Remarks by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to
the United Nations, at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,
April 20, 2010
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues, Distinguished Representatives of indigenous groups from around
the world, Excellencies and distinguished delegates.
In his Presidential Proclamation last fall honoring Native American
Heritage Month, President Obama recognized that the “indigenous
peoples of North America—the First American—have woven rich and
diverse threads into the tapestry of our Nation’s heritage.” What is
true in the Americas is true around the world. There is no true
history that does not take into account the story of indigenous
populations—their proud traditions, their rich cultures, and their
contributions to our shared heritage and identity.
But in the United States and many other parts of the world, indigenous
communities continue to feel the heavy hand of history. Our first
nations face serious challenges: disproportionate and dire poverty,
unemployment, environmental degradation, health care gaps, violent
crime, and bitter discrimination. Far more must be done—at home and
abroad—to tackle these challenges, expand the circle of opportunity,
and work with our Native communities to ensure they enjoy the security
and dignity that all citizens deserve.
President Obama is deeply committed to strengthening and building on
government-to-government relationships among the United States and our
tribal governments. Our Administration has moved quickly to launch
programs to improve the lives of Native Americans. Shortly after his
inauguration, the President appointed my colleague, Kimberly Teehee,
as his Native American policy advisor and began extensive outreach to
tribal leaders. In November of last year, President Obama invited
representatives from each of our 564 Indian tribes in the United
States to attend a White House Tribal Nations Conference. Nearly 500
tribal leaders participated—the most widely attended White House
tribal meeting with the President, Cabinet Secretaries, senior
officials, and members of Congress in U.S. history. The President
signed a Memorandum on November 5, 2009, directing every federal
agency to develop plans to implement fully the Executive Order on
“Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments,” which
mandates that all agencies have an accountable process for meaningful
and timely input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory
policies that have tribal implications. The level of tribal
consultation is now at historic levels—marking a new era in the United
States’ relationship with tribal governments.
Last month, President Obama signed a historic reform of the U.S.
health care system that includes important provisions to reduce the
gaping health care disparities that Native Americans still face.
Signing and implementing this landmark law constitutes a major step
toward fulfilling our national responsibility to provide high-quality,
affordable health care to all citizens, including American Indians and
Alaska Natives.
The U.S. government has also made improving public safety in tribal
communities a high priority. The Department of Justice supports an
initiative to hire more Indian country Assistant U.S. Attorneys to
prosecute cases of violent crime on Native lands. This initiative
will also provide additional federal agents to support law-enforcement
efforts in tribal communities. Combating crimes involving violence
against women and children on Native lands is a particularly high
priority for the U.S. government.
Last year, in the face of a global economic crisis, President Obama
took swift action to spur economic activity and create new jobs. The
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act specifically allocates more
than $3 billion to assist tribal communities. These funds are being
used to renovate schools on reservations across the country, to create
new jobs in tribal economies, improve housing, support health care
facilities, and bolster policing services. The President’s Fiscal
Year 2011 budget request also proposes a 5 percent increase in federal
funding for Native American programs, to a total of $18.5 billion.
The United States also supports programs that help indigenous
communities around the world. We are especially committed to
promoting corporate social responsibility, particularly with
extractive industries whose operations can so dramatically affect the
living conditions of indigenous peoples. The United States has
therefore engaged in a multi-stakeholder initiative to encourage firms
to operate safely within a framework that fully respects the rights of
surrounding communities. We support the Initiative for Conservation in
the Andean Amazon, a regional program designed to strengthen
indigenous efforts to protect and conserve the Amazon Rainforest. In
Peru, our common efforts focus on the conservation of the Manu
National Parks, together with the Yanesha and Ashaninka peoples, by
providing training in sustainable resource management and expanding
environmental conservation capacity. The United States also
participates fully and actively in the Arctic Council, a high-level
intergovernmental forum of the eight Arctic states where Arctic
indigenous peoples -- represented by Permanent Participant
organizations -- have a co-equal role.
Consistent with President Obama’s call for a new era of U.S.
engagement with the world, the United States applauds the Permanent
Forum’s efforts to raise awareness of issues affecting the world’s
indigenous peoples and to generate ideas for substantially improving
their livelihoods and communities.
Thus today, I am pleased to announce that the United States has
decided to review our position regarding the U.N. Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We recognize that, for many around the
world, this Declaration provides a framework for addressing indigenous
issues. During President Obama’s first year in office, tribal leaders
encouraged the United States to reexamine its position on the
Declaration—an important recommendation that directly complements our
commitment to work together with the international community on the
many challenges that indigenous peoples face. We will be conducting a
formal review of the Declaration and the U.S. position on it. And as
we move ahead, we look forward to consulting extensively with our
valued and experienced colleagues in the federally recognized Indian
tribes and interested nongovernmental organizations.
While many steps have been taken in the Administration’s first year,
we are not satisfied. We seek to continue to work together with our
partners in indigenous communities to provide security, prosperity,
equality, and opportunity for all. There is no American history
without Native American history. There can be no just and decent
future for our nation that does not directly tackle the legacy of
bitter discrimination and sorrow that the first Americans still live
with. And America cannot be fully whole until its first inhabitants
enjoy all the blessings of liberty, prosperity, and dignity. Let
there be no doubt of our commitment. And we stand ready to be judged
by the results. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
