Campaign for Ratification of the 1989 ILO Convention
Appeal for the Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples The Hague, May 2008 - On 13 September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA) adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, with only four votes against this resolution. Though not a binding document, the adoption of this Declaration was seen as a huge step forward in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It stands, however, in stark contrast with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 1989 Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, which has till this day only been signed and ratified by 19 Member states. Indigenous peoples have throughout time suffered from marginalization, stigmatisation and discrimination, mostly by their colonizing power(s). Since the 1950s a greater understanding for the dire situation in which these indigenous peoples find themselves has taken over and specialized bodies have been created, for instance within the context of the United Nations, in order to effectively tackle the problems faced by indigenous peoples. One example of such efforts is the 1989 Convention adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concerning the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries. This Convention (No. 169) revised the outdated 1957 Convention on the same issue. Shockingly, however, till this very day, only 19 out of the 181 Member states of the ILO have signed and ratified this Convention, even though the Convention outlines a large number of rights which are perceived as normal to non-indigenous citizens. Selectively granting groups their human rights consists of a grave breach of the universal right to freedom from discrimination. Therefore the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, on behalf of the undersigned: Urges all Member States to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and in particular those states who also have European Union Membership, to sign and ratify the 1989 ILO Convention No. 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries; Calls upon all Member States to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the international community at large to consult the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples concerned when considering legislative or administrative measures which may directly affect them, as has been laid down in Article 6 of the aforementioned Convention (No. 169); Calls upon all Member States to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the international community at large to grant Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries ownership and possession over lands and natural resources which they traditionally occupy, as has been laid down in Article 14 of the aforementioned Convention (No. 169). If you Wish to Support this Campaign, Please Sign the Appeal
Support for this UNPO Appeal include: Ledum Mitee
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) Maysing Yang
Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Humaira Rahman
World Sindhi Institute Deborah Newton Cook
Assistant to MEP Diana Wallis Prince Ayamba
The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) Abdollah Hejab
The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) A. Jamalzhi
Balochistan People’s Party Hubert Yang
World Hmong People’s Congress (WHPC) Zeki Kap
World Association of Abkhaz-Ahaza People Paula Lee
World Hmong People’s Congress (WHPC) Mustafa Dzhemilev
Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar Peoples Abduraman Egiz
The Crimean Tatar Mejlis James Her
Hmong ChaoFa Federated State Anthony Lee
Congress of World Hmong People Abdella Mohammed Rauef
Oromo Liberation Front Sujash Dewan
Parbattya Chattagram Jono Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) - Chittagong Hill Tracts Bari-ara Kpalap
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) Aydin Qaraqan – Qaraturk
Southern Azerbaijan Turks Frieda Souhuwat
South Moluccas Laura Waisbich Frans Welman Dharmodip Basumatary
Boro Peoples’ Forum/ Federation of Boro Youth (FBY), North East India Noordin Mengal
Balochistan National Party Jacques Gwetang
The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) Agbor Priso
The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) Nicola Dell’Arciprete
Nonviolent Radical Party Edlira Xhemo
Cham League World Seif Sharif Hamad
The Civic United Front (CUF), Zanzibar Nfor Ngala Nfor
The Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) Göran Hansson
Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid (SSF) - Scania Maria Skeie Carolien van den Berg Margot van Nuffel
United Nations Youth Association Flanders Salim Ally H.R.H. Jose Emmnaoue Cha, Xeng Paolo Tatti Lindsay Duffield
Survival International Lindsay Beth Maruska P. Gonzales Janusz Mieczkowski Małgorzata Miec Ronald Waromi
West Papua Interest Association Rafael Morís Pablos Christoph Jansen
BIMUN Hunde Dhugassa Gabis
Oromiya Lawyers Association Ameir Makame Becky Pennington Fadhila Renja Bin Omar Jessica Bonetta Rosalie Kubny
BIMUN Lisa Kreuzenbeck
BIMUN Sophie Grig
Survival International Campaigner Roland Chauville
President UPR-info.org Enhebatu Togochog
Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center Chanda Maya Pun Lal Kumari Roca Maga Rashmi Thapa Magar
USNepalOnline.com Makame Ali Haji Sociologists Without Borders
Ali Tayefi (President of SWB - Iran)
Keri E. Iyall Smith (Vice President of SWB - USA) Human Rights Without Frontiers
Willy Fautré (Director, HRWF – Brussels) Sandra Ujpetery Oliver Tölkes Luigi Chr. Gratzer Nel Blok Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples
Leo van der Vlist (Director) Kolawole Temitope Etienne Isabelle Santeto Ole Tiampati Rassul Azadi Ottow Ajoi Adilya Guido Caboclo Suanmoi Guite Aaron Wilder Christine M. Chimera Kate Nielson Elbert Westerbeek Yucel Tanay Lena Weigel Christine Weinreich Azmarina Tanzir Subhagya Mangal Chak Saravanan C.S S. Schoelch Prisana Nuechterlein Nils Simon Bienfait Manegabe Mu Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF)
Vien Thach (Vice President, KKF Europe Chapter) Sara Sudetic Vincent Böhre
Indigenous Peoples theme specialist (Americas) Amnesty International – Netherlands Paul Vang Sayaovong Yulia Sugandi |
