Anger over indigenous rights ruling

The United Nations has endorsed a declaration to protect the rights of indigenous peoples over New Zealand objections that sections of it are unworkable, potentially discriminatory and could see separatist minorities break up countries.

The Maori Party has condemned New Zealand's opposition to the vote, calling the idea that Aotearoa could go on record as having opposed the rights of indigenous people "deeply troubling".

"We already have a very poor record," said spokesman Te Ururoa Flavell.

The declaration was passed by a vote of 30-2 at the UN's Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva this week. New Zealand is not a member of the council and could not vote but, with fellow non-members Australia and the United States, issued a joint statement that said more time was needed to find a wording to suit all countries.

"The current text is confusing," it said. "Indigenous peoples are not defined. This means separatist or minority groups with traditional connections to the territory where they live could exploit this declaration to claim the right to self-determination, including exclusive control of territorial resources."

A spokesman for Prime Minister Helen Clark said New Zealand was one of the most respectful nations regarding indigenous people, with an internationally acknowledged system of looking at issues of reparation and apologies.

But New Zealand was not prepared to accept a definition of self-determination which threatened it as a nation state.