United States Reviewing Position on UN Indigenous Rights Declaration

Washington, D.C. (UCTP Taino News) - The U.S. Department of State has created a new website to enable public input during the U.S. review of its position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). On April 20, 2010, United States Ambassador Susan E. Rice announced the decision of the U.S. to review the Declaration at the 9th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

In a recent press release the Obama Administration recognized that the UNDRIP provides a framework for addressing indigenous issues. During President Obama's first year in office, tribal leaders and interested non-governmental organizations (NGOs) encouraged the United States to reexamine its position on the Declaration.

Roberto Mukaro Agueibana Borrero, a representative of the United Confederation of Taíno People welcomed the news.

“This decision is important not only for Indigenous Peoples living in the mainland United States but for other Indigenous Peoples like the Taíno who reside in non-self-governing territories controlled by the U.S. Government” stated Borrero.

He continued noting that “unlike mainland American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, the Taíno of Borikén (Puerto Rico) for example do not benefit from U.S. Federal laws designed to protect indigenous cultural and spiritual properties.”

The United Confederation of Taíno People promoted and organized Caribbean regional support toward the Declaration’s final adoption in 2007.

“Legal application of this Declaration does not require a States’ formal recogntition of Indigenous Peoples and the UCTP is committed to engaging the U.S. government on this issue with our future generations in mind” said Borrero.

As part of the U.S. government’s review process, the U.S. Department of State, together with other Federal agencies, will be hosting consultations with federally-recognized tribes and dialogues with interested NGOs and other stakeholders.

UCTPTN 06.08.2010

President Obama signs memo on tribal consultation

President Barack Obama signed a memorandum on tribal consultation at the White House Tribal Nations Conference, which took place at the Interior Department in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 5.

The memo directs all federal agencies to submit a "detailed" tribal consultation plan in the next 90 days. A progress report will be due in 270 days.

"History has shown that failure to include the voices of tribal officials in formulating policy affecting their communities has all too often led to undesirable and, at times, devastating and tragic results," Obama stated. "By contrast, meaningful dialogue between Federal officials and tribal officials has greatly improved Federal policy toward Indian tribes."

The memo also directs the White House Office of Management and Budget to submit a report on the implementation of the tribal consultation policies by the agencies. The report is due in one year.

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Review text of memorandum here:
http://64.38.12.138/News/2009/017302.asp

Obama vows to solve Puerto Rico's status

It's a 110-year-old dilemma that Congress has never committed to solve: Puerto Rico's ambiguous political relationship with the U.S.

President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to turn this around.

In a letter sent earlier this month to newly elected Puerto Rican Gov. Luis Fortuno, Obama pledged to "enable the question of Puerto Rico's status to be resolved" during his first term.

"We have set out an ambitious agenda for Puerto Rico over the next four years," Obama wrote. "It will not be easy to accomplish. But we cannot sit back and wait for someone else, at some other time, to do something about it."

Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898, when it was invaded by American ships during the Spanish-American war. In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted American citizenship, but the relationship between Washington and San Juan was rooted in colonialism. In 1952, Congress authorized Puerto Rico to develop its own constitution, but the U.S. federal government can overrule it.

Puerto Ricans have voted in three different referendums on their political status, but these have amounted to little more than opinion surveys because Congress wasn't bound by them.

Obama's pledge was well-received in Puerto Rico, where his letter was read by an envoy during Fortuno's Jan. 2 inauguration.

"That [letter] prompted a standing ovation," said Orange County commissioner Mildred Fernandez, who attended the inauguration. "The place exploded. A commitment like this is long overdue."

Some are taking Obama's four-year deadline with a grain of salt, given a political landscape in which the economy and two wars are likely to get priority.

"In terms of starting the process, it is viable and it is necessary [within the four-year term]," said Dr. Hernan Padilla, a political analyst and former mayor of San Juan. "But the things that need to be done will take some time. The fact is that the priority of the nation right now -- and that of Puerto Rico -- is to pull out of a recession."

A bill that would commit Congress to implement the results of a voter referendum would have to be hammered out first. The choices could be statehood, independence and even the current commonwealth status or some modification of it.

Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico's nonvoting representative in Congress, thinks Obama's self-imposed four-year deadline is achievable.

"I'm giving myself and the Democratic leadership in Congress two years to come up with a law enabling the referendum," Pierluisi said. ". . . We could have a referendum as soon as the year 2010. Congress will be bound by its results, and we would have solved the problem."

Author: Jeannette Rivera-lyles | Sentinel Staff Writer
Article Source: Orlando Sentinel

Barbados born activist co-chair of Indigenous Caucus at OAS

Washington D.C. (UCTP Taino News) - Damon Corrie, the sometimes controversial Barbados born Indigenous Rights activist of Guyanese Arawak descent was 1 of 30 persons selected by the Organization of American States (OAS) to once again to attend the current 11th session (Dec 6-12) of negotiations on the draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; being held in the Colon Room at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC.

Hard negotiations between the Indigenous representatives and the diplomatic representatives of all the member states of the OAS will be held from December 9-12th.

Of the 30 Indigenous representatives from around the Hemisphere present so far, only 2 are from the Caribbean (Barbados and Puerto Rico) and both are delegates for the United Confederation of Taino People.

The other countries currently represented in the Indigenous Caucus are as follows Canada (4), USA (7), Guatemala (2), Honduras (1), Nicaragua (1), Peru (1), Argentina (2), Ecuador (1), Paraguay (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Bolivia (1) and El Salvadsor (4) - with additional representatives from the USA, Panama, Dominica and St. Vincent expected.

On day 1 the Caucus voted for 4 Co-Chairs to head the Indigenous Caucus and the un-opposed nominated candidates were June Llorenzo of the USA (North America co-chair), Jaime Arias of Colombia (South America co-chair), Jose Carlos Morales of Costa Rica (Central America co-chair) and Damon Corrie of Barbados (Caribbean co-chair). Corrie was nominated by respected Taino elder Naniki Reyes Ocasio from Puerto Rico. He agreed to act as Caribbean co-chair only until Carib Chief Charles Williams of Dominica arrives.

Chair of the OAS Working Group, Ambassador Jorge Reynaldo Cuadros of Bolivia gave a very inspirational opening address to the Caucus. The Ambassador reminded the indigenous representatives gathered that "Bolivia should be viewed as the motherland of the Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere because Bolivia - with the only Amerindian head of state and government in the entire Western Hemisphere - is quite literally the sharp end of the spear in the Amerindian rights struggle for equity in the Americas".

In November 2008 President Evo Morales of Bolivia became the first Amerindian Head of State to have ever addressed the OAS.

Leonardo Crippa and Armstrong Wiggins of the Indian Law Resource Center presented evidence to the gathering that attested to the fact that as Global conflict over scarce natural resources escalates, indigenous peoples have increasingly become targets of human rights violations associated with efforts to confiscate, control, or develop their lands, territories and natural resources. Many countries in the OAS project a public image of respect for human rights while permitting and committing human rights violations at home.

The representatives were also reminded that the process to achieve the American declaration has been on-going for over 19 years, and the UN declaration took almost 21 years to finally be achieved.

There is a strong sense of hope that the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama will enact real change such as finally ratifying the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is something the outgoing Bush administration strongly opposed.

UCTPTN 12.08.2008

Barack Obama Elected President of the United States

Washington, DC (UCTP Taíno News) - History was made on November 4, 2008 as Sen. Barack Obama triumphed over veteran Sen. John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States. Obama is the first African American ever elected commander-in-chief in the country. Cheers for his victory were heard not only across the United States but around the world as his message of “change” resonated beyond race, age, and political party. The President-elect received a considerable amount of support from American Indians for example, with over 100 tribal leaders, tribal organizations and tribes endorsing Obama and his running mate Sen. Joe Biden.

In a poll conducted by UCTP Taíno News an overwhelming majority of Taíno people, 76.2%, felt that Sen. Obama would “best serve the Taino community and the country.” In contrast 10.5% felt the same about Sen. McCain while 13.3% of those polled did not seem connect to either candidate.

During the campaign, one of the longest in US history, Obama pledged a full partnership with American Indians. Some of the issues he promised to address include strengthening health care, improving economic opportunities, and creating a top level White House position focused exclusively on Native affairs.

In May, President-elect Obama was adopted by the Crow Nation who honored him with the name “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.” (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

UCTPTN 11.05.2008