Indigenous rights in the making: The United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples

International Journal on Minority and Group Rights

Volumn 14, Issue 2-3, 2007, Pages 207-230

  Gilbert, Jérémie ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

HUMAN RIGHTS; INDIGENOUS POPULATION; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLICY MAKING; UNITED NATIONS;

EID: 34548673735     PISSN: 13854879     EISSN: 15718115     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/138548707X208818     Document Type: Review

References (84)

1. See General Assembly resolution A/RES/48/163 (1994) and resolution A/RES/59/174 (2005).
2. General Assembly resolution 48/163 of 21 December 1993.
3. Economic and Social Council resolution 2000/22.
4. Difference has to be made between the 'UN Draft Declaration', which was adopted in 1994 by the Sub-Commission, and the 'UN Declaration', which was adopted by the Human Rights Council in June 2006. 5« UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights Council resolution 2006/2 (29 June 2006), contained in UN Doc. A/HRC/1/L.10 (Annex). At the time of writing, the text is to be adopted by the UN General Assembly.
5. See P. Thornberry, Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights (Manchester University Press, 2002).
6. Convention Concerning the Protection and Integration of Indigenous and Other Tribal and Semi-Tribal Populations in Independent Countries (ILO Convention 107), 328 UNTS 247 (1957).
7. Convention Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (ILO Convention 169), reprinted in ILM 1382 (1989).
8. J. Corntassel and T. H. Primeau, 'Indigenous 'Sovereignty' and International Law: Revised Strategies for Pursuing 'Self-Determination, 17 H.R.Q. (1995) p. 342.
9. I. Brownlie, Treaties and Indigenous Peoples (Oxford University Press, 1992) p. 63.
10. H. Berman, 'Are Indigenous Populations Entided to International Juridical Personality?', 79 ASIL Proc. (1989) p. 193.
11. B. Kingsbury, 'Reconciling Five Competing Conceptual Structures of Indigenous Peoples' Claims in International and Comparative Law', in P. Alston (ed.), Peoples' Rights (Oxford University Press, 2001) p. 109.
12. J. Anaya and C. Grossman, 'The Case of Awas Tingni v. Nicaragua: A New Step in the International Law of Indigenous Peoples', 19:1 Ariz. J. Int'l & Comp. Law (2002).
13. The Mayagna (Sumo) Awas Tingni Community v. Nicaragua, Judgment of 31 August 2001, IACHR, (Ser. C) No. 79 (2001), para. 148.
14. See the joint statement issued by several indigenous organisations, Urgent Need to Improve the U.N. Standard-Setting Process Importance of Criteria of 'Consistent with International Law and Its Progressive Development, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/WG.15/CRP.3 (24 November 2005).
15. Economic and Social Council resolution 1982/34.
16. Resolution 1995/32, the text of the Draft Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples is contained in the 1994 Sub-Commision Annual Report, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/56.
17. Resolution 1994/45.
18. Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/32.
19. These two Articles (Article 5 on the right to nationality and Article 43 on gender equality) were endorsed at the second session of the WGDD.
20. Cluster on self-determination and autonomy (Articles 3, 31 and 36); cluster on land rights (Articles 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30); cluster on ethnocide, distinct identity and armed conflicts (Articles 7, 8 and 11). See UN Doc. E/CN.4/2003/92.
21. Such States usually included members of the Group of Latin America and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) such as Chile and Mexico. See UN Doc. E/CN.4/2002/WG.15/CPR.6 and UN Doc. E/CN.4/2003/92.
22. Indigenous representatives agreed on a set of criteria for reviewing the text; the changes should be "reasonable, necessary and improve or strengthen die text." UN Doc. E/CN.4/1999/WG.15/CRP.2.
23. Supra note 14.
24. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/79.
25. UN Doc. A/HRC/1/L.3. Resolution presented by Peru and supported by Armenia, Benin, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Lesotho, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Venezuela, Andorra, Austria, Bolivia., Cameroon, Croatia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Libyan Arab Republic, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland.
26. For details, see UN Doc. A/HRC/1/L.10 (30 June 2006), and see comments on the voting in the discussion below.
27. For illustrations, see the comments from Argentina, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
28. The draft resolution proposed by the Third Committee calls "to defer consideration and action on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to allow time for further consultations thereon." See UN Doc. A/C.3/61/L.57/Rev.1 (28 November 2006).
29. World Bank OP and BP 4.10 on Indigenous Peoples, which in Article 4(b) refers to indigenous peoples as groups having "collective attachment to geographically distinct habitats or ancestral territories in the project area and to the natural resources in these habitats and territories." OP 4.10 replaces the previous OD 4.20 on Indigenous Peoples (1991) and applies to all projects for which a Project Concept Review takes place on or after 1 July 2005. See also World Bank OD 4.20 (1991).
30. See Report on the first session of the WGDD, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1996/84, p. 7.
31. On this issue, see notably B. Kingsbury, "Indigenous Peoples' in International Law: A Constructivist Approach to the Asian Controversy', 92 AJ.I.L. 414 (1998).
32. Resolution 1995/32, the text of the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is contained in the 1994 Sub-Commission Annual Report, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/56, see Article 8.
33. See the proposal from the US delegation to introduce a strict definition, text available in the annex of UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/79, p. 23.
34. See UN Doc. E/CN.4/2003/92, p. 14.
35. Thornberry, supra note 5, p. 15.
36. General Recommendation 8: Identification with a Particular Racial or Ethnic Group (Articles 1(1) and (1)(4)), contained in UN Doc. A/45/18.
37. Quoted in I. Sjorslev, 'Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations', in The Indigenous World 1995-199S(IWGIA, Copenhagen, 1996) p. 273.
38. See discussion on Article 3, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2004/81; for an analysis of the discussion on the issue, see K. Knop, Diversity and Self-determination in International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2002) especially cli. 5.
39. As quoted in S. Pritchard (ed.), Indigenous Peoples, The United Nations, and Human Rights (Zed Books, London, 1998) p. 46.
40. The text was also included in the text of die Draft Declaration in its Article 31.
41. Joint statement by Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America on die Chair's Text on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Human Rights Council, 27 June 2006).
42. One of the amendments proposed to the right to self-determination as contained in the Draft Declaration included reference to the principle of territorial integrity. See proposal by Norway, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2003/92.
43. Article 46(2) of the UN Declaration.
44. For examples, see Concluding Observations: Norway, UN Doc. CCPR/C/79/Add. 112 (1999);
45. Concluding Observations: Mexico, UN Doc. CCPR/C/79/Add.l09 (1999);
46. Concluding Observations: Australia, UN Doc. CCPR/CO/69/AUS (2000);
47. Concluding Observation: Sweden, UN Doc. CCPR/ CO/74/SWE (2002);
48. Concluding Observations: Canada, UN Doc. CCPR/C/CAN/CO/5, paras. 8, 9.
49. For references, see M. Scheinin, 'The Right to Enjoy a Distinct Culture: Indigenous and Competing Uses of Land', in T. S. Orlin et al. (eds.), The Jurisprudence of Human Rights: A Comparative Interpretive Approach (Âbo Akademi University Institute for Human Rights, 2000) pp. 159-222;
50. J. Castellino and J. Gilbert, 'Self Determination, Indigenous Peoples and Minorities', 3 Macquarie Law Journal (2003) pp. 155-178.
51. See generally P. Aikio and M. Scheinin (eds.), Operationalizing the Right of Indigenous Peoples to Self-determination (Abo Akademi University Institute for Human Rights, 2001).
52. For an illustration, see UN Doc. E/CN.4/1996/84.
53. T. Franck, "The Emerging Right to Democratic Governance", 86 A.J.I.L. (1992) p. 52.
54. For example, see Article 11 of the LJN Declaration.
55. Articles 14 and 21 of the UN Declaration.
56. CERD, General Recommendation 23 (51), UN Doc. CERD/C/365, in A/52/18, Annex V (1997), para. 3.
57. Thornberry, supra note 5, p. 217.
58. A similar approach is developed under ILO Convention 169. See Article 6 of the UN Declaration.
59. On this issue, see Expanded Working Paper Submitted by Mrs. Antoanella-Iulia Motoc and the Tebtebba Foundation Offering Guidelines to Govern the Practice of Implementation of the Principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous Peoples in Relation to Development Affecting Their Lands and Natural Resources, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4/2005/WP.1.
60. See Final Working Paper Prepared by the Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Erica-Irene Does, Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous Peoples and Their Relationship to Land, UN Doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/2000/25 (30 June 2000).
61. The Proposed American Declaration does not mention genocide. See OAS Draft Inter-American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Doc. OEA/Ser/L/V/II.90, Doc.9, Rev.1 (1995).
62. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2002/98, p. 18.
63. Note that the Draft Declaration used the term "aim or effect", a requirement which is less onerous than the "specific intent" threshold. See J. Gilbert, 'Environmental Degradation as a Threat to Life: A Question of Justice?', 6 Trinity College Law Review (2003) pp. 81-97.
64. For references, see P. Jones, 'Human Rights, Group Rights and Peoples' Rights', 21:1 H.R.Q. (1999) pp. 80-97;
65. M. Freeman, 'Are There Collective Human Rights?', 43 Political Studies (1995) p. 25;
66. M. Scheinin, 'How to Resolve Conflicts Between Individual and Collective Rights?', in M. Scheinin and R. Toivanen (eds.), Rethinking Non-Discrimination and Minority Rights (2005) pp. 219-238;
67. G. Gilbert, 'Individuals, Collectivities and Rights', in N. Ghanea and A. Xanthaki (eds.), Minorities, Peoples, and Self-Determination (2005).
68. Proposals by indigenous representatives, seventh session of the WGDD, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2002/98, Annex II, p. 28.
69. Ibid.
70. The Mayagna (Sumo) Awas Tingni Community v. Nicaragua, supra note 13, para. 148.
71. CERD, General Recommendation 23, supra note 51, para. 5. For a discussion on collective land rights, see J. Gilbert, Indigenous Peoples' Land Rights Under International Law: From Victims to Actors (Transnational Publishers-Martinus Nijhof, 2006) pp. 85-115.
72. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2004/81, p. 17, para. 110.
73. Concluding Observations: Brazil, CCPR/C/79/Add.66 (24 July 1996), A/51/40, para. 337.
74. The Mayagna (Sumo) Awas Tingni Community v. Nicaragua, supra note 13.
75. Emphasis added.
76. UN Doc. E/CN.4/2003/92, p. 8, para. 32.
77. Emphasis added.
78. See the joint submission submitted to the WGDD on November 2005, Indigenous Peoples'Right to Restitution, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/WG.15/CRP.4.
79. CERD, General Recommendation 23, supra note 51, para. 5.
80. Human Rights Committee, Concluding Observations: Guatemala, UN Doc. CCPR/CO/72/GTM (27 August 2001), para. 29.
81. Ibid., para. 5.
82. Seventh session of the WGDD, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2002/98, p. 19.
83. See Gilbert, supra note 63, chs. 1, 2.
84. Thornberry, supra note 5, p. 8.