Samantha Tahalele Tamara, Murkele Organization from Malunu

Thousands have been killed. Thousands have been raped. Thousands have lost their homes and now they live in trauma. It has been five years since jihad soldiers have been killing and slaughtering. Women and children live in traumatic experience. This is my first statement. I just came in with all my heart to the UN and hope you can help. Please stop the war and stop the killing. Please declare a second decade and prolong the voluntary fund for Indigenous peoples. It is very important for us to come here and have our situation heard.

Nadir Bekir, Mejilis of Crimean Tatar People

I would like to speak on the Indigenous Decade. I think it is a universal question that covers all the question. Some government and some agencies are proposing something else besides a decade that are educational programs. We each are very close in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples but only the first step. States accepted but didn’t take much action. Ukraine, It did nothing although Ukraine is a state founder of the UN. I suppose it should be sensitive to the UN. Vice versa, circa 1996 including its new constitution of the state all political and legal experts was directed their necessity. During ten years, Ukraine did nothing for the constitutional provision and even tried to abolish and destroy this provision. They tried to look at as a misunderstanding. It is very typical that no Ukraine representative is here. They say they have no idea who are indigenous peoples. They do not take part in our discussions and they don’t have experience and they don’t want to have experience in indigenous issues. There are new crimes and abuses for Indigenous peoples of Ukraine. We see the end of the International Decade, we are at a worse place than at the beginning. Rights of people deported. This law was cynically reclaimed 18 May on the anniversary of Crimean Tatar people. They approved a law on 24 June. President Ukraine failed to sign the law. This means that this law does not exist. On the basis of some different human rights violations that took part in the past, Ukraine government don’t want to restore our rights. We see that legal and political progress is in question. I propose to my brother and sisters to collect all of our efforts and to establish the second decade of Indigenous peoples.

Ivan Eovioumen, Chile

I would like to wish you every success with this WGIP. Rest assured you will have the support of Chile. It is great to see the HCHR offered a great honor to this meeting. It is recognized that Indigenous peoples in the past had a long history of invisibility and injustice. The status of advance show much has been done. Special communities of Indigenous peoples, Indigenous congress, the creation of public institutions and the implementation of public policies to combat poverty and cultural, educational affirmation. On 16 April 2004, President Largos presented the policy for new treatment in the defense of human rights with a commitment to Indigenous peoples. Chile has taking action on three level -- Improving Indigenous Rights. Deepening Developing Strategies and Adjusting the Country Capacity. There is recognition of Indigenous rights in the constitution. Government has expressed its wish to move further through constitutional recognition and also ratification of ILO 169. This is an appropriate forum, our commitment leads the Chilean government to visit. We look forward to substantial advance.

Thaayrohyad I Bermudez, Nacion Otomi

I am the special leader of Otomi nation of Mexico. I am speaking so our people will be heard. Governments refuse to recognize our rights. My people are one of the oldest peoples in the world. For over 7000 years, we have substantiated our cosmology. We have our own spirituality and our belief in land. Right now the Mexican government has continued its systematic violation of our cultural and spiritual rights. In 1978, the Otomi exercised its position and declare self-determination. We think having a cultural space with historical identity provides a center for our cultural cohesion our self determination. Thanks to our collective work, we have completed our work. We have found the importance to protect the sacred nature of this site. Some months before the inauguration of our center, the executive branch issues a decree that the autonomy park of Mexco on 8 January in the official gazette and it said our center is part of this park. Conflict lasted for years when Mexico denied the proper use of our center. We have appealed to the state and municipal authorities to call for the legal transfer. We have used nonviolent peaceful struggle with little result. The plundering of our ancestral lands and the sacred spaces are causing harm. We ask for the UN to put a recommendation to start a dialogue immediately and recognize our right to self-determination recognizing our spirituality and end to the conflict that began 24 years ago. Our sacred sites are being denied through this national park.

*Ambassador Meeto and Mr. Rudhee, Observer State of Mauritiius

The UN Declaration 1514, 2257. The government of Mauritituis has pushed for the return of the archipelago to Mauritisu. M has never released its sovereignty over the Chagos. M has expresed concern about how the Chagosso were treated. They are M citizens. The crown of Britain citizenship does not relieve the government to return the island to M. Chagosses received British citizenship. The government has taken numerous initiatives while supporting the right to return. It overturned the rights of Chagos to return. The amendments made by the government. The revised declaration does not deter M to pursue all actions to pursue its sovereignty over the islands.

Koi Lata people

Firstly, I would like to express greetings to the chair, Indigenous peoples. Our community has been suffering from resource conflicts because we are living in a rich area of biodiversity. There is deforestation of a timber company. Then there was an aquaduct built. Now our medecinal plants are being used for other purposes. A reserve was created and our territory is at the very center. We did not give our consent. This is not the case and in various documents we have seen that our participation and consent is necessary. The government manages the reserve. With the declaration we have not been able to use the resources. Our appeals have not been heard. We propose that the WGIP send a report to UNESCO which deals with this reserve to insist that free, prior and informed consent because the land belongs to Indigenous peoples. We call for states before declaring reserves obtain the consent and hear the indigenous voice in the product.

Representative of the Government of the Ukraine

Ukraine recognizes the social rights of all people. We try to ensure that all nationalities are ensured. Ukraine has seen a number of people deported. Ukraine wishes to ensure that all citizens and national have rights. There is a principle of rights of all citizens. The president of the government of Ukraine are dedicated to solve any problem arising from these issues. Units of our national currency are devoted to this. Also, the budget is determined to deal with all problems relating to deportation. We wish to ensure that rights are respected of all Ukraine. There are serious concerns about Crimean Tatar cemeteries. On the anniversary of the Crimean deportation, we will celebrate the anniversary of the event and we will help repatriation of the Crimean [Tatars]. We will also establish cultural centers for them. We will restore other cultural monuments. We also conducted scientific and cultural programs. We hope the government programs for deported Tatars will make sure that Crimean youth benefit from these programs. We recognize that there are issues still to be resolved. There are a number of problems that remain to be resolved. We will work up to 2010 to make sure aims are accomplished.