Country Topic Area Committee

: Bahrain : The Rights of Indigenous People : United Nations Human Right Council

The landmark adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People in 2007 has proven that United Nations Human Rights Council has played an important role in the issue, which helps the indigenous populations in the universe to get their proper rights. But, even with the declaration has been adopted in many countries in the world, but still, millions of people are still forced to live without these fundamental rights. Some of them are still becoming the victim of discrimination, inequalities and exclusion as well as having minimun access to education, health care, political participation, etc. This is not right, its like the law of the rights of indigenous people hasnt been taken into force yet by all states. The goverment of Bahrain believes the issue of the rights of indigenous people need to be taken seriously and recognizes it as emerging and increasing problem in the global society. Bahrain admits the irreplaceable status of indigenous people. Bahrain population comprises of foreign people and the indigenous people, where currently the number of foreign people who live in Bahrain exceeds the number of indigenous people in the country. In the past, the relations between Shiia population which is the indigenous population and other population in the nation wasnt quite good. The present king, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who has ruled since 1999, has made an improvement of relations with the Shiia population part of his promised package of reforms. Despite the improvements over the past decade, Shiia population disadvantage and discrimination continues but Bahrains goverment are currently striving to make a better conditions of the indigenous people and it should be noted that the goverment of Bahrain has given the Shiia population access to a Jaafari Shiia court, funded by the state and to have their own mosque. Bahrain has also formed a national human rights commission to promote and protect the rights of all people in the state and It will also be actively engaged in capacity building of human rights issues among government and civil institutions and in supporting a human rights-based approach to development. Bahrain are now considering its position on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. Bahrain agrees that those 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. Indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to all other peoples and individuals and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination, in the exercise of their rights, in particular that based on their indigenous origin or identity. Indigenous peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their rights to participate fully, if they so choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State. Taking participation to the problem, Bahrain believes that in order to end discrimination and disadvantage of indigenous poeple, there should be a promoting action in the nations which promotes the equality between indigenous people and non-indigenous people. It is also needed to urge people in the nations combating the discrimination and contributing in providing support and protection for victims. It is important too for international community to still monitor the implementation of the declaration by all member states to ensure the rights

of indigenous people. Bahrain believes that by getting the answer of the confusion regarding the distinction between indigenous people and tribal people could help the international community to make appropriate resolution for the indigenous people. Bahrain also believes that by showing the raising positive influence of a country which has been adopted the declaration well in their own country could encourage all states to produce supportive policies regarding the issue. Bahrain also believes that UN involvement in the issue can help governments establish a system that will provide rights for these indigenous people without violating the rights of other people in the country.