UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
As an American, I’m proud of the human rights values our country embraces. It’s time to take our support of freedom, equality and liberty to a higher level. I urge the United States of America to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as adopted by the United Nations on September 13, 2007 in New York.
It is very important for the United States to be a leader in human rights protection. In our country and around the world, human rights of indigenous peoples are being ignored and are often violated. Violations of indigenous human rights, such as rights to land, resources and the environment, often lead to disastrous consequences that hurt all of us.
By endorsing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the United States will affirm to the world that indigenous peoples have a right to exist as distinct peoples and cultures, the right to be free from discrimination and forced assimilation, and the right of self-determination.
Let the UN Declaration be a part of the United States’ comprehensive strategy to bring real and lasting change for Native Americans, as you promised during the White House Tribal Nations Conference in 2009.
Thank you in advance for the endorsement of the UN Declaration.
Sincerely,
Jessica Root
Bodhisattva Yoga
