Summary: The Exploitation Of Indigenous People

Henri Coudreau once said “It is curious to note that tribes who become acculturated fastest also disappear quickest” (Plotkin 272). In Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice, Mark J. Plotkin highlights the unfortunate exploitation of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Rain Forest—the most coveted location for research and scientific discovery as well as the consequences of human intervention. In my essay, I will analyze the potential reasons behind the UNDRIP rejections from the United States and Australia as well explore the growing movement to gain rights for indigenous tribes in the last few decades. Throughout my research, I will discuss the impact of UNDRIP on the indigenous tribes themselves in addition to how their newfound rights will further

UNDRIP also known as the United Nations Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples, has been created, revised, and renegotiated over the last 20 years for the fight of native rights. The United Nations Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), was approved by the General Assembly on September 13, 2007 with one hundred and forty-four states who voted in favor of the declaration along with eleven absences and four objections. The events leading up the adoption of UNDRIP begins with the establishment of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982 by the United Nations (Birdsall 2008). The Working Group on Indigenous Populations drafted the first form of UNDRIP. From there, the International NGO conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations held in Geneva from September 20-23, 1997, adopted a Declaration of Principles for the Defense of the Indigenous Nations and Peoples of the Western Hemisphere. The declaration stated the acknowledgement of the indigenous tribes as nations and a guarantee of their rights (Eide 2014). These

UNDRIP is only a declaration and not a legally binding document; in other words, the terms of the declaration are not necessarily enforced. However, the declaration provides a foundation and standard that the states may use to assist in their efforts to improve human rights for native groups of people. It explains the goal of autonomy such that indigenous peoples will be in control of their lands and their right to veto any projects of resource development which may harm their peoples or intervene in their form of government (Eide 2014). The aboriginal communities are now considered as “peoples.” They can establish their own political status and freely choose to make their economic, social and cultural decisions for development. Moreover, they are also allowed to dispose of any of their “natural wealth” (Eide 2014) without any interference nor judgment from other commitments. Nonetheless, within the goal of self-determination, there is a limit to ensure no misinterpretation to their right of autonomy, that requires a concession from the indigenous tribes in order to protect the integrity of the entire political/economic