Letter of support to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Letter of support to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe – Sametinget – Sámediggi
TO STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE Chairman Dave Archambault II ssittingbear@standingrock.org
LETTER OF SUPPORT from SÁPMI 16.9.2016
Today we, chairpersons of the Sami parliament, stand up to support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the right to speak for ourselves and to be respected for that we know is the best for us and our culture.
As indigenous peoples, we reaffirm our rights to self-determination and to own, control and manage our ancestral lands and territories, waters and other resources. Our lands and territories are at the core of our existence. We are the land and the land is us; we have a distinct spiritual and material relationship with our lands and territories and they are inextricably linked to our survival (Kimberley-declaration).
Today we demand that international Human Rights-instruments will be implemented in all of the United Nations member-countries. It can no longer be accepted that our rights as humans are denied from us.
Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law (UNDRIP article 1).
As Sami parliamentarians with broad experience gained during many years, and as chairpersons of the Sami Parliament Plenary Assembly in Sweden, we demand an immediate end to the hostile activities related to Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
We request an action by the international community for our sisters’ and brothers’ well-being, supporting the flourishing of indigenous culture and our own access to and control of traditional lands and waters.
Enough is enough, no more tears!
Stefan Mikaelsson
Per Olof Nutti
Mona Persson
Lars Wilhelm Svonni
Contact details:
Phone +46-70-223 34 62+46-70-223 34 62
E-mail: stefan.mikaelsson@sametinget.se
Sametinget är både ett folkvalt organ och en statlig förvaltningsmyndighet. Det övergripande uppdraget är att verka för en levande samisk kultur. Sametingets kansli finns i Kiruna med lokalkontor i Jokkmokk, Tärnaby och Östersund.