OAS General Assembly Discusses Situation in Venezuela
Asamblea de la OEA debate la situación en Venezuela

César Gaviria, Secretario General de la OEA
"Esta Misión recibió numerosas quejas sobre la responsabilidad ... de los Círculos Bolivarianos, grupos de ciudadanos u organizaciones de base que apoyan el proyecto político del Presidente. Muchos sectores los responsabilizan de violaciones a los derechos humanos, de actos de intimidación y de saqueos."
(Informe del Secretario General de la OEA, César Gaviria, sobre la  Situación en Venezuela) 
(Report of the Secretary General of the OAS, Cesar Gaviria. Situation in Venezuela)  

Luis Alfonso Dávila, Canciller de Venezuela
"...debo, en nombre del Presidente Hugo Chávez Frías, felicitar a la OEA por su  demostración, en  momentos en que fue puesta a prueba la convicción   democrática para la aplicación de la Carta Democrática Interamericana." 
(leer texto completo) 

Colin L. Powell, U.S. Secretary of State
"...we call upon President Chavez to follow with deeds his new pledges of national reconciliation and respect for democratic principles...In keeping with the letter and spirit of the Democratic Charter."
(full text) 

Denis Paradis, Canada, Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa
In accordance with the democratic principles contained in the Democratic Charter, and with the due process of the Venezuelan Constitution, we hope to see rapid and sustained progress in a number of key areas, including the following:

• Respect for basic freedoms, in particular freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

• Respect for the autonomy of institutions and strengthening of the latter to ensure the separation of powers.

• Establishment within Venezuelan society of a climate conducive to consensus decision making.
  (full text)  (version française)
  

Representante Permanente de Chile, Embajador Esteban Tomic Errazuriz
"No es aceptable, bajo circunstancia alguna, quiebres del orden constitucional. Toda ruptura de la democracia va contra la América de hoy."
(texto completo)

(Click here to hear remarks by all the Delegations )
(Oprima aquí para escuchar intevenciones de todas las delegaciones)

Conference on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The right to self-government
Article XV of the Draft American Declaration

"Domestically, the Government of Canada recognizes the inherent right of self-government of indigenous peoples..." 
(Comments by the Canadian Delegation)

"Until recently, the question of self-determination was understood as an opposition between the rights of states and the right of indigenous peoples.  But a new approach sees self-determination as structuring a relationship between indigenous peoples and states." 
(Benedict Kingsbury, University of New York)

Committee on Political and Juridical Affairs web page on Indigenous Rights
(Documents)

"It is necessary to put together an international instrument that will provide Indians with basic standards for the recognition of their rights in relation not only to the nation states in which they live but also to the globalized world society. "  
Ana V. Araújo,
The Rainforest Foundation,  defendant of the indigenous rights in Brazil

"...a process that builds confidence and trust between states and indigenous peoples will create the conditions of respect, and transparency leading to understanding and agreement. " 
Wayne Lord
Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs

"...a new era had begun, relegating to the past the days when legal systems of indigenous peoples were excluded or were included on an unacceptably subordinate basis."
Augusto Willemsen Díaz
 Guatemalan Legal expert. Human Rights Center of the United Nations in Geneva

The Human Rights Situation of the Indigenous Peoples in the Americas

Click here to read Resolution on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Click here to read all documents including, Declaration of Indigenous Caucus, Comments by Countries and Draft Resolution on the Permanent Fund of Voluntary Contributions of the OAS for the Indigenous Peoples.

Depejando Dudas:
Declaración Americana sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas

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