13. StatusofIndigenousPeoplesinInternationalLaw. AgnieszkaSzpak

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1 13. StatusofIndigenousPeoplesinInternationalLaw AgnieszkaSzpak Abstract Thearticlebrieflyexaminesthe mostrelevantrepresentativefactorsofthestatus of indigenouspeoplesinlightofinternationallawwithspecialreferencestothesamirights. 1.Introduction Formanyyearsindigenouspeoples,theirneeds,rights,cultureandidentityhavebeen neglectedanddestroyed.thesebiterremarksalsorefertothesamiinthe Arctic.This situationisslowlychanginginpracticewhileonpaperintheinternationalinstrumentsboth of hardlaw and softlaw one mayfindprovisionsensuringrespectfortherightsof indigenouspeoplesuchasinteraliarighttoself-determination,torespectfortheirtraditions andcustoms,culturesandlanguages,toparticipateindecision-makingonmatersthatwould afecttheirrights,landrights,totheimprovementoftheirsocialandeconomicpositionorto maintainanddeveloptheirtraditionalknowledge. Manyofthoserightsareguaranteedinthe non-binding UN Declarationonthe RightsofIndigenous Peoples 152 (hereinafter: UN Declaration)adoptedin2007andlegalybindingILOConvention169onIndigenousand TribalPeoplesinIndependentCountries 153.BelowafewremarkswilbedevotedtotheUN Declaration. WithreferencetotheILOConventionitshouldjustbeaddedthatitaimsto protecttherightsofindigenouspeoples,theirwayoflifeandtheirculture.itsadoptionwasat thattime(in1989)animprovementcomparedtothepreviousconvention107of1957onthe ProtectionandIntegrationofIndigenousand OtherTribalandSemi-TribalPopulationsin Independent Countries 154 whichaimedatasimilationofindigenouspeoples. One may AsistantProfesorinInternationalLawDr. AgnieszkaSzpak(Poland;NicolausCopernicusUniversityin Torun,FacultyofPoliticalScienceandInternationalRelations,DepartmentofInternationalandEuropeanLaw), 152 UN Declaration onthe Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN GA res. 61/295)is available at htp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/ TheILO Convention169onIndigenousandTribal PeoplesinIndependent Countriesisavailableat htp:/ 154 TheILOConvention107ontheProtectionandIntegrationofIndigenousandOtherTribalandSemi-Tribal PopulationsinIndependentCountriesisavailable athtp:/ 108

2 concludethattherearelegalprovisionsprotectingtheindigenouspeoples,butunfortunately lawinbooksdoesnotalwaystransformintolawinaction. 2.IndigenousPeoplesandtherighttoself-determination In1994theUNGeneralAsemblydeclaredyears theInternationalDecade ofthe World sindigenouspeoples 155.Theseconddecade( )wasthecontinuation ofthefirstone 156.ThefirstdecadewassupposedtobecrownedbytheisuanceoftheUN declarationonindigenouspeoplesbutthishappenedinthemiddleoftheseconddecadewhen in2007theundeclarationontherightsofindigenouspeopleswasadopted. UNDeclarationisthe mostimportant,howevernon-binding,instrumentontherights ofindigenouspeoples.itafirmsthatindigenouspeoplescontributetothediversityand richnesofcivilizationsandcultures,whichconstitutethecommonheritageofhumankind 157. AccordingtotheDeclaration,indigenouspeopleshaveacolectionofrights:individualones thatpersonshaveasmembersofthegroupandcolectiveonesthatinhereinthegroupasa whole(suchaslandrights)(art.1oftheundeclaration).art.3referstotherightofselfdeterminationofindigenouspeoples which meanstheabilitytofreelydeterminetheir politicalstatusandfreelypursuetheireconomic,socialandculturaldevelopment.selfdeterminationisconnectedtotherighttoautonomyorself-governanceinmatersrelatingto internalandlocalafairsofindigenouspeoples(art.4oftheundeclaration).thisformula indicatesthatself-determinationshouldbeexercisedfirstofalintheformofautonomy.to makethingsevenclearertheundeclarationcontainsaclausestatingthat Nothinginthis DeclarationmaybeinterpretedasimplyingforanyState,people,grouporpersonanyright toengageinanyactivityortoperformanyactcontrarytothecharteroftheunitednations orconstruedasauthorizingorencouraginganyactionwhichwoulddismemberorimpair, totalyorinpart,theteritorialintegrityorpoliticalunityofsovereignandindependent States(Art.46). ManyStatesfearthataccordingtotheindigenouspeoples,therighttoselfdetermination mayleadtosecesion.thosefearsarehoweverunjustifiedasindigenous peoplesdonot wanttocreateaseparatestatebutbeableto makefreeandindependent 155 UNGAres.48/163of21December1993isavailableathtp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/ UNGAres.59/174of20December2004isavailableathtp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/ UNDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples,preamble. 109

3 decisionsintheirown maters 158. Consequently,indigenouspeopleshavetherightto maintain andstrengthentheir distinct political,legal,economic,social andcultural institutions,whileretainingtheirrighttoparticipatefuly,iftheysochoose,inthepolitical, economic,socialandculturallifeofthestate(art.5oftheundeclaration).butaserica- Irene Daes,theformerChairpersonofthe UN WorkingGrouponIndigenousPopulations stated,thereisnodistinctionbetweenindigenousandotherpeoples,savetheindigenous peoplehavenotbeenabletoexercisetherighttoself-determination IndigenousPeoplesandthelandrights TheUNDeclarationtakesintoaccountthespecialrelationshipofindigenouspeoplesto theirlands.itshouldberecaledthat whentheincomersarivedindigenouslands were regardedteranulius.thisdoctrinehasbeenrightlyrejectedbytheinternationalcourtof usticeinthe WesternSaharacaseof Thoselandswereobviouslynotteranulius andasn.oskalrightlyclaims,saamicustomaryrightstotheusageoflandandwater,like anyotherusageright,areestablishedandbasedonage-olduse,anddonotrestonthelaw alone 161.Inaccordance with Art.25,Indigenouspeopleshavetherightto maintainand strengthentheirdistinctivespiritualrelationshipwiththeirtraditionalyownedorotherwise occupiedandusedlands,teritories,watersandcoastalseasandotherresourcesandto upholdtheirresponsibilitiestofuturegenerationsinthisregard.therelationshipbetween 158 L.-A. Baer,The RightsofIndigenous Peoples A BriefIntroductioninthe ContextoftheS mi, International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2005,no.12,p.257;O.Ch.Okafor,Entitlement,Proces, andlegitimacyintheemergentinternationallawofsecesion, International ournalon MinorityandGroup Rights 2002,no.9,p L.-A.Baer,op.cit.,p TheICstatedthatatthetimeofcolonizationbySpain WesternSaharawasnotteranulius(para.75).In para.80oftheadvisoryopiniontheic stated:whateverdiferencesofopiniontheremayhavebeenamong jurists,thestatepracticeoftherelevantperiodindicatesthatteritoriesinhabitedbytribesorpeopleshavinga socialandpoliticalorganizationwerenotregardedasteraenulius.itshowsthatinthecaseofsuchteritories theacquisitionofsovereigntywasnotgeneralyconsideredasefectedunilateralythrough occupation of teranuliusbyoriginaltitlebutthroughagreementsconcludedwithlocalrulers.onoccasion,itistrue,the word occupation wasusedinanon-technicalsensedenotingsimplyacquisitionofsovereignty;butthatdid notsignifythattheacquisitionofsovereigntythroughsuchagreementswithauthoritiesofthecountrywas regardedasan occupation ofa teranuliusinthepropersenseoftheseterms. Onthecontrary,such agreementswithlocalrulers,whetherornotconsideredasanactual cesion oftheteritory,wereregarded asderivativerootsoftitle,andnotoriginaltitlesobtainedbyoccupationofteraenulius. The WesternSahara advisoryopinionisavailableat htp:/ p2=4 k=69 case=61 code=sa p3=4 161 N. Oskal,PoliticalInclusionoftheSaamiasIndigenousPeoplein Norway, International ournalon Minorityand GroupRights 2001,no.8,p.261.Seealso: A.Eide, LegalandNormativeBasesforSaami ClaimstoLandintheNordic,International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2001,no.8,p.137.Onthe socialstructureofthesamisee: M. Ahrn,Indigenous Peoples Culture, Customs, AndTraditions And CustomaryLaw-TheSaamiPeople sperspective, Arizona ournalofinternational ComparativeLaw 2004, vol.21,no.1,p

4 thesamiandnatureisregardedinaholisticandintegratedway.landsareimportantasthe Samihaveusedthemwiththeirforestsandlakesforhunting,reindeerhusbandry,fishingand extractingraw materials 162. Art.27oftheInternational Covenanton CivilandPolitical Rights(1966), whichisabindinginternationaltreaty,statesthatinthosestatesinwhich ethnic,religiousorlinguisticminoritiesexist,personsbelongingtosuchminoritiesshalnot bedeniedtheright,incommunitywiththeothermembersoftheirgroup,toenjoytheirown culture,toprofesandpractisetheirownreligion,ortousetheirownlanguage 163. uman RightsCommiteehaspointedoutthattherighttoculturefromArt.27includesarightto traditionallandsandteritories 164.InitsGeneralcommentno.23theCommiteestatedthat Withregardtotheexerciseoftheculturalrightsprotectedunderarticle27,theCommitee observesthatculture manifestsitselfin manyforms,includingaparticular wayoflife asociatedwiththeuseoflandresources,specialyinthecaseofindigenouspeoples.that right mayincludesuchtraditionalactivitiesasfishingorhuntingandtherighttolivein reservesprotectedbylaw 165. ManytimestheUNDeclarationemphasisesthenecesityoffree,priorandinformed consentoftheindigenouspeoplesforactionsorenterprisesthat mightafecttheirrights (Arts.10,11(2),19,26(2),28(1),29(2),32(2).FortheSami,wholiveinfourdiferent States(Sweden,Norway,FinlandandRusia 166 ),itisimportanttobeableto maintainand developrelationsandcooperationinspiritual,political,cultural,socialandeconomicspheres withothersamiandotherpeoplesacrosborders.sucharightisgrantedinart.36oftheun Declaration. 4.Conclusions For many yearsindigenous peoples have been marginalizedin national and internationalpolitics.sinceabout1980,however,internationalcommunitybecameinterested inindigenouspeoplesandstartedtorecognizetheirrightsandneedsandregulatetheirstatus 162 L.-A.Baer,op.cit.,p InternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightsisavailableat: htp:/ 164 See: Bernard Ominayak, Chief of the Lubicon Lake Band v. Canada (1984) available at htp:/www1.umn.edu/humanrts/undocs/sesion45/ htm, itok v. Sweden (1985) available at htp:/www1.umn.edu/humanrts/undocs/ html, Lnsman et al v. Finland (2001) available at htp:/ RBodies/CCPR/Pages/CCPRIndex.aspx 165 General comment 23, para. 7, available at htp:/tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/ TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en TreatyID=8 DocTypeID=11Seealso:.P.Graver,G.Ulfstein,The SamiPeople srighttolandinnorway,international ournalon MinorityandGroupRights,2004,no.11,p Formoredetailssee:L.-A.Baer,op.cit.,p

5 ininternationallaw.despitealtheefortsandinternationalinstrumentsthatwereadopted, thelegal,social,economicandculturalsituationofindigenouspeoples,thesamiincluding,is farfromperfect.theirspecialneedssuchasspecificandalmostsacredrelationshipwiththeir landsandtheirrighttomaintainanddeveloptheirculture,customs,languageandeducation must berespected.internationalcommunityshouldappreciateandrespecttraditional knowledgeandcustomsofindigenouspeoplesasthelaterdefinitelyisapartofthecultural heritageofmankind.indigenouspeopleshouldberecognizedassubjectofinternationallaw withrightstoself-determination,self-governanceandself-identification 167. Bibliography Literature Ahrn, Matias,IndigenousPeoples Culture,Customs,AndTraditionsAndCustomaryLaw- TheSaamiPeople sperspective, Arizona ournalofinternational ComparativeLaw 2004,vol.21,no.1. Baer,Lars-Anders,TheRightsofIndigenousPeoples ABriefIntroductionintheContextof thes mi,international ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2005,no.12. Barsh, Rusel Lawrance, Indigenous Peoplesinthe1990s: From ObjecttoSubjectof InternationalLaw?, arvard umanrightsjournal 1994,vol.7. Eide, Asbjrn, Legaland Normative BasesforSaami Claimsto Landinthe Nordic, International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2001,no.8. Graver, ans Peter, Ulfstein, Geir, The Sami People s Rightto Landin Norway, International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights,2004,no.11. Okafor,ObioraChinedu,Entitlement,Proces,andLegitimacyintheEmergentInternational LawofSecesion,International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2002,no R.L.Barsh,IndigenousPeoplesinthe1990s:From ObjecttoSubjectofInternationalLaw?, arvard umanrightsjournal 1994,vol.7,p

6 Oskal,Nils,PoliticalInclusionoftheSaamiasIndigenousPeopleinNorway,International ournalon MinorityandGroupRights 2001,no.8. Legalacts ILOConvention107ontheProtectionandIntegrationofIndigenousandOtherTribaland Semi-Tribal Populations in Independent Countries, htp:/ ENT_ID: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: htp:/ ILO Convention 169onIndigenous and Tribal PeoplesinIndependent Countries, htp:/ C169 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN GA res. 61/295), htp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/61 UNGAres.48/163of21December1993,htp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/48 UNGAres.59/174of20December2004,htp:/research.un.org/en/docs/ga/quick/regular/59. Othersources Bernard Ominayak, Chief of the Lubicon Lake Band v. Canada (1984), htp:/www1.umn.edu/humanrts/undocs/sesion45/ htm General comment 23 of the uman Rights Commitee, htp:/tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/ TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en TreatyID=8 DocTypeID=11 itokv.sweden(1985),htp:/www1.umn.edu/humanrts/undocs/ html 113

7 Lnsman et al v. Finland (2001), htp:/ RBodies/CCPR/Pages/CCPRIndex.aspx International Courtof ustice, Western Saharaadvisoryopinionof16 October1975, htp:/ p2=4 k=69 case=61 code=sa p3=4. 114