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From "Update on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues", Report by the American Indian Law Alliance, Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council",
Oyate Wolakota Omniciye
Tetuwan Oyate
Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council Treaty Gathering
June 29 & 30, 2001 The Black Hills
Commission on Human Rights
Working Group on Indigenous Populations
July 23-27, 2001 Geneva, Switzerland
Update on the Permanent Forum
According to the ECOSOC resolution from July 28 2000 establishing the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as a subsidary organ of ECOSOC (the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations), the Permanent Forum will consist of a total of 16 members: 8 members to be nominated by governments and elected by ECOSOC, and 8 (Indigenous) members to be appointed by the President of ECOSOC "on the basis of broad consultations with indigenous organizations". Subsequently, in February 2001, the United Nations have asked Indigenous organizations to hold consultations in order to nominate Indigenous candidates for membership of the Permanent Forum, and to notify the United Nations of the nominations by October 1, 2001.
The Global Indigenous Caucus (during the 6th Session of the Working Group on the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in November 2000 in Geneva) agreed to by consensus that the eight Indigenous representatives be selected from the following regions: 1. Arctic/Europe; 2. Africa; 3. Asia; 4. North America; 5. Central/south America and Caribbean; 6. Pacific; 7. Former USSR and and Eastern Europe; 8. Rotating an additional seat between three regions -- Asia, Africa and Central/South America and Caribbean. The idea was to have consultations within the regions and to come up with consensus candidates for all of the regions.
For the North American region, the name that repeatedly was put forward during the meetings of the North American Indigenous Caucus at the various U.N. conferences was that of Willie Littlechild (Treaty 6 Indian, Ermineskin Cree Nation) of the International Organization of Indigneous Resource Development, and there was general consensus that Willie Littlechild would be an excellent choice. Mr. Little child is well rooted in the traditions of his nation and is passionate about the issues of importance to our people, namely treaty rights, land issues and protection of our collective human rights as peoples and nations. He is an attorney at law and is the general counsel to the Four Cree Nations of Hobbema. He also has immense experience in the international arena and has attended the sessions of the U.N. Working Group on Indigenous Populations and other U.N. bodies relevant for Indigenous Peoples for years.
Along with a number of other Indigenous Nations and organizations of North America including the Assembly of First Nations, the Four Cree Nations of Hobbema, the International Indian Treaty Council, The Indigenous World Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the Four Directions Council and the Indigenous Women's Network, the American Indian Law Alliance and the Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council officially endorsed Willy Littlechild's candidature as the North American Indigenous expert member of the Permanent Forum (see Attachment 20). Considering the wide and more or less unanimous support that his candidature has received, we feel confident that Mr. Littlechild will be appointed by the President of ECOSOC as a member of the Permanent Forum. According to an ECOSOC resolution from July 2001 the appointments will be made not later than December 15, 2001.
Return to report.
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