| The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a | | | | But representatives from several indigenous groups |
| non-binding declaration on the rights of native | | | | criticized the countries that did not support the |
| peoples, despite opposition from the United States | | | | measure. Phil Fontaine, leader of the Assembly of |
| and three other countries. From U.N. headquarters in | | | | First Nations from Canada, says his country's vote |
| New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more. | | | | against the Declaration is a blight on its human rights |
| The 143 members of the General Assembly voted | | | | record. |
| for the declaration that outlines the rights of some | | | | "Canada can no longer present itself as one of leading |
| 370 million indigenous people worldwide. | | | | proponents and defenders and protectors of human |
| Only the United States, Canada, New Zealand and | | | | rights. It was able to do that until this moment. You |
| Australia - all nations with large native populations - | | | | cannot pick and choose the human rights that you |
| voted against the text, expressing concerns over | | | | will defend. It is clearly a slap in the face of |
| some provisions, including those on self-determination | | | | indigenous peoples and a huge disappointment for |
| and rights to land and resources. Eleven nations | | | | us," he said. |
| abstained from the vote. | | | | Canada objected to the measure saying it lacks clear |
| The passage of the Declaration creates no new | | | | guidance for implementation, and conflicts with the |
| rights and does not place indigenous people in a | | | | existing Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - |
| special category, but it does lay out their rights in a | | | | which the government believes already protects the |
| number of areas including culture, employment and | | | | rights of native peoples. |
| language, while prohibiting discrimination against them. | | | | Last year the General Assembly deferred adopting |
| Latin American delegates, like Connie Taracena from | | | | the Declaration after African countries raised |
| Guatemala's U.N. Mission, welcomed the Declaration, | | | | objections to language on self-determination and the |
| saying it will benefit their region which has a large | | | | definition of "indigenous" people. After the language |
| indigenous population. "My message to the indigenous | | | | was amended this year, they threw their support |
| people is that this is a great opportunity to celebrate | | | | behind it. |
| and this really opens the door for a great future." | | | | |