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