The United States and the United Kingdom are holding back the United Nations draft declaration on indigenous rights, Native leaders say.

Indigenous representatives from the U.S., Canada and Mexico staged a protest in Geneva this month to call attention to the issue. They say they are being ignored by their governments.

The draft declaration was developed 10 years ago. But the U.S. and UK, which still has treaties in force with First Nations in Canada, have objected to language that recognizes the self-determination rights of indigenous people as a group. There are also disagreements among indigenous leaders about the wording used in the document.

Get the Story:
A tribal quest (The Guardian 12/15)
Indigenous hunger strike at United Nations (Indian Country Today 12/3)
Delays in declaration draft (Indian Country Today 12/6)

Relevant Links:
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues - http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/pfii

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