World Declaration of the Indigenous Peoples of North, South and Central Americas including the sentiments of all indigenous peoples of the World upon the Completion of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
(1995-2004)
To: The People of the World
The Secretary General of the United Nations
The General Assembly of the United Nations
The Permanent Indigenous Forum of the United Nations
The United Nations Development Program
The United Nations Global Compact
United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organization
The United Nations Global Compact
Background:
The International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995 - 2004) was
proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/163
of 21 December 1993 with the main objective of strengthening international cooperation
for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human
rights, the environment, development, education and health. The theme for the
Decade is "Indigenous people: partnership in action". In the same
resolution, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to appoint
the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights as the Coordinator of the Decade
and established the Voluntary Fund for the Decade to assist the funding of projects
and programmes which promote the goals of the International Decade of the World's
Indigenous People.
In its resolution of 23 December 1994, the General Assembly adopted the short-term
program of activities for 1995. The comprehensive program of activities was
adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 50/157
of 21 December 1995. The General Assembly also authorized the establishment
of the Voluntary Fund for the International Decade for the purpose of financing
projects and programmes during the Decade.
The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas are issuing this Declaration as the output from a Conference held at Chiefswood Park, Six Nations Reserve, at August 27, 28 29, 30, 31, September 1, 2004 whereby traditional Elders from North and South America conferred and shared common knowledge that its felt need be shared with the World Community. This event coincided with the arrival of the Unity Ride called for by Chief Arvol Looking Horse in answer to the prophecy of the White Buffalo Calf and the traditions of the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse, also called Iroquois, and Six Nations). This event signals the coming together of the Peoples of the East, West, North and South in a common interest.
Recalling the intentions of the United Nations Declarations of Human
Rights
Recalling the intentions of the Earth Charter
Recalling the intention of the UN Global Compact
Recalling the intention of the Millennium Development Goals
Recalling the intention of the Thanksgiving Address
Recalling the Message of the Peacemaker and the effect of the Great Law on the
governance of North America
Whereas
the indigenous peoples of the world continue to be a people of peace and carriers
of the messages of great peacemakers,
Whereas there are more than six billion people on the planet, with as many as
2.4 billion whom have little of the earth’s bounty to share,
Whereas every weapon produced jeopardizes the possibility for peace;
We implore governments at all levels to prepare for the eventual destruction
of ALL weaponry and to work cooperatively towards World Peace.
Recalling that there exists on this planet basic common core ideas and
concepts that could actualize peace if we but had the will to do so. We state
unequivocally that if we want to have peace, then we must educate for peace.
If we want to have peace, we must finance for peace.
Recalling the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR)
and its 30 principles: (see attached at: http://www.homeplanet.org/undhr.html
)
Recalling
from the Earth Charter. (a document being ratified around the world)
( See attached at: http://www.homeplanet.org/earthcharter.html
)
Recalling
the Thanksgiving Address of the Peacemaker of the Canadian and
American First Nations Peoples - the initiator of the Six Nations Confederacy
( See attached at: http://www.homeplanet.org/thanksgiving.html
)
We recommend that all governments, institutions, corporations,
agencies begin to teach the Great Law or its national counterpart immediately
by incorporating these basic ideas of the Thanksgiving Address and the Messages
of the Peacemaker into the preamble of all education and training programs.
Whereas the Secretary General has initiated two major programs:
the United Nations Global Compact, and the Millennium Development Goals
We call upon all Country Governments, world corporations, the
United Nations and ALL its agencies to put these programs into their purchasing
policies as a pre-condition of doing business. These programs imply a new sense
of Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility. We call on these governing
bodies to build Corporate Social Responsibility into the Millennium Development
Goals.
We recommend that all corporations promote the values of the United
Nations Global Compact and the Millennium Development Goals and that governments,
institutions and corporations build this requirement into their Vendor Policy
Code and adopt a Triple Bottom Line Reporting process.
Whereas financing and governance is fundamental to societal
change and ideas alone are not enough, this area requires infrastructural funding
as well as operational changes. We recommend looking deeply at the comprehensive
program called the One Per Cent Solution (TOPS) initiated by the International
Association of Educators for World Peace. ( See attached at: http://www.homeplanet.org/hpa_1percent.asp
)
We recommend that all governments, institutions and corporations and
individuals support a new funding agency for peace (First Nations Indigenous
Trust) that has as its mandate the elimination of poverty and the redistribution
of Wealth on the Planet. This agency is to operate outside of the existing governments
and the existing United Nations Framework but will support those Agencies and
Institutions that abide by the protocols put into place by the current Secretary
General of the United Nations.
We acknowledge the truth that humankind will make peace when peace makes
money.
Feed the people, share the wealth and stop destroying the planet.
We, the people of peace, hereby endorse and ratify the DEMAND of
the Institutions that say they represent “we the Peoples” of the
World in order to actualize the common intentions of our First Nations Peoples
and to overcome the obstacles that the systems of colonialization have put in
place to “divide and conquer” all peoples.
Rather we answer the call of the White Buffalo Calf and make known
the call to UNITY.
Now our minds are one.
And
as a concluding statement our conference endorses the following document:
1994/45. Draft United Nations declaration on the rights of
indigenous peoples
( See attachment: http://www.homeplanet.org/undeclaration.html )