"A nearly three-decade effort to secure rights for world indigenous peoples was thwarted Tuesday during a �remarkable and bizarre development,� after the United Nations General Assembly voted to delay passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

�We are very disappointed that the declaration will not be immediately adopted,� said Robert �Tim� Coulter, executive director of the Indian Law Resource Center in Helena. �But we understand that there are concerns because this is a very serious declaration of rights.�

Grand Chief Ed John of Canada's Assembly of First Nations was in New York Tuesday when the U.N. assembly voted.

�Today is a very sad day for the United Nations and a very serious setback for the integrity of the newly formed Human Rights Council, who urged the General Assembly to formally adopt this historic document,� John said in a written statement. �It now appears that the most likely outcome will be that the United Nations never formally adopts the declaration. This is a remarkable and bizarre development.�

Coulter, an original author of the declaration, and others still believe the document will win approval.

The U.N.'s Human Rights Council accepted the draft declaration in June and urged the General Assembly to adopt it, a move expected to occur during the first two weeks in December.

Even though the majority of the 191 U.N. states supported the declaration, countries with significant indigenous populations, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Russia, have opposed it."

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: U.N. indigenous peoples declaration delayed (The Missoulian 12/1)

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

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