Mr. Chairman,
“The International Decade of the
World’s Indigenous People” was launched in 1995.
Since then, the UN has strengthened its efforts to protect
and promote the rights of indigenous people. In recent
years, the Human Rights Commission has considered the rights
of indigenous people under a separate agenda item, and has
made a good number of recommendations in this regard. The
working group, which has been set up by the Human Rights
Commission to draft the “Declaration on the Rights of
the Indigenous People”, has proceeded vigorously
despite some major difficulties it has encountered. To
safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of
indigenous people, the Human Rights Commission has appointed
a special rapporteur specifically responsible for the
question. The Working Group on Indigenous Populations under
the Sub Commission of Human Rights conducts an annual
thematic discussion on the protection and promotion of the
rights of indigenous people, this year’s theme being
“Indigenous People and the Right to
Development”. The World Conference against Racism held
in Durban, South Africa, attached particular importance to
the question of indigenous people. The Declaration and
Programme of Action adopted by the Conference, in clear
terms, calls upon the International Community and all
governments to take necessary measures to eliminate
discrimination against indigenous people, to ensure their
full participation in social life, and to preserve the
characteristics of their culture, language and spiritual
pursuits.
Last year, the Economic and Social
Council, by a resolution, decided to establish a Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues. This is the first time that a UN
body consists of both indigenous and governmental experts,
enabling indigenous experts to exchange views with their
governmental counterparts, and voice their opinions with
regard to the formulation of international policies relating
to indigenous people. This represents an important step
towards the partnership the UN is building with indigenous
people. It is also a specific achievement of the
Decade.
Mr. Chairman, The Chinese
Government supports the international community in carrying
out activities of the Decade. It offers understanding and
support to indigenous people’s reasonable demands and
positions. On the occasion of the inauguration of the
Permanent Forum, the Chinese Delegation would like to offer
the following observations as a way of voicing our
expectations:
Firstly, in carrying out its
work, the Permanent Forum must bear in mind the special
features of the issue of indigenous people. It is a special
one that arose in given historical periods and given
countries and regions. It is not a question that exists in
all countries or regions. It differs from the issue of
minority people which all countries face due to national,
racial, linguistic and religious differences. Failure to
make such a distinction would result in weakening the
protection of the indigenous people’s
rights.
Secondly, the Permanent Forum must
strictly follow the mandate given by ECOSOC resolution
2000/22 in its activities. As an expert and advisory body,
it is well positioned to focus its attention on issues
related to indigenous people, such as culture, environment,
education, health, and human rights, and on the basis of
work done, put forward policy recommendations to ECOSOC and
other UN agencies.
Thirdly, the Permanent Forum
would do well by paying attention to the division of labor
and coordination with other competent agencies of the UN
system, so as to avoid overlapping or waste of resources. To
this end, it is necessary for the Forum to gain knowledge of
the work done by these agencies first, and on the basis of
such knowledge, determine its own priority areas and methods
of work.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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