Clouded Title

In the comprehensive report Indigenous World 2009, the evolving set of relations between indigenous nations and modern states is examined in detail. Within the new context of international human rights instruments developed for this purpose, the majority of states continue to pursue a policy of assimilation or other forms of annihilation of indigenous cultures. Included in their strategies are the assassination and co-opting of traditional leaders in support of the neoliberal development model.

The primary change resulting from recently adopted UN instruments appears to be greater participation by indigenous peoples within the state model, with little observation in practice by states of the principles of international humanitarian law cited in their constitutional reforms. As extractive industries continue to exploit indigenous territories with state military and police backing, the clouded title of state and corporate interests in inherent indigenous property is no clearer than it was under colonialism.

What is clearer, though, is indigenous consciousness, communication and organization. Notwithstanding the moral social shortcomings of the states reviewed, the report itself is a remarkable achievement. The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs deserves our thanks.

Role Models

Do you remember the Robin Hood television series?

Cree Attack

Cree join British environmentalists in attack on UK government and corporations over Canada tar sands catastrophe. Learn more at Indigenous Environmental Network.

Avoiding Overkill

When you exclude the rabid right LaRouchians and religious right Palinites, what’s left is mobilized resentment. And there’s plenty reason to be resentful of both major political parties, even though the GOP clearly has the edge in recruiting fanatics. But long before hypermedia started promoting political hysteria, there were social entrepreneurs like Merchant of Fear Alan Gottlieb, who got his start in direct-mail fear-mongering as a member of Young Americans for Freedom forty years ago. Now days, hyperbole is the name of the game, and although there are some dangerous actors who need reining in by police, the vast majority of delinquent behavior can and should be constrained by community action. When that action is based on research and education, rather than on inflated government, media, or party propaganda, community safeguards can be maintained without resorting to overkill.

Old Black Magic

Bruce Wilson looks at the revitalization of Christian death prayers.

Democracy Now!

Nader nails Obama Administration corruption and fraud.

Town Hall Sham

Black Agenda Report exposes the town hall sham as cover for Democratic Party betrayal on health care.

Above and Below

Himal magazine looks at antibiotic resistance parallelling climate change as a long-term threat to survival of humans as a species.

Censorship Unnecessary

While Internet censorship is always a possibility, even in open societies like the US, it is a crude and unnecessary tool. Better to let grassroots communication flow freely, then round up the usual suspects. As we saw in the last national Republican and Democratic conventions, spotting pro-democracy activists and tapping their phone and e-mail was a piece of cake for the FBI. After that, all they had to do was infiltrate their meetings, photograph the leaders, and round them up before they could protest in public.

Shared Identity

One of the things the Internet has helped facilitate is a shared universal identity as members of a species under threat from man made disasters: climate change, microbial metamorphosis, and nuclear annihilation comprising the most overwhelming. Adapting organizationally to meet these challenges requires cooperation, even beginning from a point of self-interest.

Solidarity in this sense, forms a nexus where self-interest and universal demands overlap; working with others who demonstrate a commitment to the shared values inherent in bedrock nations is simply common sense. Were this not so, tribal societies would not have bothered to develop such inclusive global networks in order to deal with these challenges.

What is holding us back is not the extant aboriginal nations that preceded modern states, markets and religions by millenia, but rather the immature industrialized societies that have largely supplanted them. Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand.