Yanomami Leader - Britain Must Sign Int'l Law

Brazilian shaman Davi Yanomami today delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street calling on the UK government to ratify ILO Convention 169, the key international law on tribal peoples.

In the letter Davi says, 'Yanomami land in Brazil is threatened by loggers, miners and ranching. My people are suffering and our survival is threatened at every moment. But this international law could protect us. Our own country has signed the convention, but we are very unhappy that other countries, such as yours, have not. The more countries that ratify it, the more weight it will have in international law, and the more we can rely on it to protect our lands and our people.

'I have heard that your government does not want to sign the convention because there are no indigenous people in the United Kingdom. But indigenous people in other countries can still be affected by development projects funded by the UK. British businesses working in other countries must also be encouraged to abide by ILO 169.

'It is therefore essential for indigenous peoples such as the Yanomami that your government ratifies ILO 169. I ask you to support the millions of others like us around the world by agreeing that our rights are important and signing the convention.'

ILO Convention 169 is the most important international law on tribal peoples. It recognises their land ownership rights and says they should be consulted on developments that affect them. Unlike the recently-adopted UN Declaration on indigenous peoples, ILO 169 is legally binding on governments that have ratified it.