CONSEJO INTERNACIONAL DE TRATADOS INDIOS

PROPOSAL ON THE PARTICIPATION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES

OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE INITIAL MEETING OF

NEGOTIATIONS IN THE QUEST FOR POINTS OF CONSENSUS

(Document presented by the Chair of the Working Group)

            Pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1919 (XXXIII-O/03), adopted by the General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, which reaffirms that the adoption of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an OAS priority, the first round of negotiations will commence in October 2003, with the effective participation of representatives of the indigenous peoples and appropriate measures to ensure continued transparency in this process.

            In order to ensure appropriate participation by indigenous peoples and to fulfill the mandates contained in resolution AG/RES. 1919, the Chair of the Working Group proposes the following participation mechanism for the start of this first round of negotiations aimed at seeking points of consensus on the American Declaration.

1.                   The first meeting in this round will take place on October 15-17, 2003, at OAS Headquarters, in Washington, D. C., with the participation of member states and indigenous experts.

2.                   The representatives of the indigenous peoples in each member state of the Organization will appoint an indigenous expert to take part in the aforementioned meeting.

3.                   The travel and per diem expenses of the indigenous experts proposed by the indigenous peoples in each country will be defrayed by the “Specific Fund to Support the Elaboration of the American Declaration,” following approval by the members of the Selection Board, pursuant to the provisions of Permanent Council resolution CP/RES. 817 (1319/02) of May 8, 2002.  The per diem will include two days prior to the meeting to allow for consultations among the indigenous experts.

4.                  

The meeting’s sessions will be public and will acknowledge the right of indigenous experts to express their views on each of the articles in the Draft American Declaration, in accordance with the established schedule for these meetings.

5.                   The negotiations in the quest for consensus will begin with the consolidated text put together by the Chair of the Working Group (GT/DADIN/doc.139/03) and with consideration of the Draft Declaration presented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CP/doc.2878/97 corr. 1), as well as the compilation of the proposals put forward by the member states, the representatives of indigenous peoples, specialized agencies, and other institutions, which the General Secretariat will distribute in due course.

6.                   The Working Group will hold a Special Meeting in the last week of February 2004, with the participation of the representatives of indigenous peoples in order to continue this process.