Indigenous people from around the world urge more countries to sign law for tribal people
April 17, 2009
© John Miles/SurvivalAboriginal Cave Paintings, Western Arnhem Land, Australia
One hundred representatives of Indigenous peoples have signed a declaration at the International Conference on Extractive Industries and Indigenous Peoples calling on states to ratify ILO Convention 169 – the only international law for tribal peoples’ rights.
The statement, known as the Manila Declaration, identifies the problems mining companies and other industries bring to tribal peoples, and calls for action.
It calls on all countries to ratify Convention 169, and for multinational companies to respect its rules. To date, only 20 countries have ratified the convention.
The declaration also says, ‘extractive industry projects must not take precedence over our right to land.’
Download a pdf of the Manila Declaration
