By Madeline Black

On June 28, 2016, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand) appealed to the United Nations and the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights for recognition and acknowledgment of their sovereign rights of self-determination, self-government, and political autonomy.

On July 12, 2016, Cultural Survival Executive Director Suzanne Benally delivered the following intervention for the Right to Health and Indigenous Peoples, with a Focus on Children and Youth during the 9^th Session of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.

Mr. Chair, Distinguished representatives, Indigenous brothers and sisters.

After nearly 30 years of legislation, the Organization of American States (OAS) has adopted a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples  at its General Assembly meeting in the Dominican Republic from June 13 to 15, 2016. The OAS General Assembly initiated steps towards a declaration in 1989.

On June 27th, 2016, the director of Public Prosecutions of Belize dropped the criminal charges against the Santa Cruz 13, allowing those who had unfairly been held prisoner to go free. The director stated that he had “no intention to lay charges against the accused in the future.” This is a victory for Indigenous people in Belize, since the government has acknowledged the innocence of the Santa Cruz 13 and the violations of due process and rule of law, as well as racial discrimination, that have plagued the trial.

By Giulia McDonnell

This morning, on June 28, 2016, the Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued the charges against the Santa Cruz 13. The Director also confirmed the state had “no intention to lay charges against the accused in the future.”