I.
INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND PRECEDENTS
1.
Draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(UN 1994)
Article 3: "Indigenous
peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they
freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic,
social and cultural development."
Article 4: "Indigenous
peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political,
economic, social and cultural characteristics, as well as their legal
systems, while retaining their rights to participate fully, if they so
choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the
State."
Article 19: "Indigenous
peoples have the right to participate fully, if they so choose, at all
levels of decision-making in matters which may affect their rights, lives
and destinies through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance
with their own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop their own
indigenous decision-making institutions."
Article 20: "Indigenous
peoples have the right to participate fully, if they so choose, through
procedures determined by them, in devising legislative or administrative
measures that may affect them. States shall obtain the free and informed
consent of the peoples concerned before adopting and implementing such
measures."
Article 31: "Indigenous
peoples, as a specific form of exercising their right to self-determination,
have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their
internal and local affairs, including culture, religion, education,
information, media, health, housing, employment, social welfare, economic
activities, land and resources management, environment and entry by
non-members, as well as ways and means for financing these autonomous
functions."
2. American Convention on Human Rights (OAS 1969)
Article
23(1): “Every citizen shall enjoy the following rights and opportunities:
(a) to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through
freely chosen representatives; (b) to vote and to be elected in genuine
periodic elections...(c) to have access, under general conditions of
equality, to the public service of his country.”
3. Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action
of the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, Denmark, March 6-12,
1995)
B. Principles and goals
-Para. 26(m): "Recognize and
support indigenous people in their pursuit of economic and social
development, with full respect for their identity, traditions, forms of
social organization and cultural values;"
C.
Commitments
Commitment 4(f): "Recognize
and respect the right of indigenous people to maintain and develop their
identity, culture and interests, support their aspirations for social
justice and provide an environment that enables them to participate in the
social, economic and political life of their country;"
Annex II:
“Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development
Content.
Chapter
II. Eradication of Poverty.
-Para. C(35): "Governments,
in partnership with all other development actors, in particular with people
living in poverty and their organizations, should cooperate to meet the
basic human needs of all, including people living in poverty and vulnerable
groups, by:...(e) Taking particular actions to enhance the productive
capacities of indigenous people, ensuring their full and equal access to
social services and their participation in the elaboration and
implementation of policies that affect their development, with full respect
for their cultures, languages, traditions and forms of social organizations,
as well as their own initiatives;"
Chapter
IV. Social Integration
-Para.
D(75): "Governmental responses to special needs of social groups should
include. (g) Promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous people, and
empowering them to make choices that enable them to retain their cultural
identity while participating in national, economic and social life, with
full respect for their cultural values, languages, traditions and forms of
social organization;"
4.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Report on the Situation of
Human Rights in Ecuador (1997)
“...the State take the measures
necessary to ensure the meaningful and effective participation of indigenous
representatives in the decision-making processes about development and other
issues which affect them and their cultural survival. "Meaningful"
in this sense necessarily implies that indigenous representatives have full
access to the information which will facilitate their participation.”
II.
DOMESTIC AUTHORITIES AND PRECEDENTS
5. Argentina
Ley Integral del Aborigen (Ley 426)
Artículo
2: "El respeto a los modos de organización tradicional no obstará a
que en forma voluntaria y ejerciendo su derecho a la autodeterminación, las
comunidades aborígenes adopten las formas de organización establecidas por
las leyes vigentes”.
Artículo 4: "Las comunidades aborígenes podrán
aplicar para regular su convivencia, sus normas consuetudinarias en todo
aquello que no sea incompatible con los principios del orden público”.
6. Brazil
Statuto do Indios (Ley No. 6.001 19-XII-1973)
Artículo
57: "La aplicación de
sanciones penales o disciplinarias por parte del grupo indígena a sus
miembros de acuerdo a sus propias instituciones deberá ser respetado,
mientras las sanciones no sean crueles o degradantes. La pena de muerte sea
prohibida en cualquier circunstancia”.
7. Canada
- Charlottetown Constitutional Agreement
"Constitutional
commitment by the federal and provincial governments and the Indian, Inuit
and Metis peoples in the various regions and communities of Canada to
negotiate in good faith with the objective of concluding agreements
elaborating the relationship between Aboriginal governments and the other
orders of governments. The
negotiations would focus on the implementation of the rights of self
government, including issues of jurisdiction, lands and resources, and
economic and fiscal arrangements. Self-
government negotiations should take into consideration different
circumstances of the various aboriginal people.”
"The exercise of the rights
of self-government includes the authority of the duly constituted
legislative bodies of Aboriginal peoples, each within its own jurisdiction:
a) to safeguard and
develop their languages, cultures, economic identities, institutions and
traditions; and
b) to develop, maintain
and strengthen their relationship with their lands, waters and
environment."
"A law passed by a
government of Aboriginal peoples, or an assertion of its authority based on
the inherent right provision
may not be inconsistent with those laws which are essential to the
preservation of peace, order and good government of Canada.”
-
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples,
Vol 12 Recommendations 1,
“The right of
self-determination is vested in all the Aboriginal peoples of Canada,
including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The right finds its
foundation in emerging norms of international law and basic principles of
public morality. By virtue of this right, Aboriginal peoples are entitled to
negotiate freely the terms of their with Canada and to establish
governmental structures that they consider appropriate for their needs.”
2.3.2
“All governments in Canada
recognize that Aboriginal peoples are nations vested with the right of
self-determination.”
“In addition, Aboriginal
peoples possess the inherent right of self-government within Canada as a
matter of Canadian constitutional law. This right is inherent in the sense
that it finds its ultimate origins in the collective lives and traditions of
Aboriginal peoples themselves rather than the Crown or Parliament.
More specifically, it stems from the original status of Aboriginal
peoples as independent and sovereign nations in the territories they
occupied, as this status was recognized and given effect in the numerous
treaties, alliances and other relations maintained with the incoming French
and British Crowns.”
Article
8
“The inherent right of
Aboriginal self-government is recognized and affirmed in section 35(1) of
the Constitution Act, 1982 as an Aboriginal and treaty-protected right.
The inherent right is thus entrenched in the Canadian constitution,
providing a basis for Aboriginal governments to function as one of three
distinct orders of government in Canada.”
Article 9
“The constitutional right of
self-government does not supersede the right of self-determination or take
precedence over it. Rather, it is available to Aboriginal peoples who wish
to take advantage of it, in addition to their right of self-determination,
treaty rights and any other rights that they enjoy now or negotiate in the
future. In other words, the constitutional right of self-government is one
of a range of voluntary options available to Aboriginal Peoples.”
-
Nunavut Agreement,
Article
2 General Provisions, 2.12.2
“Where there is any
inconsistency or conflict between any federal, territorial and local
government laws, and the Agreement, the Agreement shall prevail to the
extent of the inconsistency or conflict.”
- Nisga’a Agreement
“The
Nisga'a Nation has the right to self-government, and the authority to make
laws, as set out in this Agreement.”
8. Colombia
Constitución Política de Colombia
Artículo
171: "El Senado de la República estará integrado por cien miembros
elegidos en circunscripción nacional.
Habrá un número adicional de dos senadores elegidos
en circunscripción nacional especial por comunidades indígenas.
Los ciudadanos colombianos que se encuentren o
residan en el exterior podrán sufragar en las elecciones para Senado de la
República. La circunscripción
especial para la elección de senadores por las comunidades indígenas se
regirá por el sistema de cuociente electoral.
Los representantes de las comunidades indígenas que
aspiren a integrar el Senado de la República, deberán haber ejercido un
cargo de autoridad tradicional en su respectiva comunidad o haber sido líder
de una organización indígena, calidad que se acreditará mediante
certificado de la respectiva organización, refrendado por el ministro de
gobierno."
Artículo 176: "La Cámara de Representantes se
elegirá en circunscripciones territoriales y circunscripciones especiales.
Habrá dos representantes por cada circunscripción territorial y uno
más por cada doscientos cincuenta mil habitantes o fracción mayor de
ciento veinticinco mil que tengan en exceso sobre los primeros doscientos
cincuenta mil.
Para la elección de representantes a la Cámara,
cada departamento y el Distrito Capital de Bogotá conformarán una
circunscripción territorial. La
ley podrá establecer una circunscripción especial para asegurar la
participación en la Cámara de Representantes de los grupos étnicos y de
las minorías políticas y de los colombianos residentes en el exterior.
Mediante esta circunscripción se podrá elegir hasta cinco
representantes”.
Artículo 285: "Son entidades territoriales los
departamentos, los distritos, los municipios y los territorios indígenas”.
Artículo 287: "Las entidades territoriales
gozan de autonomía para la gestión de sus intereses, y dentro los límites
de la Constitución y de la ley. En
tal virtud tendrán los siguientes derechos: 1. Gobernarse por autoridades
propias. 2. Ejercer las
competencias que les correspondan. 3.
Administrar sus recursos y establecer los tributos necesarios para el
cumplimiento de sus funciones”.
Artículo 329: "La conformación de las
entidades territoriales indígena se hará con sujeción a lo dispuesto un
la Ley Orgánica de Ordenamiento Territorial, y su delimitación se hará
por el Gobierno Nacional, con participación de los representantes de las
comunidades indígenas, previo concepto de la Comisión de Ordenamiento
Territorial. Los resguardos son
de propiedad colectiva y no enajenable".
Artículo 330: "De conformidad con las leyes,
los territorios indígenas estarán gobernados por consejos conformados y
reglamentados según los usos y costumbres de sus comunidades y ejerecerán
las siguientes funciones:
1.
Velar por la aplicación de las normas legales sobre usos del suelo y
poblamiento de sus territorios;
2.
Diseñar las políticas y los planes y programas de desarrollo económico
y social dentro de su territorio, en armonía con el Plan Nacional de
Desarrollo.
3.
Proveer las inversiones públicas en sus territorios y velar por su
debida ejecución.
4.
Percibir y distribuir recursos naturales.
5.
Velear por los recursos naturales.
6.
Coordinar los programas y proyectos promovidos por las diferentes
comunidades en su territorio.
7.
Colaborar con el mantenimiento del orden público dentro de su
territorio de acuerdo con las instrucciones y disposiciones del Gobierno
Nacional
8.
Representar a los territorios ante el Gobierno Nacional y las demás
entidades a las cuales se integren; y
9.
Las que les señales la Constitución y la ley”.
- Ley 31 de 1967
Artículo 7: “En los juicios penales a miembros de
comunidades indígenas se deben tomar en consideración las costumbres y
normas de estos grupos en materia penal”.
9. Costa Rica
Ley No. 6.172
Artículo 2: "Las comunidades indígenas tienen
plena capacidad jurídica para adquirir derechos y contraer obligaciones de
toda clase. No son entidades
estatales.
Artículo 4: "Las reservas serán regidas por
los indígenas en sus estructuras comunitarias tradicionales o de las leyes
de la República que los rijan, bajo la coordinación y asesoría de
CONAI”.
10. Ecuador
Anteproyecto Ley de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (1988)
Artículo
36: "En las nacionalidades o en los diversos pueblos de la nacionalidad
quichua podrá establecerse una Gobernación Indígena, sí así lo demandan
la mayoría de las comunas o centros indígenas que la componen”.
Artículo 37: "Los Gobernadores serán
designados, en ejércicio de la autodeterminación, de acuerdo al
procedimiento adoptado en cada caso específico, por los propios pueblos indígenas,
observando sus costumbres y tradicional forma comunitaria en la toma de
decisiones. EI Estado garantizará el proceso de designación y respetará
el resultado. Una reglamentación formulada por la nacionalidad respectiva,
ratificada por la Función Ejecutiva mediante Acuerdo Ministerial, regulará
el procedimiento de designación, los períodos y atribuciones de los
Gobernadores”.
11. United
States
- Indian Self
Determination and Education Assistance Act, 25, USC §450a(a)
Declaring
it to be the policy of the United States to assure "maximum Indian
participation in the direction of educational as well as other federal
services to Indian communities so as to render such services more responsive
to the needs of those communities."
- Memorandum for the heads of
Executive Departments and Agencies on the Subject of
Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal Governments,
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, William J. Clinton,
1994, Book 1 at 800-803:
”The Department [of Justice] is
committed to strengthening and assisting Indian tribal governments in their
development and to promoting Indian self-governance. In every relationship between our people, our first principle
must be to respect your right to remain who you are and to live the way you
wish to live. And I believe the
best way to do that is to acknowledge the unique government-to government
relationship we have enjoyed over time.
Today I reaffirm our commitment to self-determination for tribal
governments.”
-
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. (5 Pet. 1,2,16 (1831)
declaring that Cherokee Nation is
a "distinct political society, separated from others, capable of
managing its own affairs and governing itself”);
-
United States v. Kagama, 118 U.S. 375 (1886)
finding inherent tribal
sovereignty includes the power to “regulat[e]
their internal and social relations”;
- Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martínez, 436 U.S.
49, 54-55 (1978)
finding inherent tribal
sovereignty includes the power to prescribe laws for their community and
enforce these laws against their members;
- United States v.
Wheeler, 435 U.S. 313, 323-24 (1978)
holding that right to create
tribal law and hold tribal members accountable to it is inherent to all
sovereign tribal communities.
Presidential Memo of January 18, 2001. “Guidance for U.S.
to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, the Commission’s Working Group on
the UN Draft Declaration on Indigenous Rights and to the OAS Working Group
on the similar OAS Draft Declaration, and the Preparatory Meetings on the UN
World Conference Against Racism…” U.S.
Secretary of State, Washington D.C.
The Us Delegation should support
use of the term “internal self-determination” in both the UN and OAS
declarations on Indigenous Right, defined as follows:
“Indigenous peoples have a
right of internal self-determination by virtue of that right, they may
negotiate their political statue within the framework of the existing
nation-state and are free to puersue their economic, social, and cultural
development. Indigenous People,
in exercising their right of internal self-determination have the internal
right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their local
affairs, including determination of membership, culture, language, religion,
education, information, media, helath, housing, employment, social welfare,
maintenance of community safety, family relations, economic activities,
lands and resources management, environment and entry by non-members, as
well as ways and means for financing these autonomous functions.”
This language combines aspects fo
articles 3 and 31 of the current draft of the UN declaration.
Because the term “internal
self-determination” is carefully defined in the text, it is not necessary
to include language in the text stating what the term does not mean.
Instead, the US delegation to both the UN and OAS working groups on
the indigenous declarations will read a prefared statement that expresses
the US understanding of the term “internal se;f-determination” and
indicates that it does not include a right of independence or permanent
sovereignty over natural resources.
This statement enable the US to
state its undertanding of the article on internal self-determination.
The statement is intended to be read by the delegation, and is not
for inclusion in the declaration or any related document.
The text of the statement is a follow:
Under United States domestic law,
the US recognizes indian tribes as political entities with inherent powers
of self-government. In this
domestic context, self-determination means promoting tribal self-government
and autonomy over a broad range of internal and local affairs similar to
those rights articulated in article 31 of the current draft of the United
Nations (article 31 of the current draft of the United Nations (article 15
of the Organization of American States) draft declaration on indigenous
rights. While the US domestic
concept of self-determination is similar to the rights articulated in the
draft declaration. It is not
necessarily synonymous with more general understandings of
self-determination under international law.
Generally, under international
law, self-determination means the full enjoyment and free exercise of civil
and political rights in a representative, democratic government.
More espicifically, however the United States has historically
understood this term, as enunciated in the United Nations charter and common
articles 1(1) of the covenants, to mean the right of all “peoples” to
choose their political status, including the right to choose independence,
among other possibilities; and to exercise permanent sovereignty over
natural resources.
In an effort to harmonize US
domestic and foreign policy on the right of self-determination for
indigenous groups, we have considered the views of our indigenous
representatives, other governments, and scholars, including the views that
1) self-determination is an evolving concept, 2) self-determination includes
both and external and internal aspect and that the latter would apply to
groups within existing states, 3) self-determination is limited by the
principle of territorial integrity and therefore must be exercised within
the existing state, 4) self-determination as articulated in the draft
declaration is specifically limited by article 45 (article 26) protecting
the territorial integrity of existing nation states.
Although self-determination may
be and evolving concept under international law and although the draft
declaration may contain limitations on the exercise of self-determination to
protect the territorial integrity of the existing state, it is the position
of the United States that the draft declaration should be more explicit with
regard to the civil and political rights enjoyed by indigenous peoples,
thus, the united States would be able to endores the concept of
self-determination in the declartation if the declaration itself
specifically characterized the right as one of “internal
self-determination”. The term
“internal self-determination” would include those rights articulated in
article 31 (article 15) and thus be consistent with US domestic law but
would not include the rights of independence or permanent sovereignty over
natural resources with the understanding that this declartation sets forth
the civil and political rights enjoyed by indigenous groups, the US can also
support the use of the term “indigenous peoples” in this declaration.
12. Guatemala
- Agreement on Identity
and Rights of Indigenous Peoples. (1995)
Article IV:”A.Constitutional
framework
The Government of Guatemala
undertakes to promote a reform of the Constitution in order to define and
characterize the Guatemalan nation as being of national unity, multi-ethnic,
multicultural and multilingual.
B. Local indigenous communities
and authorities
1. Recognition is
accorded to the importance the Maya and other indigenous communities have
had and continue to have in the political, economic, social, cultural and
spiritual spheres. Their cohesion and dynamism have enabled the Maya,
Garifuna and Xinca peoples to preserve and develop their culture and way of
life, despite the discrimination to which they have been subjected.
2. Bearing in mind the
constitutional commitment of the State to recognize, respect and promote
these forms of organization which are peculiar to the indigenous
communities, recognition is accorded to the role of the community
authorities that were constituted in accordance with the customary norms of
the communities, in the management of their affairs.
3.
Recognizing the role of the communities, within the framework of
municipal autonomy, in exercising the right of indigenous peoples to
determine their own development priorities, particularly in the fields of
education, health, culture and the infrastructure, the Government undertakes
to strengthen the capacity of such communities in this area.
4. To this end, and in
order to promote the participation of the indigenous communities in the
decision-making process in all matters which affect them the Government
shall promote a reform of the Municipal Code.
5. That reform shall be
promoted in accordance with the conclusions adopted by the commission on
reform and participation, established in section D, paragraph 4, of this
part in the following areas, within the framework of municipal autonomy and
the legal provisions granting indigenous communities the right to manage
their internal affairs in accordance with their customary norms, as
mentioned in section E, paragraph 3, of this part:
(a) Definition of the status and
legal capacity of indigenous communities and their authorities constituted
in accordance with traditional norms;
(b) Definition of the modalities
concerning respect for customary law and all matters related to the habitat
in the discharge of municipal functions, taking into consideration, where
necessary, the situation of linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity of the
municipalities;
(c) Definition of the modalities
for promoting the equitable distribution of government expenditure,
including the percentage of the State's general budget of regular revenue
which is transferred annually to the municipalities, among the communities,
indigenous or non-indigenous, that make up the municipality, strengthening
the capacity of those communities to manage resources and to be the
instruments of their own development; and
(d) Definition of the modalities
for communities to join together in the defence of their rights and
interests and the conclusion of agreements for the design and implementation
of communal and regional development projects.
C. Regionalization
Taking account of the
advisability of having a regional administration based on far-reaching
decentralization and deconcentration, the pattern of which reflects
economic, social, cultural, linguistic and environmental criteria, the
Government undertakes to regionalize the administration of the educational,
health and cultural services of the indigenous peoples on the basis of
linguistic criteria; in addition, it undertakes to facilitate the effective
participation of community representatives in the management of education
and culture at the local level in order to guarantee efficiency and
relevance.”
13. Mexico
- Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Artículo
4: “En los juicios y procedimientos agrarios en que aquellos sean parte,
se tomarán en cuenta sus prácticas y costumbres jurídicas en los términos
que establezca la ley”.
- Constitución Política del Estado Libre y Soberano
de Oaxaca
Artículo
138 Bis A: ”La jurisdicción indígena se ejercerá por las autoridades
comunitarias de acuerdo con los usos y costumbres de los pueblos y
comunidades indígenas, dentro del marco del orden jurídico vigente y en
los términos que determine la ley reglamentaria del artículo 16”.
- Ley de derechos de los pueblos y comunidades indígenas
del Estado de Oaxaca
Artículo
8: “En el marco del orden jurídico vigente el Estado respetará los límites
de los territorios de los pueblos y las comunidades indígenas dentro de los
cuales ejercerán la autonomía que esta ley les reconoce. La autonomia de
los pueblos y comunidades indígenas se ejercerá a nivel del municipio, de
las agencias municipales, agencias de policía o de las asociaciones
integradas por varios municipios entre sí, comunidades entre sí o
comunidades municipales”.
Artículo 9: “En materia de conflictos agrarios en
tierras de pueblos y comunidades indígenas, el Estado por conducto de la
Junta de Conciliación Agraria del Estado de Oaxaca en consenso con las
autoridades municipales y comunitarias y las asociaciones de comunidades y
pueblos indígenas, promoverá la conciliación en los términos del artículo
16 sexto párrafo y 90 bis de la Constitución Política local y de la Ley
Orgánica de la junta mencionada”
Artículo 10: “Cada pueblo o comunidad indígena
tiene el derecho social a darse con autonomía la organización social y política
acorde con sus sistemas normativos internos en los términos de la
Constitución Política del Estado
Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca; la Ley Orgánica Municipal, los artículo 17,
109 a 125 del Código de Instituciones Políticas y Procesos Electorales del
Estado de Oaxaca, y de esta Ley”.
Artículo 12: “Las autoridades municipales respetarán
la autonomía de las comunidades
indígenas que formen parte de municipios no indígenas. En caso de disenso
el Estado, por conducto de la Procuraduría para la Defensa del Indígena,
buscará la concertación y la convivencia plural”.
Artículo 28: “El Estado de Oaxaca reconoce la
existencia de sistemas normativos internos de los pueblos y comunidades indígenas
con características propias y específicas en cada pueblo, comunidad y
municipio del Estado, basados en sus tradiciones ancestrales y que se han
transmitido oralmente por generaciones, enriqueciéndose y adaptándose con
el paso del tiempo a diversas circunstancias. Por tanto en el Estado dichos
sistemas se consideran actualmente vigentes y en uso”. Artículo 34: “Las decisiones tomadas por las autoridades de los pueblos y comunidades indígenas con base en sus sistemas normativos internos y dentro de sus ámbitos jurisdiccionales, serán compatibilizados y convalidadas por las autoridades estatales respectivas, cuando se sometan a su consideración, siempre y cuando no contravengan la Constitución General de la República”
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