The Charter of the United Nations annexes the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which requires it, when deciding disputes following international law, to apply (among other things) ″international custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted.″ Some experts have suggested that there are or should be linkages or overlaps between customary international law and the customary law of indigenous peoples and local communities. Still, in general, these two distinct areas of law and practice should not be confused with one another. Approaches to defining or characterizing ″customary law″ typically make some reference to an established pattern within a community which is seen by the community itself as having a binding quality. For instance, customary laws can be interpreted as Customs are taken as legal requirements or obligatory rules of conduct, practices, and beliefs that are so important and intrinsic a part of a social and economic system that they are
