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                     United Nations Working Group

                      on Indigenous Populations

                          (E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4)

     Sixth Session,

     1-5 August 1988

     Agenda Item 5

                 Submitted by The Nordic Saami Council

     Madame Chairman

     On the behalf of the Nordic Saami Council, representing the

     Saami people, I want to make some brief remarks refering to

     item 5 on the agenda.  

     Madame Chairman, We would like to express our appreciation

     that You have opened a new stage in the effort to develop

     international recognition of fundamental rights of

     indigenous peoples. We also note in this regard the

     constructive comments made in response to your Working Paper

     by Professor Danilo Turk, and the ECOSOC endorsement of the

     preparation on an outline for a study on treaties involving

     indigenous peoples by Professor Miguel Alfonso-Martinez. In

     order to contribute to this ongoing process, we offer the

     following comments on the Working Paper:

     1. Our rights to self-determination, must be expressly

     acknowledged. In addition self-determination should be the

     primary theme of the declaration.

     2. Our land rights are TERRITORIAL rights and must described

     in these terms. Our needs are not met simply by referring to

     land. The concept of TERRITORY includes, land of course, but

     also includes our distinct relationship to the land, waters

     and sea, as PEOPLES, and the full enjoyment of all resources

     within our boundaries.

     3. Our rights to resources must include the subsoil and

     coastal zones. For many indigenous peoples, access to marine

     resources and the ability to protect those resources from

     over-exploitation by others is essential to economic well-

     being and often to economic survival.

     4. Treaties with indigenous peoples and treaties which

     acknowledge the rights of indigenous peoples, such as

     borders crossing rights, must be faithfully and consistently

     implemented.

     5. In situations where an indigenous people has been divided

     by an international frontier, states must be obliged to

     permit free and continuous culture, social, economic, and

     political relations to be maintained.

     6. Indigenous territories and resources must be effectively

     safeguarded against contamination and degradation. The

     report by the World Commission on Environmental and

     Development, also called the "Brundtland Report" should be

     carefully considered in this context.

     7. The relationship between indigenous peoples and states

     must be based entirely on our consent, freely expressed

     through our own authentic institutions.

     8. I the Saami culturpolitical program adopted by the 8th

     Saami Conference in 1972, the preamble starts with the

     wordings "We are Saamis, and want to be Saamis, without

     being more or less then other peoples in the world." I want

     to emphasise that we should not be viewed as "minorities or

     ethnic groups" under international law. We are distinct

     peoples or nations.  

     Once again, Madame Chairman the profound testimony that we

     have herd from the indigenous representatives during the

     review of developments and the mixed reactions of

     governments to the information provided, underlines the

     urgent need for a strong and effective recognition of

     indigenous rights. We believe that an effective and

     meaningful declaration must contain a clear recognition of

     these basic principles.

     Thank You, Madame Chairman