Closing Statement read by Raul Ilaquiche during the XII meeting of Negotiations for the quest for points of Consensus of the Draft American Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

Washington D.C.

Mr.Chair and Vice-chairs of the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Dr. Luis Toro from the Department of International Law of the OAS
Dr. Isabel Madariaga from the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the IACHR-OAS.
Distinguished state representatives
Brothers and sisters representatives of indigenous peoples and organizations from the Americas.
During these three days of deliberation we have arrived to consent on the rights of indigenous peoples, with fruitful results and a constructive environment that have contributed to the spirit to concretize and analyze in-depth the recognition of our rights in the Americas.
The fundamental principle that guides and will guide further deliberations on the human rights of indigenous peoples, have been the minimum and basic standards already established and recognized in international law, particularly in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ILO Convention 169 ratified by various countries and the judgements of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as doctrines and jurisprudences of existing cases in this subject.
It has also been discussed relevance of various constitutional norms in countries such as Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador and others which have led to qualitative changes in the recognition of the rights establishing a new relation between the State and indigenous peoples, in the frame of intercultural, the plurinationality and the wellbeing of all. Making emphasis in the need of having an American Declaration that does not undermine the rights of indigenous peoples that have already been recognized, and necessarily must contribute to the full exercise of territorial rights, natural resources, water, indigenous institutions, education, health, consultation; free, prior and informed consent, the right to self-determination and autonomy as they are established in Articles 3, 4 and 5 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in line with Article 1 of the Covenants of Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Social, Economical and Cultural Rights.
It has also been showed that in our indigenous territories we still live the systematic denial of our human rights, evident in massacres, criminalization, militarization, forced displacement, territorial expropriation and the judicialización of the struggles for the rights of our peoples. As a result of these actions, many leaders are being indicted and imprisoned. Furthermore, opposed to the recognized rights of indigenous peoples, large mining, coal and hydroelectric projects are being developed out in our lands and territories and must be revised and suspended immediately for protecting the life of Mother Earth, Pachamama, and the rights of nature, which is the home of all living beings and are the lungs of humanity.
We call upon States to contribute to the principle of good faith, showing more flexibility and coherence for the progress in our discussions allowing the prompt adoption of this Declaration, leading to a new framework of relations and coexistence of Indigenous Peoples and States of the Americas.
It is necessary to have a permanent and serious intercultural dialogue, that allows the strengthening of consent around fundamental issues of the Declaration. It is only in this way in which we’ll contribute to the full exercise of our rights leading to the construction of a democratic, just, fair, inclusive and plurinational society.
Never again, the Americas without indigenous peoples.
Thank you very much.
Raul Ilaquiche.