IPOB DELEGATES RETURNS WITH GOODNEWS FROM UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB)representatives returned from the just concluded United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues ( UNPFII ) with a good news.

The conference was held at UN Headquarters in New York from 9th to 20th May, 2016, sending nine draft reports to the Economic and Social Council containing proposals, recommendations and three draft decisions, including a call for the General Assembly to consider establishing a procedure to guarantee indigenous peoples’ participation in its seventieth session. The theme of the conference was, “Indigenous peoples: Conflict, Peace and Resolution”.

The session addressed the following issues: implementation of the six mandated areas of the PFII with reference to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); conflict, peace and resolution; and coordination among the three UN mechanisms on indigenous affairs.

The delegates had a dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The session also considered the future work of the PFII, and emerging issues.

The Indigenous People of Biafra was well represented By Prof. Evans Anuforo,IPOB coordinator in USA, Egnr. George Ezuike, and Rev. Anthony Okoro. ”

It was an eye opener for us, and it was an opportunity to meet other nations,” said Prof. Anuforo. He also said that through United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, IPOB could push their agitation and plight to the United Nations Security Council.

The IPOB solicitor, Barr. Emeka Emekesri, said that he was very happily with the progress IPOB has been making in pushing their agitation to UN. ” More IPOB delegates would have attended the conference, but Bilie Human Right Initiatives, the agency representing the Indigenous People of Biafra in UN, received the invitation from United Nations very late,” he added.

The conference was an opportunity to share perspectives and best practices on the realisation of the rights of indigenous peoples, including pursuing the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.