Brussels, 24/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - "Respect for others as the guiding principle of all development and co-operation", is how Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson began his address to participants at the meeting organised by the European Commission on the impact of EU financed projects for Indigenous Peoples, on 20 June (see EUROPE 21 June p10). This conference recognised the "right of Indigenous Peoples to their own diverse concepts of development".
The Commission believes that governments "must take into account the special relationship of these communities with their land" and support the adoption of a legal framework on securing access to land and natural resources and customary tenure of the land, explained Mr Nielson. The Commissioner sought better integration of the Indigenous Peoples in civil society to enable them to take part in the overall process involved in European co-operation projects. 4 or 5 pilot countries with EC funded development programmes would be selected, Mr Nielson added, in pointing out that these pilot projects would guarantee a greater elaboration of more concrete ways of involving Indigenous People in their own development. "Special efforts will need to be made t ensure that Indigenous Peoples can communicate freely and openly in the dialogue process" between their countries and the EU, explained Mr Nielson. The commissioner also called on Member States to consider ratifying ILO Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples dating from 1989, Denmark and the Netherlands being the only countries in the EU to have ratified it so far), he "only binding international instrument recognising the fundamental rights and freedoms of indigenous peoples". Mr Nielson called for continued intercultural dialogue between the European Parliament, EU Council during the Danish Presidency.