Indigenous Notes, 2010 Issue 3

The majority of Indian and Alaska Native communities remain very disadvantaged economically, lacking the opportunity for genuine economic development.  Contrary to the image so common in the popular media, gaming has made only a few Indians wealthy.  It is not possible for gaming to overcome the oppressive legal conditions that affect Native nations, nor can it do much to change the political powerlessness and social ills that characterize so many Native communities. (More…)

United States Reviewing Its Policy on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

On April 20, 2010, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, announced that the United States would formally review its policy on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  The Declaration is the culmination of over 30 years of work by indigenous advocates, including many Indian nations from the United States.  The Declaration, for the first time, gives international recognition to the collective and individual rights of over 370 million Native peoples worldwide. (More…)

The Cost of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is much more than a political document to Armstrong Wiggins,  Director of the Indian Law Resource Center’s Washington, D.C. office. It represents more than three decades of blood, sweat and tears from many indigenous
leaders — including his own.  Wiggins attended
the very first United Nations conversation in 1977
as a Miskito leader representing human rights concerns of his people in Nicaragua.  His efforts
to communicate a vision of self-determination
and self-government from the indigenous
perspective landed him in jail upon his return
 home.

He became a political prisoner for his work on the early stages of what is now the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  For decades, Wiggins risked jail and exile to keep the work going. In this podcast, listen as Armstrong Wiggins talks about his story and struggle to give indigenous people a voice.

Get Involved!

• The United States is currently reviewing its position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Federal officials are taking comments on the Declaration through October, 2010. Now is the time to speak out and to urge the White House to endorse the UN Declaration.

• “You can help us by making a contribution or writing letters.”

— Susan Masten, Indian Law Resource Center Board Chairperson

More resources about the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are available at www.indianlaw.org.

President Barack Obama greets guests Terri Henry, Center Board Member, and Jacque Agtuca, both of Clan Star, after signing the Tribal Law and Order Act in the East Room at the White House in Washington. Photo by Getty Images.

Tribal Law and Order Act to Help Curb Epidemic of Violence Against Native Women

On July 30, 2010, President Obama signed the historic Tribal Law and Order Act into law.  The Act is an important step towards ending the crisis of violence against Native women currently occurring on tribal lands.  Native women face higher rates of violence than any other group in the United States.  One in three Native women will be raped in her lifetime; four in five women will be violently assaulted; and six in ten experience domestic abuse.  Complex jurisdictional issues have prevented the majority of these women from ever seeing their abusers or rapists brought to justice. (More…)

U.S. Admits Violence Against Native Women is a Human Rights Issue

For the first time, the United States will participate in a  Universal Periodic Report before the UN Human Rights Council.  The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process to review the human rights records of all 192 UN member-states every four years.  Its ultimate goal is to improve human rights conditions in every country and it is designed to prompt, support, and expand the promotion and protection of human rights on the ground. (More…)

The Indian Law Resource Center has made public its comments and recommendations to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on how to respect and protect indigenous peoples’ human rights. 

“It’s a critical time to speak out,” said Leonardo Crippa, Staff Attorney with the Indian Law Resource Center’s Washington, D.C. office. “The IFC is reviewing its policies and we want to see accountability and consistency in the revised documents.”
(More…)

 

The Indian Law Resource Center is among winners of the 2010 Gruber Foundation Justice Prize for championing the rights of members of historically oppressed groups through advocacy, legal reform and the development of international law as a means of safeguarding human rights (press release).

Join the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington, D.C.

Robert T. Coulter, Armstrong Wiggins and distinguished human rights advocates will speak on human rights, US policy, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Coulter first proposed the idea of and international declaration affirming the rights of indigenous peoples in 1977. 

October 12, 2010
6:30 p.m. Lecture followed by reception

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Washington, D.C.

 For more information contact: Barbara Anthony (406) 449.2006  banthony@indianlaw.org    

“Please help us!  Reforming the law is the only way we will get equal justice.” - Tribal Member

Every month the Center receives requests for help from Native communities throughout the Americas which have nowhere else to turn for legal representation.  Our work depends entirely upon the generosity of our donors.  Please consider a monthly gift to the Center, so that Native communities will receive the justice they deserve.

Monthly Giving Members provide a regular source of income to the Center by pledging and making monthly contributions at any level of your choice. You may sign up to receive monthly pledge reminders in the mail, or your credit card may be billed automatically.   Just click and give now. 

Together we can win more victories and keep up the work for justice.   Thank you!

The Indian Law Resource Center would like to introduce our Senior Staff Attorney, Lucy Simpson. Lucy, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, joined the Center’s Montana office in October 2004. She has previous experience working on behalf of the Northern Cheyenne and Crow tribes and the Navajo Nation. Lucy received her J.D. from the University of Colorado in 1998.

Program Assistant, Washington, DC (Deadline for application Sept. 15, 2010)

Director of Finance and Administration, Helena, MT (Deadline for application Sept. 17, 2010)

Rebecca Aleem, Evelyn Aero, Rosie Worthen, & Sapphire Diamant-Rink,.

We are always pleased to work with outstanding interns and volunteers whose work greatly contributes to our efforts.  This past summer was no exception.

During the summer months, we had the support of Rebecca Aleem, from the University of British Columbia.  She contributed to our work in the Washington, D.C. office and collaborated with Center attorneys on the comments and recommendations on the IFC Sustainability Framework within our Multi-lateral Development Banks project. Evelyn Aero, from Uganda and an LLM Candidate at the Indiana University School of Law, is a lawyer and human rights advocate with five years of experience in Africa.  She interned in both the Helena, Montana office and the Washington, D.C. office and assisted in research on UN mechanisms for the creation of new human rights standards as well as other work related to our Multi-lateral Development Banks project. 

Rosie Worthen, a senior at Knox College returned to the Center for her 4^th year and interned in both the Helena office and the D.C. office.  She focused her efforts on translation, Website development and communication support around the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Sapphire Diamant-Rink, our Sidley Fellow from the University of Cincinnati College of Law worked in our Helena office on our Safe Women, Strong Nations project and the endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We thank each of them for their skills, talents and commitment to the Center and the rights of indigenous peoples.  We wish them all luck in their future endeavors.

Indian woman a plaintiff in lawsuit over hiring at Census Bureau
indianz.com

Lawsuit alleges Census wants to count Native people – but not hire them
The Buffalo Post

Safe Women, Strong Nations project combats rape on reservations
Twin Cities Daily Planet

Indian Law Resource Center to share $500K Gruber prize
The Buffalo Post

Indian Law Resource Center to share $500K Gruber prize
Indian Country Today

Indian Law Resource Center wins international human-rights prize
Independent Record

Law Professor, Judge and Legal Advocacy Group Share $500K Gruber Prize 
ABA Journal

Indian Law Center Receives Human Rights Prize
 Reznet

Indian Law Resource Center Receives International Award
 KFBB.com

The Indian Law Resource Center’s 2009 Annual Report