UCTP Participation at
the 13th 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 13th Session for
the UNPFII was scheduled for May 12th, 2014 through May 23rd,
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 7th,
through May 9th, with a final evaluation meeting to be held on May
16th, 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 23rd, 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 3rd, 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.
