By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, May 6, 2025
NEW YORK -- Chickaloon Traditional Chief Gary Harrison spoke on the murder of Indigenous women and men in Alaska, the lack of subsistence rights and the lack of informed consent for what is happening on the land in Alaska, during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
To a roar of applause, Chief Harrison questioned why governments are taking up the peoples' time at the U.N. Permanent Forum.
"I also find it strange that this is the Permanent Forum, and yet we have all these governments taking up the peoples' time -- the Indigenous Peoples time -- and telling us everything is OK in their countries."
"Well, if everything is OK in their countries, why are we all here, why is this set aside for our people?"
Chief Harrison, pointed out how the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not being upheld in Alaska. He began by saying he is speaking on the need for self-determination and decolonization of Alaska, Hawaii, and other countries.
On the right to subsistence, Chief Harrison said the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that Indigenous Peoples are not supposed to be deprived of their subsistence.
"Yet the laws in our country do not give us subsistence priority."
On the right to the protection of women, he said, "We have some of the highest suicide, and highest rape, and highest rates of murder on Indigenous women in the world."
Indigenous men are included and it is now Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples, he said.
As for the rights regarding the environment, he said, "We are supposed to have informed consent on all the things going on in our land -- that is not happening."
"Free prior and informed consent is supposed to be the basis, it is not."
Chief Harrison asked that the recommendations be put forth not only for his country, the people who have taken over Alaska, but also for the other Indigenous places that need to be decolonized.
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| Tove Søvndahl Gant (Denmark) originally from Greenland, member of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples. Screenshot by Censored News |
In response to Chief Harrison's question, as to why time is given to governments, Tove Søvndahl Gant (Denmark) originally from Greenland, one of the 16 representatives on the Permanent Forum, said the purpose is dialogue.
Gant said the objectives of the Permanent Forum are to promote dialogue between Indigenous Peoples and member states, referring to countries, within the U.N. system, and the U.N. Economic and Social Council.
Gant said the purpose is not to call for a conference, and only speak to each other, but to be in dialogue, with member states and the U.N. system.
Watch this session:
https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1f/k1fjhmycwv
Read more in our original series from the U.N. Permanent Forum:
U.N. Permanent Forum Concludes, Women's Rights and Destructive Mining Among Priorities in Final Report
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/05/un-permanent-forum-concludes-womens.html
Voices of Indigenous women from Gwich'in, Okinawa and Morocco
It is the place where life begins, and now the U.S. has opened it to leasing for oil and gas drilling, Quannah Chasing Horse, from Alaska, representing the Gwich'in Steering Committee, told the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2025/05/gwichin-okinawa-and-morocco-indigenous.html
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.
From the heart of the Amazon, women arise about violence, demand sanctions on mining
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.
The Ecocide of Mining in Bolivia
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.
Australian Indigenous Brings Power of Warrior Women to United Nations
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.
U.N. Permanent Forum Begins with Voices of Indigenous Women
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.
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Censored News original series. Copyright Censored News
2 comments:
"To the roar of applause," Chief Harrison speaks and raises some troubling questions that always seem to go unanswered in the spirit of perpetual "dialogue" with nation-states that are talking, not listening. Well done, Chief Harrison. Thanks for reporting.
On defending the right to subsistence, from Tulalip and Yakima Nations:
Preserving Huckleberry Resources: From Northwest Treaty Tribes Visit: nwtreatytribes.org/tulalip-preserves-huckleberry-resource/
Conflicts with Commercial Harvests: From Oregon Public Broadcasting Visit: www.opb.org/article/2025/03/14/huckleberry-picking-tribal-food/
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