[nativestudies-l] Maine Legislature Passes UN Declaration on Native Rights

[Alyssa Mt. Pleasant]

>   *The House Calendar*
>
> *The Advance Journal and Calendar of the House of Representatives*
> *ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THIRD MAINE LEGISLATURE*
> *FIRST SPECIAL SESSION*
> 10th Legislative Day
> Tuesday, April 15, 2008
> *JOINT RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE 
> RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES*
> WHEREAS, on September 13, 2007 the General Assembly of the United 
> Nations adopted a landmark declaration outlining the rights of the 
> world's estimated 370 million indigenous people, those people native 
> to an area, and outlawing discrimination against them; and
> WHEREAS, the nonbinding declaration expresses the individual and 
> collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights that 
> pertain to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education 
> and other issues; and
> WHEREAS, the declaration also affirmed the rights of indigenous 
> peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures 
> and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their 
> own needs and aspirations; and
> WHEREAS, in considering the rights of indigenous people everywhere, 
> the declaration also holds that discrimination against indigenous 
> people should be abolished and that promotion of their full and 
> effective participation in all matters that concern them should be 
> encouraged; and
> WHEREAS, the right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions 
> of economic and social development is vital according to this 
> declaration; and
> WHEREAS, the State of Maine has a special relationship with its own 
> indigenous people and is the only state in the United States to grant 
> seats to its indigenous peoples, the Penobscot Nation and the 
> Passamaquoddy Tribe, on the floor of the House of Representatives; 
> now, therefore, be it
> RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-third 
> Legislature now assembled in the First Special Session, on behalf of 
> the people we represent, take this opportunity to express support for 
> the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; 
> and be it further
> RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated 
> by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Tribal 
> Representatives of the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe.
>

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