Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project
Project Officer: Dr Helena Whall
Updated: June 17, 2005
In July 1999, a 'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth' was held at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. It was organised by the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit (CPSU), in association with the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and the University of Queensland. A 70 page report on the proceedings, 'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth', was published in September 1999 (Contact the CPSU for a copy of the report).
'A case for Commonwealth attention to Indigenous rights'
Submission to the High Level Review of the Future of the Commonwealth
Chaired by President Thabo Mbeki, 9th-10th July 2001, Singapore.
In July 2001, the project made a submission to the High Level Review of the Future of the Commonwealth, chaired by President Thabo Mbeki, titled 'A case for Commonwealth attention to Indigenous rights based on the initial findings of the project'.
'Combating Racism against Indigenous Peoples'
Memorandum to Commonwealth Heads of State attending the
UN World Conference on Racism
August - September 2001, Durban, South Africa
In August 2001, a Memorandum titled 'Combating Racism against Indigenous Peoples', was prepared and circulated to Commonwealth Heads of State attending the UN World Conference on Racism, August - September 2001, Durban, South Africa.
'Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Peoples Rights in the Commonwealth'
Memorandum to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Brisbane, Australia, October 2001
A Memorandum titled 'Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Peoples Rights in the Commonwealth', was prepared and circulated prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Brisbane, Australia, October 2001.
'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth'
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, October 2001
A second 'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth' was held at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, October 2001, as part of the Commonwealth People's Festival. It was organised by Sandra Phillips, part-time Advocacy Consultant with the CPSU, in conjunction with the University of Queensland. The summary of the proceedings is published in 'Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth: The Australian Report', 2002, on page 4-5.
See also Jonathan Penner's review of the Dialogue, 'Indigenous Peoples in the Commonwealth'.
'Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth: The Australian Report'
CPSU Indigenous Research Project - Australian Enquiry into Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth, University of Queensland, Australia, 2002
As part of the CPSU Indigenous Research Project - Australian Enquiry into Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth, based at the University of Queensland, Australia, 2001, under the supervision of Professor Margaret Reynolds, Sandra Phillips conducted a survey of Indigenous Australian opinions from the Brisbane region in Queensland, on the issue of Indigenous rights in the Commonwealth, with particular focus on Aboriginal rights. The survey 'captured opinion on problems and solutions; and opinion on the Commonwealth and CHOGM, and how they relate to issues of Indigenous importance' writes Sandra Phillips. The survey can be found in 'Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth: The Australian Report', 2002, pp. 6-14.
'Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Peoples Rights in the Commonwealth'
Memorandum to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Coolum, Australia, March 2002
In February 2002, a brief Memorandum titled 'Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth', was prepared and circulated to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Coolum, Australia, March 2 - 5th 2002.
'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth'
Institute of Commonweath Studies, June 2002
A third 'Dialogue on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth' was held at the Institute of Commonweath Studies on June 7th 2002. It was organised by the CPSU in association with the European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights (ENIAR) and the Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP).
'The Miner's Canary: Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Development in the Commonwealth'
Memorandum to Commonwealth Heads of State attending the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development
August - September 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa
In August 2002, a Memorandum titled 'The Miner's Canary: Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Development in the Commonwealth', jointly authored by Professor Paul Havemann, University of Waikato, New Zealand, and Dr Helena Whall, CPSU, was prepared and circulated to Commonwealth Heads of State attending the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, August - September, Johannesburg, South Africa.
This brief article which reports on the third expert regional meeting on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth held in South Africa, October 2002, was written by Helena Whall for the Indigenous Information Network (IIN) Newsletter, Autumn 2002, Kenya. For further information on IIN email: iin@iin.co.ke.
'Historic Agreement between Québec and the Cree Nation'
Seminar held at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
21st November 2002
On February 7, 2002, the Prime Minister of Québec, Mr. Bernard Landry and the Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, Mr. Ted Moses, signed a historic agreement for fifty years, which will mark the beginning of a new nation to nation relationship between Québec and the Crees. The nation to nation agreement will ensure a new phase of economic, social and community development in the James Bay region. At this seminar, Dr Ted Moses and Mr Michel Létourneau discussed the background to the signing of this agreement, and its historical significance for the Cree Nation and Québec, and for Indigenous Peoples in other Commonwealth countries.
For more information on the Agreement, please click here.
'Speech by Dr Ted Moses, Grand Chief of the Crees'
'Speech by Minister Létourneau, Québec Minister for Native Affairs'
'First Nations Peoples in Canada: Pushed to the edge of economic, cultural and political extinction?'
Seminar held at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
8th April 2003
Canadian National Chief Mathew Coon Come of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) delivered a talk at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies on ‘First Nations Peoples in Canada: Pushed to the edge of economic, cultural and political extinction?’. The seminar, on Tuesday, 8th April 2003, was hosted by the Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project. This event was held as part of an AFN European mission to raise awareness on the socio-economic conditions facing Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the government’s failure to respect the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, and outstanding recommendations of Canadian and international human rights entities. Chief Coon Come urged the audience to “recognize responsibilities in this regard and begin to take concrete action to assist Indigenous peoples in taking their rightful place in respective societies.
For more information about the Assembly of First Nations see: www.afn.ca
Presentation made by National Chief, Matthew Coon Come, AFN
First Nations Peoples in Canada: Pushed to the edge of economic, cultural and political extinction?
Press Release made by Piers Bannister, Amnesty International
Canada 'Time is wasting': Respect for the land rights of the Lubicon Cree
long overdue.
'A meeting on the 'Socio-Economic Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Commonwealth'
Institute of Commonwealth Studies, March 20th - 21st, 2003
This consultative meeting was organised by the CPSU in order to bring together experts in the field to consider the draft report, 'Invisible Lives', written by Richard Bourne, as part of the Department for International Development (DfID) funded two year project focusing on the Socio-Economic Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Commonwealth.
'UK Public Should Challenge Non-Human Trustees'
Press Conference held at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
30th July 2003
The Press Conference was given by a four member delegation from Australia which was in the UK as part of the Human Remains Repatriation Programme - they met with key Museum staff, and a member of the Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the UK's Working Group on Human Remains.
The delegation included Bob Weatherall, Foundation for Aborginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA), the 'traditional custodian', Major Sumner, the Commissioner of the Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), Rodney Dillon, and Les Malezer, FAIRA's International Desk Coordinator.
For further information contact Bob Weatherall, Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA). Mobile: +61 419 713047. Website
This brief article which reports on the fourth and last expert regional meeting on Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth held in Guyana, June 2003, was written by Helena Whall for the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Newsletter, Volume 10, No. 2, New Delhi, Autumn 2003. For further information on CHRI see this website.
This article was written for 'The Parliamentarian', 2203/Issue Three, the Journal of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). In this paper, Helena Whall argues that across the Commonwealth, Indigenous peoples are often politically, economically and socially disadvantaged as a consequence of colonialism, neglect, indifference and discrimination. Helena Whall stresses the urgent need for Commonwealth leaders to acknowledge and address the issue of Indigenous exclusion at the forthcoming Abuja CHOGM. The article includes a section on 'Indigenous Rights in Melanesia', by Hon. Lady Carol Kidu, MP, Papua New Guinea and 'Indigenous Policy in Australia' by Sen. Aden Ridgeway, Australia. For more information on CPA see the website.
National Aborginal Community-Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Delegation visits the CPSU in London, October 6th, 2003
As part of a European tour, the four member National Aborginal Community-Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Delegation, visited the CPSU in London, on October 6th 2003. NACCHO, the peak Australian health body in Australia, with a membership of 120 Aboriginal community-controlled health services throughout Australia, operating in urban, rural and remote areas, is unique in the Commonwealth. NACCHO represents the health interests of Aboriginal communities at the national level. It promotes holistic and culturally appropriate health to Aboriginal communities. For more details about NACCHO see: www.naccho.org.au.
Click here for a copy of 'The Health of Indigenous Peoples -The Kuching Statement for Action', adopted at the 6th World Rural Health Congress, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2003.
This article was written for 'The Round Table', October 2003. In this paper Helena Whall argues that the Commonwealth needs to come into line with contemporary international thinking on the issue of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and determine an explicit, comprehensive position on Indigenous peoples. The author calls on Commonwealth Heads of Government to rise to this challenge by making a commitment to promote and protect the rights of its Indigenous peoples at the CHOGM in Abuja, Nigeria, December 2003.
In November 2003, a Memorandum titled 'Recognising and Protecting Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth', was prepared and circulated to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Abuja, Nigeria, December 1 - 7th 2003.
The CPSU and CAIP organised the fourth 'Dialogue on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Commonwealth' at the Commonwealth Peoples' Forum, Abuja, Nigeria, December 5th, 2003.
'Indigenous Peoples and the Commonwealth'
This
paper was presented by Helena Whall at the Cumberland Lodge Conference
'Minority Rights and Reconciliation in the Commonwealth', February
11th-13th, 2004. The paper examines the issue of Indigenous self-determination
in the Commonwealth. For more information on Cumberland Lodge see:
http://www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/
'Indigenous Peoples and the Commonwealth: Reflections on the Abuja CHOGM, December 2003'
This
article by Helena Whall was written for the Commonwealth Human Rights
Initiative newsletter, CHRI News, Spring 2004, (New Delhi,
India) and reflects on the Abuja CHOGM and the issue of indigenous
peoples and the Commonwealth. For a copy of CHRI News,
Spring 2004, see: http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/
Summary Report of the Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project
The Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth project concluded on March
14th, 2004, when its three year funding grant from the EC finished.
For further information on CAIP contact Les Malezer, CAIP Coordinator:
les.malezer@faira.org.au
. For further information on CPSU contact Richard Bourne, Head CPSU:
rbourne@sas.ac.uk .
'Indigenous Self-Determination in the Commonwealth of Nations'
This chapter was written by Helena Whall for 'Unfinished Constitutional Business?: Rethinking Indigenous Self-Determination', ed. Barbara Ann Hocking, to be published by Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP), Queensland, Australia, 2004. It examines the role played by Commonwealth member states at the United Nations Working Group on the Draft Declaration. For more information on ASP see: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au
June 2004 - 'Indigenous Peoples and the Abuja CHOGM, 2003 - a lost opportunity'
This article, written by Helena Whall, for the Human Rights Update, issue No.4, June 2004, argues that the Commonwealth Heads of Government lost an opportunity to recognise the rights of Indigenous peoples at the Abuja CHOGM.
'Indigenous Peoples' Rights in the Commonwealth, with a focus on Indigenous Women'
Chapter written
by Helena Whall for the Commonwealth Secretariat publication, Gender
and Human Rights in the Commonwealth.