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Promoting the international legal and political status of

the Alaskan indigenous peoples...

Interview with Ronald Barnes, Permanent Representative
of the Alaska
Indigenous Tribes before the UN Human Rights Council

Ambassador Ronald Barnes protests against the Uited
was firstappointedin 1994 by States of America and the
the Elders of Tununak, United Nations at the
Alaska, as theirrepresentahve Commission on Human
before the United Nations Rights andnow atthe Human
with a clear mandate to pro- Rights Council. We have
mote the international legal appealed to the ?JN Human
and political status of the Rights Committee (HRC) and
Alaskan indigenous peoples. to the Committee on the
2 .j 9 W
The Indigenous Peoples and Elimination of Racial
Nations Coalition was Discation, with a degree
founded as a 'free political of success. In the dialogue
instihition' of the Elders and with the United States the
grassroots communities to HRC has calledfortheUnited
promote their rights under States to reconcile with the
intemational law. International Covenant on
Civil and Political rights the
hx 1946Alaskawasplacedon 1955 Tee-Hit-Ton v United
the list ofNon-Self-governing States of America case (348
Territories by virture of USS: 272). This judgtnent
GeneralAssembly Resolution basically "nationalized" us
66 (I). By placing the under the United States
Territories of Alaska on the Territories, Federal Indian Law without
guideto determine whether or a violation of
list, which included other not the native peoples were these obligations allowed for our consent, usingthe concept
Territories such as Hawau, effectively exercising their relisting the Territory. of "aboriginal title" under
Angola, Morocco and 'equal right and self-determi- their doctmes and pmciples
Indonesia, to name but a few of racial superiority
nation) as stipulated inArticle What do the Indigenous and then
examples, the General I of the {JN Charter. Peoples of A € aska want determined that that land was
Assembly recognized the Notwithstanding these para- today? forthe settlement of the white
paramoutit interests of the mount obligations of the race. The judgment applied
Alaska natives and imposed the 1823 Johnsonv. McIntosh
United States, both Alaska We, the Indigenous Peoples
on the United States specific precedent, which held thatwe
and Hawaii were removed ofAlaskawantto exercise our
obligatiom under Chapter XI had to give up our land and
from the list of Non-Self- right to self-deterttunatton.
and Article 73 of the UN Goveming Territories in 1959 Several Tribes inAlaska have sovere'g$ by virture of the
Charter. Piu'suant to Ariicle under General Assembly adopted resolutions recogtu- 1493 Papal Bull "Inter
73, States with responsibili- Caetera" of Pope Alexander
resolution 1469 of 12 zing that we have the inter-
ties over non-self-goveming VI. Yet, after World War II
December 1959. national right to self-
territories are to administer determination. These doc- and pursuant to the {JN
said territories as a "sacred Charter,
The factors and piciples uments recognue that taxa- Alaska had been
tnist" and must protect the listed
were to be examined by the tion without representatton as a Non-Self-
native inhabitants agau+st Committee of Infortnatron, and consent of the goyemed Governing Territory. The
abuses, assist them on their
which today is known as the are founding p*ciples of the United States violated, atnong
way to self-go'vemment, and Decolonization Committee. American Government. others, General Assembly
report to the United Nations Resolution 644 (VII) wbich
Ambassador Bames asserts Without resolving our inter-
thereon. Accordingly the that the factors and pmciples national legal and politcal called for all Administering
United States as were not duly examined by status we will continue to Powers to abrogate disc-
Administering Power for the natory laws and policies
the Decolonization have unresolved conflicts
and its Committee, and that, if an with the state of Alaska and to rights of the
Territory of Alaska detritnental
peoples, had specific obliga- Indigenous inhabitants of said
examination were to take the United States.
tions, which were elaborated territories.
place today, the General
in resolutions adopted by the
Assembly would inevitably What are you doing to
General Assembly, in decolo- discover that several flagrant get recognnion? Duig the exatnination ofthe
nization temis, referred to as US report in 2007, the
violations had occurred.
"factors and principles", as a Indeed, in the case of other We have lodged diplomatic Committee on the
2 2008 Diva 31
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