Here’s an excellent news published on Survival’s website: the USA has formally endorsed the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. It was the only country still opposing the Declaration, after Canada supported it in November.

We must bear in mind the alarming situation of Native Americans in the United States: according to UN figures, they are 62% more likely to commit suicide than the general population and 600 times more likely to contract tuberculosis.

Across the world, indigenous peoples are victims of marginalization and discrimination (read for example Sorosoro’s recent article on an Australian Aboriginal director’s film, Samson & Delilah). Taking stock of their plight, the UN General Assembly adopted a Declaration in 2007 to set an international standard against which governments can be judged.

Three article in this Declaration (13, 14 and 16) address specifically the issue of indigenous languages protection. They proclaim the rights of indigenous peoples to revitalize, use and pass down their language, by creating for instance their own media and schools.

Despite its value, the UN Declaration remains aspirational, because it is not legally binding. And recently, as reported by Sorosoro, a Kaqchikel community radio station in Guatemala has been temporarily shut down followig a police raid.

As he announced his decision to sign the Declaration, President Obama declared: « What matters far more than words – what matters far more than any resolution or declaration – are actions to match those words ». One can only advise States across the world to take these words literally.