Speech of Minister Jiang Duan at the " Systemic Violations of Indigenous People’s Rights by the U.S., Canada and Australia” Side Event
2022-03-18 23:08

(March 18, 2022)

Your Excellency Ambassador Hector Rosales ,

Dear Colleagues and distinguished guests:

Welcome to the video side event on "Systemic Violations of Indigenous People’s Rights by the U.S., Canada and Australia" co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of Venezuela and the Permanent Mission of China during the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council.

As is well known, by means of killings, displacements, and forced assimilation, the United States has systematically  deprived American Indians of their basic rights, including the right to life, political, economic and cultural rights, in an attempt to physically and culturally eradicate the entire community. The Indian population plummeted from 5 million at the end of the 15th century to 237,000 at the beginning of the 20th century, when many tribes were completely extinct. On March 2, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs published " The American Genocide of the Indians—Historical Facts and Real Evidence", and refer you to the dossier. Since the beginning of last year, there has been shocking and distressing discovery of a large number of unnamed graves and remains of indigenous children in Canada, and the truth remains untangled to this day. Australia has in history pursued the notorious "White Australia Policy", under which 100,000 aboriginal children were forcibly taken away from their families, causing lifetime harm and trauma to the "stolen generation".

Serious violations of indigenous peoples’ rights by the United States, Canada and Australia are not just something of the past, but a matter of chronic and systemic racism that continues to this day. Today, indigenous peoples are still subject to widespread and systemic discrimination and inequality in these countries, and are marginalized and left at the bottom of society politically, economically and culturally. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated their disadvantaged situation.

The United States, Canada and Australia are advised to reflect seriously on their wrongdoings, immediately amend laws and change policies that violate indigenous peoples’ rights, investigate the crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable. They should uproot the pernicious legacies of colonialism, eradicate systemic racism and discrimination to ensure the equality and rights of the indigenous peoples. Multilateral human rights bodies such as the Human Rights Council and OHCHR should take action on serious violations of indigenous people’s rights in these countries. It is hoped that this meeting will help raise awareness of systematic violation of the rights of indigenous peoples in these countries, and seek justice and truth for them.

Thank you.