Topic: Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Country: Palestine
Delegate Name: Brendan Wendlandt
School: Troy High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Palestine position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
The rights of indigenous people have been encroached upon for centuries. A multitude of nations internationally have impeached their will before in the past where it was not wanted nor welcomed, such as Israel’s continuous involvement in Palestine. With that being said, the United Nations has already worked extensively in the past to protect the rights of the indigenous people and their homes, specifically through the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (or UNDRIP), and Palestine fervently supports this declaration. The declaration explicitly delineates upon the rights of indigenous people and was signed by nearly every country in the UN–144 to be exact, with only four who were against it. Palestine is a firm proponent of both this declaration as well as any provision, resolution or movement that will aid and help defend the status and land of indigenous people. Palestine, evidently, has a tumultuous past plagued with war and conflict. The major catalyst of this conflict that persists to this day is the Israeli forces infringing upon land that is not rightfully theirs. Palestinians are slaughtered and bombed while Israel continues to take more land that does belong to them. Because of the intense schism between Palestine and Israel, Palestine has a certain vehemence with the cause of indigenous people, especially considering its own citizens are indigenous to their land and have been met with prolix persecution and violence. Palestine would like to see papers passed that further uphold and affirm the rights of indigenous people as well as deploring nations who are seeking to or have already encroached on the aforementioned rights. Palestine would like to ensure that no nation could bring forth such vitriol and larceny of land that is not actually theirs like Israel has in the past and today. The collective duty of this committee will be to bolster and preserve liberties already expressed in the UN and to condemn self-righteous, sanctimonious nations who seek to reap land that they do not possess by any means necessary.
