Rudolph Ryser: Bringing political equality to indigenous nations

With the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) looming on the horizon when representatives of UN Member states meet at the United Nations on 22 September it is worth considering next steps. After months of discussions and negotiations involving representatives of indigenous nations and UN Member states (UNMS) a Draft WCIP Outcome Statement (UNDOS) has been completed and is being sent for consideration by the conference.

The UNDOS released on 15 September declares in Paragraph 3 that states governments affirm their commitment to the principle requiring that states may not make legislative, administrative or policy decisions without the “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC) of indigenous nations expressed through their representative institutions. If this principle remains in-tack Fourth World nations and UN Member states will have the basis for opening dialogue and negotiations in the months and years to come—formalizing their political equality. Yes, it is true there is much to be desired for better language in the UNDOS from the perspective of Fourth World nations, but let’s again note that this is the statement of UN Member states and not a “joint statement” of nations and states. I suggest that a new International Protocol agreed to by Nations and states. Still some states may opt out of important parts of the statement by issuing “reservations” changing Fourth World diplomatic calculations.

Fourth World nations must readily recognize that if the UNOS remains significantly unaltered by states’ representatives sitting in the UN General Assembly hall, nations will have secured major concessions from the states’ governments. Even small steps toward full political equality constitute important achievements. This is the nature of Fourth World Geopolitics that must be practiced by all nations and states.