SKYWAVES: Indigenous News Worldwide

STORY ONE: Source: Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources www.indigneouspeoplesissues.com In Australia Australia Challenged At United Nations Over Racist Laws The United Nations has heard significant criticisms from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegations over race-based laws currently being considered by the Australian Government. The delegations are rejecting the argument of the Australian Government that the race laws are special measures' and are therefore not racially discriminatory.

STORY TWO: In INDIA ORISSA, INDIA The Dongria Khond, one of India's most isolated indigenous peoples, have been struggling for years against UK's Department for International Development (DfID) and Vedanta's plans to mine bauxite on Niyamgiri Mountain. India is the biggest single recipient of British aid, through the (DfID). Working on national and state level often with other development agencies including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

STORY THREE: SOURCE: Inter Press Service - www.ipsnews.net In Central America SAN SALVADOR - After decades of struggle, indigenous people in El Salvador will finally be recognised in the constitution - a first step towards recovering their community identity, which they have been denied by the state and by society at large. Article 63 of the constitution will be modified to acknowledge native languages and other expressions of indigenous culture that the state has not explicitly recognised up to now. The lawmakers who took office on May 1 must ratify the amendment approved Apr. 25 by the outgoing legislature, as established by the laws governing constitutional reforms. But because the line-up of political forces in the legislature remained unchanged after the March elections, there are no doubts that the reform will receive the votes of the necessary special majority of two-thirds of the 84 members of the single-chamber Legislative Assembly. Indigenous leaders expect the amendment to be approved in June or July.

"News sources today include Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources and Cultural Survival".

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