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Box 2574 :: :: Olympia, Wa Fido Net 1:352/333 :: :: 98507-2574 206-786-9629 :: :: USA The Quarto Mundista BBS :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS WCIP PLAN OF OPERATION AND CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS A Position Paper Prepared by the National Congress of American Indians for the World Council of Indigenous Peoples General Assembly III Canberra, Australia - 27 April to 2 May, 1981 The WCIP Plan of Operation is an illustration of a remarkably ambitious organizational effort which reflects the hopes and desires of the political leadership among indigenous peoples. It clearly demonstrates that the World Council of Indigenous Peoples is like no other international "non- governmental organization" which works within the global community. In many ways the World Council is more like the United Nations or the organization of American States, typically known as intergovernmental organizations. Because of this reality the World Council suffers under the same difficulties as these other world governmental organizations. It has no direct power to create laws, regulate human behavior or control an economic system. It can only inspire and influence human and institutional actions. The WCIP's importance in the global community is increasingly apparent, but its importance to indigenous nations, and more specifically communities, tribes and families is nowhere more obvious than in the Plan of Operation. Because of its unique presences in the global community the World Council is widely understood to be an international advocate of indigenous national or group interests. It is known to promote the importance of maintaining and protecting indigenous group existence against exploitation and threats from nation-states, and those who would take indigenous resources. But, despite this increasing notoriety within international spheres, and increasingly among indigenous organizations this role is not well known directly within indigenous communities and tribes. Indeed, without this indigenous community level understanding of the World Council the organization's credibility suffers. The questions must be asked: "What concrete things can or will the WCIP do for indigenous communities, tribes and families?" "In what ways can or will the WCIP directly help indigenous communities to win their struggles against current or immediate threats?" "How or can the WCIP make its presence known directly within the indigenous community?" To remedy this difficulty it may be desirable and appropriate that the World Council of Indigenous Peoples (the WCIP Secretariat, Regional Secretariats and the Secretariats of each national organization) establish a correspondence interlink system which is directed at the following things: 1. The establishment of independent community based WCIP support chapters or societies, and 2. The establishment of direct written communications to indigenous governments and the WCIP support chapters. The principle responsibility of national organizations would be to work toward the establishment of the WCIP community societies as well as channeling the written correspondence. The Regional Secretariats and the WCIP Secretariat in Lethbridge, Canada would be responsible for originating the correspondence and collating a world wide system of community based WCIP societies. Each of the societies would be a local means by which the community could have access to information about indigenous peoples elsewhere in the world and they would serve as an indigenous support group to help their communities or tribes overcome threats to indigenous group existence. In addition, the WCIP community societies could work with their indigenous government to find new alternatives to indigenous development. Such a system of societies could be helpful in the strengthening of indigenous nations as well as organizations like the National Congress of American Indians. Such a networking of indigenous communities would constitute a clearer explanation of item 11 on Page 4 of the WCIP Plan of Operation. Item 12 of the Plan of Operation at Page 4 is an extremely important objective for the World Council. A greater form of economic independence would be achieved by this measure. We strongly urge its immediate implementation. Item 7 on Page 4 requires greater explanation. Specifically, which groups would the World Council promote and precisely in what ways can the World Council be of help? Item 13 on Page 4 suggests a direct form of economic aid to indigenous nations or groups. What would be the source of this economic aid? What role do regional and national organizations play in the process of developing the sources of funds? How will the indigenous nations or groups be selected? Item 15 on Page 4 represents an extraordinary ambitious set of undertakings. How will regional and national indigenous organizations play a role in these conferences? How or will indigenous communities or tribes play a role? What are the probable or likely sources of funds for these undertakings? The National Congress of American Indians has adopted its own Plan of Action for matters related to the World Council. As of November 1980 we have begun implementing this plan which is in fundamental accord with the WCIP Plan of Operation. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To have a current Center For World Indigenous Studies Publication Catalogue sent to you via e-mail, send a request to jburrows@halcyon.com Center For World Indigenous Studies P.O. Box 2574 Olympia, WA U.S.A. 98507-2574 Fax: 206-956-1087 BBS: 206-786-9629