JOHANNESBURG--One
of the bitterest and longest-lived disputes ever
to plague the UN system-to use or not to use the
letter "s"-has surfaced again in the draft
Political Declaration proposed for the World Summit
for Sustainable Development.
Specifically,
the issue is whether UN documents should refer to
the rights of "indigenous people" (that
is, persons) or "indigenous peoples" (tribal
groups). Advocates for indigenous rights are strongly
in favor of "peoples," but their efforts
have been effectively blocked by several countries,
including a few that like to think of themselves
as liberal but still find "peoples" totally
unacceptable. "Indigenous people" is the
form used in Agenda 21.
The
draft declaration for this summit seems
uncertain
about which form to use.
Paragraph 26 speaks of "promotion
of the interests of indigenous peoples." But
Paragraph 27 recognizes the importance
of "indigenous people and local
communities" for the sustenance
of biological diversity.
Perhaps the drafters were trying to
do the diplomatic thing and split the
difference.
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