Steven Newcomb: Indigenous peoples left with one negotiator

In September 2014, a United Nations High Level Plenary Meeting (UN-HLPM) “to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples” (WCIP) will take place at the UN Headquarters of New York. A preparatory meeting for that High Level Plenary-“World Conference” just took place from June 10-12 in the land of the Sami, in Alta, Norway.

The publicized goal of the Alta gathering was an Outcome Document (it is not a declaration), which some are now characterizing a “consensus” document. However, the issue of interpretation makes any claim of consensus relative to that document highly questionable. Are we to believe that all seven Indigenous Peoples’ regions of the world, as defined by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, have reached a consensus on the interpretation of the outcome document? Given the differences between the seven regions of the world, interpretive consensus does not exist.

The most that can be said at this point is that the Alta Gathering did produce an outcome document, and we have been told that the Alta document will be used by an Indigenous co-facilitator (assuming one is chosen by the President of the UN General Assembly) as a reference point for the HLPM-WCIP outcome document that will be “negotiated with states” So, the question arises: What is it that the Indigenous co-facilitator will “negotiate” with states? Negotiation often involves giving up certain things in the name of compromise. Since we are told the “negotiations” will be about implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, what concession is or compromising positions are possibly going to be taken by the Indigenous co-facilitator, assuming one is appointed?