Akha Chronicles
Book 1: Maesai
Chapter 40: The UN

 

The UN

The United Nations is highly organized, if inefficient. Just learning the process is a challenge, as many issues are addressed.

 

I got that chance when a fellow activist, Brian Keane, invited me to tell the Akha story at the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues in New York, shortly after my deportation from Thailand.

 

I was able to present the Akha case and began learning on just one more level how to learn the ropes of activism.

 

The Consul from the Thai Mission said they wanted to talk but then never followed through. A face saving gesture on their part. But I followed up, that was for sure and he met me there the second year as well.

 

From New York I went to Geneva, and brought up once again the Akha case at the Working Group on Indigenous Peoples.

 

We learned, we networked, we tried to help each other, we made friends. We came to share in each others problems and energies to make our voices heard.

 

My point was to get the Akha to the UN, to break the trail, to do what I could, and slowly I progressed.

 

End

Have a comment or question? Like to know more? Send me an email at akha@akha.org
Copyright 2004, by Matthew McDaniel