"Recently the government of the United States fulfilled a duty as a member of the United Nations to issue a report of the human rights situation in this country, as part of the Universal Periodic Review. The report will be reviewed by other member states of the U.N.

Under previous administrations, it was the practice of the State Department to issue reports on other countries, but not to look at its own domestic record. However, this president has expressed his commitment to “human rights at home,” and has declared that, even aside from the UPR, a U.S. report on the U.S. will appear among the reports issued by the State Department. We welcome this change.

We also welcome the State Department’s announced review of the United States position regarding endorsement of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. However we are writing now to express serious concerns regarding recent language used by representatives of the State Department.

“ … Deeply concerned that the majority of indigenous peoples in the world live in conditions of poverty, and recognizing the critical need to address the negative impact of poverty and inequity on indigenous peoples by ensuring their full and effective inclusion in development and poverty eradication programmes. …”

The United States voted against this resolution."

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Suzanne Jasper: US position on collective rights needs clarification (Indian Country Today 9/27)