United Nations Indigenous forum considers moving outside US
Delegates to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues – one of the largest annual gatherings at UN headquarters in New York City – may decide to move future meetings outside the United States because of the current political climate.
Fears about treatment of international visitors and difficulty or delays in gaining visas to travel into the U.S. are already reducing attendance at this year's meeting, which is set to start Monday and run through May 2.
Now members are considering moving the event altogether.
'We're concerned about the ability of Indigenous people from around the world to actually make it in the country and not be harassed,' Geoffrey Roth, Standing Rock Sioux, one of 16 members of the Permanent Forum, told ICT Friday.
'Considering the safety of Indigenous peoples and their ability to actually make it to meetings and participate in a meaningful way,' he said, 'I think it's time to move, and that's my personal opinion.'
Roth has heard from delegates and representatives that it's not a safe time to travel to the United States, and they're scared to do it. On top of that, visas are being denied or delayed, impacting those who can participate — especially those from countries in Africa or from Russia.
The chair of the forum, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an Indigenous Mbororo woman from Chad, issued a letter on April 15 calling on all member states to issue visas in a timely manner and give unimpeded access for Indigenous participants.
Ibrahim cited Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that guarantees the right for every citizen to take part in public affairs, as well as Articles 2 and 26, which affirms nondiscrimination of using such rights.
'A different level of concern'
Each spring for more than 20 years, the floor of the United Nations General Assembly Hall has become a homecoming for Indigenous leaders, activists, delegates and representatives for the opening ceremony to the Permanent Forum.
Indigenous people who are separated by oceans, continents, rivers and colonial borders become friends and colleagues — working together to strengthen Indigenous rights locally and globally.
'It's extremely important we have all of these voices come together, and we speak with as unified a voice as possible in the global perspective,' Roth told ICT.
Since 2002, the Permanent Forum, a high-level advisory body to the UN that is known as PFII, has held an annual meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. It has grown to become the second-largest event held at 760 United Nations Plaza.
The annual meeting has become known as a global platform for Indigenous people to push for dialogue, cooperation and concrete action on issues that impact their communities.
This year, however, forum members have already discussed the possibility of moving the annual meeting out of the United States — permanently.
'I think we're seeing a whole different level of concern about traveling here and being safe while in New York and while at this meeting,' Roth said.
One member of the forum has had their travel visa delayed for a second year in a row. This is unusual, considering that members are nominated by either a government or chair of the Economic and Social Council, one of the main organs that make up the UN. It's possible the member may not be able to attend this year's forum at all, Roth said.
Unable to attend
There is a history of Indigenous people from countries that are adversaries of the United States having their visas denied or delayed. However, the issue has become more widespread and prevalent.
Four months into President Donald Trump's new administration, international arrivals have plummeted. Some are angered by Trump's tariffs and rhetoric. Others are alarmed by reports of tourists being arrested at the border, denied entry into the country, or detained for questioning for several hours to days.
Roth said folks haven't explicitly mentioned Trump's policy but the proposal to relocate the forum is likely to be presented.
'I anticipate a recommendation to move it,' Roth said. 'But I'm not sure if that's going to happen or not. We'll see through the deliberations. It will also be important for us to hear from Indigenous people that did make it. But I am receiving a lot of messages that individuals just aren't going to be making it this year.'
Roth is worried that participation is going to plummet this year, which will impact the success and work of the forum. The purpose of the annual meeting is to gather interventions, which are essentially calls to action, that will be used in a report to the United Nations.
If the 16 members agree to recommend moving the meeting, it would be included in the annual report to the UN and implemented. Ultimately, it would take several years because of how far ahead the UN events are planned.
The Permanent Forum does have the authority to change venues, per the Economic and Social Council Resolution 2000. It states that the 16-member board 'decides that the Permanent Forum shall hold an annual session of ten working days at the United Nations Office at Geneva or at United Nations Headquarters or at such other place as the Permanent Forum may decide in accordance with existing financial rules and regulations of the United Nations.'
The annual reports provide expert advice and recommendations to the UN system. The forum members, based on interventions, advocate globally for Indigenous rights and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, known as UNDRIP.
'We're not going to have as many Indigenous people here that we typically would, and we're not going to have that perspective from those people as well,' he said.
Voices unheard
Indigenous communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, are experiencing severe human rights violations because of mining development. Congolese Indigenous people gave testimony to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that resulted in a call to action.
Ibrahim, the forum chair, called on the Congo government to intervene and for the UN to investigate human rights violations.
The forum wouldn't have known this was happening if Congolese Indigenous people weren't able to advocate for their communities.
Indigenous people from Russia have already told Roth that there will be a much smaller group attending this year. This means hunting, fishing and mining issues from those communities won't reach the international stage that the forum offers.
This story contains material from The Associated Press.
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