine of Discovery be repudiated as a matter of law and policy in the HLPM Outcomes Document.
We,
the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus state that the scheduled High-level Plenary
Meeting (HLPM) of the General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on
Indigenous Peoples, scheduled for September, 2014 is not, in fact, a world
conference for Indigenous Nations and Peoples. Therefore, the HLPM
should not be referred to as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. A
genuine world conference, which we hope this to be, would be comprehensive,
extensive, and participatory by the peoples implicated by the outcomes of the
conference.
We
the GIYC still see the potential of the High Level Plenary Meeting if it is
based on Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous Nations and Peoples as
equal participants in the international diplomatic process and if the wide-open
participation of Indigenous Peoples (IP) is proactively sought.
We
feel that the HLPM structure represents a closed-door meeting where IP are
observers in their own meeting. We therefore address the urgent need to secure
IP basic human rights guaranteed by the UNDRIP adopted in the United Nations
General Assembly in 2007. We would like to remind the member states that the
fundamental obligation to respect and follow the UNDRIP specifically Articles
3, 18, 19, 32(2), and 38 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples to secure IP’s right to full and effective participation in
the HLPM itself and in the preparatory process.
 |
| Thomas Banyacya, Hopi Nation at the House of Mica |
In order for the
IP’s preparatory process and the preparatory meeting to be successful, we
recommend more funding commitments from states and other funders to be
allocated by the Indigenous Peoples Global Coordinating Group for the IP’s
preparatory process. We see the potential of having a strong and good outcome
document of the Alta conference. We would like to remind the United Nations
that all the documents made in the IP’s preparatory process need to be accepted
as official documents of the UN.
As Indigenous
youth, we are deeply concerned about the tendencies of states to subordinate
the Declaration to the domestic laws of their invader, settler regimes, and
that further seek to domesticate IP’s through “best practices” through
settler-state legal and policy structures.
We have concerns that Indigenous participation in the HLPM could lend
the illusion that we have acquiesced the state constructs to advance and extend
their history of destruction of the distinct collective rights of Indigenous
Nations and Peoples.
 |
| Aztateckw'tli: Ambassador of the Confederations of Peace of Mother Earth |
1. We recommend that regions support their Indigenous Youth to attend and participate in their regional delegations, as well as gather as the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC) at the Alta meeting. We emphasize having Indigenous youth present at the Alta meeting in order to ensure that the Indigenous youth perspectives and issues are represented throughout the preparatory process and the final outcome document.
2. We recommend that states and other entities follow the example of already committed funders whom have allocated resources for Indigenous Peoples’ preparatory process, which is led by the Global Coordinating Group with the desire of emphasizing Indigenous youth participation.
3. The GIYC holds the position that any resulting documents in relation to the HLPM and its processes, shall protect and advance the inalienable and fundamental rights we have as Indigenous Nations and Peoples, including our right to self-determination. The GIYC is attending the Alta meeting to participate “fully and equally” as people and nations, to support the implementation of the key provisions of UNDRIP to advance the rights and protections of IP’s and nations. The GIYC will “explore and assess” the possible positive and negative impacts of the HLPM and its processes and encourage other caucuses, actors and entities to do the same.
4. We recommend states and various Indigenous actors use a collective rights framework in their analysis and proposal for the implementation of the UNDRIP in relation to the HLPM.
5. We also recommend that a systemic analysis of the history and causes of the colonization, domination and subordination of IP’s and our territories, be undertaken, and that additional studies be commissioned by the Permanent Forum on issues related to the use and impact of the racist Doctrine of Discovery that has allowed States to steal Indigenous territories and resources. We insist that the Doctrine of Discovery be repudiated as a matter of law and policy in the HLPM Outcomes Document.
