"Indian Country Today Media Network spoke with Anaya about his recent tour and the importance of advancing UNDRIP—the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples—in the United States.

How was the tour?

Fabulous. It was a great opportunity… to hear directly from Indigenous Peoples from many parts of the country and see some places I had only heard of before and to learn about the aspirations of Indigenous Peoples, especially in light of the history of misdeeds and wrongdoing and worse that they and their ancestors have lived through. And also it was good to see the on-going vibrancy of indigenous cultures despite that history, and with that sense of loss is an ongoing sense of hope. I found there’s a high level of awareness on the part of Indigenous Peoples about their rights, [and] about what they feel needs to happen.

You issued a statement saying you were “elated” when President Obama announced he was “lending its support” to the Declaration. How do you interpret his choice of words?

I think the important point is that the U.S. made a decided turn away from its previous position of being opposed to the Declaration… The U.S. statement of support as articulated by the President… did include a number of what might be characterized as qualifications, explanations, but I think it’s important to understand that every country that voted in favor of the Declaration at the General Assembly had similar qualifications… and now the U.S. has endorsed the document itself…. I take that at face value and I’m going to hold the countries, including the United States, to the Declaration."

Get the Story:
James Anaya: A Sit Down With the UN’s Man in Indian Country (Indian Country Today 5/9)

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