GENEVA (6 October 2017) - UN experts* are urging Chile not to prosecute Mapuche indigenous peoples under the country's anti-terrorism legislation.
The call comes ahead of a hearing in the case of a group of four Mapuche community members who were arrested in June 2016 on charges of arson, and have remained in custody since then on pre-trial detention orders issued under the anti-terrorism law.
"The charges against these men should urgently be reviewed and they should be afforded the fair trial guarantees they would receive under the ordinary justice system," the experts said.
"These members of an indigenous community have been deprived of their liberty for 16 months. The anti-terrorism law does not offer the necessary guarantees for a fair trial, and its use risks the stigmatization of the indigenous community. It also puts in doubt the suspects' right to be presumed innocent."
They added: "We urge Chile to refrain from using the anti-terrorism law to deal with events that occurred in the context of social protests by Mapuche peoples seeking to claim their rights."
The experts also stressed that legislation against terrorism had to be precisely worded to ensure that it applied only to situations that truly threatened national security.
Statement of Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz Special Rapporteur on the Rights of indigenous peoples
Human Rights Council 36th Session
Geneva, 20 September 2017
Mr. President, Distinguished delegates, Indigenous Peoples' Representatives Ladies and gentlemen,
I have the honor to present today my fourth annual report to the Human Rights Council. I would like to start by expressing my gratitude to the numerous States, indigenous peoples, and others, and in particular to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, for the support they have provided as I have carried out my mandate over the past year.
Signed 10 years ago, the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples marked a huge step forward - but its promise remains unfulfilled, says Victoria Tauli-Corpuz.
After personally witnessing decades of injustice for the world's Indigenous Peoples, I welcomed this global commitment to our rights. The lack of secure rights to own and manage our lands has been at the heart of our struggles for centuries now. The forests and rivers we rely on and have managed for generations are prime targets for either destruction - through mining, logging, and dams - or conservation. Either way, the fact that we live there has almost always been seen as an obstacle.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples is collecting information in preparation of her country visit to Mexico scheduled to take place from 8 to 17 November 2017.
In accordance with the established practice of mandate-holders, the Special Rapporteur welcomes all relevant submissions that indigenous organisations and other stakeholders may wish to transmit for her consideration in preparation of this visit, such as:
Recent analytical reports or surveys on indigenous peoples in Mexico
Information on the policy, programmes and legal framework with respect to indigenous peoples
Priority issues/concerns and situations that warrant the attention of the Special Rapporteur
Suggestions on issues to examine and related locations to visit
Contact info for indigenous organisations and civil society representatives to meet in different regions in relation to suggested locations to visit
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples - Wednesday 9 August 2017
GENEVA / NEW YORK (7 August 2017) – The world's indigenous peoples still face huge challenges a decade after the adoption of an historic declaration on their rights, a group of United Nations experts and specialist bodies has warned. Speaking ahead of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, the group says States must put words into action to end discrimination, exclusion and lack of protection illustrated by the worsening murder rate of human rights defenders.
The joint statement from the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples reads as follows:
"It is now 10 years since the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN General Assembly, as the most comprehensive international human rights instrument for indigenous peoples. The Declaration, which took more than 20 years to negotiate, stands today as a beacon of progress, a framework for reconciliation and a benchmark of rights.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, has issued additional observations regarding the process undertaken in Honduras for regulating prior consultation. These observations are part of the technical assistance that the Special Rapporteur has provided, at the request of the Government of Honduras, in connection with the preparation of a draft law on prior consultation. Following this request, in December 2016, the Special Rapporteur published her Commentary on the Draft Framework Law on Free, Prior and Informed Consultation of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Peoples(in Spanish only) which pointed out problems with the substantive content and methodology used to develop and socialize the Draft Law.
At the invitation of the Government of Honduras, the Special Rapporteur carried out a working visit to Honduras from 17 to 20 April 2017 to follow up on the recommendations made in her Commentary and to meet with representatives of the Government, indigenous peoples and organizations, private enterprise, trade unions, civil society, the international community, the United Nations System and other stakeholders involved in this initiative on prior consultation. During the working visit, the Special Rapporteur noted that her previous recommendations had not yet been implemented.
GENEVA (13 July 2017) – Peru must suspend negotiations for a new contract to exploit one of the country's most productive oil areas until the rights of local indigenous peoples are protected, two United Nations human rights experts have said.
The area, known as Lot or Block 192, lies in a remote section of the Amazon rainforest in Peru's Loreto region, near the border with Ecuador. A 30-year contract for future extraction rights is under negotiation.
The Special Rapporteurs on hazardous substances and wastes, Baskut Tuncak, and on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, said they are making the call in the light of "grossly inadequate efforts" to provide remedies for previous widespread oil spills in the region.
Statement of Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Tenth session, 12 July 2017 Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
SANTIAGO (15 de junio de 2017) – La Oficina para América del Sur del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH), junto a la Relatora Especial de la ONU sobre Pueblos Indígenas, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz; la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) y el Grupo Internacional de Trabajo sobre Asuntos Indígenas (IWGIA), realizaron una reunión de trabajo titulada "Normas de derecho internacional sobre los derechos humanos de los pueblos indígenas en aislamiento voluntario y en contacto inicial en la Amazonía y el Gran Chaco: revisión y propuestas para la acción". El encuentro tuvo lugar los días 8 y 9 de junio en Lima, Perú.
GENEVA / WASHINGTON DC (8 June 2017) – Three United Nations experts and a rapporteur from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have joined forces to denounce attacks on indigenous and environmental rights in Brazil.
"The rights of indigenous peoples and environmental rights are under attack in Brazil," said the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli Corpuz, on human rights defenders, Michel Forst, and on the environment, John Knox, and the IACHR Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Francisco José Eguiguren Praeli.
Over the last 15 years, Brazil has seen the highest number of killings of environmental and land defenders of any country, the experts noted, up to an average of about one every week. Indigenous peoples are especially at risk.
"Against this backdrop, Brazil should be strengthening institutional and legal protection for indigenous peoples, as well as people of African heritage and other communities who depend on their ancestral territory for their material and cultural existence," the experts stated. "It is highly troubling that instead, Brazil is considering weakening those protections."
The experts highlighted proposed reforms to the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), the body which supports indigenous peoples in the protection of their rights, and which has already had its funding severely reduced. A report recently adopted by the Congressional Investigative Commission calls for the body to be stripped of responsibility for the legal titling and demarcation of indigenous lands. The experts were also concerned with allegations of illegitimate criminalization of numerous anthropologists, indigenous leaders and human rights defenders linked to their work on indigenous issues.
"This report takes several steps back in the protection of indigenous lands," the experts warned. "We are particularly concerned about future demarcation procedures, as well as about indigenous lands which have already been demarcated."
Questionnaire letter in English, French and Spanish from the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz
23 May 2017
To all Permanent Missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva
I am in the process of preparing this year's thematic report for the Human Rights Council on the impact of climate finance on the rights of indigenous peoples.
In the context of this report, I would appreciate and welcome your views and inputs on the impact of climate finance on indigenous people's rights. I am particularly interested in your outlook on the following issues.
Victoria Tauli Corpuz, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and former Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, recently talked with UN Women about engaging indigenous women in climate action during the 16th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (24 April – 5 May, 2017). The Forum marked the 10-year anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and hosted a side event on indigenous women.
Ten years since the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, what is the status of indigenous women now? Where have you seen the most progress and where are the gaps?
The most significant change in the past ten years since the Declaration was adopted, is that indigenous women have strengthened their organizations and networks. They are more engaged—and more number of indigenous women are engaged—in UN and intergovernmental processes. For example, this year was the first time in sixty years that the UN Commission on the Status of Women—the largest intergovernmental gathering on women's rights—focused on indigenous women's issues.
Statement by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 16th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 1 May 2017, New York
Madame Chairperson of the Permanent Forum, Distinguished Members of the Permanent Forum, Chairperson of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Excellencies, indigenous representatives, ladies and gentlemen,
I am grateful for the opportunity to address the Permanent Forum and all those attending this session to celebrate and share some views on this year's Permanent Forum's topic on the "Tenth Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: measures taken to implement the Declaration". As I already shared some of my views during the General Assembly High Level event earlier this week, I will not dwell very much on this. I will just highlight a few points which I think are important to reiterate. I will report on how I have implemented my mandate in the past year and during my third year as Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people.
High-Level Event of the General Assembly to mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Statement by Victoria Tauli Corpuz, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 25 April 2017, New York
Honorable President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary General of the United Nations, President Morales, Honorable Mr. Gilmour, Madame Chairperson of the Permanent Forum, Chairperson of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Excellencies, indigenous representatives, distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Introduction
In September 2007, during the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ('the Declaration), I had the honour to address the General Assembly as the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In my speech, I referred to the historical moment and stated that,
(t)he challenge to ensure the respect, protection and fulfilment of Indigenous Peoples Rights has just begun. (...) Effective implementation of the Declaration will be the test of commitment of States and the whole international community to protect, respect and fulfil indigenous peoples collective and individual human rights.
TEGUCIGALPA, 21 de abril de 2017 – El viernes 21 de abril de 2017, la Sra. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Relatora Especial de Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, concluyó una visita de trabajo que realizó al país por invitación del Gobierno de la República de Honduras.
Previo a un análisis más profundo de su visita, la Relatora comentó de manera preliminar:
"A invitación del Gobierno de Honduras, llevé a cabo una visita de trabajo al país del 17 al 20 de abril de 2017 con el objetivo de evaluar el seguimiento dado a mis observaciones de diciembre 2016 sobre el Anteproyecto de Ley Marco de consulta libre, previa e informada a los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños, en las cuales expresaba unas preocupaciones de procedimiento y de contenido con respecto al proceso en curso.
TEGUCIGALPA, 12 de abril de 2017 – La Sra. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Relatora Especial de Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, a invitación del Gobierno de Honduras, realizará una visita de trabajo oficial al país para darle seguimiento a sus observaciones y recomendaciones en relación al proceso para regular la consulta libre, previa e informada a los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños.
GENEVA (4 April 2017) – Australia must reduce the "astounding" rates of imprisonment for indigenous peoples and step up the fight against racism, a United Nations human rights expert has concluded, at the end of an official visit.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, said: "It is alarming that, while the country has adopted numerous policies to address the socio-economic disadvantage of Aboriginal peoples and those from the Torres Strait Islands, it has failed to respect their rights to self-determination and to full and effective participation in society."
End of Mission Statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz of her visit to Australia, 3 April 2017
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of Australia, and pay my respects to their Elders, to their ancestors and the generations to come for they hold the memories, the traditions and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation.
In my capacity as Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, I have visited Australia from 20 March to 3 April. I thank the Government for having invited me and for its good cooperation during the visit. During the fifteen day visit, I met high-level representatives of the Federal, State and Territories Governments, members of Parliament and the Senate, members of the Judiciary, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, the Australian Human Rights Commission and a broad range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and representatives as well as civil society organisations working for their rights.
GENEVA (14 March 2017) – The human rights situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia is to be examined by the UN Special Rapporteur, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, who will visit the country from 20 March to 3 April.
During her visit, Ms. Tauli-Corpuz will address a number of diverse issues including measures and policies adopted to reduce indigenous disadvantage, the administration of justice and detention conditions, land rights and native title, prevention of violence against women and the rate of children removed from their homes by officials.
The Special Rapporteur will also review the application of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) and its successor 'Stronger Futures' legislation.
GENEVA (6 October 2017) - UN experts* are urging Chile not to prosecute Mapuche indigenous peoples under the country's anti-terrorism legislation.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, has issued 
SANTIAGO (15 de junio de 2017) – La Oficina para América del Sur del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH), junto a la Relatora Especial de la ONU sobre Pueblos Indígenas, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz; la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) y el Grupo Internacional de Trabajo sobre Asuntos Indígenas (IWGIA), realizaron una reunión de trabajo titulada "Normas de derecho internacional sobre los derechos humanos de los pueblos indígenas en aislamiento voluntario y en contacto inicial en la Amazonía y el Gran Chaco: revisión y propuestas para la acción". El encuentro tuvo lugar los días 8 y 9 de junio en Lima, Perú.
Victoria Tauli Corpuz, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and former Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, recently talked with UN Women about engaging indigenous women in climate action during the 16th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (24 April – 5 May, 2017). The Forum marked the 10-year anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and hosted a side event on indigenous women.
TEGUCIGALPA, 12 de abril de 2017 – La Sra. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Relatora Especial de Naciones Unidas sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, a invitación del Gobierno de Honduras, realizará una visita de trabajo oficial al país para darle seguimiento a sus observaciones y recomendaciones en relación al proceso para regular la consulta libre, previa e informada a los pueblos indígenas y afrohondureños.
GENEVA (4 April 2017) – Australia must reduce the "astounding" rates of imprisonment for indigenous peoples and step up the fight against racism, a United Nations human rights expert has concluded, at the end of an official visit.
