Samoa’s UN move congratulated Monday October 26, 2009

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(BASED ON PRESS RELEASE)— The independent nation of Samoa has been congratulated for supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP.

The congratulation comes from a group called the Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Region.

“Although belated, Samoa’s affirmation of the Declaration adds to international support for Indigenous Peoples, global diversity of cultures and beliefs and humankind’s close relationship with mother Earth,” the group said in a statement.

“We thank Samoa for taking a leading role in the Pacific region to recognize and respect the Indigenous populations, and setting an example for other Island nations in the region to express their support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“As the world struggles with economic crises and climate change threatens the lives and livelihoods of many Indigenous Peoples, it is important that leaders of the Pacific affirm the values of the populations throughout the region and fight for protection of the values that keep our people and our territories closely united.

“We ask the nation of Samoa to consider ways to confirm the rights of its Indigenous Peoples in its constitution and laws. Again we thank Samoa for its positive step to affirm important human rights in the Pacific region.”

Fiu Mataese Elisara, head of Ole Siosiomaga Society, said the declaration was an important one for Samoa to support.

“I am extremely pleased with this outcome and wish to commend the Samoan government for changing its abstention position on the UNDRIP on September 13, 2007 and now supporting it,” he said.

“This move now recognizes the fundamental rights of some 97 per cent of Samoans as indigenous peoples as detailed out in the articles of the UNDRIP.

I wish to especially thank Ambassador Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia for the immense work that he did in New York and in helping our Prime Minister and government of Samoa facilitate its support of this very important declaration,” he added.

(Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Community Press Release)
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Comments to this story (1)
Anonymous  wrote:
27 Oct 2009 05:23 PM
lol...PM is wolf in a sheep's clothing. If only the UN knows what PM's intentions with the Independent Samoa Constitution!!!! One thing I know some bills Stui has put on the table right now is far from the "confirm the rights of the indigenous people..." It's more like amending the laws of the constitution to solidify and stablizing the dictatorship of Stui and the HRPP.