Maori Party Endorses Indigenous Ingenuity –

United League of Indigenous Nations

Dr Pita Sharples, Co-leader, Maori Party

Tuesday 27 November 2007

The Maori Party is celebrating the enterprise of indigenous leadership in forming the United League of Indigenous Nations; an international initiative which Aotearoa will formally ratify in Whakatane on November 28, 2007 (tomorrow).

“The signing ceremony tomorrow honours the commitment Aotearoa made on 1 August 2007, at historic negotiations conducted on the homelands of the Lummi Indian Nation near Bellingham, Washington” said Dr Pita Sharples.

“At the 1 August meeting, the United League of Indigenous Nations Treaty was officially formed to represent the spirit of interaction and cooperation between indigenous peoples around the world” said Dr Sharples.

“An interim Governing Board was established, in which Aotearoa has had the honour of being represented by Aroha Te Pareake Mead (Ngati Awa)” said Dr Sharples.

“The world will take note that the four co-chairs from the United States, Canada, Aotearoa and Australia are from those nations which have systematically acted in ways to erode indigenous rights” said Dr Sharples.

“In particular, the Bush, Harper, Howard and Clark administrations will be forever tainted with their decision to vote against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” said Dr Sharples.

“Tangata whenua are humbled to welcome existing Treaty signatories from the US, Canada and Australia to Aotearoa” said Dr Sharples. “The day will be extremely significant in affirming an international indigenous political and economic alliance and in protecting and advancing our indigenous sovereignty”.

“The United League gives a foundation to the vision to come together as indigenous nations, to pursue common priorities such as the threat poses by global warming, the protection of cultural and intellectual property rights, the advancing of an international indigenous economy, models of development and our broadest social and political health”.

“We commend Ngati Awa and Mataatua for their leadership in this initiative; and we in the Maori Party will be very interested in the possibilities created by a unified voice for indigenous peoples around the world” ended Dr Sharples.

For information on the United League of Indigenous Nations, www.indigenousnationstreaty.org

Dr Pita Sharples, Hone Harawira and Te Ururoa Flavell will be attending the historic event in Whakatane tomorrow.

ENDS

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