DOCUMENT: INT_ECON.TXT
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:
A PROMISE OR PERIL FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE WORLD
PLENARY SESSION -- MARCH 30, 1979
NORTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EMERGING INTERNATIONAL
ECONOMIC ORDER
March 29 - 31, 1979
Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Copyright 1979 Center For World Indigenous Studies
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It may seem strange to many that in this day of high
technology, industrialized national powers and complex world
problems, that there remains in the world millions of peoples who
live their daily lives in relatively simple surroundings in tribal
societies. These tribes are located on all of the populated
continents and in territories within, and often across, the
recognized boundaries of political states like South Africa,
Brazil, Greenland, Finland and the United States. Tribal groups
like the Maori of New Zealand, Mapuche people in Chile and Yakima
people in the United States are all indigenous to the territories
they occupy. As peoples indigenous to their areas, these and all
other tribal groups have come under the domination of the
political states which have formed in the last three hundred
years.
Though indigenous peoples have always had distinct
identities, the domination of their surroundings by industrial and
developing states has tended to cloud their importance. The
interests and needs of indigenous peoples have been overshadowed
by political states arguing that tribal peoples within their
boundaries are under their absolute domestic control.
The assumption of absolute dominion over indigenous peoples
by individual states has made it possible for tribal resources to
be confiscated and otherwise appropriated at a pace wholly
destructive of tribal societies. During the 1700's the industrial
revolution launched the western world on a path of explosive
growth. Political states experienced rapid expansion of
populations and increased rates of raw material consumption.
Expansion and increased consumption of resources was called
"progress" and as each state continued to progress it was thought
that human kind was the beneficiary. Yet it was the idea of
progress that lead to an unprecedented assault on the world's
indigenous peoples and their natural resources.
In fewer than two hundred years since the beginning of the
industrial revolution and the idea of "progress", the world has
been totally changed. Self-sufficient indigenous cultures have
disappeared and dramatic resource shortages and environmental
disasters have "suddenly" materialized. Industrial powers
continue to pursue their course of expansion and consumption,
though raw materials and available territory are in short supply.
Indeed, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the major
resources in the world that remain relatively unexploited are
those on which tribal populations depend. Industrial states and
developing states are now attempting to compete with indigenous
populations for raw materials and territories that remain
relatively untouched.
Vast territories are occupied by indigenous peoples who
continue to seek the means to preserve their environment and
cultural ways. It is rapidly becoming apparent that rapid
technological development by developed states and industrial
development by the underdeveloped states place new pressures and
demands on underdeveloped natural resources and indigenous
populations.
1. Indigenous Peoples Seek Self-Determination and Co-Existence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because many political states, both developed and
underdeveloped, have committed continuing violence to indigenous
peoples and their resources, the leaders of tribal populations
from throughout the world have formed an international
organization, The World Council of Indigenous Peoples, to gain
international recognition of aboriginal rights and property and to
halt destruction of tribal resources and culture. For the first
time in human history, the peoples who count their histories in
millenniums instead of years have taken a step to gain their
rightful place as equals among human kind.
The international community has only occasionally shown
awareness of indigenous peoples and usually that awareness has
taken a negative form. This point is best illustrated by a
declaration of the General Act of the 1884-1885 Berlin Africa
Conference, where it was agreed "to educate the natives and teach
them to understand and appreciate the benefits of civilization."
This idea was re-stated in Article 2 of the Brussels Act of 1892,
which called on the colonial powers to raise African tribal
peoples to civilization and "bring about the extinction of
barbarous customs." The assertion of superiority among
industrialized states, and the resulting practice of ethnocide in
the interest of progress today would be considered to be contrary
to the United Nations goal of peace and self-determination for all
peoples. Yet the United Nations has played a significant role in
the undoing of indigenous peoples. The 1919 League of Nations
Covenant in Article 22 gives "advanced nations" responsibility for
"peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous
conditions of the modern world" and places tribal populations
under the tutelage of political states as a "sacred trust of
civilization." It is this "trust" that has proved to benefit the
"protecting powers" because it gave them an internationally
recognized right to exploit the resources of indigenous peoples.
In the United States, Indian tribes have lived under the
"trust protection" of the national government with the expressed
responsibility "to preserve, protect and guarantee the rights and
property of the tribal population." Despite this overriding
obligation, the United States has been the most significant
exploiter of tribal resources and land. Tribally owned timber,
oil, coal, uranium and water have formed the basis for a
significant part of the U.S. economy.
The obligation to "preserve and protect" indigenous peoples
and their resources world-wide has been observed only rarely. The
practice for over two hundred years has been to squeeze indigenous
populations into smaller and smaller areas while political states
consume the raw materials on which tribal peoples have depended.
The decline of tribal populations due to the catastrophic
impact of political states is illustrated by the table below:
TABLE 1.
~~~~~~~~
WORLD SURVEY OF TRIBAL DEPOPULATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Contact Population Depopulation
Population Low Point
------------------------------------------------------------------
North America (a) 9,800,000 490,000 9,310,000
Lowland South America (b) 9,000,000 450,000 8,550,000
Oceania
Polynesia 1,100,000 180,000 920,000
Micronesia 200,000 83,000 117,000
Melanesia
Fiji (a) (e) 300,000 85,000 215,000
New Caledonia (f) 100,000 27,000 73,000
Australia (g) 300,000 60,500 239,500
Africa
Congo (h) 8,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total
Depopulation 27,860,000
------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) (b) Dobyns, 1966:415
(c) (d) Keesing, 1941
(e) (f) Roberts, 1927
(g) Rowely, 1970:384
(h) Morel in Louis and Stengers, 1968:123. The primary
depopulation of the French Conga is for the period of 1900-
1921
------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Bodley, John H. -- Victims of Progress, 1975, p. 39.
For those indigenous peoples able to survive the industrial
cataclysm, a life of dependency on political states has become the
rule. Dependency has produced major inequities in the
distribution of land. Tribal populations are crowded onto tiny
"reserves", with the best lands being made available to non-tribal
users. As the table below illustrates, even when the indigenous
populations are in the majority they are given land areas of
smaller proportion for their exclusive use.
TABLE 2.
~~~~~~~~
AMOUNT OF LAND RESERVED FOR TRIBAL POPULATIONS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------------------------------------------
Native Population as Per- Native Population as
cent of Total Population Percent of Total Area
------------------------------------------------------------------
Bechuanaland (a) 99%+ 38%
Swaziland (a) 98% 48%
New Guinea (b) 98% 97%
S. Rhodesia (c) 95% 33%
S.W. Africa (a) 87% 25%
S. Africa (d) 80% 12%
Canada (e) 3% 0.2%
Chile (f) 2% 0.6%
United States (g) 0.52% 3.97%
------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Cole (19:526)
b. Mair (1970:5, 146) population figures for 1960; "reserve" land
here is actually non-alienated land as of 1967-1968.
c. Barber (1967:1,7) figures for 1960
d. Jabavu (1934:287)
e. International Labour Office (1953:68, 332) population as of
1949, land figures 1951.
f. International Labour Office (1953:40, 307) figures as of 1940.
g. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1975
To prevent further "depopulation" of indigenous peoples and
to halt the continuing destruction of natural resources, the World
Council of Indigenous peoples enacted the following declaration
(W.C.I.P. 1st General Assembly, Port Alberni, B.C., Canada,
October 27-31, 1975).
Article 5: Our land is our life. The history of oppression is the
history of foreigners stealing our land. To ensure physical and
cultural survival we declare:
A. The concept of aboriginal title must be recognized as a
binding principle of international law.
B. Indigenous areas must be recognized as lands owned by the
indigenous group and as areas under their political
control.
C. Indigenous ownership of land must, in all cases, include
the ownership of sub-surface rights, water rights,
foreshore and off-shore rights, air rights and rights to
hunt, fish, trap, gather and harvest.
D. Indigenous lands must be protected from sale to non-
indigenous people, except with the free and full consent
of the indigenous group. Any such sale must comply with
international standards of consent and compensation and
the entire process must be open to international
supervision.
During the 12th General Assembly of the International Union
for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) (Kinshasa,
Zaire, September, 1975) it was urged that all "governments
maintain and encourage traditional methods of living and customs
which enable communities, both rural and urban, to live in harmony
with their environment." The World Council of Indigenous Peoples'
2nd General Assembly, meeting in Kiruna, Samiland, Sweden in
August, 1977, adopted the IUCN recommendation, along with the
following additional recommendations to governments worldwide:
That educational systems be oriented to emphasize
environmental and ecological principles and conservation
objectives derived from local cultures and traditions,
and that these principles and objectives be given wide
publicity;
That governments devise means by which indigenous
peoples may bring their lands into conservation areas
without relinquishing their ownership, use or tenure
rights;
That the governments of countries still inhabited by
people belonging to separate indigenous cultures
recognize the rights of these people to live on the
lands they have traditionally occupied, and take account
of their view points;
The settled principle now announced before the world
community is that indigenous peoples, (their lands and
resources) must be allowed to take their place as
separate and distinct peoples with the right to
determine their own future. The right of self-
determination must be applied to all peoples.
2. Developed and Developing States Cannot Order the World Economy
Without the Participation of Indigenous Peoples
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ever increasing need of the industrial and developing
states for resources and the increasing scarcity of raw materials
is the principle cause of global inflation. The force of
technological and industrial development are rapidly demonstrating
the limits of progress as shortages of resources give rise to
shortages in consumable goods. Developing countries, once
colonies of the technological and industrial powers, have become
the consumers of the future and seek to institute a second
industrial revolution by ravaging tribal areas to which indigenous
peoples have been moved. The last frontier on earth is now the
last home and territories of indigenous peoples. For indigenous
peoples throughout the world, the U.N. Declaration on the
Establishment of a New International Economic Order could mean
their ultimate and final destruction or their ultimate survival.
The NIEO could mean world collapse or it could mean world survival
under restrained policies of development.
The failure of the NIEO is certain if the models of
industrialization typified by the United States and Canada are
used by the developing world. The culture of consumption and
unrestrained progress has ravaged the world of its natural
balance. Poverty has increased worldwide as fewer and fewer
people consume a greater proportion of the world's raw materials.
Because the indigenous populations tend to maintain low-energy
societies which place limited demands on the environment, their
territories have become the major areas of the world not
developed. Raw materials, including timber, minerals and water,
tend to be plentiful within indigenous areas, even though these
areas were once thought to be unfit for habitation and generally
useless. These indigenous areas are now looked upon with great
interest by multi-national corporations, developing states and
developed countries. When the governments now talk about
developing new sources of raw materials, they are most often
making plans for indigenous peoples and their resources.
Indigenous peoples are fully aware of the fragility of their
environments. Because their own lives are closely allied with the
environment, any disruptive influence like the extraction of raw
materials tends to threaten the existence of indigenous
populations. A practical resolution of the conflicting interests
of indigenous peoples and the political states can be achieved
through non-violent exchanges. Indigenous populations must become
a part of the global dialogue on the new international economic
order, with guarantees for their protection and right of self-
determination. Each state must be willing to recognize indigenous
territories and the separate and distinct rights of tribal
populations.
3. Indigenous Peoples' Proposals for a New International Economic
Order
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we examine the world wide relationship between political
states (eager to "develop" raw materials and spread the industrial
economic model) and indigenous peoples (eager to maintain cultures
and ways of life which require limited growth and environmental
balance) we recognize the potential of a new international
economic order becoming a blueprint for the total destruction of
indigenous peoples. We further recognize that humanity as a whole
will suffer ultimate destruction unless rational principles of
human and natural resource preservation are observed now. We
suggest that the final destruction of indigenous peoples through
economic and natural resource exploitation will eventually lead to
the end of humankind.
A new international economic order need not lead to such
disastrous ends. With certain modifications world economic change
can be an orderly and non-violent process which ensures self-
determination and human survival. Indigenous peoples proposals
for a new international economic order may strike the balance
necessary to ensure rational global economic policies.
a. Indigenous peoples must be recognized by the
international community, national governments and tribal
governments as having a separate and distinct political
status in the global community and by virtue of this
status, indigenous peoples must be recognized to have
the right of self-determination in accordance with
United Nations declarations.
b. The World Council of Indigenous Peoples must be
recognized as the official international organ
representing the voice of indigenous peoples worldwide,
and a formal governmental seat within the United Nations
must be established to provide indigenous representation
by appointment of the World Council of Indigenous
Peoples.
c. i. The United Nations should, with the concurrence
of affected indigenous peoples, declare internationally
protected "autonomous indigenous areas" secured by
aboriginal title and established to preserve and protect
the right of self-determination for indigenous peoples,
and protect natural resources from external exploitation
and encroachment without the consent of local indigenous
populations and international supervision.
c. ii. The United Nations must establish an
international organization which includes membership
from the political states and indigenous peoples, for
the purpose of reviewing grievances and claims
proclaimed by indigenous peoples, and such an
organization must be empowered to address the U.N.
Security Council and U.N. General Assembly to promote
redress of authenticated grievances.
c. iii. The United Nations must establish an
international organization which includes membership
from the political states and indigenous peoples for the
purpose of offering financial aid and technical
assistance to indigenous peoples when they initiate a
request, and such a financial and technical aid
organization should be empowered to secure such
financial commitments from other world organizations and
political states as may be necessary to the needs of
indigenous peoples.
d. The United Nations must consider and adopt an
international Declaration of the Protection of
Indigenous Populations from exploitation, genocide and
ethnocide, and authorize the use of United Nations
peace-keeping forces to enforce the declaration.
e. The United Nations and the World Council of
Indigenous Peoples must sponsor an international
conference to develop a Declaration on Aboriginal Title
and Indigenous Self-Determination on Aboriginal Title
and Indigenous Self-Determination, which guarantees
indigenous rights to exclusive territory and the right
to pursue their own cultural, linguistic, social,
educational, political, religious and economic
development without interference.
4. Impact of Indigenous Proposals on the Northwest United States
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Implementation of the indigenous proposals would have the
effect of strengthening tribal economic influences in the
Northwest regional economy and they would produce a more
competitive and vigorous economy. Tribal participation in
regional economic planning would be assured, adding a new
dimension to resource management and resource use.
Raw materials like timber, fish, and minerals from tribal
reservations would tend to be developed on a sustained yield
basis, instead of at radical high and low production rates. This
will tend to ensure a stabilizing influence on the processing and
manufacturing industries operating within the Northwest economy.
Tribal resources would be developed with minimal environmental
disruption, while steady production is maintained.
Tribal economies (of which there are no less than 52 in the
Northwest) will tend to emphasize local manpower and resource
development of a self-sufficient nature and begin moving away from
heavy dependence on federal financial aid. The tribal economies
will become productive contributors to the Northwest economy,
thereby increasing the general economic vitality. Both tribal
economies and non-tribal economies will gain from co-existent
economic development.
Conclusions:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The indigenous proposals for a new world economic order make
plain the need to let indigenous peoples decide for themselves
when their way of life is extinct.
Indigenous peoples have "endured the physical violence of
wars, famine and disease. They survived." Indigenous peoples
continue to honor life-giving principles which have sustained
tribal societies for 10,000 years. These same principles may be
essential to the survival of humankind. Recognition of indigenous
peoples and an acceptance of limited growth which respects the
limits of the environment, may slow progress, but ensure a future
for humankind. For the world to continue its present path of
consumption, unlimited natural resources will be essential. There
is no resource that is truly unlimited. Balance between the needs
of humankind and the productivity of nature is the essential
value. Tribal societies have learned the lesson. Political
states must learn the lesson or all peoples will perish.
*******
This paper developed with the cooperation and support of the
following individuals and organizations:
World Council of Indigenous Peoples (WCIP)
National Indian Lutheran Board (NILB)
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
Satiacum Enterprises
COSAMCO Ltd.
Joe DeLaCruz, President, Quinault Nation
Joan Ortez, Chairwoman, Steilacoom Tribe
Russell Jim, Councilman, Yakima Nation
William Yallup, Councilman, Yakima Nation
George Manuel, WCIP
Marie Maruley, WCIP
Rosalee Tizya, WCIP
Anne Pavel, Skokomish Tribe
Mel Tonasket, Vice-Chairman, Colville Confederated Tribes and
Vice-President, NCAI
Calvin Peters, Chairman, Squaxin Island Tribe
Bernie Whitebear, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation
Writing and Research Staff:
Rudolph C. Ryser, COSAMCO Ltd.
Sue Sawicki, COSAMCO Ltd.
Gary Morishima, Quinault Tribe
Shirley Keith, Muckleshoot Tribe
Randy Scott, Puget Sound Association of Cooperating Tribes (PACT)
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