Briefing April 28, 2008

Pope  Benedict XVI Visits United Nations

An overflow crowd filled the General Assembly as Pope Benedict XVI stressed the United Nations' major role in seeking a better world as he highlighted, the need to protect human rights, ensure development, security and reduce local and global inequalities. “The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security,” he told the 192-member body in a half-hour speech that was greeted with a standing ovation.

“This is all the more necessary at a time when we experience the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few, whereas the world's problems call for interventions in the form of collective action by the international community,” he said.  He praised the recent explicit inclusion of the responsibility to protect people from crimes against humanity such as genocide, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

This, I believe, is very significant as well as controversial.  the pontiff's inclusion of this concept in his address to the global community raises the issue and will promote further discussion and debate.

“If States are unable to guarantee such protection, the international community must intervene with juridical means provided by the United Nations Charter and in other international instruments,” he said. “The action of the international community and its institutions, provided that it respects the principles under girding the international order, should never be interpreted as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty. On the contrary, it is indifference or failure to intervene that do the real damage,” he added, calling for a deeper search of ways to pre-empt conflicts.

Open Letter to Members of the Security Council Concerning Detentions in Iraq

On April 28th, the Security Council is scheduled to discuss Iraq and to receive a report from the United States on the Multinational Force. In anticipation of this meeting, Global Policy Forum has written an open letter to members of the Security Council calling attention to the to the extrajudicial and arbitrary detention/internment of large numbers of Iraqis by the MNF. In its most recent human rights report, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) says that at the end of December 2007 the MNF was holding in confinement 24,661 people.

This is an important, well-documented statement from a very reputable NGO will hopefully will have an impact on the meeting on Monday. For a copy of the letter, click here.

Thousands gather as Annual Indigenous Forum kicks off at UN Headquarters 

Last year’s adoption by world leaders of the landmark UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples means this year’s Permanent Forum – established in 2000 – is taking on a new role, Mr. Ban said in a video message. “You will work to translate the Declaration into a living document at the national and international levels,” he said. “As you do, you will promote the UN development agenda and its vision of development for all. This includes the poorest and most vulnerable, a group to which many indigenous peoples belong.”
 Mr. Ban also welcomed the focus this session on several other issues and challenges, including the Pacific region and the need to protect and promote indigenous languages. “Indigenous languages represent an overwhelming majority of all languages spoken today, with most facing the threat of extinction.”

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7th Session - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

As you may have read earlier in this briefing, the seventh session of the Permanent Form on Indigenous Issues opened on Monday, April 21st and will conclude on Friday, May 2nd.  This year the special theme of the session is "Climate change, bio-cultural diversity and livelihoods: the stewardship role of indigenous peoples and new challenges".  Indigenous peoples are among the first to face the direct consequences of climate change, due to their dependence upon, and close relationship, with the environment and its resources. Climate change exacerbates the difficulties already faced by indigenous communities including political and economic marginalization, loss of land and resources, human rights violations, discrimination and unemployment. 

What can we, the Dominican Family, do?  Raise awareness and educate!  Click on the link to download "Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Vol.1", a short film where many voices of indigenous people are heard.  Show it at a Justice and Peace meeting, have a movie & discussion night, share it with students - the more informed we are, the less we can say "I never realized" . . .

Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Vol.1

DLC OFFICE

Eileen Gannon, OP (DLC)
NGO in Special Consultative Status at the United Nations Dominican Leadership Conference
211 East 43 St. Rm 910
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