The Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Centuries of racism and dispossession have denied Indigenous peoples around the world the opportunity to enjoy such basic human rights as the right of self-determination, the right to cultural identity, the right to life and the right to health. On this page you will find the latest postings from Amnesty International work in support of the human rights of Indigenous peoples -- including opportunities to speak out for justice. You will also find links to statements and resources from our allies and partners.
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22 July 2010 12:02 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
The United States House of Representatives has passed the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, a groundbreaking piece of legislation that tackles the complex jurisdictional maze that allows violent crime against Native American and Alaska Native women to flourish.
Amnesty International's 2007 report, Maze of Injustice, documented the failure of US authorities to address the high rates of sexual violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women.
The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009 is in direct response to concerns raised by tribal leaders, tribal organizations, Native American and Alaska Native women and the Maze of Injustice report. Specifically the Act will:
- clarify the responsibilities and increase coordination among federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies with respect to crimes committed in tribal communities;
- begin to restore tribal governments with authority, resources, and information to address crimes on tribal land;
- increase and standardize the collection and distribution of criminal data in tribal communities, including the data that establishes whether crimes are being prosecuted.
Sarah Deer, Assistant Professor at William Mitchell College of Law and a consultant for AIUSA’s Maze of Injustice report, said, "When victims know that their perpetrators will be held accountable for their behavior, they will be more likely to report crimes. Empowering tribal law enforcement personnel to protect their communities is the key."
16 July 2010 10:35 am
Posted by: Lindsay Mossman
Photo: 2009 vigils to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women in Lethbridge, Vancouver and Ottawa.
On Monday October 4, 2010, communities across Canada will hold vigils to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across the country.
According to a Canadian government statistic, young Indigenous women are five times more likely to die as a result of violence than any other women of the same age in Canada.
Since 2006, Amnesty International has been partnering with the Native Women’s Association of Canada, KAIROS and communities across Canada, to host vigils calling for an end to violence and discrimination against Indigenous women and girls in Canada. In 2009 over 70 vigils were held.
Join us! Take action and get involved with vigils in your community! For more information visit the
Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) website, Amnesty International's
Stolen Sisters webpage, or contact Amnesty International to find out more by emailing
demanddignity@amnesty.ca.
15 July 2010 4:01 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
Sodmongol, an activist from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China, was detained by Chinese authorities while on his way to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York. His family has not seen him since April. He may be facing prosecution and is at risk of torture, ill-treatment and enforced disappearance.
Please take action
18 June 2010 4:58 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
From the statement by KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives:
In 2003, then-federal negotiator professor Bradford Morse said it was his intention to be the last person to represent the federal government in Lubicon land rights negotiations. While history to that point had not given the Lubicon anything to be optimistic about, they remained hopeful that Mr. Morse was correct.
The Lubicon certainly did not envision a scenario where their land rights would remain in limbo for almost a decade. In the meantime, licenses continue to be granted to allow resource extraction on the Lubicon’s traditional territory, without their free, prior and informed consent...
KAIROS encourages Canadians to read Amnesty’s report and to become aware of the decades-long struggle of the Lubicon Cree Nation to achieve government recognition of their basic and inherent Indigenous rights.
18 June 2010 12:47 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, 39 Aboriginal and civil society organizations from across Canada are calling on the federal government to demonstrate its commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“Canada’s endorsement must send a clear signal that the government intends to work with Indigenous peoples to ensure that Canada’s laws, policies and practices at least live up to the minimum standards established by the international community,” says Grand Chief Edward John, First Nations Summit. “That’s why it’s very important that Canada’s endorsement of the Declaration not have limits or qualifications.”
In the March Speech from the Throne, the government announced that it will take steps to endorse the Declaration “in a manner that is fully consistent with Canada’s Constitution and laws”.
“It’s disappointing that the federal government continues to raise the spectre of a potential conflict between the Declaration and the Canadian Constitution,” says Ellen Gabriel, President, Quebec Native Women. “The government has never been able to substantiate this claim.”
Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come, Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) adds, “the Declaration is a vital tool for interpreting and implementing Aboriginal and Treaty rights in Canada’s Constitution.”
16 June 2010 10:02 am
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
New maps of resource extraction on the traditional territory of the Lubicon Cree in northern Alberta reveal a reckless disregard for Lubicon rights in the licensing of oil and gas development on their land.
The maps commissioned by Amnesty International use government and industry data to demonstrate the scale of development since oil extraction began on Lubicon land in 1979.
The maps reveal that more than 2600 oil and gas wells have been drilled on the territory, of which more than 1300 are currently active. The drilling is supported by a massive infrastructure of more than 2400 kilometers of pipeline and more than 4500 km of roads. Exploratory seismic cut lines 3 to 5 meters wide stretch over 32,000 km.
Roughly 70 percent of the territory has been leased for future development including in situ oil sands extraction.
All this has taken place without the consent of the Lubicon and with little acknowledgement or protection of their rights.
4 June 2010 5:28 pm
Posted by: Caylee Hong
“Is Canada’s human rights legislation up to the job of protecting the most vulnerable members of Canadian society?”
The Government of Canada continued to reject responsibility for the disparities between services available to First Nations children on reserve and those available to all other children. In essence, the government argued that it merely provides funding for services that are legislated by the provinces and delivered by other institutions. Government representatives asserted that the federal government has no power to regulate the provision of services beyond funding and ensuring financial accountability.
The Chiefs of Ontario, however, argued that there was a direct relationship between the funding decisions made by the federal government and the quality and kinds of services available to First Nations children on reserve. The Assembly of First Nations pointed out that the government’s own documents show that government funding formulas have direct impact on number of First Nations children being removed from their families. David Nahwegahbow, representing the Assembly of First Nations, stated that “the Prime Minister apologized in front of the whole country for residential schools…yet Canada refuses to acknowledge responsibility over Indian child welfare”.
click for more...
3 June 2010 11:24 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
Paramilitaries have again threatened the lives of Indigenous leaders and leaders of an Afro-descendent community in the southwestern Colombia.
The communities have opposed the development of gold mines and large-scale hydroelectric projects on their lands in the Colombia department of Cauca.
Three people were killed on the Indigenous reservation of Cerro Tijeras after a similar paramiliary death threat last October.
3 June 2010 12:13 pm
Posted by: Caylee Hong
Amnesty International is backing a complaint lodged at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal alleging that the Government of Canada’s funding of welfare services for First Nations children on reserves is insufficient and discriminatory. Along with First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, Amnesty argues that services received by First Nations children living on reserves are not equitable to those services provided to children who live off-reserve.
While the complaint was launched back in 2007, it is still at the preliminary stage. At a hearing scheduled for yesterday and today the Government of Canadian is attempting to have the case dismissed, preventing it from going to a full-fledge hearing where the case’s merits would be assessed. The federal government’s legal representative argued yesterday that the Tribunal does not have jurisdiction to hear the complaint.
A central argument advanced by the Attorney General is that the federal Government is off the hook since it “only funds” recipient organizations like corporate bodies, bands, tribal councils and governments to deliver child welfare services for Indian children and their families. The Attorney General argues that the Canadian Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in the provision of government services, doesn’t apply the funding of those services. Thus the underfunding of services to First Nations children on reserve would be outside the authority of the Tribunal.
click for more...
2 June 2010 12:52 pm
Posted by: Craig Benjamin
Amnesty International is urging the province of British Columbia to ensure that the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline project does not proceed without the free, prior and informed consent of the affected First Nations.
On 23 March 2010, more than 28 First Nations in British Columbia called for a halt to the project. This includes First Nations from the Carrier Sekani and the Wet’suwet’en territories whose traditional lands would be crossed by the pipeline as well as First Nations concerned about the potential impact on the downstream rivers and the coastal waters on which they depend.
Public statement
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