VALDEEN SHEARS-NEPTUNE
Tomorrow will mark a historical meeting between representatives of the Vatican (Holy Seal) and indigenous people of the Caribbean.
Ambassador HE Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Nuncio, is scheduled to meet with Albert DeTerville, executive chairman and head of delegation of the Global Platform, at the Apostolic Nunciature, Vatican Embassy, St Clair.
This was disclosed yesterday by DeTerville shortly before a closed-door meeting at Photo House Studio, Arima.
DeTerville, who also holds many other roles regarding indigenous peoples and issues, yesterday said the meeting, labelled “a first of its kind anywhere in the world,” follows the issuing of a letter to Pope Francis seeking dialogue.
While the letter initially represented indigenous peoples of St Lucia and T&T, DeTerville said the Global Platform will speak on the behalf of all CARICOM member countries who had adopted and reaffirmed the treaty of Chaguaramas, which explicitly outlines the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and issues.
These countries include, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Canada, and some regions of Africa.
Similar letters were also forwarded to heads of government of former “colonial occupiers”, such as Spain, Great Britain, France and the Netherlands.
Responses were issued from three of the international countries, while they await a response from Spain, he said.
Additionally, all members of CARICOM were also issued similar correspondences.
Letters were also forwarded to President Anthony Carmona and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, said DeTerville.
However, no response has since been forthcoming.
DeTerville lamented the lack of response from CARICOM countries, as well as the present administration.
He noted the significance of both former and successive governments’ adherence to protecting the rights of indigenous peoples as outlined by the UN declaration.
“It’s incumbent of governments to respect those rights. Their international obligations to protect the rights and issues of indigenous peoples are clearly outlined. However, we have gotten no response from either local government or CARICOM members even after 10 months, not even a courtesy of acknowledgement of those letters on serious matters of significance,” he noted.
Of the CARICOM countries, he said, T&T has recorded the largest presence of indigenous people, with an unofficial and debatable population of over 200,000.
DeTerville called for the inclusion of indigenous peoples into the Housing and Population census, which will determine the actual figure. He noted too, that countries such as Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica had done just that.
At tomorrow’s meeting, he said, the main focus will be the “provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress and other issues regarding historical and contemporary injustices committed against indigenous people.”