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The 8th annual Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is underway this week in New York as more than 2000 indigenous representatives from around the world are gathered to continue implementation of the landmark 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The forum, which lasts two weeks, is also aimed at grappling with the relationships between indigenous communities and corporations, as well as the crucial issue of climate change. Basic issues such as hunger, access to water, and human rights are also being discussed. In the opening session, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said, “We ignore indigenous peoples at our peril. But if we listen to them, society as a whole will benefit.” The Australian government recently decided to endorse the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples after initially voting against it, significantly adding momentum to the adoption of the document. As of now, only the US, Canada, and New Zealand remain opposed to the Declaration. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues comes only weeks after a significant Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change in Alaska which we covered on Uprising. Larry Smith, co-host of American-Indian Airwaves heard Wednesdays at 3 pm on KPFK is in New York at the forum and now joins us for a live report.

GUEST: Larry Smith, co-host of American Indian Airwaves

history of the forum – it took decades to get the UN to address indigenous issues.

Australia voted against the UN declaration and then decided recently to vote for it. How significant?

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