This statement contains some remarks in brief regarding developments pertaining to the protection and promotion of human rights of the indigenous peoples and how their situation can be improved.

The working group should be thanked that with the cooperation of indigenous peoples it has considerably increased worldwide awareness regarding them and their situation. However, the situation of the indigenous peoples in many / most of the countries of the third world has not taken a turn in a positive direction and has continued to deteriorate more or less steadily for the last several decades in all spheres of life in spite of considerable efforts made by the UN and other organizations for their protection and development.

1. Therefore, it seems necessary that a thorough investigation of the development aid policies and implementations systems (including the protection of human rights) must take place in order to make the necessary corrections.

2. International aid / projects must undergo thorough international monitoring from the very beginning, including the genuineness of the organizations or persons involved (because most / much of the aid has not reached them, and the lion's share has been misused by the dominant society.)

3. The principles and implementation methods of social and economic development are universal and well known like the human rights. These must be put into practice for all, including indigenous peoples, and not denied by giving fake reasons as if they cannot help themselves. This includes:
* Full participation and freedom of choice in all development activities affecting them;
* Help for self-sufficiency;
* Development assistance / aid through the organizations of the indigenous peoples themselves and not via NGOs and other institutions of the dominant society.

4. Close cooperation and coordinated activities of all organizations concerned with indigenous peoples - such as the UN Human Rights department, the World Bank, WHO, Human Rights organizations, funding agencies and churches - are required for a real progress for all. (Each organization should not be satisfied with the good work / result it achieves. They must judge if their concerted / integral efforts are moving the whole human community, including the indigenous peoples, in a positive direction or not) Regular and integral progress report can be very important in this regard.

5. Encouragement and promotion should be given to permanent forums for dialogue between different religions, including indigenous religions, in order to avoid conflicts and promote mutual acceptance. (There can be no peace, hope or progress for the minorities like us without peace and understanding between the different religions and cultures, the major causes of conflicts.

6. World-wide family planning and protection of forests must get top priority in all development considerations. (There is no hope of survival for a large number of indigenous peoples without these measures.) In many countries indigenous peoples are being replaced by dominating peoples because of uncontrolled population explosion. The struggle for resources has already started.

7. Depriving indigenous peoples of their very livelihood without adequate and real compensation and protection, hence slow genocide, should be considered as a crime against humanity. It may not be out of place to mention that it is our moral obligation to bring the cases of hundreds of very small indigenous groups who are unable to articulate their grievances and are in extreme danger of extinction before the human community.