Pacific Centre for Particpipatory Democracy's Call for Support for Indigenous Rights

IDEAS FOR TAUTOKO/ACTION/SUPPORT
1. Based on the information about the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples iwi, hapu, Maori organisations and individuals should decide which position they support and how they can contribute to seeing the kaupapa progress.

2. An online petition on public participation in establshing the NZ government position on the text of the dDRIP has been set up to seek a more open and honest process for developing NZ's positions on the draft Declaration. Please take a moment to sign this if you support the petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can make a big difference. We are trying to reach 5,000 signatures by early January - please sign here- (www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/489895927)

3. Letters from organisations and indivudals/whanau can be sent to Winston Peters Minister of Foreign Affairs and Parekura Horomia, Minister of Maori Affairs. Given the political uncertanity NZ has been involved in leading up to and post election - who mandated MFAT to make the statements in October? Cabinet hadn't even met. Did the new Minister of Foreign Affairs sign-off this change in position? Why did government change its position without informing Maori nationally? 'Government' if one calls it that, is in a perilous situation - it is not a majority government with a clear mandate from NZ citizens on ALL issues. Why did MFAT make such a radical shift? Recommendations for a NZ government position need to be strongly worded as to date the New Zealand government has undertaken very little consultation with Maori and other interested sectors of the public on these issues and in determining what the official government position will be.


4. Write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and ask him to support the dDRIP as a Universal Declaration for all Indigenous Peoples worldwide. The dDRIP is not only about Maori and the Crown - it is an instrument that can greatly improve the human rights and lives of indigenous peoples right across the globe who are living in situations of war and terrorism, extreme poverty, environmental degradation, isolation and marginalisation.

5. Publically challenge MFAT as being disconnected from reality, New Zealanders in general and Maori in particular, and inept/incapable of articulating the complexity of NZ's approach to Maori development/Treaty issues, and/or send letters to the Editor of newspapers, MP's articulating these concerns.

6. Write to all MP's, particulalry Maori MPs, across all political parties, and ask them to indicate their support for the dDRIP by having their name posted on this website.

7. Inform your friends, whanau and the wider community about this important issue that will affect generations to come and is drifting by without any significant public debate or consultation. Read more about it, write letters to your local newspaper and talk to others to find out more.