DEMARCHE ON OAS INDIGENOUS RIGHTS DECLARATION

UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 001064 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/USOAS--HANKINS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL TD SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON OAS INDIGENOUS RIGHTS DECLARATION REF: STATE 145292 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) PolOff met October 22 with Ms. Delia Chatoor of the Multilateral Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reviewed points in reftel. Ms. Chatoor replied that Trinidad and Tobago,s own small Amerindian community had recently become more vocal, and that a week dedicated to the history and culture of the group had just concluded. ¶2. (SBU) Commenting on the UN declaration, Ms. Chatoor noted it was in the nature of a non-binding (as she understands it) declaration to be as broad and inclusive as possible; states could then pick and choose which items to endorse. She felt the UN declaration was important as a means of reminding people indigenous rights was not a dead issue and that indigenous communities should be factored into considerations of human rights. ¶3. (SBU) Turning to the OAS draft declaration, Ms. Chatoor said the suggestion in reftel to suspend negotiations on the DRIP and concentrate on a Year of Action and a non-binding action plan also had merit. She promised to pass the suggestion along and indicated that views of her OAS Mission would play a large role in how the GOTT would react at the mid-November reflection session. (Note: Many policy decisions, even low-level ones, are on hold here pending the November 5 elections and the subsequent naming of a new cabinet.) KUSNITZ