Working Paper: Taking Indigenous Self-Determination in Chile Seriously

The Project for Indigenous Self-Determination presents "Taking Indigenous Self-Determination in Chile Seriously: Lessons from Indigenous Experiences in the United States and Their Possible Application in Chile," a working paper discussing the application of the Indigenous right to self-determination in the Chilean context.

Abstract:

In 2007, Chile voted in favor of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. One year later, the State ratified International Labour Organisation Convention 169 on Indigenous Peoples. Among the rights that these instruments recognize and promote is the right to self-determination for indigenous peoples. The recognition of the right to self-determination, and its implementation in practice, implies a redefinition of state–indigenous relations and a reassessment of power distribution. The right also imposes obligations on the State, but at the same time it increases indigenous responsibility as well. While the Chilean State and the indigenous peoples that are living there enter into this new legal landscape, there is value in studying the experience of the United States and the indigenous peoples there. The right to self- determination was recognized in domestic legislation in the United States in 1975 and its recognition has brought with it a rebirth of indigenous economies and societies—converting this once marginalized and poor population into a population that is thriving today. This transformation is part of a long process that has yielded important lessons about self- determination which have application in the Chilean context.

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