PRESS CONFERENCE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES GLOBAL CONFERENCE

Issues relating to the rights, dreams and aspirations of the world’s more than 300 million indigenous peoples will be the focus of a four-day Indigenous Peoples Global Conference from 21 to 24 February, correspondents were told at a Headquarters press conference today.

The President of Partnership for Indigenous Peoples Environment (PIPE), Goodluck Diigbo, said that delegates from around the world will be meeting at United Nations Headquarters to agree on measures intended to have an impact on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, a new body established to involve civil society in discussions and recommendations on issues affecting the more than 300 million indigenous peoples living in over 70 countries.

Sponsored by PIPE and funded by the Ford Foundation, this first Indigenous Peoples Global Conference will, among other issues, discuss challenges facing indigenous peoples following the establishment of the Forum, human rights, globalization, health, the information age, youth and women.  Founded in 1993 at the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, PIPE is a non-governmental organization set up to advocate, promote, protect and review international standards concerning the environmental and fundamental human rights of indigenous people.

Mr. Diigbo said President Alejandro Toledo of Peru, himself an indigenous person, is expected to give the keynote address to the opening session of the conference via video.  A special briefing on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information, will precede the opening ceremony.  The Conference programme will also include several special music and other presentations and special guests, including diplomats and members of the Permanent Forum.

Mr. Diigbo said, “an important goal of the conference would be the building of inter-group networks and relationships and maximizing links between indigenous peoples and non-indigenous non-governmental organizations.  Recommendations from the conference will be forwarded to the first annual session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, to be held from 6 to 13 May.  The Forum consists of 16 members, eight representing governments and eight indigenous organizations, who were elected in December last year and will report their recommendations to the Economic and Social Council.

Mr. Diigbo dispelled skepticism among some indigenous people that the Permanent Forum would seriously address their situation.  “I am aware some are skeptical”, he said.  “The goal of the conference is to ensure that the real issues indigenous peoples face are the priorities of the Forum.”

A correspondent asked if the Conference would also address the problem raised -- mainly in Indonesia -- by those who said the problems of indigenous people could not be resolved without first tackling the issue of independence, as many considered themselves “colonized”.  

Mr. Diigbo responded:  “Yes certainly.  We will talk about all these issues.  They are on the programme as part of the issues to be tackled.  As you are aware, indigenous people have different dreams.  There are those who are seeking independence; there also are those who may be seeking political autonomy within

the framework of their existing modern State.  And there are those who are asking for other rights, including the right to control their natural resources and their land.  We will talk about all these issues”.

Further, he said that, while his organization supported the demands of indigenous people, the idea was not to “dictate” any solution, but rather to find common ground through inter-group networking between indigenous and non-indigenous people and entities.  “We are not going to impose any recommendation”, he said.  “We are not going to dictate any solution to any existing problem, but we will continue to create some space and time for people to talk about their issues.”

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