Once European sovereignty had been established, colonial powers regarded the affairs of the colonized area as "internal", meaning that indigenous rights were to be governed solely by the colonial power. It was George Manuel, a British Columbia Indian and President of the National Indian Brotherhood, 1970-76, who conceived the idea of an alliance of indigenous peoples to effect indigenous rights. After visiting numerous countries and organizations throughout the world, including the World Council of Churches, the International Labor Organization, etc., Manuel secured funds to launch the first international conference of indigenous peoples in October, 1975. The Conference was held at Port Alberni, British Columbia where 260 people representing some 18 countries attended workshops dealing with: representation of the United Nations (UN); the Charter of the World Council of Indigenous People; social, economic, and political justice; retention of cultural identity; and retention of land and natural resources. Participants resolved to prepare a study of the problems of descrimination against indigenous peoples for submission to the UN and to form the World Council of Indigenous People to deal with the economic, cultural, political, and social rights of indigenous peoples and with the retention of their land and natural resources. Since Port Alberni, the Council's development has been gradual, but the UN and individual nations have adopted the position that human rights is no longer an "internal" affair--that there is an international responsibility to the indigenous peoples of the world. (JC)