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ABRIL-MAYO 2008 |
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UN members urged to ensure indigenous people's rights
Indigenous leaders around the world urged the UN member states at the closing session of the UN Permanent Forum on May 2 to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007 and has become a milestone in the history of indigenous peoples' struggle for their rights and recognition at international level. It recognises a wide range of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms to indigenous peoples, including right to self-determination, collective right to ownership, use and control of land, forests and natural resources, even territories, right to maintain and develop their own political, religious, cultural and educational institutions and protection of their cultural and intellectual property. In a statement before the closing session, Ishrat Jahan Ahmed, counsellor of Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN, said, "In Bangladesh, we have some tribal peoples. The tribal communities are accorded various special privileges in order to enable themselves to attain sustainable development. These include fiscal, educational and social privileges and benefits. The CHT Peace Accord was signed to continue government's efforts to ensure their political, social, educational and economic rights. Various agencies including the UNDP, Unicef and ADB are implementing development projects in the region." In the evening, the indigenous delegates from Bangladesh met Rev Seamus P Finn, OMI, director of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office based in Washington DC, and discussed human rights situation in Bangladesh. UN General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said, "Indigenous peoples are affected in a disproportionate manner by high level of poverty and extreme poverty as well as the lack of access to health services." At the closing session, it was decided that economic and social development, indigenous women and second international decade of the world's indigenous peoples, and Artic region be the focus of next year's session while implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples become a permanent item on the forum's agenda.
© 2008 The Daily Star
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