MISSION, PRINCIPLES AND CODE OF ETHICS
In 1991, near the sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota, near 500 Native
people came together at the outdoor 2nd Annual IEN Protecting Mother
Earth gathering. At this gathering, this Unifying Principle and
the Environmental Code of Ethics were written.
Mission Statement
The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas have lived for over 500
years in confrontation with an immigrant society that holds an opposing
world view. As a result we are now facing an environmental crisis
which threatens the survival of all natural life.
In 1991, near the sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota, near 500
Native people came together at the outdoor 2nd Annual IEN Protecting
Mother Earth gathering. At this gathering, this Unifying Principle
and the Environmental Code of Ethics were written.
Unifying Principles
The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas have lived for over 500
years in confrontation with an immigrant society that holds an opposing
world view. As a result we are now facing an environmental crisis
which threatens the survival of all natural life.
We believe in unified action, sharing of information, and working
together with mutual respect. We recognize we must assert our sovereignty
and jurisdictional rights through the application of our traditional
laws and recognizing our traditional forms of leadership of our
indigenous nations. We stand on principles of empowering and supporting
each other to take direct, informed action and affect our ability
to protect our lands from contamination and exploitation. By attempting
to fulfill our responsibility to defend our mother earth we are
assuring the survival of our unborn generations.
The members of IEN are unified in our recognition that the traditional
teachings, lifestyles, spirituality, cultures and leadership of
our people as well as the survival of our future generations, are
entirely dependent upon our respectful relationship with the natural
world and our responsibility to the sacred principles given to us
by the creator.
Environmental Code of Ethics
- As Indigenous Peoples, we speak for ourselves, no one else
is authorized to speak on our behalf. Environmental groups have
no right to represent Indigenous People. We represent ourselves.
- We will always stand by the strongest position in defense of
Traditional Natural Law.
- We will support Indigenous People's rights to self-determination.
- We will not make accommodations for, or deals, with polluters.
- We support basic principles of environmental justice, including
the rights of people to a clean environment regardless of race,
economic position, gender, or national identity. Violations of
environmental justice we understand to be violations of International
Law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United
Nations Convention on Genocide.
GO
to page 2 of Mission,
Principles and Code of Ethics
|
