As most of you know, the State Department of the United States has begun a review of its position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The State Department arranged for "consultations with federally recognized Indian tribes and meetings with interested nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders."
The Lakota Nation by the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council four-page letter begins with:
"Greetings from the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council (“BHTC”). The BHTC represents the Lakota people in our sovereign relationship with the United States of American as preserved in the Fort Laramie Treaties of 1851 and 1868. We come now to address you regarding the review and “consultation” process under which the people of the United States of America, through you, their representatives, are considering the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“DRIP”). We wish to address two points in particular:
1. “Consultations” with Indian Reorganization Act governments under the supervision of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”) established in 1934 on Indian territories in violation of due process and the treaty relationship between our governments, are not authorized or qualified to discuss issues relating to the nation-to-nation relationship, treaties or international rights; and
2. The people of the United States of America, to maintain its claim as a just-minded nation with respect for diverse peoples of the world and the human rights of those peoples, must give unqualified support to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. Kent Lebsock, Coordinator, Owe Aku International Justice Program oweakuinternational@me.com
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Read statement of the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council to State Department:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2010/07/black-hills-sioux-nation-treaty-council.html
Photo Chief Red Cloud
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