Topic: Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Brandon Davis
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Greece position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
Communities around the globe share culture and ideas which stemmed from original sources; Indigenous People. Today, roughly 5% of the world’s population is composed of people with predominantly indigenous heritage. Human rights studies within countries having a relatively large indigenous population have found that communities and individuals of native heritage commonly face persecution in these nations. Discrimination is often from non-native members of the populous, but can stem from government itself, as well as be written into policy. Many of these issues are based upon land disputes, with Natives occupying the same area for many generations, development projects are likely to conflict with their territories. Further issues include higher rates of poverty, malnutrition, and legal persecution as well as decreased education and healthcare access.
Macedonians, which as a whole only make up .01% of the country’s population, were not accepted for a long time and often rejected by the Greek population and government. The country itself of Macedonia has been a source of conflict in the region that the two countries occupy. It lies at the center of a dispute between Greeks and Macedonians over which group has the right to identify as the true Macedonian people. The human rights of the Macedonian minority in northern Greece is often the source of conflict between disputing groups. In the past, the Greek government has consistently denied the existence of a Macedonian minority in northern Greece and went as far to adopt policies of forced assimilation towards the indigenous Macedonian population.
Integration of Indigenous minorities along with equality of both populations is an import first step in solving problems that stem from a disputing public. The indigenous should be recognized with equal standing as other any other citizens, with laws put into place that protect those given rights. In some countries, such as Canada, a system where Natives are able to govern and regulate their own population has seen success. Using this principle as a solution in other countries would likely help accomplish more civil handling of human rights. A promise to allow native territories protection from development and residency of other people, along with being allowed to delve in their religious traditions within that protected territory is another major step.
