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US Public Comments on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Requested June 9th, 2010
Written comments must be submitted by July 15, 2010
The Department of State and other Federal Agencies are scheduling meetings and inviting comments concerning the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. On April 20, 2010, United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Susan E. Rice announced at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that the United States is reviewing their position on the Declaration.
Government agencies are currently scheduling meetings with tribal leaders, stakeholders and NGOs to discuss the reexamination of the UNDRIP by the US. Exact dates and locations for the meetings will be announced on their website: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/06/142662.htm
Comments can be sent by email to declaration@state.gov or by mail to S/SR Global Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW., Suite 1317, Washington, DC 20520. Written comments are due by July 15, 2010.
Daniel LeBlanc, OMI Gives Briefing on Climate Change Conference at UN June 4th, 2010
Daniel LeBlanc, OMI gave a June 3rd briefing at the International Catholic Organizations Network (ICON) on the people’s climate change conference held last month in Bolivia . Titled the “World’s People Conference on Climate Change and The Rights of Mother Earth,” the gathering of some 35,000 civil society representatives was designed to send a strong message to governments that action is needed now to prevent a global climate disaster.
Later the same day he gave a report on the conference to the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development, of which he is an active member.
Daniel LeBlanc, OMI was representing VIVAT International at the conference. He is a newly elected Board Member of ICON.
Human Rights Groups Urge Investigation of Sri Lanka War Crimes May 21st, 2010
Human Rights groups, from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International to the International Crisis Group, are calling for an independent investigation into war crimes by both sides during the traumatic end of the war between the LTTE and government forces one year ago.
In a report released on May 17th, a year after the war’s end, the International Crisis Group cited “reasonable grounds to believe the Sri Lankan security forces committed war crimes” by intentionally shelling civilians, hospitals and humanitarian operations in a final push to destroy the separatist Tigers. In turn, the Tigers reportedly shot civilians who tried to flee rebel areas and held others captive in a bid to raise international pressure for a ceasefire.
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Space for Meditation at the UN May 17th, 2010
In the lobby of the UN building there is a very small meditation room that was designed in 1952 by former Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. When I have work at the UN itself I like to begin my day in the perfect stillness of this peaceful space. Outside the room, there is a plaque on the wall with a beautiful reflection written by Dag Hammarskjold. Amidst the current global economic uncertainty and turmoil, it is important to remember the power of silent meditation and prayer. – Daniel LeBlanc, OMI (Oblate Representative at the UN)Click here to read more »
Oblate Presents at 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice April 29th, 2010
Br. Jose de Jesus Filho, OMI represented the Catholic Prison Ministry of Brazil in discussions at the 12th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Salvador, Brazil from 12-19 April, 2010.
Nearly all countries sent delegations to the Congress. The draft declaration will be finalized in May at the UNODC in Vienna, and presented to the 19th UN Commission on Crime Prevention.
In accordance with the Brazilian Government, the International Prison Ministry promoted an exhibition of paintings by prisoners from all over the world. The National Secretary of Justice Romeu Tuma Jr., along with the President of the International Commission on Prison Pastoral, Christian Kuhn, inaugurated the show with a nice reception. Prisoners were present also through a theater piece called “Bizzarro” promoted by the National Penitentiary Department.
The Prison Ministry was involved in discussion on many important issues, the most important of which were:
- Proposed conversion of existing Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners into a Convention; in other words what is today a soft-law will turn into a binding law;
- Proposal of UN Basic Principles for Pastoral Care in Prisons
- Proposal of Thailand for the Treatment of Women Arrested
The creation of a Convention met resistance from some countries like the United States and Canada, which do not welcome the idea of a new Convention. However, most countries in Latin America are in favor of the idea, because this would be an effort to improve the conditions of incarceration in these countries.
