Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
BOLIVIA'S PRESIDENT PROPOSES CONVENING UN WORLD INDIGENOUS FORUM
The President of Bolivia today called for the United Nations to convene a world indigenous forum to foster a new approach to economic relations based on an appreciation of natural resources and not their exploitation.<script><!-- D(["mb","\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>Addressing the General Assembly's annual\nhigh-level debate, Evo Morales welcomed the recent approval of the Declaration\non the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, thanking all countries, except the\nfour which voted against it. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?Our culture is a culture of life,? said\nthe President, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>He called on the UN to convene a world indigenous\nforum to ?understand different ways of life.?\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>Questioning whether it was necessary to exploit\nand plunder in order to live well, he suggested instead that living well\nis living within a community ? not having an excess of material wealth.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>To indigenous communities, he said, the Earth\nis sacred, as demonstrated by their practices. ?Let us gather these experiences\nto defend life and to save humankind,? he said.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>President Morales said natural resources\nshould be used to benefit nations, he said, adding that while companies\nhave a right to profit, they do not have a right to plunder. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>Natural resources should be accessible to\nall, he argued. ?Water is a human right. Energy is a human right,? he\nsaid, stressing that these should not be considered commodities to be exploited\nby private businesses.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>He said talk of biofuels was confusing. ?I\ndon't understand how we can produce food for cars. Soil should be for life!\nBecause there is a lack of gas we are going to divert food for automobiles??\nHe called for giving up luxury. ?We cannot continue to accumulate garbage,?\nhe said.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>President Morales spoke out against ?economic\npolicies that have caused genocide? and denounced the arms race. ?War\nis the industry of death,? he declared.",1] ); //--></script>
Addressing the General Assembly's annual high-level debate, Evo Morales welcomed the recent approval of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, thanking all countries, except the four which voted against it.
?Our culture is a culture of life,? said the President, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia.
He called on the UN to convene a world indigenous forum to ?understand different ways of life.?
Questioning whether it was necessary to exploit and plunder in order to live well, he suggested instead that living well is living within a community ? not having an excess of material wealth.
To indigenous communities, he said, the Earth is sacred, as demonstrated by their practices. ?Let us gather these experiences to defend life and to save humankind,? he said.
President Morales said natural resources should be used to benefit nations, he said, adding that while companies have a right to profit, they do not have a right to plunder.
Natural resources should be accessible to all, he argued. ?Water is a human right. Energy is a human right,? he said, stressing that these should not be considered commodities to be exploited by private businesses.
He said talk of biofuels was confusing. ?I don't understand how we can produce food for cars. Soil should be for life! Because there is a lack of gas we are going to divert food for automobiles?? He called for giving up luxury. ?We cannot continue to accumulate garbage,? he said.
President Morales spoke out against ?economic policies that have caused genocide? and denounced the arms race. ?War is the industry of death,? he declared.<script><!-- D(["mb","\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>He decried the economic imbalance of the\nworld, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. ?Collective\nglobalization that does not respect plurality or differences is the source\nof the problem,? he said.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The President also spoke of his own difficulties\ntraveling to the UN Assembly. ?I don't know how all of you managed to\ncome here to the United States but at least my delegation had a great deal\nof visa problems,? he said, proposing that ?perhaps we should change\nthe site of the United Nations.?\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>* * *\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>ZIMBABWEAN LEADER URGES ?REVITALIZED? UN\nGENERAL ASSEMBLY\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>To counter the influence of strong countries,\nthe United Nations General Assembly must be reinvigorated and become more\nactive in all areas, including peace and security, Zimbabwe?s President\nRobert Mugabe said today.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?We are for a United Nations that recognizes\nthe equality of sovereign nations and peoples whether big or small,? Mr.\nMugabe told the annual high-level debate at UN Headquarters in New York.\n?We are averse to a body in which the economically and militarily powerful\nbehave like bullies, trampling on the rights of weak and smaller States,\nas sadly happened in Iraq.?\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The challenges posed by such nations can\nbe offset by the revitalization of the GA, ?itself the most representative\norgan of the UN,? he stated.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The President expressed frustration over\nwhat he said were the undemocratic tendencies of the Security Council due\nto the sway held by powerful nations.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?In its present configuration, the Council\nhas shown that it is not in a position to protect the weaker States who\nfind themselves at loggerheads with a marauding super-power,? he noted,\ncalling attention to the fact that Africa is the only continent not represented\nin the 15-member body.",1] ); //--></script>
He decried the economic imbalance of the world, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. ?Collective globalization that does not respect plurality or differences is the source of the problem,? he said.
The President also spoke of his own difficulties traveling to the UN Assembly. ?I don't know how all of you managed to come here to the United States but at least my delegation had a great deal of visa problems,? he said, proposing that ?perhaps we should change the site of the United Nations.?
Addressing the General Assembly's annual high-level debate, Evo Morales welcomed the recent approval of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, thanking all countries, except the four which voted against it.
?Our culture is a culture of life,? said the President, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia.
He called on the UN to convene a world indigenous forum to ?understand different ways of life.?
Questioning whether it was necessary to exploit and plunder in order to live well, he suggested instead that living well is living within a community ? not having an excess of material wealth.
To indigenous communities, he said, the Earth is sacred, as demonstrated by their practices. ?Let us gather these experiences to defend life and to save humankind,? he said.
President Morales said natural resources should be used to benefit nations, he said, adding that while companies have a right to profit, they do not have a right to plunder.
Natural resources should be accessible to all, he argued. ?Water is a human right. Energy is a human right,? he said, stressing that these should not be considered commodities to be exploited by private businesses.
He said talk of biofuels was confusing. ?I don't understand how we can produce food for cars. Soil should be for life! Because there is a lack of gas we are going to divert food for automobiles?? He called for giving up luxury. ?We cannot continue to accumulate garbage,? he said.
President Morales spoke out against ?economic policies that have caused genocide? and denounced the arms race. ?War is the industry of death,? he declared.<script><!-- D(["mb","\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>He decried the economic imbalance of the\nworld, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. ?Collective\nglobalization that does not respect plurality or differences is the source\nof the problem,? he said.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The President also spoke of his own difficulties\ntraveling to the UN Assembly. ?I don't know how all of you managed to\ncome here to the United States but at least my delegation had a great deal\nof visa problems,? he said, proposing that ?perhaps we should change\nthe site of the United Nations.?\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>* * *\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>ZIMBABWEAN LEADER URGES ?REVITALIZED? UN\nGENERAL ASSEMBLY\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>To counter the influence of strong countries,\nthe United Nations General Assembly must be reinvigorated and become more\nactive in all areas, including peace and security, Zimbabwe?s President\nRobert Mugabe said today.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?We are for a United Nations that recognizes\nthe equality of sovereign nations and peoples whether big or small,? Mr.\nMugabe told the annual high-level debate at UN Headquarters in New York.\n?We are averse to a body in which the economically and militarily powerful\nbehave like bullies, trampling on the rights of weak and smaller States,\nas sadly happened in Iraq.?\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The challenges posed by such nations can\nbe offset by the revitalization of the GA, ?itself the most representative\norgan of the UN,? he stated.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The President expressed frustration over\nwhat he said were the undemocratic tendencies of the Security Council due\nto the sway held by powerful nations.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?In its present configuration, the Council\nhas shown that it is not in a position to protect the weaker States who\nfind themselves at loggerheads with a marauding super-power,? he noted,\ncalling attention to the fact that Africa is the only continent not represented\nin the 15-member body.",1] ); //--></script>
He decried the economic imbalance of the world, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. ?Collective globalization that does not respect plurality or differences is the source of the problem,? he said.
The President also spoke of his own difficulties traveling to the UN Assembly. ?I don't know how all of you managed to come here to the United States but at least my delegation had a great deal of visa problems,? he said, proposing that ?perhaps we should change the site of the United Nations.?