Rights of Indigenous People

Article 25

Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their

distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or

otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal

seas and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to

future generations in this regard.

The Lubicon can no longer continue their traditional livelihood because the oil wells have disturbed moose habitat. 90% of the community has to rely on social services. Their traditional lands are being destroyed and/or permanently altered

Article 19

States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous

peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in

order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopt-

ing and implementing legislative or administrative measures that

may affect them.

Article 18

Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision-making

in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives

chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures,

as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous decision-

making institutions.

Article 19 says it is the governments responsibility to inform and discus any changes the government may be making that could effect the indigenous people. Article 18 says the Indigenous people have the right to discuss issues with the government. The first time both parties met was when the Lubicons blocked the roads that the loggers were using despite many attempts on the Lubicons efforts to meet with the government.

Article 6

Every indigenous individual has the right to a nationality.

The government would refuse to even recognize the Lubicons as a First Nations people.

These acts help keep the identity of indigenous people and to help insure they get equal rights. with the Lubicons they were trying to keep their land and with it their livelihood. Because they can no longer hunt and trap to support their families all the skills they have for that are useless and there will be no need to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. If the Lubicons aren't a first nation than what are they? If nothing is done they will have no chioce but to become assimilated.