‘Namibia should be ashamed’

SURVIVAL International says Namibia should be ashamed of itself for blocking the declaration on indigenous peoples’ rights at the UN General Assembly.

The declaration was the result of 24 years of discussion at the UN. However, Namibia successfully lobbied other countries represented at the UN to delay the declaration.The reason given at the UN meeting was that some provisions in the draft declaration contradicted the national constitutions of a number of African countries and that time was needed to discuss it before it was tabled again.No official announcement of the reason was made in Windhoek since the move was approved in New York and attempts to get local comment have been unsuccessful.The declaration states that indigenous people should be free from discrimination and have a right to consider themselves different and to be respected as such.”It’s extremely disappointing that the declaration is being delayed yet again.Indigenous peoples have already waited far too long for their rights to be recognised,” said Survival’s director Stephen Corry.He said the prime movers of the delay, Namibia and Botswana, have indigenous peoples living within their borders and facing ongoing struggles for their rights to their land and to self-determination.”These countries should be ashamed of themselves,” Corry said.Survival said the declaration, if approved, would set a benchmark against which countries’ treatment of tribal peoples can be judged.However, it will not be legally binding.The declaration recognises the rights of indigenous peoples to their land and to live as they wish.It also affirms that, for example, they should not be moved from their lands without their free and informed consent.A group of African countries led by Namibia, and supported by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Russia, mobilised the UN to delay its approval.Survival said the vote will further delay the adoption of the declaration and may lead to it being weakened.Survival International is the only international organisation supporting tribal peoples worldwide.It was founded in 1969 after an article in the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper highlighted the massacres, land thefts and genocide taking place in Brazilian Amazonia.Today, Survival has supporters in 82 countries.However, Namibia successfully lobbied other countries represented at the UN to delay the declaration.The reason given at the UN meeting was that some provisions in the draft declaration contradicted the national constitutions of a number of African countries and that time was needed to discuss it before it was tabled again.No official announcement of the reason was made in Windhoek since the move was approved in New York and attempts to get local comment have been unsuccessful.The declaration states that indigenous people should be free from discrimination and have a right to consider themselves different and to be respected as such.”It’s extremely disappointing that the declaration is being delayed yet again.Indigenous peoples have already waited far too long for their rights to be recognised,” said Survival’s director Stephen Corry.He said the prime movers of the delay, Namibia and Botswana, have indigenous peoples living within their borders and facing ongoing struggles for their rights to their land and to self-determination.”These countries should be ashamed of themselves,” Corry said.Survival said the declaration, if approved, would set a benchmark against which countries’ treatment of tribal peoples can be judged.However, it will not be legally binding.The declaration recognises the rights of indigenous peoples to their land and to live as they wish.It also affirms that, for example, they should not be moved from their lands without their free and informed consent.A group of African countries led by Namibia, and supported by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Russia, mobilised the UN to delay its approval.Survival said the vote will further delay the adoption of the declaration and may lead to it being weakened.Survival International is the only international organisation supporting tribal peoples worldwide.It was founded in 1969 after an article in the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper highlighted the massacres, land thefts and genocide taking place in Brazilian Amazonia.Today, Survival has supporters in 82 countries.