Indigenous Expose Racism and Genocide at U.N. -- Governments Rush to Deny Abuses and Insult Presenters

Rachana Sam At on behalf of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus points out that Indigenous Peoples can not participate in this process unless approved by a non-governmental organization, and this must change for there to be enhanced participation. Photo AIPC.

Indigenous Expose Racism and Genocide at U.N. -- Governments Rush to Deny Abuses and Insult Presenters

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 14, 2024

GENEVA -- Indigenous youths spoke with courage and eloquence, calling out the environmental racism and genocide carried out by governments around the world. In response, government representatives rushed to deny the human rights abuses, and in some cases, used insulting language to criticize Indigenous Peoples who exposed their abuses, during the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The representative of France denied the government is responsible for genocide in New Caledonia. Azerbaijan denied responsibility for genocide in Armenia and used derogatory accusations, describing speakers as frauds and part of a "smear campaign." 

The United States government failed to describe the ongoing seizure of Native ancestral lands for lithium and copper mines, and fake green energy projects targeting ceremonial places.

The Russian Federation government criticized speakers on Thursday. Responding to speakers statements, he said their status needs to be examined. He claimed some had lost touch with their communities, and some were funded by former colonial powers. He also said one organization presenting a statement was not recognized in Russia.

"We need to exclude the participation of chauvinists and racists," the Russian Federation government representative said.

Speaking with Truth and Power: Indian Boarding Schools

Jen Proctor Andrews, Coquille, described how children were beaten in boarding schools in the United States, as the government tried to eradicate Native languages. Screenshot by Censored News.

Jen Proctor Andrews, Vice Chair of Coquille Tribe in Oregon, spoke with truth and power, describing the horrific abuse of Native American children in boarding schools in the United States. Andrews said there are fewer than 10 speakers remaining of her language Miluk.

"Through the atrocities in what we call the Indian boarding schools, the United States government spent billions of dollars over more than 100 years to wipe out Indigenous culture and language. Children were kidnapped, beaten and abused in horrible ways when they spoke their Native languages."

"Language embodies our thoughts, thoughts become our actions, and actions have impact," she said, adding that it is a foundation to Indigenous identity and the means to think, live and dream, a healthy escape from colonial ways.

Andrews said children in boarding schools were not "stake holders," they were "rights holders." She urged the U.N. to discontinue the harmful and derogatory term "stake holders" and refer to Indigenous Peoples as "rights holders."

Andrews, representing Indigenous Determinants of Health Alliance, urged protection of vulnerable languages and support for Native language speakers at the community level.

Malaysia: No Significant Progress: Dams and Parks Displacing Indigenous Peoples

Amanda Walter Mojilip, on behalf of the Network of Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia / Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia, Sarawak Dayak Iban Association. Photo AIPC.

Indigenous Peoples in Malaysia said the U.N. Expert Mechanism's engagement last year has not resulted in any substantial results. They point out the dams and a national park are being built without free, prior and informed consent, and displacing Indigenous Peoples.

"We acknowledge the Malaysian government’s intervention last year, to engage with the Indigenous Peoples and Expert Mechanism constructively. However, there has been no substantial engagement, highlighting the unwillingness among Member states in Asia, including Malaysia to adhere to our rights enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," said Amanda Walter Mojilip, on behalf of the Network of Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia.

United States Fails to Reveal Destructive Fake Green Energy Projects

The United States representative failed to admit the current push for destructive fake green energy projects that are targeting Native ceremonial places and burial sites for lithium and copper mines, and wind energy projects.

The U.S. representative, Michael Orona of the U.S. State Department, welcomed participation by Indigenous Peoples, but failed to point out the Biden administration's ongoing destruction of Native sacred lands.

The United States made no mention of the lithium mine now digging into the Paiute Massacre Site in Nevada, a mine owned by Canada's Lithium Americas, or the fact that the U.S. government has joined Rio Tinto mining of Australia in the federal court fight against San Carlos Apache.

Apaches are struggling to protect sacred Oak Flat from a copper mine in Arizona. Rio Tinto blew up 46,000 years of ancient Aboriginal history and culture in caves in Australia. Rio Tinto was forced to admit the widespread sexual assaults at its mines in Australia and South Africa.

The United States didn't mention the fact that Tohono O'odham and San Carlos Apache Nations filed for a restraining order against Interior Sec. Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, in federal court in Tucson, to stop the bulldozers of SunZia transmission line. The transmission line construction is destroying ancient village sites, burial places and medicine grounds on O'odham and Apache ancestral lands in Arizona.

SunZia plans to take wind energy from New Mexico to California, and is cutting a destructive path across the pristine Southwest. Pattern Energy in San Francisco, owner of the project, is owned by Canada Pension Fund.

The United States failed to point out that the CEO of the Navajo government's  enterprise, Navajo Energy Transition Company based in Farmington, N.M, is in charge of the drilling of a lithium mine in the Hualapai's Ceremonial Place, a Sacred Spring, in Arizona. The mine is owned by the Australian company named Arizona Lithium. South of Farmington on the Navajo Nation is the Raytheon Dine' Facility, which produces parts for 12 types of Raytheon Missiles.

The United States failed to reveal that uranium mining in the Grand Canyon now threatens Hualapai drinking water, their source of life. The radioactive haul trucks will endanger Navajo and Hopi on their way to White Mesa Ute ancestral land in Utah, the site of a uranium mill.

During Orona's address to the United Nations, he spoke of the discrimination and assimilation that resulted in the loss of languages in the United States.

Orona said that under the federal Indian boarding school initiative, the U.S. government is "reviewing our dark history and past federal assimilationist policies, which suppressed Native languages and cultures for over 150 years, to help reverse these destructive policies and heal generational traumas."

In the United States, Palestinian families have filed a federal court lawsuit in California, now on expedited appeal, to hold President Biden and his appointees responsible for genocide in Palestine.

Azerbaijan Denies Genocide


The government of Azerbaijan denied responsibility for genocide in Armenia. Screenshot by Censored News.

The government of Azerbaijan denied it is responsible for genocide in Armenia and said the statements made by Indigenous Peoples during the session were a "smear campaign." Azerbaijan said they are a "foreign policy tool" who  are supporting illegal occupation and separatism.

"Neither this entity or their statement has to do with Indigenous Peoples, it is just a poor attempt to exploit the discussion by Azerbaijan and present a false narrative that doesn't serve in a peace building process," Azerbaijan government told the U.N.

The government was responding to statements of genocide, ethnic cleansing and Indigenous language loss by Azerbaijan and Turkey, made by speakers of the Assembly of Western Armenia.

Similar denials and omissions -- like those of France, the United States, Azerbaijan, and the Russian Federation -- were echoed from governments around the world.

Enhanced Participation Vital to Future Sessions

A member of the Senate in New Caledonia told the U.N. that France is not acting in good faith in the peace process and brought in the military to oppress Indigenous Peoples. Screenshot by Censored News.

Russia's anti-war Indigenous women were denied credentials to attend the U.N. Expert Mechanism session. Indigenous delegates from Nigeria were among those who were unable to obtain visas to attend.

Although more than 100 people attending were unable to present their statements, due to the large number of participants this year, governments absorbed swaths of time denying their human rights abuses.

The Expert Mechanism said several participants were threatened and harassed during the session.

Indigenous Peoples in immediate danger appealed for help, from Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, and throughout the Amazon -- but the U.N. Expert Mechanism has no means to ensure physical safety.

Indigenous from Guatemala and the Amazon told the U.N. that militarization, and land theft by mining companies, palm oil industries, and hydro-electric dams, are resulting in imprisonment and assassinations. Indigenous women are increasingly the victims.

Peru: Crimes Against Humanity

Peru's ongoing crimes against humanity include violent repression of Indigenous at protests,
an Indigenous representative told the United Nations. Screenshot by Censored News.

Speaking at the U.N. Expert Mechanism, an Indigenous representative said, "Peru is backsliding." He pointed out that Peru has denied justice for victims of crimes against humanity. Last week, Peru passed a law establishing the statute of limitations for crimes against humanity committed before 2002. It is a violation of international law, he said, adding that the law must be repealed.

There is violent repression of Indigenous at protests, and violent crimes against young girls. He said Peru's celebration of Indigenous is based on folklore.

"Peru has laws which in theory work, but in practice don't. We have about 35 extinct languages, and 18 in danger of extinction."

On Sunday, Mariano Isacama-Feliciano, an Indigenous leader of the Amazonian Kakataibo people, was found dead with signs of torture after being missing for 24 days, TeleSur reports.

“They have kidnapped him in Aguaytia. They took him to that area and possibly murdered him, said a Kakataibo people leader about the disappearance of the Indigenous leader Mariano Isacama Feliciano in the Peruvian Amazon.”

Morocco: Amazigh Displaced -- Women Most Often the Victims

Amina Amharech, from Azul (Morocco), participated together with other azulienes in the 17th session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in Geneva. Photo credit Feminist Land Platform

In Morocco and North Africa, Amazigh are being displaced and human rights defenders are given 20-year prison sentences. In Morocco, the use of the traditional language of Amazigh is limited by government measures, and plans for a new park are resulting in the seizure of Amazigh land and displacement of the people, a representative of Organisation Tamaynut told the U.N.

"The Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture under number 3267.23, which appeared in the official bulletin number 7282, aims to demarcate 111,000 hectares of indigenous land by creating a natural park on the western side of the Anti-Atlas mountains," he said.

"This action is rejected by the Amazigh indigenous people because it deprives them of their lands, resources and wealth, drives families into exodus, and is contrary to international law, in particular the principle of free, prior and informed consent and Article 38 of the Declaration."

French Guyana: Mining Companies Poisoning Maroni River with Mercury

Linia Opoya, OHCHR Indigenous Fellow and President of the Association of Mercury Victims.

Screenshot Censored News

"Madam President, in my country, the illegal gold miners plunders voluntarily dump mercury into the Maroni River, which is one of the largest rivers feeding the country and the indigenous peoples in most of French Guyana," Linia Opoya, president of the Association of Mercury Victims told the U.N.

"But unfortunately, all the animals that live there are contaminated, and with them human beings, particularly the indigenous peoples. I too am a victim, and for this reason I have come to bring our concerns to this mechanism."

Ancient language repressed in Japan

Japan refuses to recognize an ancient language and its people, a representative told the U.N. Screenshot by Censored News

During World War II, the Japanese military ordered that speaking an ancient  Indigenous language was an act of espionage and punishable by death. "This order led to marginalization and near extinction of our Native language," a representative told the United Nations. Japan's repression resulted in elders, who only spoke their language, being targeted by the government, and children were forbidden to speak their Native language in school.

Japan refuses to recognize Ryukyuan as Indigenous Peoples and the peoples languages have been downgraded and labeled dialects of Japanese, which is incorrect. Speaking the language is seen as "rebellious, unsafe or uneducated," she told the U.N. She said these Indigenous languages must be recognized as distinct languages.

Ryukyuans are the Indigenous descendants of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which was a sovereign entity prior to its annexation by Japan in 1879.

UNESCO states that all Ryukyuan languages are on course for extinction by 2050. Starting in the 1890s, the Japanese government began to suppress the Ryukyuan languages as part of their policy of forced assimilation in the islands. UNESCO  includes the Luchuan [Ryukyuan] languages of Japan. ‘Luchuan’ is the Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan language) term for the Japanese ‘Ryukyu’. Likewise ‘Okinawa’ is ‘Uchinaa’ in Uchinaaguchi, UNESCO states in its documents.

Australian: Aboriginal Children Imprisoned

             Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss 

said the destruction of the 46,000-year-old cultural heritage site at Juukan Gorge by Rio Tinto, has left cultural heritage legislative protections across Australia in disarray. Kiss described the human rights violations of Aboriginal children being detained in police watch houses and being held without services for long periods of time. (See full statement below.)

Rachana Sam At on behalf of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus pointed out in her statement that Indigenous Peoples can not participate in this process at the United Nations unless approved by one of the selected non-governmental organizations, and this must change for there to be enhanced participation.

The Expert Mechanism week-long session ended in Geneva on Friday. The final report now goes to the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Written Statements to U.N. Expert Mechanism on Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Association of Mercury Victims: Indigenous of French Guyana
Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
17th Session, July 2024
Agenda No. 3: Declaration on the dumping of mercury in the Maroni River
Statement

Madam Chair, I am honored to take the floor at this 17th session of the EMRIP to read my statement as indigenous Wayana peoples of French Guyana. I am Linia Opoya, OHCHR Indigenous Fellow and President of the Association of Mercury Victims.

Madam President, in my country, the illegal gold miners plunders voluntarily dump mercury into the Maroni River, which is one of the largest rivers feeding the country and the indigenous peoples in most of French Guyana. But unfortunately, all the animals that live there are contaminated, and with them human beings, particularly the indigenous peoples. I too am a victim, and for this reason I have come to bring our concerns to this mechanism.

I recommend that the mechanism :

Look into the management of toxic waste and the use of heavy and dangerous metals on indigenous lands by illegal gold mining looters;

The State should regulate the exploitation of mining resources, taking into account their environmental impact;

A visit by the Special Rapporteur to see the impact of mercury on the population and indigenous peoples;

Our sincere thanks to the OHCHR Fellowship Program for giving us the opportunity to speak at this forum. My sincere congratulations to you on your appointment. 

Thank you very much

---

Australia's Human Rights Commission Statement

Rio Tinto blew up 46,000 year old Aboriginal cultural site

Thank you, Madam Chair,

I make this statement as Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s National Human Rights Institution.

I acknowledge the work of the Expert Mechanism and those who have contributed to this important study.

Madam Chair,

On 14 October 2023, Australia held a national referendum to recognise Australia’s First Nations peoples in its Constitution, including the establishment of a Voice to Parliament that would enable First Nations participation in decision-making that affects them.

While the majority of First Nations peoples – and approximately six million non-Indigenous allies – supported a constitutionally enshrined Voice, the public debate was marred by racist discourse, and a successful campaign of mis and disinformation, and the majority of Australians voted against it.

Consequently, in Australia there is no constitutional recognition of First Nations Peoples, and no legislative commitment to comply with human rights standards, to implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or to facilitate Indigenous participation in decisions that affect them.

Further, in the absence of a National Human Rights Act, or arrangements that would embed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into legislation or policy, the rights and interests of First Nations Australians are regularly compromised by national and local governments.

For example:

the destruction of the 46,000-year-old cultural heritage site at Juukan Gorge by Rio Tinto, has left cultural heritage legislative protections across the country in disarray.

the lack of national standards concerning the rights of our children, including legislative or policy guidance on the age of criminal responsibility, resulting in human rights breaches such as detaining children in police watchhouses or holding them on remand for extended periods without access to education, health supports, or rehabilitation.

And despite having a Racial Discrimination Act in place in Australia, systemic, structural, and overt racism is commonplace for First Nations peoples and has risen exponentially since the 2023 Voice Referendum.

And finally, while governments support First Nations voices in decision-making through Advisory or Expert Committee structures, including jurisdictional processes to progress truth and treaty arrangements, this cannot be a substitute for State responsibility to protect First Nations rights.

The absence of bipartisanship and nationally agreed standards enables State ambiguity on their responsibilities to protect the rights of First Nations peoples.

Recommendations:

As such, we endorse the Expert Mechanism Advice No.17 (2024), and we recommend that the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

continues to monitor and follow up with States regarding their obligations under Article 38 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

encourages the Human Rights Council to pursue compliance with Article 38 of the Declaration as a standing agenda item for its annual half-day panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Thank you.
---

South Australian Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People:

Aboriginal Children Seized into State Care at Increasing Rate

Speaker – April Lawrie

Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is April Lawrie, I am a proud Mirning and Kokatha woman from the Far West Coast of South Australia. I speak today as the South Australian Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People and I am pleased to contribute to the 17th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I start by paying respect to my Ancestors and the Ancestors of all those Indigenous peoples gathered today. I also acknowledge Aboriginal children, young people, their families and communities of whom I seek to represent.

An integral responsibility I have as Commissioner is to ensure the State of South Australia adheres to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, as well as the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child in promoting the rights, development and wellbeing of our Aboriginal children and young people.

Madam Chair, I recently completed an independent Inquiry into the removal of Aboriginal children and published the final report to the South Australian parliament titled, Holding on to Our Future. This Inquiry examined the application of the full Aboriginal Child Placement Principle (the Principle) with child removals giving regard to prevention and family reunification. The Principle is right’s based and is an embodiment of the two key aforementioned covenants. The Principle is explicit about the best interests of the Aboriginal child and their right to grow up safely within their family, community and culture. The full Principle provides a culturally responsive standard for Australian child protection service systems to implement across five elements pertaining to children and their families’ needs. The Principle is based on the presumption that legal removal of Aboriginal children from their parents should be a measure of last resort, with emphasis on preventing unnecessary removal and priority instead to Aboriginal community self-determination and the knowledge and experience of Aboriginal people to make the best decisions concerning their children.

The historical and contemporary practices of removal of Aboriginal children disconnects and denies their rights to their families and their cultural identity. South Australia’s current Aboriginal child removal rates are comparable to the levels of removal akin to the Stolen Generations.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a 116% increase in Aboriginal children in state care, where

Aboriginal children make up approximately 5% of the total population of young people under the age of 18, yet they represent 37% of young people in state care. More than 60% of Aboriginal children in state care with non-Aboriginal carers and residential houses. If nothing changes over the next 7 years, the trajectory shows that 14 in every 100 Aboriginal children will be in State care. This is unacceptable and this an indictment on the rights of our Aboriginal children.

In order to make changes, we need to change the way in which decisions are made. It is no longer viable that decision-making for Aboriginal children and families continues to be in the control of the State. In order for the State to achieve the ends of the Declaration, it must recognise that it cannot facilitate self-determination for Aboriginal people, it is a right exercised by Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people must be at the forefront of decision-making and be empowered to design kinship care legislation.

Madame Chair, it is my recommendation that the State of South Australia legally empower and resource the Aboriginal community to implement its own kinship care legislation and program, to uphold the rights of Aboriginal children to remain safely in the care of family, community and culture in accordance with the Declaration and with particular reverence to Articles 3 and 4 on the right to self-determination and self-government of matters relating to local affairs.

Presented during session: Agenda Item 3: Study and advice on constitutions, laws, legislation, policy, judicial decisions and other mechanisms through which States have taken measures to achieve the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in accordance with Article 38 of the Declaration.

Original Series by Censored News

Testimony at U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva, July 2024

Kayapo Forest Defenders Urge United Nations to Help Halt Illegal Gold Mining in Brazil https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/kayapo-forest-defenders-urge-united.html

Aboriginal Elder Describes Australia's Child Abuse to United Nations https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/aboriginal-elder-describes-australias.html

Violence and Repression: Indigenous from Russia, Algeria and Nicaragua Appeal to United Nations https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/violence-and-repression-indigenous-from.html

The Mother Tongue: Countering the Identity Thieves of Canada, Russia, Japan and U.S.

The horrific abuse in boarding schools, failure to provide language classes, and government refusals to recognize languages, reveal abuses around the world aimed at silencing ancient languages. https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-mother-tongue-countering-identity.html

Indigenous Expose Racism and Genocide at United Nations -- Governments Rush to Deny Abuses and Insult Presenters
France denied its genocide. Azerbaijan and Russia insulted Indigenous exposing them. The U.S. omitted Interior's Sec. Deb Haaland's assault on the Paiute Massacre Site; Hualapai, Apache, Quechan sacred sites for lithium and copper mines; Hualapai battling uranium mining; Tohono O'odham and Apache defending ancient sites from wind energy.  https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/indigenous-expose-racism-and-genocide.html

Leonard Peltier's Message Read at Conclusion of U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/leonard-peltiers-words-conclude-un.html

Indigenous Women: Land Defenders, Water Carriers, Life Givers, Assert Rights at United Nations https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/indigenous-women-land-defenders-water.html

United Nations: Russia's Anti-War Indigenous Women Denied Credentials, are Heard Anyway https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/united-nations-russias-anti-war.html

United Nations: Australian Aboriginal Children Seized, Green Energy Impacts Worsen for Saami https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/07/united-nations-australian-aboriginal.html

Please send corrections and additions to brendanorrell@yahoo.com

About the author

Brenda Norrell has been a news reporter in Indian country for 42 years, beginning at the Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a correspondent for Associated Press, USA Today and Lakota Times. After serving as a longtime staff reporter for Indian Country Today, she was censored and terminated in 2006 and created Censored News. She has a masters degree in international health. 

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