State Dept, adviser gives indigenous rights talk
Alumnus Ajay Bhatt, who
graduated from the School
of Law, spoke Monday
at the Knight Law Center
By Sheldon Traver
Freelance Reporter
Ajay Bhatt a U.S. Department of State
Office of Multilateral Affairs adviser on
human rights, spoke about indigenous
peoples and human rights at the Knight
Law Center Monday evening.
Bhatt, a 2001 University School of
Law graduate, discussed draff declara
tions being written by the United Na
tions and the Organization of Ameri
can States to ensure the rights of
indigenous peoples worldwide. The
event was sponsored by the Wayne
Morse Center for Law and Politics.
Bhatt, who just returned from
Switzerland where he worked on the
draft resolution for the United Na
tions, talked about the efforts of both
the United Nations and OAS to adopt
a resolution to allow greater rights for
indigenous groups around the world.
The proposal includes the right to pre
serve native language and to not be
forced from ancestral lands.
"Indigenous peoples became a vital
part of the declaration," Bhatt said.
"These peoples had the same speak
ing rights on the floor of the chamber
as nation-states."
He said it can be difficult to address
so many points of view, but it is excit
ing to work toward a resolution.
"The U.S. is extremely legalistic and
gets tagged as obstructionist, but we
have to bear in mind we will have to
sign on to what we agree to," he said.
He said he believes this draft will
become a full resolution within sever
al years, giving indigenous peoples
around the world far more rights.
Not all who attended the lecture
agreed with Bhatt's optimism about
the draft resolution, however.
"It is the policy of the United States
to do nothing for indigenous peoples
in our own country," said Nikos Pas
tes, who said he's from the Salish and
Kootenai Tribes of Montana.
Pastes said the U.S. has no interest in
indigenous tribes unless there is an eco
nomic incentive, although he recog
nizes U.S. efforts to help indigenous
peoples elsewhere. He cited examples
in his efforts to gain rights for Alaskan
Indian tribes, saying native peoples of
the United States want to see a specific
document addressing their issues.
While Bhatt agreed there is no easy so
lution to the issue of indigenous rights,
he said this is a step in the right direction.
"When (nation)-states see certain
violations of human rights by mem
ber states, it causes other states to in
tervene — it becomes a name-and
shame game," Bhatt said, referring to
the actions of member nations to
keep others accountable.
Caroline Forell, School of Law pro
fessor and interim director of the
Wayne Morse Center for Law and Poli
tics, said Bhatt is amazed at the aware
ness of human rights issues in Eugene
and at the University. During a lunch
eon with law students Monday, he en
couraged people to consider public
service as part of their careers.
"People are really participating in
human rights issues in Eugene," Forell
said.
She said when Bhatt was her stu
dent, he wrote about "cultural and
historical forces that hinder Indian
American women."
"It was a wonderful paper and gave
me incredible insight into his interest
in human rights issues," she said.
Bhatt returned to Washington,
D.C., Tuesday, but said Eugene will al
ways hold a special place in his heart.
Sheldon Traver is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
COMMONS
continued from page 3
During the 2002-03 school year,
the police received 13 burglary re
ports, while this school year 10 bur
glary reports already have been re
ceived by EPD.
Also, there have been two assaults
reported this year during a five
month span, while only one was re
ported over the 10-month span last
school year.
However, the number of reported
rapes at University Commons has de
creased since the 2002-03 school year.
Two rapes were reported last school
year, and no rapes have been reported
so far this school year.
University Commons Assistant
Manager Brian Piper said he was un
aware that people may have a nega
tive image of the complex as a high
crime area.
"As far as we know, people enjoy
living here." Piper said. "If not, I'd
hope they would express it. We're
always open to talking to any tenants
that have a problem."
He said no tenants have expressed
concerns to him about safety or crime.
Piper said some of the recent van
dalism that has occurred at the com
plex, such as tire slashings in January
and car windows being broken in
February, may have been done by
people who don't live at the complex,
or even in the area.
Miller agreed non-tenants could be
responsible for causing the damage,
but said she has several neighbors
who cause problems for her and her
roommates.
She said she can hear neighbors
through all of the walls in her apart
ment and the ceiling and floor.
"(The University Commons) is a
very loud place to live in," Miller said.
She also said the smell of marijua
na comes in through the windows,
doors and the vent in the laundry
room. She added that on Saturday
and Sunday mornings, the ground
outside her apartment is littered with
beer cans and bottles.
Miller said she would like to see
more police patrols at the complex.
The University Commons does
have its own security patrol, Piper
said, although they don't wear identi
fiable clothing.
"They're walking around and
checking out things, seeing if some
thing is going on," he said, adding
that he will look into getting some
thing for them to wear to be more rec
ognizable.
Piper said the University Com
mons takes several other security
measures to help tenants feel secure,
including well-lit parking lots, the
complex's answering service and
emergency alarms that connect to
the police in each bedroom and liv
ing room.
"(Tenants) have 24-hour access to
get a hold of somebody if there is
some sort of problem," he said.
After the tire slashings in January,
Piper said the staff at the apartment
complex sent all of the tenants a flyer
UNIVERSITY COMMONS POLICE CALLS
* Sept. 2002 - June 2003
Assault 1 reported
Burglary: 13 reported
Criminal mischiet 7 reported
Minor in possession: 20 reported
Theft: 9 reported
Theft from vehicle: 11 reported
Theft of vehicle: 4 reported
• Sept. 2003 - Jan. 2004
Assault 2 reported
Burglary: 10 reported
Criminal mischiet 11 reported
Minor in possession: 16 reported
Theft: 6 reported
Theft from vehicle: 3 reported
Theft of vehicle: 2 reported
SOURCE: Eugene Police Department
reminding them of the emergency
alarm system and the courtesy officer
service.
Although Piper said he is not aware
of an image problem at the complex,
he hopes any concerns tenants may
have will be brought to him.
"We're here to serve our tenants,"
Piper said. "I wish they felt free
enough to come and tell us (their
concerns) so we can be proactive and
do something about it."
Contact the crime/health/
safety reporter
at lisacatto@dailyemerald.com.
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