On Thursday, 13 September 2007 the General Assembly of the U.N. in New York has accepted the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the World.
During the last few weeks before the voting session, the OIS organized a petition to convince the Suriname Government to vote in favor of this declaration, as at the time it looked as though the intention was to go and vote against it. The petition was signed in a rather short period by about 1500 persons in over twenty Indigenous communities as well as by supporters in Paramaribo and Wanica.
After this on 13 September 2007 Suriname voted in favor of the declaration. The OIS appreciates this deed of the government and expects that this will also in Suriname lead to a real recognition of the Indigenous Rights on the basis of the required changes in the local laws.