This indigenous declaration business

I've spent some time recently listening to all the hype about New Zealand now supporting the UN declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. I've even printed it off and started to read through it. When I copied it to a word document its 10 pages long.

The thing I have about it is that it is a non-binding resolution that binds the government to absolutely nothing in terms of changing the way indigenous peoples are treated in any country, let along New Zealand.

Some and probably a lot more when I fully read the document already apply in New Zealand. Jim Anderton the other day in parliament made some statements which I must agree with. New Zealand has done a lot more for its indigenous people than most others who, prior to our affirming this document, had done.

There is no doubt that there is and always will be in my mind differences in opportunities for indigenous peoples and that historically there has been mistreatment and downright offensive behaviour. New Zealand is not alone in that regard. Indigenous ethnic minorities have had unspeakable horrors imposed on them in the past and that of course cannot be repeated.

I have to question what the impact of this affirmation will have in New Zealand.

I do not believe that Maori will be given the opportunity to self-govern and this country is too small to have multiple law making bodies. I personally do not see the point of having a Maori parliament.

I do not see is the point of signing up to this declaration beyond it being a symbolic gesture. Due process will still have to be gone through when settling treaty claims. Tuhoe will not become a separate nation nor will it, I believe, be able to govern the Uruwera's.

It is being hailed as some sort of significant victory. I think the victory in this instance is the same kind of victory as the referendum on smacking last year was in forcing the government to take an action.

The principles of the declaration are wonderful and empowering only in the power given it by the signatory states. But much like the President of the United States has limited power over the individual states themselves, the UN has no power of the member nations. That's why I question it's validity other than that of a statement with a UN letter head.

This cannot be claimed as a victory. Nothing has been won. There is an irony behind some of the members of the international forum on indigenous people. Iran, Bolivia, Congo.

Anyway, I've added Jim Anderton's parliament speech below for your own viewing. I've bolded the sections I agree with.

"We are told that there was a standing ovation for Pita Sharples’ speech from members of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. I wonder whether the following countries stood up, and whether Pita Sharples noticed: Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Fiji, Iran, Israel, Burma, Rwanda, and Somalia. We do not need in this country any lessons from countries like those on how to treat indigenous peoples. We need no lessons whatever. It is egregious for the Prime Minister and others to crawl to the likes of that forum with that membership and to tell us that things will change. Nothing will change. These are just idle words that mean nothing whatsoever. New Zealand has done more for the indigenous peoples of this country than all of those countries have done put together twice over. We did not need any lessons from the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to do that. New Zealand is honoured around the world for the way in which it introduced Waitangi Tribunal resolutions, and the way in which we have settled grievances with the indigenous people of this country. For us to seek the solace of countries like those on that list, and many more, makes me ashamed of the Parliament of this country. It makes me ashamed that we would debate with some kind of glee the fact that we received a standing ovation at the UN from countries like those.

Let me say that New Zealand is already widely acknowledged as a world leader in recognising such rights and it has a longstanding process through the Waitangi Tribunal for putting that recognition into practical effect to the very real advantage of righting past injustices of the Māori indigenous people of this country. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, on the other hand, is simply an expression of pious hopes without any necessary practical effect whatever. It has no practical effect; it is not binding. In fact, Mr Power, the Minister of Justice, told Parliament that the Government is considering the different meanings of the aspirational text. Well, which meaning did the Government sign up to? Did it not know? Has the Government read it? Does it know what it means? The answer to all those questions is no. It has nothing to do with it. It is to do with the deal between National and the Māori Party to get the Māori Party to run alongside the Government.

It is idle for the Māori Party to claim some kind of great triumph for getting the countries I mentioned earlier to stand up. The Māori Party should be ashamed of itself for thinking that this declaration is some kind of triumph. It is part of the agony that we have to watch and see this take place". (Ref: Hansard transcript, 20 April 2010).

The Treaty of Waitangi process is far from perfect but this declaration does not add anything to make the process easier or better.

So again...whats the point.