UCTP Participation at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

UCTP Participation at the 13^th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)

June 6th, 2014

By: Tai Pelli

Kasike Múkaro Borrero and Tai "AnaYuísa" Pelli  at the United Nations Headquarters, NY

The 13^th Session for the UNPFII was scheduled for May 12^th, 2014 through May 23^rd, 2014. As we have for many years, the UCTP was an active participant.

This year, Kasike Múkaro Borrero and myself had the opportunity to be part of Tribal Link’s Project Access Team for the Global Capacity Building Training, coordinated to take place from May 7^th, through May 9^th, with a final evaluation meeting to be held on May 16^th, 2014. We worked along participants chosen from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Central America /South America/ Caribbean and North American Regions.

Although I do not intend to address all the things our Kasike has been working on this past year, I do want to stress two key elements; Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals and Protection of Sacred Sites. During the Training, he spoke about the importance of indigenous peoples’ engagement in the process of the Post 2015 Development Goals, since after this, it will be approximately 15 years before the issue is brought to the table again at the United Nations.

As one of the Leaders handling the development of Interventions to be presented by Project Access at the Permanent Forum, I decided to work on an intervention related to the Post 2015 –Development Goals which was one of the items on the UNPFII agenda. My team had representatives from Africa, the Pacific, Asia and Latin America & the Caribbean Regions, although the issues we present/ the message require the approval of all members of Project Access,  given the fact that the individual organizations we represent sign on supporting the intervention itself. This was an excellent opportunity to emphasize on the importance of: knowing the mandate of the UNPFII, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC), and the Right to Self-determination. Our chosen reader (Lucia Owies from South Africa) was able to read the impactful intervention to the Forum.

I also was designated as the Reader for an intervention on the Report of the Expert Group Meeting on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Although I did not get an opportunity to read on the floor, the intervention was submitted to the Permanent Forum.

In addition, I worked on another intervention along with Berenice Sánchez, Nahuat – Otomí, from Mexico, regarding “Environmental Racism” under the agenda Item for Human Rights. I exposed the situation in Arecibo with the incinerators and the contamination of air, soil, life, including the lead contamination of 140 children from a nearby Head Start Program.

I also participated at the Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus and the Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus as well as several Side events, particularly on Environmental Violence by the International Treaty Council  and Sacred Sites by Tribal Link which Kasike Múkaro moderated.

The issues regarding the High Level Plenary Meeting (HLPM) to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) has been one to create much turmoil and confusion. Although Indigenous Peoples kept waiting for concise information from the President of the General Assembly (PGA), that did not happen. On the last day of the forum, May 23^rd, we all awaited this information and after having been told of a message to be given us by the PGA’s representative, it was just a statement to say that they still had no consensus from the states (governments). Russia, India and apparently some African states were opposing the full, effective and equal participation of Indigenous Peoples. A number of states read statements to the PGA representative in support of Indigenous Peoples. The North American Region has withdrawn totally form this process. The main concern being that this meeting will end up with an outcome document and without the equal full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in this process, no one will know for sure what will end up being on that outcome document and how it will impact Indigenous Peoples in the future.

On December 3^rd, 2013, I was selected to be the Negotiating Team Representative for the Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus. The Negotiating Team, to be composed of 10 members, one for each of the United Nations Designated Regions of the World, one for the Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus (GIPC), one for the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC) and one for the Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus (GIWC), is a Team that is to Negotiate with states and diplomats so that the Alta Outcome Document be supported as well as in the case of the GIWC, the Lima Declaration on the World Conference of Indigenous Women. These documents were prepared by Indigenous Peoples of the World and Indigenous Women of the World, and the items contained therein are of the essence to ensure Indigenous Peoples Rights in the Outcome Document of the HLPM/WCIP.

Upon my return from the UNPFII, I had to go through a number of tests and due to my medical condition, it was with great regret that I resigned from my position as Negotiating Team Representative for the Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus, since my 4 month assignment in NY conflicts with the treatment I will be receiving. Still, I consider that the selection in itself was a great milestone for us to reach as Caribbean Indigenous Peoples. I received the support of Women from all parts of the World, which is very humbling as a Taíno Woman.

In closing, it has also been very humbling to see that our efforts and hard work have not been in vain and that the issues we are working on, are of international concern. We must continue working hand in hand with our Indigenous brothers and sisters of the world for the defense of our Indigenous, Human and Environmental Rights and Justice.