Indigenous Land Rights

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Cameroon
Delegate Name: Alex Reinke
School: Mattawan High School

The Republic of Cameroon firmly believes that indigenous land rights are a necessary and important. Cameroon has around 130 different and diverse ethnic groups that all demand land rights. The Republic of Cameroon believes that indigenous tribes all need the right to be free and independent when it comes to matters of land.

In 2007, The United Nations initiated the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This declaration promotes the ideas of recognizing indigenous land rights. In article 31.2 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it reads “Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or use of their lands or territories and other resources.” The Republic of Cameroon agrees with this motion. This Declaration advocates individual tribal rights to culture, identity, language, employment and many other rights necessary to stop indigenous discrimination as well.

To continue to protect the very important rights of these indigenous tribes, the Republic of Cameroon believes that other nations should adapt this idea as well. Our country has enjoyed peace and stability between these tribes after adopting this declaration. In order to advocate and spread harmony and steadiness in all nations, the Republic of Cameroon believes in a resolution expanding upon the rights of all individual tribes.

Cameroon thinks that any solution that inhibits the rights of indigenous tribes would be unacceptable. We strongly believe in the rights of indigenous tribes, and accepts that in order for a nation's culture to be preserved, tribes must be respected and treated fairly.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Canada
Delegate Name: Colleen Roberts
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Indigenous people are vital parts of our world’s culture. Without them certain things in society would have never happened. But we as humans have made a vital mistake of trying to take away their land for global expansion of our own need. Canada has tried to make right with the indigenous peoples in many ways. We have passed multiple acts and amendments to help make up for what the first European settlers have done to these people. The numbered treaties, the Indian Act, and the Constitution Act of 1982 have all addressed this problem. Specifically section 35 of the constitution which protects the activities, practices of traditions that are integral to the distinctive culture of the aboriginal title, address this issue head on. This section specifically goes with the Indian, Inuit and Métis people(the actual indigenous groups of Canada). Canada is also excited to have the Aboriginals finally participate in the 2010 Olympics in Canada.

Canada does acknowledge the United Nations declaration on the rights of the Indigenous peoples of 2007, but we are one of only 3 countries who do not follow this. We feel as though the declaration is basically the same laws we have done and believe why make new laws and new standards for something that is basically the same thing? Canada has passed multiple laws and these laws are sufficient in Canada and compliment the problem well. Canada would also like to see instead of giving large amounts of money to the aboriginals for compensation for what has happened to them; we should come up with systems to help them assimilate to our culture while also keeping theirs. For if we just give them money we are truly just covering the problem instead of dealing with it. Also Canada knows that a decent size of Aboriginals deal with an addiction to alcohol and we would like to try to help them with this situation as well, giving them help like Alcoholics Anonymous or groups such as this to control the problem.

The main countries that agree with Canada on the issue with aboriginals or indigenous people are the Untied States, and New Zealand. This is of no surprise to multiple people because these are the main places that have indigenous peoples in them. Australia was one of the other countries to disagree with the bill, but later changed their position. The United States is might also change their mind with President Obama having a go along with everyone else attitude.

There are over 143 countries that helps pass the United Nations Declarations on the rights of the Indigenous People of 2007. The main reason so many of these countries agreed to this is because they do not have Indigenous peoples are no laws are ready instated with this issue. If they realized all the trouble this was doing and understood where we as a country have and are trying to do, they would understand why we did not want to pass the United Nations Declarations on the rights of the Indigenous People of 2007.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: China
Delegate Name: Anna Slowik
School: Royal Oak High School

Recognizing the importance of land rights to indigenous peoples, the People's Republic of China supports the idea of every person's right to existence. The People's Republic of China also recognizes the importance of indigenous peoples to a land and culture and the need to preserve the unique culture the indigenous people offer. The 350 million people worldwide considered indigenous are often the poorest and most impoverished as they are deprived of basic social and cultural rights by their societies, including rights to land.

China realizes the massive scope of problems with indigenous land rights, as it includes nations as widespread and diverse as Australia, Sweden, South Africa, etc.

Concerning Tibet, the People’s Republic of China acknowledges Tibet as an inalienable part of China and as included in our great nation. Although the People’s Republic of China does not support Tibetan independence, land rights are granted to peoples living in the region known as Tibet as the inhabitants are citizens of the People’s Republic of China.

To solve the problems of indigenous land rights, establishing clear and effective ways to determine what kind of rights to land indigenous peoples should have needs to be addressed. In order for this to take place, free negotiation in land rights settlements should be freely negotiated, as opposed to imposing them unilaterally by legislation. For the indigenous peoples to be fairly represented in these disputes, the United Nations should provide assistance in their case and negotiations. After this is determined, protection of those rights is crucial. Without enforced protection, whatever rights are gained will be in vain.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Côte d’Ivoire
Delegate Name: Emily Stavale
School: Royal Oak High School

Cote d’Ivoire believes that indigenous persons in every country should have the same rights as any persons who came to the country from a different country. We feel that all people, including those who are indigenous to an area, deserve the right to property. They were there long before others came, and should be permitted to keep what has been theirs for generations.

If a government wants to take the land of indigenous persons, they need first to consult with them and reach a consensus agreement; perhaps one involving some sort of compensation, as well as a guarantee to fair opportunities at finding work, receiving education, and receiving adequate health care.

If an agreement cannot be reached with the individuals, they should be allowed to keep the land that they need to survive. No land should be wrongfully seized from any indigenous persons. This would displace the people, endangering their lives, as they may not know how to adjust and adapt to a new way of living. It is important to protect the lives and culture of indigenous persons, as well as their land rights.

We, Cote d’Ivoire, encourage nations to set in place laws which will protect the land rights of indigenous individuals. We stress that all people, indigenous to an area or not, be given the same justice and fairness in human rights. We are fully prepared to work with other nations to set up a set of standards making it necessary for countries to create laws pertaining to indigenous land rights.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Ecuador
Delegate Name: Gabrielle Vuylsteke
School: Ann Arbor Community High School

We, the Republic of Ecuador, agree with the statement that the United Nations declares in article 32.1 of its resolution on indigenous people’s rights: “Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or use of their lands or territories and other resources.” In order for the first cultures of the world to survive and thrive, protection of their land rights is mandatory.

The population of Ecuador is diverse, with many foreign but naturalized citizens living along side native individuals. The sources of income for our citizens, as well as their cultural backgrounds, are mixed. As a country coming out of recent economic difficulty and recently adopting a new constitution, we recognize the lure of a homogeneous populace, but also value the differences in culture that our nation and others like it possess.

In order to protect the diminishing indigenous population and cultural diversity, we believe that a resolution protecting the land rights is necessary. We believe that the native citizens who reside in member states, and the indigenous of all nations, deserve the right to decide what happens to the land that they live on. In recent history, this right has been denied to them when governments have ignored the indigenous’ opinions and thoughts in favor of the majority of the majority of the nation’s citizens. We seek to give the native people the right to self-determination.

The native humans of the world need just as many political rights and recognition as the rest of the world’s residents. For the world’s indigenous population to be guaranteed rights that they deserve, the UN must write a resolution that insures land rights for the original populace in a way that reflects the will and fulfills the wishes of the world’s earliest peoples. This resolution will protect the indigenous’ rights and give them a voice in each nation.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: El Salvador
Delegate Name: Christopher Roberts
School: Flint Northern High School

Indigenous land rights in El Salvador are not fully secure. The government isn’t doing anything to solve El Salvador’s land right problems. The government is trying to deal with the problem of a densely populated and highly urbanized country. But the Farmers in El Salvador are suffering such high production cost, which forces them to have to sell their land. In 1996 The National Association of Salvadoran Indians participated in an UN-sponsored conference on the development of forest resources. Their involvement in the conference highlighted the growing international presence of Salvadoran indigenous organizations. Unfortunately, there is very inadequate information available on these groups.

El Salvador’s constitution gives and safeguards the right of its citizens to own private property. In my perspective, the land rights in El Salvador are in the process for change; because the land rights have not been fully addressed. When I did my research I found out that there are approximately 600,000 or 10 percent of Salvadorian peoples who are indigenous. The majority of the El Salvador indigenous population is Nahua-Pipil, and the live southwestern region in the states of Sonsonate in El Salvador. And I read that all of El Salvador's indigenous people speak Spanish language but a few Pipil still speak the Nahuat language so that they follow their traditional ways of life. And in The Guatemalan border, is where the traditional groups mainly live in. Very few indigenous Pipil now wear traditional dress, such as the huipiles (skirts worn by women). But El Salvador Indigenous land rights still needs better attention because the farmers shouldn't be losing any money and shouldn't be in any high debt and cultures and religions should have better respect.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: France
Delegate Name: Patricia Baron
School: Roeper School

The French Republic strongly supports all multinational initiatives for indigenous people. While France recognizes that the migration, expansion, and settlement of different societies throughout the world have become a necessary means to civilization, France also wishes to emphasize the importance of preserving cultures and ethnicities. The conservation of indigenous knowledge is substantial to a nation’s past and future.

Indigenous peoples inhabit 20% of the planet, mainly in areas where they have lived for centuries if not over a millennium. They are known to be among the earth’s most important stewards, as evidenced by the high degree of correspondence between the lands, waters and territories of indigenous peoples and the remaining high-biodiversity regions of the world. But due to widespread globalization, the indigenous population faces a dramatic decline or worse, extinction.

Having had the second largest empire in the world, France acknowledges the negligent effects of first world expansion and colonization. France wishes to counteract any previous harmful influences on French territories by providing for and promoting the cause of indigenous peoples. The French fully respect indigenous peoples’ human and development rights both overseas and in metropolitan France. France recognizes the Basque people, inhabiting southwestern France, as one of the oldest indigenous ethnic groups in Europe.

France is a signatory in favor of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. France believes that the Declaration was an essential step forward in the promotion and protection of human rights for all. It also coincides with the rights mentioned in the French Constitution.

There is much left to discuss and determine regarding indigenous peoples and their rights. The French Republic looks forward to cooperating with other nations to further improve the equality of such rights.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Charles Willard
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

The Federal Republic of Germany acknowledges the difficult issue of indigenous land rights. Differences in our world are what make it such an interesting and diverse place. These differences, whether they are individual or cultural, expose us to new ideas, tastes, and activities. This is why the Federal Republic of Germany is for the preservation, protection, and compensation of these indigenous cultures.

The Federal Republic of Germany recognizes the absurdly difficult task of an indigenous culture operating inside another culture that has recently displaced them. The Federal Republic of Germany asks for countries that harbor ingenious cultures to be respectful of their native practices in terms of education, social fairness and opportunity, health care, their environment and human rights, as long as these practices do not endanger the populace abroad.

The Federal Republic of Germany also realizes the atrocities that been associated with the seizure of their native land. The Federal Republic of Germany humbly request just compensation for these wrongs that have previously enforced on these cultures.

The Federal Republic of Germany is conscious that this issue is worldwide. The Federal Republic of Germany has empathy for those who suffer for it and kindly ask that the liable parties correct their injustices by either compensation or allowing them to maintain much of their culture with minimum interference. Inevitably there may be some exceptions. But in general, if countries can do this in a timely and efficient manner it would be optimum for both the indigenous people and the country itself.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Lauren Wallace
School: Mattawan High School

The land rights in the Hellenic Republic are equal and fair. There is no favoring of one person or family based on income, race, or gender. In a previous United Nations seminar on indigenous rights, they concluded that "Governments, with indigenous peoples, should establish fair procedures for reviewing situations and for taking corrective action in situations in which indigenous land or resources have been taken or extinguished through processes which are claimed or are found to be fundamentally unfair or discriminatory." The country of Greece strongly agrees with this.

If these issues aren't resolved, the main goal of the U.N. to achieve world peace will never be reached. The indigenous people of any given country could rebel, creating destruction throughout different areas of the world. No one would be satisfied in the end, and so certain policies need to be altered in order to gain world peace. The Hellenic Republic has already taken steps in order to achieve this. Existance of such regulations like the Twenty-Year Trespass have created a major role in this. It says that after a certain amount of time, if a property is abandoned, or appears to be abandoned, any person can claim rights to that same property.

The Hellenic Republic proposes that the land of indigenous peoples are recognized and granted, but that others who have not had Greece citizenship and land are not discriminated against. This could be attained if international laws are created involving certain rights to the original people of any certain country, but also giving the same rights to the others who are not native to the country.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Guatemala
Delegate Name: Kate Kelley
School: Royal Oak High School

In the Republic of Guatemala, as in many countries around the world, treatment of indigenous peoples has heretofore been regrettable. During the long and bloody civil war, thousands of native peoples have been displaced, and are now unable to return to their ancestral homes. Furthermore, businesses have purchased lands cultivated by indigenous peoples, and have forced them to vacate their familial homes. This crisis must be resolved in a manner both considerate to the natives, and to those who currently reside on their land.

A major issue for indigenous peoples is ownership. Families, which have lived in an area for generations, can be evicted by businesses that have purchased the land officially. In such cases ownership is ambiguous, defined differently by both sides. A common method for native peoples to declare ownership is essential in resolving, and preventing, conflict.

Another difficulty for the Guatemalan government has been the relocation of indigenous refugees. Forced to flee their homes during the Civil War, many of these individuals no longer have homes to return to, because they lack official ownership of ancestral land. How can these land claims be resolved peacefully, and with consideration to whomever now inhabits these areas?

A third problem for governments internationally has been discrimination. How can countries with insufficient education systems teach equality and acceptance of all people? This question is especially perplexing, and requires unique problem solving by all afflicted and allied countries.

A resolution that seeks Guatemalan support should propose an internationally applicable method for establishing land ownership by native peoples, with regard to any ownership debates already occurring. A good resolution should also address the redistribution of land to displaced natives. An excellent resolution will include a method for returning lost land to indigenous peoples displaced by the Civil War and other conflicts, public and private.

The Republic of Guatemala firmly believes that any and all solutions must be internationally applicable, to prevent protest, or continued exploitation, from any business. By enforcing indigenous rights everywhere, the UN can encourage compliance by all nations. The Republic proposes a system of land redistribution where rewards are offered for settling permanently, especially in new communities. An important component of any redistribution system will be unbiased judges. Guatemala hopes that cooperation with other NAFTA countries can aid in the creation of a fair and equal judicial system. Finally, we hope to establish a system whereby ownership can be established easily, to prevent business from stealing land that rightfully belongs to the people.

Guatemala looks forward to cooperation on all fronts in establishing a systematic method for redistribution, and protection, of land rightfully owned by native populations. The Republic believes that through careful examination of historical precedent, the UN can devise a resolution that will bring renewed peace to indigenous peoples throughout the globe, and will be readily enforced by all participants.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Iraq
Delegate Name: Quinton Williams
School: Flint Northern High School

As a delegate of Iraq I have come to realize there are many problems in our country. One of the major issues is dealing with indigenous land rights. The main group that is affected by this problem is the Assyrians, who were the first people on the grounds of iraq, and were aramic christians. There are restrictions on things that our citizens need to have, such as the right to assemble, land protection, cultural, educational, and religious rights. We have seen some changes made to insure that an form of this equality exists but none to enforce these laws. We have moved from a country of dictatorship to a country of democracy, but the Assyrian people wnat equality like the other iraqi's, yet and still we refuse to give them what they want. In doing so we forget and dont realize that this land was inhabited by them before we had come and forcefully took control.

My country's political view on the problem is that of little concern. We would rather focus on other things such as a war the United Nations, Security Council has set into place, between us and other nations, who are against our new form of parliamentary democracy. They have mandated that the United States stay on our grounds until we have reached some form of stability. When, if we had been focusing on our country's issues we could have the americans off of our grounds sooner than we think. I feel that the United Nations needs to help us began to enforce our new laws such as that in our constitution which allows all of our citizens to own land. By enforcing these laws we may move on with our progress in developing a strong form of parliamentary democracy. Our Constitutions production, that grants our citizens all these rights, is still being worked on and the process needs to be speed up. The United Nations has already made it clear that we our now a country of parliamentary democracy when it comes to the form of government. We have decided to imitate the americans, if we wish to do this we need to practice what we are trying to teach, instead of being at war with these other countries that wish to bring us down. This war is proving to be in favor of those against us because we are focusing on those countriesm instead of our need based citizens.

The main reason that I feel we need this war to cease is because we cannot focus enough on our own problems of internal war, water problems, and most importantly the rights of our Assyrian people let alone with the problems with indigenous land rights is due to the fact that wwe have yet to give it any attention, and because the United Nations, Security Council views us as babies, who need to be babysit by the United States. For this reason I ask that the war between us and these other nations be called to an en. I wave my flag as a sign of peace, for which we and other countries such as the US has had for several years, since our joint in trade imports and exports. No point to be at war for something you dont own, you can't fight me over my car and the type of insurance i choose to have.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Malawi
Delegate Name: Veronica Boomers
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Global strategy should not be to use land as security to have access to credit or for better management and utilization of the same, but land should be used to generate capital and assets that can be used as collateral. Trees should been grown on land and sold at very high prices by smallholder farmers to the government that reflect the cost of deforestation. In this manner the government retains its noble role of redistributing wealth. The government cannot run away from this noble cause. It is has done well in the fertilizer subsidy and it can do well in creating wealth from the land. To use land as collateral is to remove the very basic factor of production from the ‘poor’ and thus defeats efforts to make progress. Land tenure in Malawi had been under customary system up until the colonial times, when alien land ownership was introduced in the country. This new system was based on medieval land ownership in the West, where there were landlords and tenants. Tenants by their very nature did not own land. The situation found in Malawi is different. Land was inherited and was a birth right rather than a privilege. Children inherited land from parents either under patrilineal, matrilineal or both systems.

In the development perspective the basic assumption was/is that the Malawian land tenure system was/is retarding development. It is considered that land ownership is not properly defined, limiting the possibility of investment and development and resulting in over exploitation of the land. This view is promoted in the light of land ownership based on the Western ways of knowing. For them land to developed and investment to be made on it, ownership has to be adequately defined in their ways of knowing, like a deed. Since this was not the case in Malawi land therefore is not owned in a manner that would foster development and agricultural productivity.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Mozambique
Delegate Name: Claire Dennis
School: Roeper School

As a country once controlled by foreign powers, the Republic of Mozambique understands the need to help guarantee the land rights of indigenous cultures. We recognize the importance in the preservation of cultures. In the past, the peoples of Mozambique have experienced significant violations of their own land rights. For almost five hundred years, Mozambique was a colony of the European Portuguese Empire against our will. Our people and cultures were destroyed, our citizens were displaced, and our heritage damaged. We would not wish to see the same things continue to happen against other peoples, yet today these injustices continue to be perpetrated. Mozambique understands the need for the expression and protection of these indigenous cultures and does not accept the oppression of them.

In Article 17 of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN outlines two major rights. First, “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.” And second, “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property”. The Republic of Mozambique strongly agrees with these statements, and empathizes with cultures in which these rights are being violated. Cultures have a right to land. We believe that if a culture has been involuntarily dislocated from their land that it is within their rights to return.

Too often, dominant cultures have used either force, or more recently, economic force and the free market claim of property rights to seize and control the lands of indigenous cultures. In Mozambique, land is not sold, it is inherited. The indigenous cultures have inherited this land from their descendants, so it is their right to hold the land. It is also important to recognize the bond with the land the indigenous people have occupied is very deep. This bond can be cultural, religious, emotional or otherwise. This bond should not be broken.

We are of the mind that during land negotiations, treaties, or other legal issues, indigenous peoples must be well represented and be treated as equals. Women should be involved with negotiations as well as men. Mozambique believes that violence is not the answer for either side of the issue, and that matters of conflict should always be resolved peacefully. The sides should come to negotiations in with intentions of coming to a resolution, without malice or intentions of reigniting the conflict.

Trade should be encouraged between indigenous peoples and other nations, as well as on the local level. Native cultures are parts of the local community, and therefore the local economy, this should not be forgotten in a rush toward short-term economic gain for central governments, regional landlords or economic interests, or outside investors.

Mozambique congratulates the other members of the United Nations for the passing of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which outlines our stance on the issue, and reassures all that this issue is of great importance to the world community.

Mozambique’s continuous to desire to work with other nations to further strengthen the land rights guarantees of indigenous peoples. In addition to the physical rights to land, given global climate change, one area that is increasingly vital is water. Mozambique suggests that guarantees to rights to land for indigenous peoples might include the guarantee to access to the most universal of resources, that of water, for without water, access to land cannot support life.

Mozambique looks favorably on measures to promote, and enforce indigenous land rights. Mozambique recognizes that giving indigenous cultures the right to land is an essential step to the preservation of valuable cultures. We realize indigenous cultures are part of our global and national heritage, and that their preservation is the preservation of our world history. If a culture has already been violated, it is the right of that culture to rebuild and grow its heritage. Mozambique supports the UN’s efforts in the area of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Netherlands
Delegate Name: Rachel Boshoven
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Indigenous land rights and related resource rights are of fundamental importance to the world's indigenous peoples for a range of reasons including: the religious significance of the land, self-determination, identity and economics. The Netherlands’s believes that the protection of indigenous land rights is an extremely important topic. We believe that there needs to be more attention brought to the topic and action needs to be taken.

The Netherlands’ wishes to improve the laws on indigenous land raights for all countries. In 1998 the Netherlands signed the United Nations ILO Convention 169, and committed to supporting the development of the UN draft Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. The Netherlands is supporting the strengthening of capacity for land policy design and securing land rights in Africa , particularly through improving land administration and registration. There are five countries in Africa that the Netherlands is currently supporting. The Netherlands’ supports the idea that all people have the right to their own land. The Netherland's is willing to cooperate with other countries in order to help indigenous people.

Many indigenous people face issues related to the challenge of interacting and adjusting to existing within another culture. These issues include education, social fairness and opportunity, health care, their environment and human rights. The Netherlands ’ hopes to make this issue known to the world and fix it so that all people have the right to their own land. The Netherlands’ hopes that this issue be more known; it is a simple problem and easy to fix and The Netherlands’ wishes it go get fixed as soon as possible.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Norway
Delegate Name: Colleen Russell
School: Mattawan High School

The main issue that indigenous people in nations face are property rights and compensation for displacement. Other issues include social fairness, adjusting to the lifestyle, opportunity, and education. The disputes over property rights has grown over the years as countries begin to industrialize and find new needs for the land. The indigenous people are equal to all others and contribute to the diversity of each nation. The indigenous people should not face discrimination because they have suffered injustice . Nation's should respect their cultures and rights to their land and the indigenous people should organize their own political ideas to end any oppression.

The the most prominent Norwegian indigenous people are the Sami. The Sami people have been protected in the Norwegian Constitution to the entitlement of special protection and rights. This protects the development of their language, culture, and lifestyle. Their special rights include reindeer husbandry which is their right to harvest the land and the livestock of reindeer. Norway accepts the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which states the protection of indigenous people from discrimination. This includes being allowed to practice their own religion and use their own language. The Sami, however, face issues of land rights because Norway wants the land for gold mining while the Sami claim the land is traditionally theirs.

Issues similar to this face many countries besides Norway. Possible solutions are to pass standards for the indigenous people among each nation. The indigenous people are entitled to fair treatment and disputes over land should be compromised based on the most beneficial outcome. Norway does not always consider the consultation of land rights for the indigenous people. The ideas among both sides should be taken into account and then will make decisions with the Sami Parliament.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Celia Kaechele
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Once of the major difficulties facing indigenous peoples is the fact that they are attempting to operate with in a different culture that is acting in a way entirely separate from their own. They have intentionally created a schism within their own country, a feat difficult in itself, but then they have to continue acting independently while fearing the loss of their rights, or the infringement of the country around them on the land they have established as belonging to them. They face, in many countries, the issues of poverty and their own fundamental freedoms.

Indigenous people in Russia, as is the case everywhere in the world, require special attention from their government to exist. We currently provide access to formal education as well as health care to our small number of indigenous people. We are still, however, slightly behind on establishing the rights of these peoples, but we are continuing to labor towards righting this situation. We have in place two laws; The Law on Guarantees of Small Peoples’ Rights, and Law on Territories of Traditional Natural Resources Use of the Small Indigenous Nations of the Russian North, Siberia and the Far East, that we have implemented to help aid us in our quest of recognizing the rights of our indigenous peoples.

We realize that we may have some issues with the infringement of different projects and industries on the lands of our indigenous people, but our country is so large ( 16,995,800 square kilometers) that there is plenty of available land for them to inhabit if it turns out that we are in desperate need of an area that they currently happen to be inhabiting. It is not as though we are intentionally going where the indigenous people are residing, we would apply the same logic if a citizens of modern Russia were positioned in an area that was required for some other use by the government.

It is very important that each individual country work towards, as we have, providing their indigenous peoples with the rights that they are due. Without these rights, and without laws in place to protect them small groups of indigenous people have no hope of surviving in our modern day world.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: South Korea
Delegate Name: Parker Hughes
School: Forest Hills Central High School

The majority of the Republic of Korea’s population is absolute Korean, thus our country does not have many problems when it comes to indigenous land rights. Our country is fair and just when it comes to land rights as we urge other countries to tolerate and treat indigenous peoples fairly. Religious and spiritual significance is one of the many reasons to respect the importance the land has to the indigenous people. If the people are to survive through this modern day world, land rights are vital.

As I said before South Korea’s population is not as diverse as most countries, making it inexperienced with the land rights problem. Most foreign ethnicities originate from Japan and China. Both countries have neutral relations with South Korea, meaning we are neither friend nor foe. These relations do not affect our Chinese or Japanese citizens in any way.

We acknowledge that other countries may have problems with the Land Rights issue, and we support any country that is taking care of the problem positively. We believe that a resolution that lets the indigenous people who own the land should decide what actions should be placed on the property. If this resolution is passed we will feel at peace with the knowledge that more countries will have a stable, and more acceptable, public experience.

South Korea has literally almost no problems at all when it comes to Indigenous Land Rights, but we will support anyone who respects their indigenous people.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: Sudan
Delegate Name: Chad Scott
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

The land rights for the country of Sudan for citizens are fair and logical. There will be no favoring one citizen over another based on status or income. The party or group making claims in respect of land may make a claim against the relevant government and/or other Parties interested in the land and the National Land Commission may at its discretion entertain such claims. These are exact words from our official documents “Without prejudice to the position of the Parties with respect to ownership of land and subterranean natural resources, including in Southern Sudan, this Agreement is not intended to address the ownership of those resources. The Parties agree to establish a process to resolve this issue.” If however the respective land is owed by the government the situation shall be exercised through the appropriate or designated levels of Government.

If situations escalate over a land dispute and the there is a conflict between the findings or recommendations of the National Land Commission and the Southern Sudan Land Commission, which cannot be resolved by agreement, the two Commissions shall reconcile their positions. Failure to reconcile, the matter shall be referred to the Constitutional Court. The system is fair and land can be disputed over in a civil fashion using our system.

With our land rights law nobody will get left out or looked over when it comes to their land. The Sudanese government wants to make its citizens happy and we feel that this land rights law does just that.

Topic: Indigenous Land Rights
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Raymond Welch
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

The United States of America believes that the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the current standard on this issue, is not a declaration that represents an international consensus. In a divided vote, the Human Rights Council adopted it without first allowing member nations to debate the positive and negative qualities of this declaration. Adopting a sweeping resolution without debate is not standard United Nations procedure as it could theoretically, and indeed in practice, lead to the adoption of a declaration into international law that is irreparably flawed. Conversely, a declaration that would solve the problem at hand neatly and efficiently could be stifled without the consent of the majority. Debate, the cornerstone of the United Nations, is used for a definite purpose: to grant delegates the opportunity to explain the positive and negative attributes of a declaration. Therefore, we believe that the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples holds little value to the international community.

Thankfully, debate can also be used to improve upon a declaration that would otherwise be inadequate. We believe that this summit provides us a profound opportunity to improve upon the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples and include within the document increased communication between indigenous peoples and aggressor nations and greater international support for indigenous peoples.

In an embodiment of our philosophy toward the rights of indigenous peoples, the United States of America has supported several programs that provide training and aid to indigenous peoples in South America. We are completely committed to increasing communication with indigenous peoples and raising the status of indigenous peoples throughout the world. At this summit, we hope to secure effective and pragmatic progress toward improved treatment of indigenous peoples that will remedy the flaws inherent in a document that was passed outside of standard United Nations protocol.

Respectfully submitted,

The United States of America