Warao may take govt to Inter-American Court

UPDATE:

As the United Nations commemorated International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples yesterday, August 9, members of the Warao Nation have accused government of side-lining them in favour of other indigenous peoples.

At a media conference on the San Fernando Hill yesterday, grand chief of the Warao elders traditional council Rabina Shar said they may have no choice but to go to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for redress.
“The Parliament of this country have to put in the constitution provisions to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. Right now, they are treating us like nobody and we may have no option but to go to the court.”

Flanked by first elder of the Warao Nation, Felix Voison Jones, who, in the Warao tradition, had given him permission to speak on behalf of the Nation, Shar said he was disappointed that government had failed to address the issue of recognition and rights of indigenous people.
He said the issue of recognition was a legal term which required changes in the law for them to be recognised as having their own language and customs.

Shar said the TT government had instead put in place a Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity to interact with them. “This committee is really to make us an interest group and force us to become TT citizens.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

As the United Nations commemorates International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples today, August 9, members of the Warao Nation have accused government of sidelining them in favour of other indigenous peoples.

At a media conference on the San Fernando Hill yesterday, grand chief of the Warao elders traditional council Rabina Shar said they may have no choice but to go to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for redress.

“The Parliament of this country have to put in the Constitution provisions to protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

"Right now, they are treating us like nobody and we may have no option but to go to the court.”