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H.E. Ambassador John AshePresident of the General AssemblyUnited Nations Headquarters

New York

Via email:fullerf@un.organd fax + 1 212 963 3301

Ref.: appointment of co-facilitators for the process of the high level session of the

General Assembly to be known as World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

27thJanuary, 2014

Your Excellency,

The undersigned organizations appeal to Your Excellency to take the necessary actionregarding the appointment of an indigenous co-facilitator, nominated by Indigenous

peoples institutions and organizations, to work together with a facilitator nominated bythe Member States, for the process remaining towards the high level plenary meeting ofthe General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, to

be held in September, 2014. Such an arrangement was adopted for the facilitation of thediscussions regarding the GA resolution 66/L.61, adopted during the 66thsession of theGeneral Assembly, and will be conducive to ensuring a successful and widely accepteddevelopment and outcome of the high level plenary meeting.

In his report A/HRC/21/24 submitted in July, 2012 to the Human Rights Council, theUN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon describes ways and means to promote the

participation of Indigenous peoples representatives at the United Nations. He considersthe functional advantages of indigenous participation at the UN stating: The

participation of indigenous peoples in the United Nations would address, in a practical

way, their frequent marginalization and exclusion from decision-making processes on

matters that affect them. As mentioned in the introduction to the present report, such

participation is also called for in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples, as endorsed by the General Assembly [...]. Indigenous peoples are

best placed to authoritatively advise on their situation and the most appropriate

methods to tackle the challenges that they face. Issues relevant to indigenous peoples

are often addressed in general United Nations forums, beyond the bodies specificallyfocused on indigenous peoples. The participation of indigenous peoples organizations

in the United Nations that has been possible to date has facilitated the strengthening of

cooperation between States and indigenous peoples in a peaceful and constructive

fashion (Para 13)

And he concludes: To the extent that it has been permitted to date, indigenous peoplesparticipation at the United Nations has been a positive experience. It has enabled

indigenous peoples who had been historically excluded to work together peacefully and

in partnership with States to advance their issues and rights. It has been a process of

mutual trust-building, premised on equality and equity among stakeholders, and has led

to fruitful outcomes and greater commitments by indigenous peoples, States and theUnited Nations system to strengthen recognition and respect for indigenous peoples

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rights. It is hoped that this spirit of openness and continuing collaboration with

indigenous peoples will be improved by further enhancement of procedures to enable

indigenous peoples participation in all relevant work of the United Nations, in a way

that realizes, respects, promotes and protects their rights under the United Nations

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant international

human rights standards. (Para 66)

Furthermore, resolution 66/L.61 of the General Assembly calls for an inclusive processalong the preparation of the high level plenary meeting, including the debate of theoutcome document. We believe this could only be ensured with the appointment of anIndigenous co-facilitator for the remaining preparatory phase leading to the WorldConference.

Indigenous peoples organizations have been proactively involved, since the beginningof the process, in the preparations of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples.Their active and constructive engagement has been demonstrated in their own

preparatory initiatives that have been taken place since the decision by the UN GeneralAssembly in 2010 to organise the high level plenary session to take place in September2014. These initiatives and their important contribution to the preparatory process have

been encouraged, recognized and commended in several UN resolutions. Furthermore,many Member States have also stated that the full and effective participation ofIndigenous peoples is a key issue in a Conference that aims at the realization of therights of Indigenous peoples, including to pursue the objectives of the United NationsDeclaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples(A/C.3/65/L.22/Rev.1)

Our organizations have for many years worked for the recognition and protection ofIndigenous peoples rights and we have consistently advocated for the full realisation oftheir rights as enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,including their right to participate in decision-making processes on issues that affectthem.

The undersigned organisations firmly believe that the appointment of an indigenousfacilitator is fully in line with previous decisions taken by the UN General Assemblyand the UN Human Rights Council with regard to the implementation of Indigenous

peoples rights. By appointing an indigenous facilitator on an equal basis with a Staterepresentative, the UN has an outstanding opportunity to demonstrate its sincereaspiration to fulfil its own commitment to promote, respect and implement the rights of

Indigenous peoples.On the basis of the above, we strongly support the request by Indigenous peoplesorganizations for the appointment of an indigenous co-facilitator and their proposal forMr John Henriksen, international representative of the Sami Parliament in Norway, tofulfil this role.

We hope you can favourably consider this request.

Yours faithfully,

Lola Garca-Alix

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International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) NGO with specialconsultative status under the ECOSOCDenmark

Patricia Borraz

Grupo Intercultural Almciga, NGO with special consultative status under theECOSOCSpain

Joji CarioForest Peoples Program (FPP)United Kingdom

Andy WhitmoreIndigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks)United Kingdom

European Network for Indigenous Peoples (ENIP)

Johannes RohrInstitute for Ecology & Action Anthropology(INFOE)Germany,

Jesus Gonzlez PazosMugarik GabeResponsable rea IndgenaSpain

Diego Jimnez MirayoCODPI (Coordinacin por los Derechos de los Pueblos Indgenas).CoordinadorSpain

Jaume Formosa EstevaPresidentealterNativa Intercambio con Pueblos IndgenasSpain