The term indigenous is worldly recognized and mostly has the following components in defining them.
- Self-identification as indigenous.
- pre-colonial historic continuity distinction from other people in their land and
- experiences of colonization and forms of marginalization
The definitions of indigenous typically have varying degrees of these components argued that attempts at establishing a singular purpose may ignore how indigenous people identify themselves. Erica Daes noted in 2008, that indigenous peoples have suffered from definitions imposed on them by others while there are numerous other definitions of indigenous rights. The UN states that the criteria of self-identification as the expression of the right to self-determination of indigenous people is widely recognized today.
Several other terms express the same idea as indigenous- aboriginal, tribal, peoples First Nations, pastoralists etc. The rights of people identifying as indigenous are connected to the post-World War two political agenda of decolonization, the push for its rights and an emergence of a new generation of western-style educated indigenous individuals.
The United Nations established in 1945 more than any other entity pushed for decolonization, human rights, and established norms of international law, while the UN’s goal of decolonization was mostly achieved by the 1970s. Critics argued that the international law was not sufficiently taken into account non-state actors’ specifically native people experienced common themes of marginalization from state actors. These marginalized people identified under the marker of indigenous to create international solidarity as part of the fourth world. In response to human rights abuses on the domestic level, indigenous people argued for these violations to be addressed on an international level. Indigenous people also argued that they had human rights to maintain their way of life and distinct identities within the state. The indigenous rights movement began gathering speed in the 1960s and 1970s when several non-government organizations began to expose the discrimination and human rights abuses on indigenous people.
The NGOs found that indigenous peoples around the world share experiences of marginalization and modern states as the indigenous peoples were disrupted by the economic and political interests of the state, indigenous peoples argued that by being indigenous they had the human right to maintain their livelihood. Perhaps the most important starting point for indigenous rights was the establishment of the working group for the Indigenous population in 1982 within the UN to deal with setting the standard for the human rights of the indigenous people. In 1993 the organization drafted the declaration on the rights of indigenous people that elaborated the rights of indigenous people. On September 13 2007 the UN General Assembly adopted the declaration on the rights of indigenous people. The declaration established indigenous rights within positive international law. It elaborated and set the basic standards for the rights of the indigenous people and recognized that the human rights of the indigenous people were collective rights which are indispensable for their existence, well-being, and integral development as people.
The essential idea of indigenous rights is self-determination as article three of the declaration states that indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination by that right they freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. This mirrors the language of UN General Assembly resolution 1514 which gives the right of self-determination to colonize people. However, the declaration of indigenous people clarifies that the right of self-determination for indigenous people is internal as opposed to external as the latter is given to colonize people and geographically distinct territories. Hence, indigenous people have the right to maintain their own economic, social, and political development within the confines of pre-existing states but do not have the right to conduct any activity that threats the territorial integrity of the states in that they reside such as forming their separate state through unilateral succession. The justification for indigenous rights is a moral one. To address the historic wrongs and systematic marginalization that indigenous people face in their states. Despite the passing of the declaration, the human rights of indigenous people around the world are still being violated as it is ultimately up to the government to implement the fundamental indigenous rights.
Around 20% of the world consists of indigenous people. The reason behind them not being the wealthiest people in the nation is purely due to the unfortunate fact that the world takes their valuable assets away from them. The fundamental purpose of this way of life is sustainability. Indigenous social, political and economic models are designed to keep our families, communities, and natural environment in balance, not just for the present but for generations to come.
Indigenous practices have survived for thousands of years because they work. Their traditions and beliefs are rooted in principles that direct our social and economic models. These models are not limited to Indigenous communities but can be involved globally to preserve our natural environment while providing enough resources for all. Every society organizes itself according to its values. Not all Indigenous communities stick completely to these social and economic norms, and external interference has made way in maintaining life challenging.
References:
- Who are indigenous peoples (no date) FirstPeoples.org – Who Are Indigenious Peoples. Available at: http://www.firstpeoples.org/who-are-indigenous-peoples.htm (Accessed: November 25, 2022)
- An introduction to indigenous rights (2021) YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/D1VadDLRCdQ (Accessed: November 25, 2022).
- UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples (no date) UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples | Biocultural Heritage. Available at: https://biocultural.iied.org/un-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples (Accessed: November 25, 2022).
- Participation of Indigenous Peoples at the UN for indigenous peoples (no date) United Nations. United Nations. Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/participation-of-indigenous-peoples-at-the-united-nations.html (Accessed: November 25, 2022).
- 13) Paving the way – history and the struggle for Indigenous Land Rights, makinghistoryatmacquarie. Available at: https://makinghistoryatmacquarie.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/paving-the-way-history-and-the-struggle-for-indigenous-land-rights/ (Accessed: December 9, 2022).
- Photos: Climate change protesters take to the streets around the world (no date) NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/photos-climate-change-protesters-take-streets-around-world-n1056846 (Accessed: December 9, 2022).
- Covid-19 and Indigenous Peoples for Indigenous Peoples (no date) United Nations. United Nations. Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/covid-19.html (Accessed: December 9, 2022).
