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"National Chief Matthew Coon Come Disappointed with Final Text of Presidential Memorandum"

        National Chief Matthew Coon Come expressed disappointment today with the text of a "presidential memorandum" on the aboriginal right of self-determination issued in the last hours of the Clinton presidency.

        The memorandum, which was being promoted by American officials as a "breakthrough" by the United States in the recognition of the international human rights of aboriginal peoples, was in fact a reiteration of old US positions which do not fully recognize the internationally recognized rights of aboriginal peoples.

        "I am extremely disappointed with the U.S. position. It discriminates against the internationally recognized rights of the world's indigenous peoples. It fails to respect the universality and indivisibility of all human rights, including the rights of indigenous peoples", said the National Chief. "The US is applying a discriminatory double-standard based on race to deny the full recognition of the right of self-determination to indigenous peoples".

        The presidential memorandum approves the recognition of the aboriginal peoples as "peoples", but denies that they may benefit from recognition of the rights that apply to all other peoples. The US position is inconsistent with recent decisions of the UN Human Rights Committee, which recognized that indigenous peoples are entitled to all of the rights contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the right of self-determination.

        "The U.S. portrays itself internationally as a defender of human rights. Yet its discriminatory application of human rights standards raises serious questions about US human rights policy. I certainly hope that the new administration of President Bush will carefully re-examine and revise US policy on the rights of indigenous peoples to make it consistent with existing international law," said the National Chief.

        The AFN will be working with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), its counterpart in the US, and with other aboriginal organizations and leaders to effect change in the US position. US policy on aboriginal rights has held up UN approval of new human rights standards to protect the world's aboriginal peoples from human rights abuses.

For more information, contact Jean LaRose, phone: 613-241-6789 (ext.251), e-mail: jlarose@afn.ca, cell phone: 613-795-9664 or contact Cara Currie, phone: 613-241-6789 (ext.253).