United Nations Declaration On the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

When the United Nations Declaration On the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted in 2007, it was seen as a milestone in better protecting the rights of indigenous peoples to protect their lands and cultures. But it is unlikely that President Barack Obama is going to issue an executive order to enforce the declaration, the Indian Country Today Media Network reports. Yet American Indian legal experts who gathered recently say that law to enforce the principles behind the declaration are needed more than ever. Those principles are that free, prior and informed consent from indigenous peoples is necessary before policies affecting them are implemented. U.S. assistant secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn said in a speech that "free, prior and informed consent" is more like veto power, ICTMN reports.

I am always interested in news out of Malaysia as my college roommate is from there.

Here is this report: Indigenous peoples in Malaysia are facing forced displacement and the loss of livelihood due to extractive industries in east Malaysia, Free Malaysia Today reported. The issue was brought up in a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.  Some Malaysian leaders want James Anaya, the special UN rapporteur on indigenous rights to conduct a mission in their country, Free Malaysia Today also reported.

Separately, a human rights commission has recommended the establishment of a "Native Title Court or Special Court to deal with the backlog of native land rights cases currently in the civil court." That full story is here: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/focus-on-bumiputera-s...

A United Nations official has called on courts in South Carolina and Oklahoma to respect the human rights of a little girl who is a member of the Cherokee Nation and is the subject of a cross-state custody dispute. Veronica lived the first two years of her life with adopted parents in South Carolina and the next two years with her American Indian father, who argues he did not consent to the adoption. When the US Supreme Court heard the case, the justices ruled that several provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act did not apply to American Indian biological fathers who are not custodians. The UN official cited the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which sets out goals for the collective rights of indigenous peoples around the globe and  which President Obama has agreed to follow.