Author: Stephen Zacks

Honorable United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 
Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland

Honorable Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Francisco Cali Tzay
Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
OHCHR-UNOG
Palais Wilson
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneve 10, Switzerland

Honorable Members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Secretariat of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
OHCHR-UNOG
Palais Wilson
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneve 10, Switzerland

Subject: Contribution and Statement in Support of the Report on Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples

In cooperation and in support for the Expert Mechanism’s Report on the Self-Determination of Indigenous Peoples, the non-governmental organization Amplifier calls for official recognition of the right of indigenous people to move across the borders which they traversed historically. This freedom of movement is inherent in their ability to freely determine their political status and to freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

Indigenous people have suffered from historic injustices due to colonization, dispossession of their lands, and deprivation of resources. For thousands of years before the creation of sovereign states by European migrants to the Western Hemisphere, indigenous people traded, traveled across, and lived throughout the lands now divided by international borders. Amplifier calls for official recognition of the right of indigenous people to move across the borders which they traversed historically in order to freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

“This claim to freedom of movement has a well-established basis in the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” asserts immigration attorney and Amplifier general counsel Alfonso F. Ramos, Esq. “On September 13, 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming the need to respect and promote the inherent rights of indigenous peoples, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources. As 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.’”

Ramos has spent decades representing indigenous people from Central and South America migrating to the United States, encountering countless examples of violations of their right to self-determination and subsistence by states. He is a member American Immigration Lawyers Assn. and graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (BSFS), Rutgers Law School (JD), New York University School of Law (LLM, International Legal Studies). His extensive contribution and dedication to the immigrant community in New York City has been acknowledged by Proclamation of the New York City Council.

“The breakdown of existing political structures, the failure to pass effective legislation and develop effective border policies respecting indigenous rights in the United States, and the near-impossibility of future reforms within deadlocked institutions calls for a new direction,” argues Stephen Zacks, president of Amplifier Inc. “The absence of successful anti-colonial revolutions overthrowing the states established by European settlers, rampant corruption, and a lack of effective governance honoring indigenous rights throughout the Americas demand for transnational institutions to intervene.”

Article 8 of the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights affirms that “States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for…[a]ny action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing [indigenous people] of their lands, territories or resources.” In addition, Article 20 states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions, to be secure in the enjoyment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in all their traditional and other economic activities. Indigenous peoples deprived of their means of subsistence and development are entitled to just and fair redress.”

Freedom of movement across the international borders established by European colonial states is integrally related to indigenous peoples’ pursuit of means of subsistence, development, and other economic activities, and is therefore integral to the right to self-determination.

Amplifier is a non-governmental organization responding to failure of social and political institutions and degradation of natural ecosystems by promoting improved frameworks for public policy and local and global governance. In accordance with the right of indigenous peoples to participate in decision-making in matters that affect their rights, Amplifier is seeking input, participation, and leadership from sovereign tribes, First Nations, and indigenous groups to advocate for their right to freedom of movement within the Western Hemisphere.

Respectfully,

Alfonso Ramos, Esq.
General Counsel, Amplifier Inc. 

Stephen Zacks
President,Amplifier Inc. 

Amplifier pide el reconocimiento oficial del derecho de los pueblos indígenas a cruzar las fronteras que atravesaron históricamente.

Para publicación inmediata el 25 de noviembre de 2020

Los pueblos indígenas han sufrido injusticias históricas debido a la colonización, el despojo de sus tierras y la privación de recursos. Durante miles de años antes de la creación de estados soberanos por parte de los inmigrantes europeos al hemisferio occidental, los pueblos indígenas comerciaban, viajaban y vivían en las tierras ahora divididas por fronteras internacionales. Amplifier pide el reconocimiento oficial del derecho de los pueblos indígenas a cruzar las fronteras que atravesaron históricamente.

“Este reclamo de libertad de movimiento tiene una base bien establecida en la Declaración de los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas de las Naciones Unidas”, afirma el abogado de inmigración y miembro de la junta de Amplifier Alfonso F. Ramos, Esq. “El 13 de septiembre de 2007, la Asamblea General de la ONU adoptó una resolución afirmando la necesidad de respetar y promover los derechos inherentes de los pueblos indígenas, especialmente sus derechos a sus tierras, territorios y recursos. Como dice el artículo 3 de la declaración, “los pueblos indígenas tienen derecho a la libre determinación. En virtud de ese derecho, determinan libremente su condición política y persiguen libremente su desarrollo económico, social y cultural “.

Ramos ha pasado decadas representando a los pueblos indígenas de America Central y del Sur que migran a los Estados Unidos, encontrando innumerables ejemplos de violaciones de su derecho a la autodeterminación y la subsistencia por parte de los estados. Es miembro de la Asociación Estadounidense de Abogados de Inmigración y graduado de la Escuela de Servicio Exterior de la Universidad de Georgetown (BSFS), la Facultad de Derecho de Rutgers (JD), la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Nueva York (LLM, Estudios Jurídicos Internacionales). Su extensa contribución y dedicación a la comunidad de inmigrantes en la ciudad de Nueva York ha sido reconocida par la Proclamación del Ayuntamiento de la ciudad de Nueva York.

“El colapso de las estructuras políticas existentes, el fracaso del Congreso para aprobar una legislación efectiva, la administración ilegal del regimen actual y la casi imposibilidad de futuras reformas dentro de instituciones estancadas exigen una nueva dirección”, argumenta Stephen Zacks, presidente de Amplifier Inc., graduado de Estudios Liberales (MA) de la Facultad de Posgrado de Ciencias Politicas y Sociales de la Nueva Escuela. “La ausencia de rebeliones anticoloniales exitosas que derroquen a los estados establecidos por las colonos europeos, la corrupción desenfrenada y la falta de una gobernanza eficaz que respete los derechos indígenas en todo el continente americano exigen la intervención de instituciones transnacionales”.

Ramos senala que el articulo 8 de la Declaración de Derechos Indígenas de la ONU afirma que “las Estados deberán proporcionar mecanismos efectivos para la prevención y reparación de … [cualquier] acción que tenga el objetivo o efecto de desposeer [a los pueblos indígenas] de sus tierras, territorios o recursos “. Además, el artículo 20 establece que “los pueblos indígenas tienen derecho a mantener y desarrollar sus sistemas o instituciones politicos, económicos y sociales, a estar seguros en el disfrute de sus propios medias de subsistencia y desarrollo ya participar libremente en todas sus actividades tradicionales, y otras actividades económicas. Los pueblos indígenas privados de sus medias de subsistencia y desarrollo tienen derecho a una reparación justa y equitativa “.

Amplifier es una organización no gubernamental que responde al fracaso de las instituciones sociales y políticas y la degradación de los ecosistemas naturales mediante la promoción de nuevos marcos conceptuales y estrategias probadas para influir en las políticas públicas y mejorar la gobernanza local y global. De acuerdo con el derecho de los pueblos indígenas a participar en la toma de decisiones en asuntos que afecten sus derechos, Amplifier está buscando aportes, participación y liderazgo de tribus soberanas, Primeras Naciones y grupos indígenas para defender su derecho a la libertad de movimiento dentro del hemisferio occidental.

Para obtener mas información, comuniquese con Alfonso Ramos, Esq., al 917-734-4196 Stephen Zacks al 917-412-1926, o envíenos un correo electrónico a info@amplifycities.org.

For immediate release November 25, 2020

Indigenous people have suffered from historic injustices due to colonization, dispossession of their lands, and deprivation of resources. For thousands of years before the creation of sovereign states by European migrants to the Western Hemisphere, indigenous people traded, traveled across, and lived throughout the lands now divided by international borders. Amplifier calls for official recognition of the right of indigenous people to move across the borders which they traversed historically.

“This claim to freedom of movement has a well-established basis in the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” asserts immigration attorney and Amplifier board member Alfonso F. Ramos, Esq. “On September 13, 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming the need to respect and promote the inherent rights of indigenous peoples, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources. As 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.’”

Ramos has spent decades representing indigenous people from Central and South America migrating to the United States, encountering countless examples of violations of their right to self-determination and subsistence by states. He is a member American Immigration Lawyers Assn. and graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (BSFS), Rutgers Law School (JD), New York University School of Law (LLM, International Legal Studies). His extensive contribution and dedication to the immigrant community in New York City has been acknowledged by Proclamation of the New York City Council.

“The breakdown of existing political structures, the failure of Congress to pass effective legislation, the lawless administration of the current regime, and the near-impossibility of future reforms within deadlocked institutions calls for a new direction,” argues Stephen Zacks, president of Amplifier Inc., a Liberal Studies (M.A.) graduate of the New School’s Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science. “The absence of successful anti-colonial revolutions overthrowing the states established by European settlers, rampant corruption, and a lack of effective governance honoring indigenous rights throughout the Americas demand for transnational institutions to intervene.”

Ramos points out that Article 8 of the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights affirms that “States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for…[a]ny action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing [indigenous people] of their lands, territories or resources.” In addition, Article 20 states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions, to be secure in the enjoyment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in all their traditional and other economic activities. Indigenous peoples deprived of their means of subsistence and development are entitled to just and fair redress.”

Amplifier is a non-governmental organization responding to failure of social and political institutions and degradation of natural ecosystems by promoting new conceptual frameworks and proven strategies to influence public policy and improve local and global governance. In accordance with the right of indigenous peoples to participate in decision-making in matters that affect their rights, Amplifier is seeking input, participation, and leadership from sovereign tribes, First Nations, and indigenous groups to advocate for their right to freedom of movement within the Western Hemisphere.

For further information, please contact Alfonso Ramos, Esq., at 917-734-4196 or Stephen Zacks at 917-412-1926, or email us at info@amplifycities.org.