16 May 2012

UN / INDIGENOUS ANAYA

UN human rights rapporteur on indigenous people James Anaya said that on his recent visit to the United States, he found many Native Americans living in Third World conditions. He said the suffering of Native Americans ever since “colonialism knocked on their doors” was “not over” and talked about his call for indigenous peoples to regain control over lands including the area around Mount Rushmore. UNTV / RECENT

Posted at: May 16, 2012 6:52 pm

Duration: 03:54

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / INDIGENOUS ANAYA
TRT: 3.54
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 15 & 8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2. Pan right, James Anaya walking down the hall with an aide 
3. SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What we saw is pretty much what I expected, is that the communities that are vibrant, that are struggling to continue with their culture intact, build on their self-determination, transmit their identities to future generations. At the same time, I think what did surprise me a bit was the conditions, the really disadvantaged conditions that many indigenous people live in, extreme poverty, social ills, all of which are related to a history of oppression that indigenous people have suffered over centuries and which make us aware that in fact, it isn't over for indigenous people in terms of the suffering that they've had to endure since colonialism knocked on their doors."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

4. Zoom out, food blessing ceremony at UN headquarters at the start of the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"The statistics bear that out, that on many of the reservations at least, not necessarily all of them, but on many of them, but on many of them yes the conditions are akin to Third World conditions. And what's more important I think is that the conditions are really in stark contrast with the conditions of the average American. And so there's a real gap there that needs to be addressed."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

6. Med shot, indigenous people at a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

7. SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What we see is where indigenous people do recover control over lands, they start to close this gap, this economic gap that we've seen and that the government itself has documented."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

8. Med shot, indigenous people at a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

9. SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"If you're talking about the Black Hills, these are not lands that are inhabited by hundreds of non-indigenous people, these are federal public lands, that are in the hands of the federal government, that with the stroke of a pen really, with an act of Congress could be restored to the Lakota people. So it's a matter of political will."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

10. Med shot, indigenous people at a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

11. SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What I've suggested is not necessarily an outright return of the Black Hills as such, but perhaps other arrangements, say co-management of the area where Lakota people can re-establish their connections and have a say in how that area, that sacred area is managed. And that might not involve a return of Mount Rushmore, which is so iconic for the broad American public, or it might! Mount Rushmore might, instead of simply representing the majority identity, might come to represent a crossing point or coming together of the Lakota people and the broader American public."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

12. Wide shot, Maori performance at a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"This doctrine that comes from colonial times, the Doctrine of Discovery, of course has impacted the lives of indigenous peoples throughout history. Because it has been used to negate their rights or recognition of their existence in their territories."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

10. Med shot, participants in a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

15 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"In the first place, recognizing the rights of indigenous people over those lands is fundamental. There cannot be an adequate ideological discussion if there is not an effective and concrete recognition over those lands and the natural resources in them. In face of that we can build processes of dialogue to explore the possibilities of developing those resources in the territories."

8 MAY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

12. Various shots, performers from Ecuador at a side event to the 11th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

STORYLINE:

The United Nations (UN) human rights expert on indigenous issues says that his first official visit to the United States (US) has convinced him that the suffering of Native Americans after centuries of oppression is "not over".

In an interview with UNifeed in New York, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Issues, James Anaya spoke about the findings of his twelve-day visit, concluded earlier this month.

SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What we saw is pretty much what I expected, is that the communities that are vibrant, that are struggling to continue with their culture intact, build on their self-determination, transmit their identities to future generations. At the same time, I think what did surprise me a bit was the conditions, the really disadvantaged conditions that many indigenous people live in, extreme poverty, social ills, all of which are related to a history of oppression that indigenous people have suffered over centuries and which make us aware that in fact, it isn't over for indigenous people in terms of the suffering that they've had to endure since colonialism knocked on their doors."

Anaya is at UN headquarters this week to participate in the 11th annual session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which culminates in a high-level meeting on Thursday (17 May).

Asked if he would agree that Native Americans are living in conditions that are worse than in many 'Third World' countries, Anaya said that this was true for many reservations.

SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"The statistics bear that out, that on many of the reservations at least, not necessarily all of them, but on many of them, yes the conditions are akin to Third World conditions. And what's more important I think is that the conditions are really in stark contrast with the conditions of the average American. And so there's a real gap there that needs to be addressed."

Anaya stressed that this was very different from the case of indigenous people, like others in a particular country, suffering poverty and social ills. He pointed out that he had visited reservations where unemployment reached over 70 percent. The US-wide rate is currently just over eight percent.

Another example he gave was the fact that indigenous women are two and a half times more likely to suffer sexual violence in their lifetime – by non-indigenous perpetrators – than the average non-indigenous American woman, according to US government statistics.

Anaya said the reason that indigenous people in the US were "significantly disadvantaged" in comparison with the rest of the population lay in the historical deprivation of lands, breakdown of indigenous cultures, and the taking of children from homes and the social upheaval associated with that.

Control over land was a central issue.
 
SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What we see is where indigenous people do recover control over lands, they start to close this gap, this economic gap that we've seen and that the government itself has documented."

Asked about his widely reported call for the Black Hills in the State of South Dakota, home to the US national monument Mount Rushmore, to be returned to the Oglala Sioux tribe, Anaya noted that he was actually only encouraging the US government to do more of what it was already doing in terms of returning and restoring control over land to indigenous peoples. He had "simply cited the Black Hills as an example" because of the connection of the Oglala Sioux and other Lakota people to the area, which for them is sacred.

Anaya was adamant it was "extremely realistic" that the land could be returned.

SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"If you're talking about the Black Hills, these are not lands that are inhabited by hundreds of non-indigenous people, these are federal public lands, that are in the hands of the federal government, that with the stroke of a pen really, with an act of Congress could be restored to the Lakota people. So it's a matter of political will."

At the same time, he clarified that he is actually suggesting something slightly different.

SOUNDBITE (English) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"What I've suggested is not necessarily an outright return of the Black Hills as such, but perhaps other arrangements, say co-management of the area where Lakota people can re-establish their connections and have a say in how that area, that sacred area is managed. And that might not involve a return of Mount Rushmore, which is so iconic for the broad American public, or it might! Mount Rushmore might, instead of simply representing the majority identity, might come to represent a crossing point or coming together of the Lakota people and the broader American public."

Anaya will present his recommendations in detail when he reports on his US visit to the Human Rights Council in September.

The Special Rapporteur also spoke with UN Radio about other issues related to the rights of indigenous people. Anaya condemned the 'Doctrine of Discovery', which is the focus of discussions at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this year.

The Doctrine of Discovery has its roots in the 15th century and was expounded by the United States Supreme Court in 1823 as a concept of public international law.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"This doctrine that comes from colonial times, the Doctrine of Discovery, of course has impacted the lives of indigenous peoples throughout history. Because it has been used to negate their rights or recognition of their existence in their territories."

Asked how progress could be achieved on dialogue with governments and the private sector whose businesses affect territories where indigenous people live, Anaya said that recognition of indigenous people's land rights was "fundamental".

SOUNDBITE (Spanish) James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"In the first place, recognizing the rights of indigenous people over those lands is fundamental. There cannot be an adequate ideological discussion if there is not an effective and concrete recognition over those lands and the natural resources in them. In face of that we can build processes of dialogue to explore the possibilities of developing those resources in the territories."

On 17 May, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will convene a high-level event to mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the landmark United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, reflect on good practices and assess the document's role in fulfilling the rights of the world's indigenous peoples.

Adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007 after more than two decades of debate, the Declaration is a non-binding text that sets out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues.