Help Support the UN Declaration!

The United States is currently reviewing its position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Federal officials are taking comments on the Declaration through October, 2010.  Now is the time to speak out and to urge the White House to endorse the UN Declaration!  Click below to send a letter to the White House urging the U.S. to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Click here to see a draft letter for Indian and Alaska Native leaders

Click here to see a draft letter for Non-governmental Organizations

Consultation and Meeting on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 

July 14, 2010

U.S. State Department officials, along with many other federal officials and agency representatives, met with Indian leaders and non-governmental organizations on July 7^th and 8^th about the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  The Indian Law Resource Center has been a part of the effort to get the UN Declaration adopted for more than 30 years and continues to play an important role. 

Follow the links to hear Indian leaders and non-governmental organizations speak about the importance of the consultations and why indigenous peoples around the world should participate. 

Key information learned from the July 7^th and 8^th consultations:

Timbisha Shoshone Tribe files lawsuit to stop Act of Congress

June 10, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe filed a lawsuit today to stop an Act of Congress that threatens to take a fund of money belonging to the Timbisha Shoshone and the Western Shoshone Nation as a whole. (MORE...)

Indian Law Resource Center among the winners of the Gruber Foundation International Justice Prize

The Indian Law Resource Center, Michael Kirby, and John Dugard are being recognized for "significantly advancing human rights under law for victimized groups" and will share the prestigious $500K Gruber Foundation International Justice Prize.
 

United States to review position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 

April 20, 2010 -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, announced today that the United States will conduct a formal review of its position on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  

"We are going to have to keep pressure on the US government to actually change its position. "

MORE Listen to Robert T. Coulter's statement about the announcement 

Read the full statement by Ambassador Rice, and other news from the United Nations Permanent Forum 

Indigenous village stands in the way of proposed highway in Peru

Indigenous peoples throughout the Amazon Basin are being threatened by major large-scale dam, highways and energy developments being carried out through the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA).  Indian Law Resource Center staff recently visited the Flor de Ucayali and Tres Islas communities in Peru to get a closer look at the impact of a proposed IIRSA projects.

Center serving as co-counsel on class action lawsuit against the U.S. Census Bureau 

April 13, 2010 -- Thousands of African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans have been rejected for jobs by the U.S. Census Bureau because of systematic discrimination, according to a class action filed today in a federal court in New York.

Read the press release.

NY Times Editorial | April 20, 2010:  We can't tell you why 

Coulter responds to Congressional apology to Native Americans