It is all about rights . . .
Pias Majid commends the Bengali translation of a global document
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly on 13 September 2007 by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4 votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstentions (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Samoa and Ukraine). Earlier the declaration had been translated in 15 state as well as indigenous languages. Those languages include Crimean Tatar, Danish, Greenlandic, Ilokano (spoken in the Philippines), Italian, Kichua (spoken in the Andes), Kweyol (spoken in Saint Lucia), Guarani (Paraguay), Japanese, Maori (spoken in New Zealand), Maya (spoken in Central America), Miskito (Nicaragua and Honduras), Nahuatl (Mexico), Filipino and Portuguese. Fortunately enough, a Bengali translation of this much cherished treatise appeared at the Ekushey February earlier this year. Banglayan, the publishing house focused on giving voice to the fresh zeal of youth, has published this bilingual book containing both the original English texts and its translation in Bengali. In Bengali, the declaration is titled as Adibasi Janogoner Odhikar Bishayak Jati Shangher Ghosana. Freelance media activist and writer Audity Falguni has accomplished the arduous task. The adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or the efforts to draft a specific instrument dealing with the protection of indigenous peoples worldwide date back over two decades. In 1982 the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) with the mandate to develop a set of minimum standards that would protect indigenous peoples. The whole declaration contains 46 articles and highly concentrates on third-generation human rights, including the right to self-determination and other agendas. For example, article 3 of the Declaration states: Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. Article 5 emphasizes the indigenous peoples' right to maintain and strengthen their political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their right to participate fully in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State. The declaration acts as a pivotal document against forced dispossession of the indigenous peoples from their lands, territories or resources (Article 8) or forced assimilation or destruction of their cultural values or ethnic identities. Relocation without free, prior or informed consent of the indigenous people is forbidden (Article 10). The instrument, in addition, upholds the rights of the indigenous people to manifest, practice, develop and teach their spiritual and religious traditions, customs and ceremonies (Article 12). Article 13 highlights their right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures...a really unique provision! Article 14 speaks of the indigenous peoples' right to establish and control education systems in their own languages while Article 16 goes for even having them establish their own media in their own languages along with having access to all forms of non-indigenous media without discrimination. Article 22 underscores the necessity of paying special attention to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities. Provisions for non-discrimination in the arena of education, employment and other socio-economic conditions (Article 21), right to practice the traditional health and medicine system (Article 24), right to traditionally owned lands, territories and resources (Article 26), recognition of customary laws of the indigenous people by nation state (Article 27), denial of military activities in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples (Article 30) are some other glaring aspects of this holistic instrument. As a translator, Audity Falguni has earlier translated one of the most difficult of novels by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Autumn of the Patriarch as also the painter March Chagall's autobiography My Life. She has also translated some other write-ups, from Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Michael Foucalt and others from English to Bengali with ease. Her pieces of translation manifest sheer brilliance and smoothness. In comparison to those complicated literary tasks, translation of this slim Declaration naturally caused her much less pain. The translation is lucid but the publishing house could have been more caring in terms of printing quality. The cover design by artist Shibu Kumar Sheel, however, appears well in black and white. Thanks are also due indigenous photographer Khameen for his photograph used on the book cover. This bilingual book will be highly useful for academicians, lawyers, researchers, human rights activists, government officials, development practitioners, students and indigenous people.
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