A BIO-CULTURAL CRITIQUE OF THE CBD AND ABS
PART I / CHAPTER 1
On September 14, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly
Principles:
adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We endorse by consensus the following principles as a
Article 25 of the Declaration states that “Indigenous peoples
statement of our beliefs and a guide to our actions.
have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive
• Mother Earth and all human, plant and animal relatives
spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise
are sacred, sovereign, respected, unique living beings with
occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas
their own right to survive, and each plays an essential role
and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to
future generations in this regard. A number of declarations
by ILCs further articulate this relationship:
in the survival and health of the natural world.
• Human beings are not separate from the rest of the natural
world, but are created to live in relationship and harmony
with it and with all life.
1. In May 2007, 44 indigenous peoples groups meeting in
• The Creator has given us a sacred responsibility to protect
New York issued the Declaration on Indigenous Peoples'
and care for the land and all of life, as well as to safeguard
Rights to Genetic Resources and Indigenous Knowledge.
its well being for future generations to come.
They began the declaration by stating:
Conclusions:
We, the undersigned indigenous peoples and organizations,
• We uphold the sacredness of life and oppose ideas, systems,
having convened during the Sixth Session of the United
world views and practices, including global finance and
Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, from
patent laws, which define the natural world, its life forms
14 to 25 May 2007, upon the traditional territory of the
and the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples as property
Onondaga Nation, present the following declaration
regarding our rights to genetic resources and
indigenous knowledge:
• Reaffirming our spiritual and cultural relationship with all
life forms existing in our traditional territories;
or "commodities".
• We oppose the actions of government agencies,
corporations, educational institutions, and religious bodies
which promote the idea that the natural world is to be
dominated and exploited by humanity using non-
• Reaffirming our fundamental role and responsibility as the
sustainable development practices that contaminate or
guardians of our territories, lands and natural resources;
destroy the natural world, species and habitats, sacred sites,
• Recognizing that we are the guardians of the indigenous
and our communities and homes.
knowledge passed down from our ancestors from
generation to generation and reaffirming our responsibility
3. On February 19, 1995, in Phoenix, Arizona, 18 indigenous
to protect and perpetuate this knowledge for the benefit
peoples organisations adopted the Declaration of
of our peoples and our future generations
Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere Regarding
the Human Genome Diversity Project which began by stating:
2. On August 7, 1997, the Heart of the People Declaration
was adopted by the North American Indigenous Peoples
• We are the original peoples of the Western hemisphere of
Summit On Biological Diversity and Biological Ethics.
the continents of North, Central and South America. Our
In the preamble, they stated that:
principles are based upon our profound belief in the
sacredness of all Creation, both animate and inanimate. We
We, the participants in the North American Indigenous
live in a reciprocal relationship with all life in this divine and
Peoples Summit on Biological Diversity and Biological Ethics
natural order.
express our profound concern for the well being of our
• Our responsibility as Indigenous Peoples is to insure the
Mother Earth and the Indigenous Circle of Life known as
continuity of the natural order of all life is maintained for
"biological diversity".
We wish to add our voices to ongoing global discussions
regarding the protection of biological diversity, the
generations to come.
• We have a responsibility to speak for all life forms and to
defend the integrity of the natural order.
safeguarding of traditional knowledge and sustainable
• In carrying out these responsibilities we ensure that all life
development practices, and the ethical use and treatment
in its natural process and diversity continues in a reciprocal
of all forms of life based on harmony, respect and the
relationship with us.
spiritual interconnectedness of the natural world.
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