ICC
unveils Arctic sovereignty statement - 1 May
Inuit leaders from Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Russia unveiled
their long-awaited Circumpolar Inuit Declaration on Arctic
Sovereignty April 28 in Tromsø, Norway. The declaration says "the
rights, roles and responsibilities of Inuit must be fully recognized
and accommodated" in discussions on matters linked to Arctic
sovereignty, including climate change and resource development. -
Nunatsiaq News website
See :
Circumpolar Inuit Declaration on Arctic Sovereignty
http://www.itk.ca/circumpolar-inuit-declaration-arctic-sovereignty
Conservation
Europeans limit seal imports, as Canadian officials protest -
5 May
In a blunt challenge to Canada and thousands of Canadian seal
hunters, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday
to ban the importing or sale of furs and other products from
commercially harvested seals. The ban would mainly affect Canada,
where the government has allowed several hundred thousand young
harp seals to be killed each year by commercial and traditional
hunters on sea ice cloaking eastern and Arctic waters. -
New York Times website
Whaling peace talks 'fall short' - 11 May
Countries have been talking for nearly a year in an attempt to
hammer out an accord by this year's International Whaling
Commission (IWC) meeting. But a draft report seen by BBC News
admits the process has "fallen short". -
BBC News website
Durban Review
Conference [Against Racism]
Durban conference attendees press demand for redress for horrors
of the slave trade - 4 May
Blacks in the Diaspora continued the mission initiated eight years
ago at the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South
Africa, to demand the United Nations declare the trans-Atlantic
slave trade a crime against humanity, opening the door for a
continued push for reparations at the Durban Review Conference in
Geneva, Switzerland, April 20-24. "The
United States has never - prior to
Barack Obama and probably succeeding Barack Obama
- will never, put the issue of racism on the world stage.
It is the responsibility of those of us in the United States to
put it on the agenda", said Viola
Plummer, executive director of the December 12th Movement and
fiery long-time activist and organizer. -
Final Call News website
Trade and
International
SA won't rush for imperfect Doha deal
- 22 May
South Africa does not expect an early end to the Doha trade talks
and wants imbalances in current proposals addressed before pushing
for a conclusion, new Trade Minister Rob Davies said on Friday.
Moves by the Obama administration to engage other countries were
welcome but South Africa would not rush to sign an imperfect deal,
he told Reuters in a telephone interview. -
Creamer Media's Engineering News website
United Nations
Economic
development must not be at expense of indigenous rights
- 28 May
Economic development activities, whether government infrastructure
projects or mineral extraction by corporations, must not infringe
on the rights of indigenous peoples, the head of the United
Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said today. Free,
prior and informed consent should be obtained before development
projects proceed on indigenous territories, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz,
Chairperson of the Forum, told reporters in New York, as she
briefed on the body’s eighth session. - 2711
website