Representatives of the world's indigenous peoples meeting at the United
Nations have accused some Western countries, Australia among them, of
trying to shut down their main forum in the United Nations.

The 900 delegates from groups including Australian Aborigines, American
Indians, Eskimos and Maoris have gathered for their annual five-day summit
in Geneva.

Kenneth Deer from Canada's Mohawk Indians says Canada, Australia, the
United States and some European countries want to shut down the UN's
Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

Mr Deer says if the working group ends, the issue of promoting and
protecting the human rights of indigenous peoples around the globe will
suffer extensively.