www.oas.org

(E-081/01) April 6, 2001  OAS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CLOSER TO ACHIEVING DECLARATION A "historic development" and "a significant step forward" was how Ambassador Ronalth Ochaeta, Guatemala's Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), described the participation of nearly one hundred indigenous leaders at a meeting with member state representatives on a proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Ambassador, who chaired a special Working Group meeting at OAS Headquarters April 2 to 6 to continue working on the Declaration, also announced that after a frank and open debate that was based on mutual respect, the participants adopted the term "peoples" to replace "populations" in the title of the draft Declaration.   Aucán Huilcaman, the indigenous Chilean leader representing the Mapuche Council of All Lands, said "the OAS has reversed itself on this matter," thereby uncovering some underlying fears. "Our firm belief is that dialogue is the proper vehicle through which to come to an understanding and to create for the region an instrument declaring and recognizing rights for all indigenous peoples of the Americas," he stressed. Speaking at the closing session, OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi noted the important work undertaken, saying that the government delegates and indigenous leaders "have this week given visibility and impetus to one of this Hemisphere's most important issues, the real human and social dimensions of which we are just beginning appreciate."     **********