From gars@netcom.com Thu Sep 4 03:13:17 1997 Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 23:53:10 -0700 From: Gary Night Owl To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews05.036 _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 05, ISSUE 036 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, 6 September 1997 O o O KANOHEDA ANIYVWIYA Otapi'sin Atsinikiisinaakssin O o O Es'te Opunvk'vmucvse ni-mah-mi-kwa-zoo-min Aunchemokauhettittea O ( N A T I V E A M E R I C A N N E W S ) This issue contains articles from NAT-FILM & Big Mountain lists; Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty; North American Spirit Lodge; UUCP email; Newsgroups: alt.native,soc.culture.native Articles appearing have been previously posted for public dissemination and/or permission for inclusion has been secured. Letters of authorization are on file. A list of those granting permission to repost their words in this issue are listed at the end of part A. I thank each of you for allowing your words to be shared with the people. <----<<<< >>>>----> This newsletter is a way of keeping the brothers and sisters who share our Spirit informed about current events within the lives of those who walk the Red Road. ++ It may be subscribed to via email by sending a request from your own internet addressable account to gars@netcom.com ++ It is archived at http://www.nanews.org Thanks to Don Rayment ,don.rayment@uptowne.com, Wotanging Ikche/ Kanoheda Aniyvwiya is being redistributed via a listserver. If you would like to receive Wotanging Ikche via the listserver, you can send a message to listserv@uptowne.com and include, in the body of your message "sub wotanging.ikche " Thanks to Borries Demeler all _Wotanging_Ikche_ (part a) submissions to AISESnet are archived under AISESnet and can be accessed easily by World Wide Web: 1994: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/94_dis.html 1995: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/95_dis.html 1996: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/96_dis.html 1997: http://aises.uthscsa.edu/97_dis.html This is a searchable index to the AISESnet Discussion mailing list database archive, and the keyword "Wotanging" will retrieve all issues for that year. "I can remember when the bison were so many that they could not be counted, but more and more Wasicus came to kill them until there were only heaps of bones scattered where they used to be. The Wasicus did not kill them to eat; they killed them for the metal that makes them crazy, and they took only the hides to sell. Sometimes they did not even take the hides, only the tongues; and I have heard that fire-boats came down the Missouri River loaded with dried bison tongues. You can see that the men who did this were crazy. Sometimes they did not even take the tongues; they just killed and killed because they liked to do that. When we hunted bison, we only killed what we needed." __ Black Elk, Oglala +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Indian Pledge of Allegiance | The Indian Pledge of Alleg- | | iance was first presented | I pledge allegiance to my Tribe,| on 2 December '93 during the | to the democratic principles | opening address of the Nat- | of the Republic | ional Congress of American | and to the individual freedoms | Indian Tribal-States Relat- | borrowed from the Iroquois and | ions Panel in Reno, NV. NCAI | Choctaw Confederacies, | plans distribution of the | as incorporated in the United | Indian Pledge to all Indian | States Constitution, | Nations. | so that my forefathers | | shall not have died in vain | Walk in Beauty! Night Owl +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ O'siyo Brothers and Sisters! The Monday, September 1, 1997 _Atlanta Constitution_ "Living News for Kids" feature focused on Georgia's Native American history, and recommended that readers travel the Chieftain's Trail to view this rich heritage. Perhaps the most surprising comments are contained in the first paragraph: "Creek and Cherokee tribes lived here until they were driven out by English settlers greedy for land and gold." And in the featurette on New Echota: Cherokee Capital: "At the last Cherokee capital before they were forced out of Georgia on the Trail of Tears, you'll see a restored town..." At least, at last, there are in print, clear, true statements of what had happened to the Cherokee and Creek who once occupied what is now Georgia. Thanks to Mike Wicks for these reminders: In Memory (with Respect and Honor) 8.25.1975 Randy Hunter - AIM supporter killed at Kyle by "party or parties unknown". Investigation still "ongoing." 9.7.1974 Dennis LeCompte - AIM member killed at Pine Ridge by Goons. No investigation. Peace! Night Owl , , Gary Night Owl gars@netcom.com (*,*) P. O. Box 672168 gars@nanews.org (`-') Marietta, GA 30067, U.S.A. gars@igc.apc.org ===w=w=== gars@bellsouth.net Fax: 770-528-9643 gars@juno.com ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ---------- Part A: Usenet and e-mail Part B: NATIVE-L list - Update on Mount Graham THIS - Sovereignty in Peril ISSUE - Activists Protest Attack On Native Rights CONTAINS - Buffalo Alert NO - Voisey's Bay Protest Update PART B - Action Alert: Voisey's Bay - Brentwood Library Site - Brentwood Update - STOP the Desecrations THIS - Cherokee Nation Marshalls ISSUE - Cherokee Monies CONTAINS - Speech by Jess Bryant NO - Big Mountain Livestock Confiscations PART B - Gustafsen: Two Years After - Gustafsen: RCMP Notes - School Program Threatened - Quebec Secession Case - Investors Beware of BC THIS - Exxon Data Highly Questionable ISSUE - Daishowa Boycott on Trial CONTAINS - New Evidence: Residential Schools NO - Directive on Law Enforcement PART B - Thought on Balance - Adopt-A-Grandparent Program - New Moon Prayer - A Hundred Years Ago THIS - Native Prisoner ISSUE - Poem: Next Generation CONTAINS - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days NO - Conferences and Powwows - offline PART B --------- "RE: Update on Mount Graham" --------- Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 15:06:22 -0500 From: Nokwisa Yona Subj: Update info on Mount Graham UUCP email This is information and personal comment from Elsie Herten, who has been running the e-mail petitions effort. Please forward comment or additional petition signatures to her at: kolahq@skynet.be Thanks to all that have sent them in so far! The Arizona Governor has pleaded with her to quit forwarding them, so they'll be now going snail mail:-) Nokwisa ------------------ We've received signed on petitions from some pretty special people, such as Buffy Sainte-Marie; the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation; the Mohawk Warrior Society Northeast Coast; Dr. Ralph Maughan (who wrote he is all for astronomy but NOT on Mt. Graham); the Midwest Treaty Network; the Canadian Alliance in Support of Native Peoples; several university professors and student alliances; a couple of ministers and priests (!); and a lot of Euro-Americans (which is taking easier into account by those pasty faced bureaucrats than complaints from Native people). Here's an update on Mount Graham: The situation at Mount Graham kind of remains the same; construction is still gong on. But to make matters worse, the University of Ohio has announced its plans to participate in the telescope project. At present we are conducting a letter writing campaign to the president of the OSU and to German Chancellor Kohl, asking the latter to stop all governmental funding of the Max Planck Institute as long as it is involved in this controversial and highly unethical project. Last year, President Bill Clinton openly objected to the telescope project, but it didn't stop UofAz to keep on clearcutting the peaks and move on with construction works. Gordon Gee, president of OSU, is spreading quite some shocking misinformation and lies about the telescope project. The German Max Planxk and the Vatican telescopes have been in place for two years now but have had nothing to report in this time period. Mount Graham has rainforest type conditions, which means that telescope viewing can only occur at most 60 percent of the time, which is probably why no discoveries have been reported. The astronomers should have known this before construction, so it's quite stupid for them to construct anyway! It doesn't show much scientific professionalism, let alone being deontologically and ethically correct. There are 37 sites in the continental USA which are better based on many factors not just topography. Topography is the big blunder the UofAz made because they picked the site with the worst topography on Mt. Graham. They picked a flat peak!!! The Vatican site is the lousiest site possible. The UofAz's 8-meter mirrors are also last choice or third-choice products. UofAz's mirrors have been rejected by the world's leading astronomers. The mirrors have been plagued by erratic production, non-competitive pricing and they contract with temperature changes. UofAz's problems are slipshod science and ethical impoverishment. A symptom of the moral decay of this institution?! Everybody knows that no-ground based telescopes such as the ones on Mt. Graham can ever compete with outer space telescopes like Hubble. What's pretty ironic here is that all over the world there are universities and observatories manned by well-paid scientists who are constantly looking up into the heavens with sophisticated (or like UofAz, with third-grade) and horribly expensive equipment. They have recently sent into space the most advanced and expensive telescope ever designed by man. But then two guys, Mr. Hale and Mr. Bobb, not a part of the science-mob, sitting in their backyard, looking up at the sky, discovered the most famous comet of the 20th century, Hale-Bopp! OSU president Gordon Gee claims that OSU would build in an area already heavily developed with summer homes, campgrounds, etc. Or Gee has been misinformed, or he is a liar, because he would actually build in an UNDEVELOPED, ISOLATED, virgin spruce-fir forest at the summit. For Gee to say the summit is developed is as bizarre and absurd as saying there are permanent complexes with luxury swimming pools and golf courses on top of Mount Everest! Gordon Gee has never been to Mount Graham... (I on the other and went to check it out...) Gee also claims there is a man-made fishing lake on top of the mountain. Now, the truth is slightly different... Gee is 6 miles and 200 feet in altitude off! This is irresponsible and ludicrous geometry for a university president. The summit historically had hardly any visitors at all. It was accessed only by a barely passable fire control road closed most of the year. Now 27 percent or 129 acres of that fragile, tiny 472 acres of the endangered red squirrel's best spruce-fire habitat (and not 10 acres out of 200,000 acres as Gee falsely claims) is being permanently destroyed by the astronomers. Gee erroneously claims that 250,000 recreationists use the mountain. Truth is that NONE of the public are any longer allowed to visit the summit, because only astronomers are allowed there... to deforest and fragment it. This remote wilderness was scheduled to be registered as an official Wilderness, but in 1984 UofAz astronomers lobbied U.S. Congress to open it up for development. In 1988, they spent millions of dollars lobbying to exempt this spruce-fir wilderness for the Endangered Species Act and all environmental and Native American religious and cultural protection laws. Just like the Galapagos Islands, Mt. Graham's summit is a priceless cradle of evolution. Over 18 unique plants and animals evolved here: 3 mammals, 3 mollusks, 3 flowers, a bivalve, and many anthropoids. Even the government admitted that the observatory will destroy one-quarter of the endangered red squirrel's best habitat. Yet, construction goes on. I don't know what Gordon Gee's beliefs are, but I wonder how anyone living today can be so disrespectful of the religious beliefs of others and the science of evolution, particularly since superior telescope sites exist elsewhere in the USA which are not environmental and cultural pariahs either. Gordon Gee continually boasts that he found one San Carlos Apache, Mr. Harrison Talgo, who is a proponent of the project. Mr. Gee found one single Apache in favor of the telescopes; and Father George V. Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory, found four of them... Well, we know thousands of white catholics opposing it - in addition to ALL the other San Carlos Apache people who don't want those darned scopes on their sacred mountain! Now, who is this Harrison Talgo? He is a former San Carlos Apache Tribal Council president who was recently re-elected to the Council. But... Mr. Talgo is also an employee of the LBT (Large Binocular Telescope). See, this is what happens when one's religion is money! However, Harrison Talgo did NOT support the project until becoming an employee of the LPT Corporation. In fact, Talgo's name appears on numerous letters and resolutions opposing the scopes. In a 1994 letter to a member of the Italian Parliament opposing the Vatican and Arcetri participation in the project, Talgo wrote: "This mountain is the spring of our life, the protector of our existence. We cannot say enough to help you understand how vital Dzil Chaa Si An is to us..." In June 1997, the US Forest Service released a memo revealing that the Forest Service admits (for the first time after years evading the issue) that Mt. Graham is a TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY of the Western Apache. The internal memo dated from April 8, 1996 and was made public only a few months ago in the Apache historic preservation lawsuit now pending in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Among other things, it states that: "It is now evident that the Forest Service has a responsibility to evaluate Mt. Graham for eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places as a traditional cultural property... this evaluation should be accomplished as quickly as possible, prior to taking irrevocable action in constructing the third telescope." On August 19, 1997, some 100 national, international and regional organizations submitted a letter urging the US National Science Foundation board of directors to withhold NSF funding from this and any other project that avoids full and proper compliance with U.S. environmental and cultural protection laws. UofAz had asked NSF for money to finance their controversial Mt. Graham observatory. Some of the signatories were Greenpeace, National Audubon Society, the National Council of Churches, National Wildlife Federation, and the Sierra Club. We were able to halt construction works before, I'm sure we'll be able to stop this damn telescope project once and for all. Consider this... UofA has been plagued with cracking mirrors, the scope partners have had trouble finding sponsors, they have been taken to court several times... Maybe the ga'an on Mount Graham have something to do with their bad luck?... As they say: what goes around comes around. Good deeds as well as bad deeds are like boomerangs: they always return to sender! In friendship, Elsie Herten **************************** KOLA (International Campaign Office) Van Boeckel St. 20 B-1140 Brussels Belgium Tel&Fax +32-2-241-8322 Email : kolahq@skynet.be **************************** FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!! FREE WOLVERINE!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Support Congressional Oversight Hearings! 21 Years is long enough! Freedom for Leonard Peltier! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ --------- "RE: Sovereignty in Peril" --------- Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 18:25:50 -0400 (EDT) From: Siepmann@aol.com Subj: Fwd: Letters to the Editor Urgently Needed ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Item of interest for W.I. --------------------- Date: 97-08-29 08:53:40 EDT From:Wolfiedb@aol.com The following is a post that, while not literary in nature, describes an ugly and urgent situation, the outcome of which could be affected by good literary efforts (especially from those with impressive credentials and persuasive abilities): ------------------------- New York Times Article From:mccomm@clark.net Attached is a story from today's New York Times that we helped arrange on behalf of National Congress of American Indians. This legislative battle will be heating up in the first two weeks of September. We would encourage anyone to submit letters to the editor in support of the Tribes -- there should be a letters link on the site. Thank You McCarthy Communications Washington, DC Senate Measure Would Deal Blow to Indian Rights By Timothy Egan SEATTLE -- With little debate and no public hearings, a Senate subcommittee last month approved two measures that would knock out some of the oldest principles in how the nation's 554 American Indian tribes are governed, and deprive them of basic operating funds if they do not agree to the changes. Little noticed in Washington, where they were buried as riders on a spending bill already freighted with the fate of the National Endowment for the Arts and money for new park lands, the proposed changes have caused a furor on the reservations. The tribes say Congress is trying to strip them of sovereignty because of a perception that Indian reservations are prospering with casino gambling -- disregarding the fact that the vast majority remain among the poorest places in the nation. The architect of the riders, Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., who has had a 25-year running dispute with Indians in his home state, says the measures are part of a campaign to force a fundamental change in Indian affairs. "I find nothing in any Indian treaty that says they must be continuously supported by the federal taxpayers," said Gorton in an interview. Gorton is chairman of the Interior Appropriations subcommittee, which passed a $13 billion spending bill last month that contains the Indian riders and many provisions dear to the Clinton administration. Bracing for a showdown, the Clinton administration has threatened to veto the spending bill if it contains the Indian measures. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt called it "one of the most radical and unjust of a stream of recent congressional proposals," which would "overturn almost two centuries of jurisprudence." One of Gorton's measures would force tribes to waive sovereign immunity from civil lawsuits or lose up to $767 million -- nearly half of the entire budget for daily operations on land that 1.4 million Indians live on or near. Under the other rider, tribes could be denied federal money if their income was above a certain level. Without sovereign immunity, the tribes say, they could face bankruptcy by lawsuits and would be unable to operate as governments. And subjecting them to income requirements, or what the government calls means-testing, would be singling them out, they say, because other city and state governments do not have to go through such tests for their share of federal funds. "If Senator Gorton would ever be willing to come to a reservation, he would see very clearly that most tribal governments are barely getting by as it is," said John Blackhawk, chairman of the Winnebago tribe of Nebraska. "These two riders are outrageous. They are a total departure from the government-to-government relationship the tribes have always had with Washington." Though Babbitt has said he would recommend a veto if the riders are left in the bill, both items are entwined in a package that contains $100 million to keep the National Endowment for the Arts alive and $700 million for environmental purchases such a gold mine that threatens Yellowstone National Park, and huge grove of ancient redwood trees that could be logged in California. "I'm defending them on the NEA and land acquisition, so it would not behoove the administration to come after me on the these issues," said Gorton. The only Indian in the Senate, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a R-Colo., has also thrown down a gauntlet on the measures, saying they would only be passed "over my dead body." Sovereign immunity and basic federal operating funds are not subject to shifting political winds, Campbell wrote in a letter to Gorton, but are "a result of solemn promises made by the United States to tribal governments in exchange for Indian lands." When the full Senate takes up the Interior spending bill next month, Gorton and his supporters are counting on the fact that 17 states have no recognized Indians tribes within their boundaries. Also, Gorton said, the time may be ripe to force a significant change in the longstanding status that Indians have had as nations within a nation. "The irony is that the very concept of sovereign immunity is descended from English Common law," he said. "And it's an anachronism." Indian governments, as well as federal and local agencies, often evoke the immunity status as a way to guarantee that projects like sewage systems or road construction go ahead without the threat of financially crushing lawsuits. Individual Indians can be sued in federal court, but the tribes themselves are generally protected. The tribes say they are under assault by Gorton and others in Congress because of a perception that they getting wealthy from casino gambling, which in turn has brought some flexing of newfound political muscle. "This is straight-out an attempt to get rid of tribal governments," said John Dossett, general counsel for the National Congress of American Indians. "In order to do that, Gorton and others are playing off a perception that a whole bunch of tribes are getting rich off gaming. In fact, only a handful are making any money at it." A report last December by the General Accounting Office found that just 10 tribes took in more than 50 percent of the $1.6 billion received by Indian reservations from tribal gambling. Only about one-third of all American Indian tribes have gambling centers. Unemployment on the reservations is more than three times the national average, and 38 percent of all Indians aged 6 to 11 years old live below the poverty level -- more than twice as high as the national average. Supporters of Gorton's measures say they resent the power that Indians have over non-Indians on or near reservations. They say it is very hard for someone who is not an Indian to win redress in tribal courts. "By being able to claim immunity from suit, tribes are not fully accountable in court for their actions -- like all the rest of us in America are," said Barbara Lindsey, president of a property rights group in Washington state, in a recent statement sent to Gorton. "It is simply not fair for us to be denied our constitutional due process rights while the tribes can sue us at will." The Indians say Gorton has longstanding animosity toward the tribes, bordering on a vendetta, which dates to his days fighting Indian fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. As Washington state attorney general in the mid-1970s, Gorton argued and lost a landmark Supreme Court case, known as the Boldt decision, in which Indians were found to have a right by treaty to take up to 50 percent of all the salmon caught in Northwest waters. "It's my opinion, shared by many of my colleagues around the country, that Slade Gorton has a vendetta against the tribes," said Blackhawk. Or as Dossett put it, "Clearly, he's on the most wanted list." In 1995, Gorton led an effort to cut $200 million from the $1.7 billion budget for Indian tribes. "He's an Indian-fighter," said Darrell Hillaire, vice-chairmen of the Lummi tribe in Washington state. "This agenda is really just Slade Gorton's agenda. And he's counting on the ignorance of the rest of Congress to get it through." The Lummi, a small tribe with a salmon-fishing culture, were behind the effort to win fishing rights two decades ago. They have since been singled out by a legislative rider Gorton had successfully inserted on a previous Interior bill several years ago. The amendment, since expired, would have deprived the Lummi of 50 percent of their federal operating funds if any tribal actions had an adverse affect on non-Indians. This week, the Lummi tribe closed its casino near the Canadian border, saying it was losing too much money. "Before, he was just going after one or two tribes, but now he's launched a broad attack on all the tribes," said Dossett. "As a result, Indians have stopped being able to accomplish anything positive in Congress and are just fighting all these defensive battles." Asked about the tribal accusations of a personal vendetta over the fishing rights battle, Gorton said he had won more cases in the Supreme Court against Indians than he has lost -- and therefore did not feel a need to even the score. They are angry at him now, he said, because he is trying to break up an old system that many Indians have grown too comfortable with. "Crying racism is the last refuge of a group of individuals who can't argue on the merits," said Gorton. The tribes are particularly angry that on a matter that could so radically change the nature of Indian governments, there have been no hearings, no debate, no field trips to reservations. It is similar, they say, to how Congress tried to rewrite environmental laws last year using legislative riders. "We see this as an abrogation of treaties," said Debra Doxtator, chairwoman of the Oneida Tribe in Wisconsin. "We gave up vast amounts of land in return for sovereignty and certain obligations by the federal government. Now they want to throw that out. It would be devastating to us. Yet, we aren't even consulted." Gorton said he thought his legislative riders would prevail when the full Senate takes up the spending bill next month. But even if they did not pass, he said he would continue to use his position as chairman of the committee that oversees spending for the tribes to overhaul Indian affairs. "These are matters of principle for me," said Gorton. "Indians are citizens of the United States. They should be governed by laws of the United States as everyone else is." --------- "RE: Activists Protest Attack On Native Rights" --------- Date: 1 Sep 1997 05:08:49 GMT From: bghauk@berlin.infomatch.com (Brian Hauk) Subj: Activists Protest Attack On Native Rights Newsgroup: soc.culture.native Activists Protest Attack On Native Rights +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ from the Militant, vol.61/no.30 September 8, 1997 BY PAUL KOURI AND ROGER ANNIS SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA - A trial of 15 Native Indian rights fighters in this Vancouver suburb ended with harsh sentences against them. Fourteen of the accused were sentenced to prison terms of six months to four years. Another, Jones William Ignace, received four and a half years in addition to the 22 months that he has already been held behind bars. Dozens of the defendants' supporters were in the courtroom as the sentences were pronounced, and they shouted denunciations of the judge. They then filed outside and staged a rally in front of the courthouse. "This trial is an outrage, a mockery of justice," declared John "Splitting The Sky" Hill to the group and the many journalists covering the trial. He is a coordinator of the Gustafsen 18 Defense Committee. The protesters then traveled to downtown Vancouver where the Assembly of First Nations was holding its national convention. Some 150 delegates agreed to sign a petition calling upon the British Columbia government to hold a public inquiry into the events that led to the arrest of the defendants in 1995. The outgoing president of the organization, Ovide Mercredi, however, dismissed the call. "If you use a gun," he said, "those are the consequences." The Assembly of First Nations represents officials of local Indian governments who are elected under the terms of the Canada Indian Act. There are approximately one million Native Indian people in Canada. The trial stemmed from a massive government and police assault against a spiritual encampment of Native and non-Native people on the shores of Gustafsen Lake in central British Columbia in the summer of 1995. The attack was ordered by the New Democratic Party government in British Columbia with the full backing of the federal Canadian government. The government sided with a rancher who claimed title to the land and wanted the encampment closed down. Participants said the land was unceded Indian territory and refused to leave. The trial proved that the rancher possessed no legal title to the land. At the height of the assault, some 400 police were mobilized. It was the biggest police operation in Canada since a similar one against the Mohawk Indians at Oka, Quebec, in 1990. Thousands of rounds of bullets were fired by police during several weeks of siege of the encampment in August and September. One of the soon-to-be accused was shot in the arm. Displays of weapons and warning shots by people in the encampment were presented to the trial by prosecutors as attempts to kill police. There were 18 original defendants. Three were found not guilty when the trial jury delivered its verdict on May 20. The remaining 15 were acquitted of more serious charges, including two charges of attempting to murder police officers. William Ignace was one of those acquitted of a murder charge. He is 66 years old and is an outspoken opponent of the oppression of Native Indians in Canada. The trial lasted 10 months, one of the longest criminal trials in Canadian history. "Given the judge's instructions to the jury, we were not expecting acquittals on all charges," explained Bill Lightbown, a coordinator of the Gustafsen 18 Defense Committee. "He instructed them to ignore all three bases of our defense - that the land in question was unceded and should therefore be subject to a negotiated land claims process, that defendants acted in self-defense, and that they firmly believed their actions to be within the spirit if not the letter of the law." The trial revealed details of the lies used by police and the government to justify an armed assault of the encampment. One internal police video made public during the trial portrays a sergeant of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada's federal police force, smiling as he tells his colleagues during a police planning meeting, "We're experts at smear campaigns." In imposing the sentences, the judge fully supported the scope of the police operation. The outcome of this trial is a sharp contrast to the trial stemming from a similar police assault the same summer against an occupation by Native protesters of Ipperwash Provincial Park in southwest Ontario. There, on September 6, Native Indian Dudley George was shot dead by the Ontario Provincial Police. One of the cops was found guilty of manslaughter this July 3 - but he will not spend a day in jail. He was sentenced to two years of "community service." Internal notes of proceedings by the Ministry of the Solicitor-General in Ontario were recently obtained by the Canadian Press news agency and they confirm that the order for the assault came from the office of Ontario Premier Michael Harris. The premier wanted protestors "out of the park - nothing else," reported wrote one ministry official. Paul Kouri is a member of the United Steelworkers of America in Vancouver. Roger Annis is a member of the International Association of Machinists, also in Vancouver. To get an introductory 12-week subscription to the Militant in the U.S., send $10 US to: The Militant, 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014. For subscription rates to other countries, send e-mail to themilitant@igc.apc.org or write to the above address. ---------------------------------------------- The Militant gopher://gopher.igc.apc.org:/11/pubs/militant --------- "RE: Buffalo Alert" --------- Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 20:44:44 -0600 (MDT) From: Buffalo Nations Subj: Buffalo Alert UUCP email In the 1870's, Gen. Phil Sheridan directed a buffalo slaughter that is marked deeply in the violent history of this country. In his words: "These men (the buffalo hunters) have done in the last two years, and will do in the next year, more to settle the vexed Indian questions than the entire regular army has done in the last thirty years. They are destroying the Indians commissary; and it is well-known fact that an army losing its base of supplies is placed at a great disadvantage...let them kill, skin, and sell until the buffaloes are exterminated. Then your prairies can be covered with speckled cattle..." During the winter of 1997, they did just that again; they killed, skinned, and sold over 1,000 buffalo. Another 1,000 starved to death. Although tribal people hold a deep respect for buffalo, based on thousands of years of interdependence, and are now asking for the return of the buffalo to tribal lands; their voice has not been heard during this winter's slaughter. During the March 6th National Day of Prayer for the Buffalo, Joseph Chasing Horse, warned that "destruction faces us all if we do not stop abusing the things that the Creator has made." Today, Joseph has returned to Yellowstone and is conducting the opening ceremony for the Yellowstone Council of Elders. "The shock and grief has cut across tribal lines. This is a historic event...the gathering of traditional elders. The American leaders have failed us all. Now it is time to seriously consider the voice and the wisdom of our elders to protect the buffalo. The buffalo is essential to the health of the land that sustains us. It's that simple. Spiritually and ceremonially the Ta-tan-ka (buffalo) is a representative of the sun on this earth, the giver of life, according to ancient winter count. The birth of the white buffalo calf is a sign to the world that if they listen to the words of our spiritual prophets the will be a great time of peace and harmony such as the world has never known. If they do not listen to these words then destruction and environmental consequences face the future of our children." We would like to invite the media to the press conference on August 29th at 12:00 P.M. The location is 8 miles north of West Yellowstone out on highway 287. Between mile marker 14 and 15 on the right hand side of the highway. If you have any questions please contact Buffalo Nations at P.O. Box 242 Gardiner, Mt. 59030, 406-848-9867. Michael S. Mease PO Box 7941 Missoula MT 59807 406-728-0867 phone & fax mease@wildrockies.org --------- "RE: Voisey's Bay Protest Update" --------- Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 11:30:17 -0400 From: Larry Innes Subj: Protest Update 27 Aug 97 Mailing List: Innu People Forum list (Emish) The Labrador Inuit Association successfully obtained an injunction against the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, a subsidiary of Inco, in the Newfoundland Court of Appeal. The court ordered the company to stop construction of a road and airstrip at the Voisey's Bay site until the court has heard the appeal of the Innu Nation/Labrador Inuit Association against an Newfoundland Supreme Court ruling which allowed the company to proceed. The appeal is expected to be heard in early September. Innu Nation Katie Rich welcomed the news of the injunction as a small victory for Aboriginal people. However, she noted that the road and the airstrip are just one small part of a development which is proceeding without Innu and Inuit consent: "When we last protested at Voisey's Bay, two and a half years ago, we left the site before we had reached an agreement with the company on how they could proceed. We will not make the same mistake twice. We are going to be here until the company responds positively to our offer to settle an Impacts-Benefits Agreement, which is one of the key elements of Innu consent." The company is expected to respond to the Innu proposal this morning. The Labrador Inuit Association protestors have begun to dismantle their protest camp, and are expected to move out today. \/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/=\/= Larry Innes Visit the Innu Nation WWW site: Environmental Advisor http://www.innu.ca Innu Nation P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0 phone: (709) 497-8398 email: innuenv@web.net fax: (709) 497-8396 --------- "RE: Action Alert: Voisey's Bay" --------- Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 18:12:13 -0400 From: Larry Innes Subj: Action Alert - Voisey's Bay Mailing List: Innu People Forum list The following is an action alert from the Voisey's Bay - Innu Rights Coalition. Please copy it to your friends and supporters. For further information on any of the issues raised here please contact: Voisey's Bay - Innu Rights Coalition #192 - 253 College Street Toronto, ON M5T 1R5 tel: (416) 208-0667 e-mail: vbirc@tao.ca Action Alert: August 28, 1997 Despite constant requests from Innu nation and the Labrador Inuit Association not to proceed, The Voisey's Bay Nickel Company (VBNC) recently began construction of roads and an airstrip on unceded Innu and Inuit lands in Labrador to pave the way for their Voisey's Bay nickel and copper mine development. This action forced the Innu and Inuit people to respond by occupying the site to prevent further development. On Tuesday, August 26, the Newfoundland courts ordered a halt of construction until an appeal to the Supreme Court to issue an injunction against construction can be heard. That appeal will be heard in the next few weeks. The Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association maintain that the construction of roads and an airstrip at Voisey's Bay undermines the single, comprehensive environmental review process now underway. Even if the Courts do not issue an injunction against construction, VBNC should respect that process and refrain from further construction. Attached is a media release and a background sheet outlining the issues involved. Please take the time to read this information, and then: Phone, fax or write to the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company and ask that they stop construction of the roads and airstrip until their effects can be assessed as part of a single, comprehensive review process. Tell them that regardless of the outcome of the appeal, VBNC must respect the rights of the original inhabitants of the area, the Innu and the Inuit people. Send calls, faxes and letters ASAP to: Mr. Rick Gill, Vice-President Voisey's Bay Nickel Co. Suite 700, Baine Johnston Centre 10 Fort William Place, St. John's, NF A1C 6K3 tel: (709)758-8888 fax: (709)758-8899 _____________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 August 1997 INNU and INUIT STAGE PROTEST AT VOISEY'S BAY Davis Inlet, Labrador- The Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit are staging a joint protest action at Voisey's Bay. This morning, the first Inuit protesters arrived from Nain to establish a protest camp. More than 250 Innu are mobilizing from Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu to join the Inuit at the camp. "Development at the site has gone far enough. Inco is now building a road and an airstrip without Innu and Inuit consent. Without our consent there will be no project!", stated Katie Rich, President of the Innu Nation. Both the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association have been negotiating an impact-benefit agreement with the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inco, for more than a year. Talks between the company and the aboriginal groups broke down early this week after the company refused to halt construction work on the project until agreements had been reached and a full environmental assessment of the project completed. Rich outlined the Innu position by saying, "Our thinking on this matter is very clear. A project of this nature requires proper planning and a proper environmental assessment. It also requires aboriginal consent. The Innu cannot give approval to this project without a land rights agreement and an Impact Benefits Agreement in place. Inco is trying to proceed without any of this." Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association have tried every available means to halt the company's plans to build a road and at the site, including an unsuccessful court action in the Newfoundland Supreme Court. An appeal of the Supreme Court decision will be heard on Monday, August 25, but many Innu fear that the courts have already failed them. "Each day they plow further ahead with the construction of the road, and by the time we will have our day in court, the road and the airstrip may be finished." Rich expressed her hope that the protest would remain peaceful. "This is about standing our ground, not having a stand off. The company has never asked for our permission to be here, or asked for our consent for the mine. We have clearly outlined what our consent requires and it is up to them to respond to it. We have lived here for thousands of years and we plan to stay here for thousands more, but we don't want to be living in the mess they will make here by rushing ahead. By standing together with the Labrador Inuit we are saying to Inco and to Brian Tobin that we will not be bulldozed over on our own land." For more information: Katie Rich, President tel: 709 478 8943 www.web.net/~innu Media inquiries should be directed to: Innu Nation: Larry Innes (709) 497-8398 LIA: Winston White: (709) 922-1021 ______________________________ Update: VB-IRC position and Recent Developments at Voisey's Bay The proposed Voisey's Bay nickel and copper mine on Innu and Inuit lands in Labrador in currently undergoing a comprehensive assessment of its anticipated environmental and socio-economic impacts. At the same time, land rights negotiations covering the entire Voisey's Bay territory continue, very slowly, between the provincial and federal governments and both Aboriginal groups. But while both the environmental review process and the land claims negotiations are far from complete, the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company (a subsidiary of Inco) has sought and received separate provincial approval to build a road and an airstrip at the Voisey's Bay site. At this time (mid-August) materials and machinery have already landed; buildings are in place; and four kilometres of roadway have been cut. The following is a short summary of events which preceded this development and have coloured relations between all parties involved at Voisey's Bay: On June 6, 1997, the Voisey's Bay - Innu Rights Coalition (VB-IRC) wrote to Kevin Aylward, then Newfoundland Minister of the Environment, asking that he reject the company's application to build this road and airstrip. As VB-IRC argued in the letter, both the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association had fought hard to ensure that there be one single, comprehensive environmental review of the Voisey's Bay project; fragmenting the project undermines this approval process and breaks what faith and trust had been built. Furthermore, the assessment process they succeeded in establishing (through a Memorandum of Understanding with the federal and provincial governments) explicitly includes infrastructure (ie. roads and airstrips). Where the company claims this road and airstrip are only temporary, and needed as "support works" for "advanced exploration," VB-IRC believes the company is misrepresenting its needs and making an arbitrary distinction in order to get a jump start on mine construction. Moreover, VB-IRC shares the position of both Aboriginal groups that any construction in this politically and ecologically sensitive region should be permitted only with their consent, and after a complete and proper environmental assessment has been done, thus allowing informed decisions to be made about how - or if - the project should proceed. The company, on the other hand, is pushing hard to keep to a schedule that appears to be dictated by the rush to recover Inco's investment of $4.3 Billion to purchase Diamond Field Resources' claim to the vast mineral deposit at Voisey's Bay. On June 23, 1997, Rick Gill at the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company (VBNC) replied to VB-IRC. (The VB-IRC letter, Gill's reply, and a critical analysis of that reply are available from VB-IRC.) On July 8, 1997 the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association went to the Newfoundland Supreme Court in St. John's seeking an injunction to prevent the Newfoundland Minister of the Environment from issuing any permits or approvals for VBNC's "exploration support works" infrastructure. On July 18, 1997 the court ruled against the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association. They are currently appealing the ruling to the Canadian Supreme Court, which is expected to set a date to hear the appeal some time early in September. Where do the Innu and the Inuit stand? "In our view, the court's decision does not relieve the company of its responsibilities - or release them from the commitments that they have made to the Innu and Inuit. Whatever the court has determined, the company can't claim to be environmentally responsible when it is trying to detour around the environmental review process established under the Memorandum of Understanding. To proceed with the infrastructure would do irreparable harm to the MOU process and to any hopes of building a respectful relationship with the Innu.....We are reviewing all of our options now. You can be sure that the Innu will do whatever is necessary to protect our rights." - Katie Rich, Innu Nation President, July 18, 1997 "Through all of these meetings, LIA has made it clear that Inuit do not consent to the activities being carried out by VBNC and its contractors and that no major development is to take place without Inuit consent prior to the settlement of Inuit land claims, that any development must respect Inuit rights, culture and values and the Inuit way of life, and must be environmentally sound, must protect the quality of life enjoyed by Inuit from their relationship with the environment, [must] provide significant benefits to Inuit and allow for a meaningful participation for the Inuit in respect of the project development and operation. And that LIA is concerned with the speed at which Voisey's Bay Nickel Company is pursuing the mineral development at Tasiujatsoak." - Chesley Andersen, Labrador Inuit Association (LIA), April 17, 1997 We encourage you to write to VBNC, and to the Newfoundland Minister of the Environment, supporting the Innu Nation and the LIA. Urge the government to make land rights settlements with both the Innu and the Inuit a priority. Remind them that any further construction seriously threatens relations with the Innu and the Inuit. Urge the company to respect the integrity of the ongoing environmental assessment (EA) as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Development must not proceed without EA approval and Aboriginal consent. Send your letters to: Hon. Oliver Langdon Minister of the Environment Confederation Building PO Box 8700 St. John's, NF A1B 4J6 Please send copies of your letters to: Mr. Rick Gill, Vice-President Voisey's Bay Nickel Co. Suite 700, Baine Johnston Ctr. 10 Fort William Place St. John's, NF A1C 1K4 Innu Nation PO Box 119 Sheshatshiu, Labrador A0P 1M0 phone:(709)497-8398 fax: (709) 497-8396 e-mail: innumine@web.net --------- "RE: Brentwood Library Site" --------- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:08:25 -0400 (EDT) From: Miketben@aol.com Subj: N.A.S.L. :::::: Fwd: brentwood library site. ************************************************************************ * NORTH AMERICAN SPIRIT LODGE * FOR YOUR INFO ************************************************************************ ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Date: 97-08-27 23:52:42 EDT From: Mrninglri I just spoke with Mike Simms from the TN chapter of AIM (if TN had enough members to be a chapter, that is) and he found out today that the library site in Brentwood, Tennessee has moved into an emergency status. There have been many Native American graves and entire villages uncovered during construction of the library parking lot. We are looking at finding hundreds of graves before this is through. We have only 8-10 days to stop construction of this site. There are no Cherokee graves or villages here. These villages were here before the Cherokee came to this area. There are Shawnee, Sioux, and Chickasaw included in this site. The graves have as much probability of being Sioux as any other tribe. There is a resolution in effect stating that the Sioux people are interested in unaffiliated human remains and artifacts, that means that the Sioux can come in and make a claim on any remains, which gives us some breathing room as far as stopping construction on this site. What I need for everyone to do is to write a letter to the Tennessee Dept of Archaeology and demand accountability for these remains and artifacts. Twenty bodies and 12 homesites have already been removed by archaeologist Dan Allen. Order them to cease and desist immediately. Tell them that you have an interest there (in that we do not know how many tribes are involved in this----don't say that part tho) and that you know that this site is eligible for historic registry. I know I left out many people, but it's late and I can't think of everyone so if anyone is left off of this list, please forward it to them. Ask all natives to write letters to the Tennessee Dept. of Archaeology. It would help a lot if you could get the leaders of your individual nations to write as well. Their words will carry a lot of weight with these people (using word loosely). After 10 days, our hands will be tied and we will be forced to stand by and watch the remains be removed and the artifacts "studied" (stolen). One, count it, ONE artifact that was found in Nashville at Traveller's Rest a few years ago was sold for $35,000. So you see what we are dealing with here. It is bullshit and has to stop. But we cannot do it without support from other nations. Qualla and Tahlequah will not get involved because they know that there are no Cherokee remains there. The national chapter of AIM has been asked to intervene, but they have yet to do anything. I will try to keep everyone posted as these events change, but please, if you do forward this to anyone, send me their names so I can add them to this mailing list. Here is the address to the State of Tennessee, Dept of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, 5013 Edmonson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211-5151 FAX Number 615-741-7329. You can also send the same letter to the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, 5211 Maryland Way, Suite 1080, Brentwood, TN 37027 FAX 615-373-8010. Thanks yall, Susan --------- "RE: Brentwood Update" --------- Date: Mon, 01 Sep 1997 11:21:13 -0400 Subj: They want MORE in Brentwood From: Tall Eagle UUCP email This was in the Williamson County newspaper today: IN THE CHANCERY COURT FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN AT FRANKLIN CITY OF BRENTWOOD, TN, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, PETITIONER, VS. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS HAVING ANY RIGHT OR EASEMENT OR OTHER INTEREST, RIGHT IN, OR INCIDENT OR APPURTENANT TO CERTAIN ANCIENT INDIAN GRAVES LOCATED ON PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 29, PARCEL 14, TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN AND CONVEYED TO THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD, TN BY DEED OF RECORD IN DEED BOOK 1282, PAGE 234, REGISTER'S OFFICE FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN, DEFENDANTS NO. 24863 FILED 8-11-97 LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT ONE THE 6TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997, A PETITION BY THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD, TN AGAINST ALL INTERESTED PERSONS HAVING ANY RIGHT OR EASEMENT OR OTHER INTEREST, RIGHT IN, OR INCIDENT OR APPURTENANT TO CERTAIN ANCIENT INDIAN GRAVES LOCATED ON PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TAX MAP 29, PARCEL 14, TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN AND CONVEYED TO THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD, TN BY DEED OF RECORD IN DEED BOOK 1282, PAGE 324, REGISTER'S OFFICE FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN AT FRANKLIN. (DOCKET NO. 24863) PURSUANT TO TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED 46-4-101 ET. SEQ., THE PETITION SEEKS : THE REMOVAL OF THE HUMAN REMAINS ENDANGERED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITY AND RELATED PARKING AREAS, SAID REMAINS BEING BURIED ON THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED BELOW, AND THE REINTERMENT OF SAID REMAINS IN A SUITABLE LOCATION; THE TERMINATION OF THE USE OF SAID GRAVE SITES AS BURIAL GROUNDS; AND THE TERMINATION OF ALL RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS TO USE SAID GRAVE SITES AS BURIAL GROUND AND ALL RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS INCIDENT OR APPUTENANT TO SAID TRACT OF LAND AS A BURIAL GROUND. AS AN INTERESTED PERSON UNDER THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF SAID STATUTES, YOU MAY HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS WHICH WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE RELIEF SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER IN THIS CAUSE. THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THE GRAVE SITES ARE LOCATED IS AT CONCORD ROAD (S.R. 253) AND KNOX VALLEY DRIVE AND BRENTWOOD, TN, AND IS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE COURT IN THIS CAUSE. YOU MUST PLEAD, ANSWER, OR OTHERWISE MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN THIS CAUSE AS PROVIDED BY LAW ON THE FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER, NEXT, THE SAME BEING OCTOBER 6, 1997, AND A RULE DAY OF SAID COURT OR JUDGEMENT WILL BE TAKEN AS CONFESSED AGAINST YOU AND THE MATTER PROCEEDED WITH AS PROVIDED BY LAW. THIS 11TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1997. JANICE W JORDAN CLERK AND MASTER ROBERT H JENNINGS SOLICITOR FOR PLAINTIFF --------- "RE: STOP the Desecrations" --------- Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 18:06:58 -0400 (EDT) From: GrayDeer@aol.com Subj: S.O.A.R. vows to stop burial desecration(FWD) ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- This was given to me by Stan Thomas (Oodham@aol.com) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STOP THE DESECRATION OF OUR ANCESTOR'S GRAVES S.O.A.R. - "Supporting Our Ancestor's Rights" WE CHOOSE TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR ANCESTOR'S GRAVES. This is an open letter to all individuals concerned with the Desecration of our Ancestor's Graves and Sacred sites. The Tohono O'odham Nation (formerly known as the Papago tribe) has approved the placement of a Casino gaming development at a Hohokam village site within the boundaries of the reservation in San Xavier District. This area, known as the Papago Road site, includes many Grave sites and other significant items. The Hohokam are our ancestors and it is our duty and obligation to FIGHT against disturbing or destroying anything at this village site. It is in DIRECT violation of our religious and cultural beliefs to allow the disturbance or destruction of any sacred area or Grave site. This issue is about PROTECTING and PRESERVING our Ancestor's burials and allowing them to Rest in Peace. The Casino development CAN and WILL be moved from this identified site. We need all the prayers, contributions, and any other support that can be provided by all those concerned individuals that want to say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". No more disturbing and destroying of our Ancestor's graves. No more disturbing and destroying of our Sacred Sites by ANYONE, including tribal governments, tribal officials, and individual tribal members. Tribal organizations throughout Indian Country have spent many years lobbying the U.S. Congress to pass laws to protect our ancestor's graves and burials, to protect our sacred sites, and to protect our tribal religious beliefs. The choice is clear, Protect and Preserve our Ancestors while upholding our sacred cultures and religions OR give in to the Greed and Corruption of a morally bankrupt society. Our Elders have spoken out against it, our cultural and spiritual people have spoken out against it, NOW it is time for all those people who follow and believe in our Indian way of life to speak out against it!!! To make your voices heard to those involved, the following is a listing of those individuals who need to hear your PROTEST in whatever form you choose, letter, fax, phone, etc. Bruce Babbitt Chairman Edward Manuel Chairman Dennis Ramon Secretary of the Interior Tohono O'odham Nation Tohono O'odham Nation 1849 C. Street, NW P.O. Box 837 P.O. Box 837 Washington, DC 20240 Sells, AZ 85634 Sells, AZ 85634 (202) 208-7351 (520) 383-2028 (520) 383-2470 email: (520) 383-3379 Fax (520) 383-2479 Fax Bruce_Babbitt@IOS.DOI.GOV Chairman Austin G. Nunez Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Bureau of Indian Affairs San Xavier District Bureau of Indian Affairs Any and all prayers, financial contributions, and letters of support are appreciated. "Thank You" in advance. The following is our contact information: S.O.A.R. c/o Stan Thomas P.O. Box 23102 Tucson, AZ 85734 (520) 294-7511 email: Oodham@aol.com May the Blessings of our CREATOR be with you and your families. --------- "RE: Cherokee Nation Marshalls" --------- Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 16:11:30 From: Sun at Dawn Subj: Cherokee Nation Marshalls ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Date: 97-08-26 04:30:27 EDT From: SbrWarrior -News Release- Cherokee Nation Marshals News Release August 23, 1997 For additional information contact, Pat Ragsdale 918-683-5588 or Jim Wilcoxen 918-683-6696 Cherokee Nation Marshals Endorse Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt's "4 Point Plan" dated August 22, 1997. The original reinstated Cherokee Marshals obtained a copy of the above referenced plan discussed in Washington, D.C. last Friday August 22, 1997. Secretary Babbitt and Attorney General Reno both participated in the discussion which Cherokee Chief Joe Byrd rejected and is now reconsidering according to press reports today. The eleven marshals met in Muskogee on Sunday and agreed to the following position on the proposed plan with the understanding as stated below. POINT 1. LAW ENFORCEMENT * The Plan provides that Chief Byrd will reinstate Marshal Ragsdale and will provide Ragsdale with back pay and then place Ragsdale on administrative leave. The Marshals said, "Ragsdale will agree to a public rehearing before the Judicial Appeals Tribunal at Byrd's request even though the matter is already judicially settled. This will allow the Cherokee membership and the interested public to review the matter and decide for themselves the merits of the summary dismissal of Ragsdale on February 25, 1997. * The Plan provides that (New) Marshal Jordan will rehire the original Cherokee Marshals and pay them back pay and work under his supervision. The Marshals said, "they will return as specified in the plan with the understanding they will also be placed on paid administrative leave until the issue of their supervisor is finally resolved. It would be inappropriate for them to be supervised by someone who has violated the Court's orders in violation of the Cherokee Nation's Criminal Code." POINT 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH * The Plan provides the Capitol Building which house the Court to be opened on August 27, 1997. The Marshals said, "they totally agree; this would eliminate the requirement of any new court orders." * The Plan provides for the restoration and full recognition of the Justices of the Judicial Appeal Tribunal (the Supreme Court). The Marshals said, "the return of the Justices to their offices is essential before or at the same time the Marshals return to duty." POINT 3. MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN LEGAL ACTIONS The Marshals said, "Prosecutor Diane Blalock must be returned to duty to initiate the moratorium pursuant to established court rules. Additionally, all Court and Marshal service staff namely, Michelle Torrix, Administrative Assistant; the two (2) Court Clerks, Lisa Fields and Gina Waits and the Juvenile Probation Officer, J.R. Claphand must also be returned to full duty with back pay." POINT 4. INVESTIGATION The Marshals said, "They whole-heartily agree that the United States Department of Justice expedite its investigation of numerous allegations of violation of federal law related to the operations of the Cherokee Nation and its enterprises." The Cherokee Nation MArshals are grateful for the assistance and attempt to facilitate the proposed agreement by Secretary of Interior Babbitt and Attorney General Janet Reno. The Marshals also acknowledge the valiant effort of former United States Attorney John Raley who attempted to reach a similar accord. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [The Cherokee Observer obtained the following document from a source in Sequoyah County. It is alleged to be the proposed agreement between the Department of the Interior's Bruce Babbitt and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Joe Byrd.] Agreement Proposed by Department of the Interior's Bruce Babbitt to Chief Joe Byrd WHEREAS: The undersigned leaders of the Cherokee Nation wish to restore confidence in the Cherokee Government and its institutions; and WHEREAS: The leaders have met with the Secretary of the interior in order to put aside differences that have undermined public confidence in the Cherokee Government and its institutions; and WHEREAS: The upcoming celebration of the Cherokee people is an appropriate occasion to mark the beginning of a process of reconciliation and healing; IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS: xxxxx1. Law Enforcement xxxxxxxxx Chief Byrd agrees to reinstate former Chief Marshal Ragsdale. He will provide Mr. Ragsdale with back pay, and he will place Mr. Ragsdale on administrative leave, with full rights to prosecute an appeal of his dismissal, so long as such action is not initiated until after the finalization of the Massad Report. Mr. Jordan shall remain as Chief Marshal, pending the issuance of the Massad Report. Mr. Jordan shall offer employment, with back pay, to the marshals who served under Mr. Ragsdale, and who have not yet been rehired. xxxxxxxxx The undersigned leaders agree to request that the BIA undertake an orderly transition of law enforcement from the BIA to the tribe in early September. In connection with this transition, it is understood that the BIA will undertake a certification process for tribal marshals. The leaders have received assurances from the Secretary of the Interior that he will cooperate in making this transition. xxxxx2. Judicial Branch xxxxxxxxA. Courthouse xxxxxxxxx The undersigned leaders of the Cherokee Nation recognize that the Courthouse is profoundly important to the Cherokee Nation for historical and constitutional reasons. In view of the courthouse's importance to the Nation, Chief Byrd has agreed to reopen the courthouse on Wednesday, August 27, 1997. xxxxxxxB. The Justices xxxxxxxxx It is hoped that the Massad Commission will provide its conclusion regarding the legality of the removal of the Justices as soon as possible. If the Commission concludes that no action of the Council has heretofore constitutionally removed the justices from office, then Chief Byrd has agreed that he will permit them to occupy their chambers and resume their duties immediately upon such a finding. Under such circumstances, the undersigned leaders agree that the justices possess and may exercise the powers accorded the Tribunal under the Constitution and laws, subject to the moratorium discussed below, and that they will urge all other members of the National [sic] to act in accordance with that conclusion. The Council will retain full constitutional authority to review any charges against any justice and to act thereon, consistent with the Constitution. xxxxxxxxx If the Massad Commission concludes that the Council has constitutionally removed the justices from office, the undersigned leaders agree that the justices will not be restored to their chambers and the undersigned leaders agree that they do not possess and may not exercise the powers accorded the Tribunal under the Constitution and laws, and will urge all other members of the Nation to act in accordance with that conclusion. xxxxx3. Moratorium on Certain Legal Actions xxxxxxxxx The undersigned leaders agree that no writs, suits, or other actions related to the activities that have caused the constitutional crisis in the Cherokee Nation shall be initiated until the Massad Report is issued and the Council takes action thereupon. xxxxx4. Investigation xxxxxxxxx The Department of Justice acknowledges that it is undertaking an investigation of alleged violations of federal law. Tribal members stress the importance of bringing this investigation to an expeditious conclusion. SIGNED ON THIS DATE AUGUST 22, 1997: --------- "RE: Cherokee Monies" --------- Date: Tue, 02 Sep 1997 07:15:57 -0500 From: Marvin/Linda Summerfield Subj: Editorial-Cherokee Monies http://www.YvwiiUsdinvnohii.net/Cherokee/1997/08/o970829a.htm Editorial-Cherokee Monies "The Only Independent Cherokee Newspaper" cwyob@mailhost.galstar.com Editorial-Cherokee Monies For Cherokee People or Lawyers? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The majority of the Cherokee people agree that the lawyers hired by the executive and legislative branches have fueled the current crisis of our people. The Cherokee Nation is made of the people, not any single politician, individual or attorney, but the people as a whole. It is the will of the people that Cherokee Nation finances be used for the people, not as hired guns to manipulate the money. Therefore, it is requested that all lawyers hired by the executive or legislative branch be let go and be informed that their services are no longer needed. Specifically, Tom Seymour, Harry Chaffin and Clifford Wright. These lawyers were never needed, and have only wasted valuable Cherokee Nation resources that could better be used on education or health needs. It is also requested that Rex Earl Starr, General Counsel, and his staff, resign immediately, or be terminated. The people of the Cherokee Nation can only assume that the General Counsel, and his office, have given the Chief bad advice on the current crisis. If the assumption is true, Mr. Starr has done nothing but irreparably harm and damage the Cherokee Nation. Mr. Starr advised the Chief to take over the courthouse. The courthouse, a symbol of the Cherokee people and heritage, belongs to the people, not the Chief, General Counsel or anyone else. Mr. Starr apparently advised the Chief and District Attorney Dianne Barker-Harrold that the cross-deputization agreements were invalid. Thereafter, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson issued an opinion declaring the cross-deputization agreements valid. The General Counsel also acted imprudently in giving the apparent recommendation to destroy the judicial branch of the Cherokee Nation. Once again, this was very poor and incorrect advice provided by Mr. Starr. The General Counsel also put the Cherokee Nation's sovereignty and the sovereignty of all Indian nations in jeopardy by advising the Chief to call in the BIA illegally to take over the law enforcement function of the Cherokee Nation. Mr. Starr, and his office, have continually, since this crisis began, given very bad advice. He has embarrassed the Cherokee Nation, put its sovereignty in jeopardy and damaged the reputation of the Principal Chief. Apparently Mr. Starr, somewhere along the way, did not realize or care that he represents the Cherokee Nation, not Joe Byrd. Therefore we request that Rex Earl Starr, General Counsel and his staff, resign, or be terminated. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -=+=+=+=+=- Provided by: The CHEROKEE OBSERVER P.O. Box 1301 Jay, OK. 74346-1301 Phone/FAX: (918) 253-8752 cwyob@mailhost.galstar.com -=+=+=+=+=- --------- "RE: Speech by Jess Bryant" --------- Date: Tue, 02 Sep 1997 07:19:07 -0500 From: Marvin/Linda Summerfield Subj: Speech by Jess Bryant "http://www.YvwiiUsdinvnohii.net/Cherokee/1997/08/o970831a.htm" Speech by Jess Bryant "The Only Independent Cherokee Newspaper" cwyob@mailhost.galstar.com Principal Chief Joe Byrd did not give a State of the Nation address at the Cherokee Courthouse during the Cherokee National Holidays this year. In fact, he did not even ride in the parade. After the parade, Cherokees gathered at the Courthouse to celebrate it's return to the people, and attend to the Open House. Several speeches were given on the State of the Nation by many Cherokees. Here is the one Jess Byrant gave: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE TRUE STATE OF THE CHEROKEE NATION Speech by Jess Bryant August 30, 1997 First of all let me say this about the Massad report. I'm not surprised at the findings of the Commission, about the Justices. This is what we've been saying all along. After all, we went to the source, the writers of our Constitution, not the white attorneys whose sole interest is the money Joe Byrd gave them. We went to the community leaders whose only interest is an honest government based on law by the written Constitution and not self-serving puppets who follow Joe Byrd's orders like mindless robots. Any other conclusion would only be in twisted minds of those who would trample our Constitution for their own benefit. Now let the Justices go back to work and restore a government by the people and not a government by a dictator. Let us go to court and find Joe innocent, if he is, or guilty, if he is. Let the facts speak for themselves. I'm willing to abide by that decision if Joe is. As far as the state of the Cherokee Nation is concerned, I'll let you decide what it is for yourselves. We have a chief of staff working for the Chief, that has an outstanding warrant for his arrest. We have a director of human resources working for the Chief, that has an outstanding warrant for his arrest. We have a Secretary/Treasurer of the Cherokee Nation who had an illegal secret slush fund when she worked for the Housing Authority. Do you wonder if there is a secret slush fund now for Joe Byrd? This is the same Secretary/Treasurer that I read in the papers the other day is under investigation for diverting housing authority funds for her personal use. This is the same Secretary/Treasurer that has 120 days from the end of the fiscal year to account for expenditures of the previous year, and now in just one month, we start the 1998 fiscal year and we still can't account for what was spent in 1996. We have council members loyal to Joe Byrd that approves a budget for 1998 without knowing what was spent in 1996. We have certain council members who have their council wages garnisheed for irresponsibility of their personal finances yet think they can handle Cherokee Nation money and think they should be on the board of our corporations. We have certain council members and former council members who think it's okay to remodel their own homes first, then release information about funding to their constituents, but make sure they get theirs first. We have certain council members who will argue in court one week that it takes 10 council members to make a quorum and then turn right around the next week and argue that it only takes a majority of members present. We have certain council members who will "impeach" our 3 justices in a heartbeat without good cause but will do nothing about a Chief who admits publicly that he will not obey any laws he feels are illegal. We have certain council members who ignore the "will of the people", but choose instead to follow the Chief as he leads them down the trail to the ruin of the Cherokee Nation. We have certain council members who asked the BIA to come to the Cherokee Nation for no more than a promised 60 days. That was over four months ago and they're still here. We have certain council members who ignore the advice of the Justices, writers of our Constitution, Cherokee Elders, and other tribal members but choose to listen and follow the bad opinions of a white attorney whose only interest in the Cherokee Nation is the money. To the tune of $124, 000.00 We have a Deputy Chief who only has 3 constitutionally mandated jobs. They are: (1) Preside over the council one night a month, (2) Advise the Chief, and (3) Wait for the Chief to die. Yet he has to have a "Special Assistant" AND a white attorney to help him do that at a cost of untold thousands of dollars to you the Cherokee People. We have a Deputy Chief who admits to hitting an employee with his purse and assaulting a female employee. We have a Deputy Chief who makes $40,000 per year and had his house remodeled with grants while we have Cherokee families in rural areas with holes in their roofs and no indoor plumbing. We have a Deputy Chief who never went to college or law school yet calls himself the "Supreme Judge" of the Cherokee Nation. And the sad part of that is, that he actually believes it. We have a Chief who openly admits he will not obey any law he feels is illegal. I wish I had that option. We have a Chief who openly admitted in a council meeting that he want to be able to fire anyone he want without having the right to appeal. In effect taking away the civil rights of the employees of Cherokee Nation. We have a Chief who can't provide tribal members a free attorney to help them protect their lands and homes but will provide the Democratic National Committee an attorney to help raise money for the Democrats. He will also hire over 25 attorneys, mostly non-Indian, to defend his illegal activities. We have a Chief who won't speak to the graduating class of Sequoyah High School, but will speak at the Democratic National Convention. We have a Chief who fires the marshals for doing their jobs and then asks the BIA to vacation at the new Holiday Inn in Tahlequah while NOT enforcing our laws or carrying out orders of our courts. We have a Chief who praised the Justices for their decision to allow him to be Chief, then tires to have them impeached when they make decisions he doesn't like. We have a Chief who criticizes the marshals for carrying out a legal court ordered search warrant under the watchful eye of his own attorney, and as he likes to point out, the media, but ignores the fact that his own armed security guards overpowered the real marshals in a pre-dawn raid on the courthouse, led by the BIA and supervised by two fugitives with outstanding arrest warrants. We have a Chief who boards up the courthouse under the pretense of remodeling, and when forced to open it up, we find the place trashed, equipment taken, the seal of the Cherokee Nation broken and the floors had been urinated on. These people are not interior decorators. But then what can you expect when Joe's security guards are led by a skin-head who has a history of spousal abuse and is no longer allowed by law to carry a weapon. Ask him why he doesn't carry a gun. We have a Chief whose idea of economic development is to hire over 25 law firms, including his brother-in-law and pay them untold hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. We have a Chief whose idea of economic development is to buy a tug boat so the Cherokee Nation can have a navy. I could go on and on, but I think you are getting the picture of the true state of the Cherokee Nation. This is what we have to contend with. And if Mr. Byrd had had the guts to face you, the Cherokee People, he would have told his own unique version of the state of the Cherokee Nation. I think he would have ignored the fact that we have a council divided between those loyal to the Cherokee People and the Constitution, and those loyal to Joe Byrd. He would have ignored the fact that we no longer have a marshal service to enforce our laws but have the BIa to enforce Joe's laws and forget your rights and the Cherokee Constitution. He would have ignored the fact that he should follow the will of the people and quit following the will of Rex Earl Starr and Lisa Finley. What can you do? The first thing is to write to President Clinton and tell him to use his authority to remove Joe Byrd and Garland Eagle. Second, sign the petitions being circulated [also available on Cherokee Observer web page] to have Joe, Garland and the eight council members removed from office. Third, DO NOT take it for granted that you are registered to vote. Get registered again, and get registered NOW!! Don't wait until 1999. Do it today. Fourth, get your family, [Cherokee] friends and neighbors to vote. DO NOT think that your votes won't count. DO NOT depend on others. Get involved yourself. If you don't do it, it won't get done. Thank you all very much. Jess Bryant --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -=+=+=+=+=- Provided by: The CHEROKEE OBSERVER P.O. Box 1301 Jay, OK. 74346-1301 Phone/FAX: (918) 253-8752 cwyob@mailhost.galstar.com -=+=+=+=+=- --------- "RE: Big Mountain Livestock Confiscations" --------- From: redorman@plix.com (Robert Dorman) Subj: Big Mountain Livestock Confiscations Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 17:32:14 GMT Newsgroups: alt.native,soc.culture.native First of all I would like to make something clear. Many people have access to my computer and email and I did not post the French article in Soc.Culture.Native. I don't read or write French I was told by Nathalie that some points have been altered and that it was a personal letter to a friend in Geneva and was not to be posted. Much of the letter was not received by the Geneva and much was added and I feel that may be inaccurate by some of the names I read in it. -------------------------------------------------------- CALL FOR ACTION Kee Watchman called me last week and said that an emergency was taking place at Big Mountain and that he wanted me to come and to bring people with me, because the BIA and Hopi Rangers were taking and counting livestock. I Immediately went to His house in Cactus Valley with Coyote of the Elders Circle and Nathalie from Geneva. Saturday August 23 we attended a meeting with the families of the Resistors and spoke and listened to Kee Shay (Elder), Pauline White singer (Elder), Catherine Smith (Elder), Rene Fabbit (Elder) Bonnie Whit singer, Tom Bedoni, John Benally and many other people who STILL LIVE ON THE LAND. The meeting was chaired by Kee Watchman. During the meeting many people talked about how the BIA confiscated their cattle and they had to pay to get them back and that the cattle were thrown around like dead meat. One elder said that she had lived alone for many years and that she wanted someone to stay with her because she was very scared. They described a terror campaign conducted by the United States of American and their Agencies (BIA) (Hopi Tribal Council). I tape recorded the meeting and have played it on numerous radio stations in the Bay area. I don't want to go on with details in Policies and UN work and such because there are great pieces of information in many news groups and web sites. I was asked during the meeting to bring people with me to help defend the land and the cattle. I was very concerned because I have been attacked personally and I am sure that I am a victim of Co-Intel- Pro, for my many years of work for Leonard Peltier and my political work. I was told, "Bobby, this isn't some organization, this isn't the Sovereign Dineh Nation or the Dineh Alliance, this is us the people who still live here on the land. We won't be manipulated by some Hierarchy or Dictatorship, and there are many people and groups around the world that have tried to do this to us. This is us We are asking you now, you keep that, this is us asking you." I felt a heavy responsibility hearing those words and I pray that many people will come to the Black Mesa Area and truly stand with the last traditional indigenous struggle in America. In the morning I was waken up by a helicopter and got my boots on as fast as possible. The Helicopter kept going but, I felt uneasy. Kee Watchman came to my tent and told me that they were pulling up cattle trucks and that they were going to be counting sheep at Kee Shay's. We went and photographed the trucks and were approached by a hopi ranger. Seeing that we had a camera and were asking questions had him pretty confused and uneasy. He took down our license plate number and we went back to Kee Watchmans. It was decided that We had to get back as soon as possible and bring as many people as possible. If any body truly cares about Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, the Environment this is the time to act for these People. I will be doing a workshop for civil disobedience at the Earth First summit this weekend in the Bay Area and we are relying on who ever reads this to bring help to Big Mountain. (Black Mesa Area). here is a memo that was issued on August 07, 1997 THE HOPI TRIBE August 07,1997 TO Navajo Family Permittees FROM Robinson Monani, Director Office of Range Management SUBJECT Livestock Count Schedule 1997 Please find enclosed a schedule of the livestock count for your respective range unit. The Hopi Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) personnel and Hopi Tribal Staff will be conducting the livestock counts. Please round up and corral your livestock on the dates indicated and BIA and Hopi Personal will be at your corrals to conduct the physical count. It is requested that you paint brand all your sheep to distinguish separate ownership prior to the count. Also, please have your horses and cattle corralled to have them counted. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance. File. then there is an attachment and it designates the Range unit and example RANGE UNIT 451/573 Round up-Wednesday,August 27th Count-Thursday, August 28 Range Unit 572/571/569/570 Round up-August 28th Count-Friday, August 29 What is not said in the memo that after the count the rangers give them notice to relinquish the cattle and they come and confiscate them in 5 days. They need International Observers, NGO's people trained in civil disobedience, Vehicles, Radio Equipment, Camera equipment D and AA batteries. Butane tanks, food etc... All this has to be done now. The next 30 days are critical. The DINEH PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL ON THE LAND ARE GIVING A CALL FOR ACTION. COME AND STAND BESIDE THEM NOW! I will be returning next week with more people and supplies and more people are on their way now. I know for a fact that there needs to be more people because it is such a large area. During the meeting Coyote of the Elders Circle said "While we are all here in the meeting there's not any one watching their sheep. They could have heard about the meeting and got prepared to move in while nobody is watching". The cattle and sheep is their only way of survival. The excuse for taking the sheep is because they are destroying the vegetation. If they were concerned of the vegetation they would have kicked Peabody off the land not the Traditional Dineh People. Bobby Castillo -------------------------------------------------- You are on the BIGMTLIST, a moderated mailing list of Big Mountain relocation resistance information (not discussion or debate). To unsubscribe, email redorman@plix.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject header. For Big Mountain and other activist internet resources, visit "The Activist Page" at http://www.plix.com/~users/redorman/index.htm --------------------------------------------------- --------- "RE: Gustafsen: Two Years After" --------- Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 21:26:45 -0500 (EST) From: riwaasa@indiana.edu Subj: Gustafsen Lake: Two Years After :-:-:-:-S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty:-:-:-:-: August 25, 1997 Bulletin "The allegations of police and government wrong-doings are so serious that there is no question there should be a public inquiry into whether or not the rule of law was respected." - Canadian Forum Magazine: April '97 WE WILL NEVER FORGET GUSTAFSEN LAKE: A PUBLIC INQUIRY NOW! Two years ago the governments of BC and Canada were mounting the largest paramilitary operation in Canadian history against a small group of Indigenous and non-native resisters occupying sacred unceded Sundance and burial grounds at Ts'peten (Gustafsen Lake). A massive cover-up has thus far kept the truth from public view. The governments have resisted all calls for a public inquiry with international supervision. In the interest of furthering this inquiry call - we look back. August 25, 1995 Gustafsen Lake: Two Years ago today "Involvement of DND (Department of National Defence) and its equipment is to be decided in Ottawa at a PCO (Privy Council Office) meeting with the military... With approval,the military can move very quickly." - RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brown, disclosed notes "Call from Senator Len Marchand - refers to group. No better or even similar to Branch Davidians (Waco) Supports show of force." - RCMP Superintendent Len Olfert, Commanding Officer, disclosed notes "As far as we're concerned, they are nothing more than a renegade bunch of thugs doing criminal acts with weapons, they are trespassing and making a mockery of the very foundations of Canadian society" - RCMP media liaison Officer Peter Montague, cited in Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG) Summary of RCMP & Press Reports "[AFN 'Grand Chief'] Mercredi said Thursday... It's very clear that the RCMP have a plan that means taking over the site with force" - TNG Summary "August 25th, 1995 1424 hrs; Supt. Olfert called on a conference call with the CO and myself. He was advised by the CO that the military have agreed they will drive the vehicles we were requesting. This came from Major General Addy. The Attorney General [of BC Ujjal Dosanjh] will write to the Solicitor General [then Herb Gray, federal minister] and request use of military equipment then to the National Defence Minister [then David Collenette, federal minister]" - RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brown, disclosed notes "August 25, 1995 1815 hrs; We have been advised that the Premier of the Province [BC's then NDP Premier Mike Harcourt] is arriving at 2000 hrs. AG and the Premier to have a conference. The Attorney-General will call the CO at 2200 hrs tonight with his decision on whether they accept the use of military equipment. Once the letter has been signed we would send it to the Solicitor General and to our Headquarters D/Commr. Operations. Once we have received the word from the Premier the CO is to call Insp. Guy and he will ensure that the letter is delivered signed and sent out as planned. Directed Insp. Guy to call NOC and tell the duty officer to advise D/Commr. Beaulac when the request has arrived." - RCMP A/Commr. Brown, disclosed notes "I am writing to request your assistance in obtaining the support of the Department of National Defence to provide the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia with the following equipment and services as technical support to a criminal investigation into the activities of individuals at Gustafsen Lake..." - letter from BC AG Dosanjh to Solicitor General of Canada Herb Gray, disclosures "0829; meet CROPS [Commr.Regional Operations?] office for conference call with Prov. Gov't - AG office. [RCMP A/Commr] Brown, [RCMP Inspector] Guy, Self [RCMP A/Commr. Murray Johnston]. AG [Ujjal Dosanjh], Evan Lloyd, Ann Kriston, Dennis Robertson, Angus Roberts - Prov. Aboriginal Affairs, Stephen Owens, DAG Justice, Maureen Maloney, Ernie Quants... P [Province?] - Will Mercredi be going in with media? Our response - don't know. P - are children present? Our response don't know... CO's position - Do nothing or go ahead - 'Go'". - RCMP Assistant Commissioner Johnston, disclosed notes :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: "The political terrorism waged against Indigenous Peoples and the manipulation of crisis by the Canadian authorities continue to remain as root causes of the conflict which erupted at Ts'Peten." - CONIC letter to Mike Harcourt "The coverage reminded me of CNN's handling of the Gulf War, with the reporters locked up in steady contact with the generals and the military's spin doctors... the rush to sweep the Gustafsen Lake and Ipperwash affairs out of the news... shows all the signs of a classic cover-up. - Canadian Dimension Magazine Dec.95 "It raised eyebrows, prompted demands for a public inquiry and blackened the image of Canada's national police force..." - Gustafsen Lake Verdict, The Province, May 21, 1997 "There will be inquiries about this until hell freezes over." - RCMP Supt. Len Olfert, Commanding Officer, Gustafsen Lake Operation, RCMP "training tape" A5 17:02:00, 1995 "... There may be an inquiry..." - Judge Bruce Josephson, Gustafsen trial judge, transcript 1996 To sign the petition demanding an inquiry by email, send a message to sisis@envirolink.org with "petition" in the subject header and "I support the petition for a full public inquiry into the events surrounding the Gustafsen Lake crisis," your name, and your city of residence in the body of the message. --------- "RE: Gustafsen: RCMP Notes" --------- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 12:26:44 -0700 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: August 26th: Gustafsen 2 years ago Status: RO :-:-:-:-S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty:-:-:-:-: Aug. 26, 1997 Bulletin PRIME MINISTER SIGNED ORDER TO SEND ARMED FORCES TO GUSTAFSEN RCMP NOTES REVEAL - "WE HAVE TO GET THE MINISTERS IN LINE" "The allegations of police and government wrong-doings are so serious that there is no question there should be a public inquiry into whether or not the rule of law was respected." - Canadian Forum Magazine: April '97. WE WILL NEVER FORGET GUSTAFSEN LAKE : A PUBLIC INQUIRY NOW! Two years ago the governments of British Columbia and Canada were mounting the largest paramilitary operation in Canadian history against a small group of Indigenous and non-native resisters occupying sacred, unceded Sundance grounds at Ts'peten (Gustafsen Lake). A massive cover-up has thus far kept the truth from public view. After a corrupt and bizarre kangaroo court process during which they were denied their counsel of choice, an acknowledged expert in international and constitutional law, Defenders are being held as political prisoners. World-wide, supporters have called for their release and a full public inquiry with international supervision. In the interest of furthering this inquiry call - we look back. August 26, 1995 : Gustafsen Lake - Two Years ago today. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Bruce Clark, LL.B., M.A., Ph.D.(Law) Barrister & Solicitor BY FAX AND BY MAIL August 26, 1995 Elizabeth II c/o The Right Honourable Sir Robert Fellowes, KCB, KCVO Private Secretary to Elizabeth II Buckingham Palace London, UK SW1 Your Majesty: August 24th I asked the Governor General to perform his single most important constitutional duty: to apprehend the crimes in progress by the Canadian Ministers of State, Judges and Police of treason and fraud against the Canadian constitution and genocide against the traditionalist sector of the aboriginal peoples. By replying on the 25th that I should apply to the alleged criminals themselves for relief he has, knowingly, elected to aid and abet the said crimes in progress. The salvation of the Canadian nation from its errant political and juridical leadership is now up to you. This is constitutionally appropriate. Your office relative to this country exists for no higher, more rational, more just or justifiable purpose. Please delay no longer in performing the constitutional duty required of you by my clients' petition dated January 3, 1995. A handful of lives depends upon your immediate response today, more in the years to follow. On behalf of all Canadians I thank you for your unwavering vigilance for and devotion to their constitution. Sincerely, Bruce Clark Encl. Copies: The Right Honourable the Governor General of Canada Romeo Leblanc The Honourable the Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chretien The Right Honourable the Chief Justice of Canada Antionio Lamer The Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police P. Murray Royal Canadian Mounted Police Staff Sergeant M. P. Sarich :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: RCMP NOTES - AUGUST 26, 1995 [information in squared brackets is a S.I.S.I.S. addition.] "Premier [of British Columbia] does not want to be drawn into or bound by anything" "Prov - concerned about post-event news release - manage" "Apex - Gov't will not expropriate - a 1036 Order in Council request. New Hazlelton - going for injunction. Prov. advised. - end 8:48 AM. - 5 minutes later Quantz [BC Attorney-General's assistant] wants to send list of question for our written response. - told to send by Victoria S/D secure fax. - questions & responses to be sent with request from AG to DND [BC Attorney-General to Department of National Defence] "CO [Commanding Officer] got Stephen Owen [deputy A-G BC] on speaker phone - Maureen Maloney [ass't deputy A-G] present. Owen - we must emphasize broad public safety issue - Owen encouraged A.G. to emphasize porousness of area if people want to walk in. CO outlined the plan in detail. We will consult with A.G before we move" "Mercredi ['Grand Chief', Assembly of First Nations] stated if people give up weapons the police will kill the people. CO - Mercredi only has one mandate - convince the protesters to surrender. Montague [RCMP media liaison] must clearly state this. - tell Montague to stop using word terrorist and use the term criminals." "Len [Olfert: CO at Gustafsen Lake] - they are moving their perimeter closer. No problems with Armed Forces. - he got a call from a native advising that Mercredi was the worst person to attend as he will hinder the process." [Notes of RCMP A/Commr. Murray Johnston] August 26, 1995, 0725 hrs; "Called Insp. Guy for an update. The CO had called him at 2200 hrs last night. He took the letter to the Attorney General, Mr. Dosanjh, and had it signed and was faxed to the Solicitor General at Headquarters along with our Ops Plan at 0130 hrs. our time. He does not have any new information this AM on the Mercredi visit or current situation, when known he will call me" August 26, 1995, 0805 hrs; "A/Commr. O Emond called stating that the meeting was very positive. The Solicitor General [Herb Gray] is now trying to contact the Defense Minister, if everything goes well we could get approval by the end of the day" August 26, 1995, 0830 hrs; "[RCMP] Insp. Guy advised Supt Olfert had spoken to Mercredi and he is somewhat optimistic and is going back in today to have further discussions. Olfert gave him no time limit" August 26th, 1995, 0910 hrs; Called the CO and reviewed the current status at Gustafsen Lake. He wondered it the military would start moving their stuff early. He would call Major General Addy and see what they might do." August 26th, 1995, 1210 hrs; Received a call from A/Commr. Emond. Approval in principle has been reached on our request. Signature of both members is required. Instructions have been given to the Department of National Defence to go ahead. Emond called me to call Commander Sherber at [blacked out] He wants to talk about the timing element in our Ops plan." August 26th, 1995, 1340 hrs; "Insp. Guy advised that a reporter had been into the camp and they developed his film, which gives a good layout of the camp surroundings. Mercredi is finishing a press conference, then he is going back in to talk to the militants." August 26th, 1995, 1720 hrs; "Insp. Guy advised the military use of APCs (Bison Armoured Personnel Carriers) is on hold by the Ministry of Defence. The CO is advised and will call me through Major General Addy and the Acting Commissioner. Mercredi is still in the camp and is attempting to get them to turn over their weapons. If that does not work he will ask those who want to walk out to come out with him. There is some indication that there are some people coming out, but there is no confirmation of that fact." August 26th, 1995, 1818 hrs; "CO called - he had talked to D/Commr. Beaulac. They cannot find the Defence Minister therefore the signing is stalled. Herb Gray is going to the Prime Minister and apparently he will sign on behalf of the Defence Minister which will put everything on track. Military will start to move their equipment very soon." [PRIME MINISTERIAL INVOLVEMENT! *** HELLO CANADIAN MEDIA! HELLO OPPOSITION!] August 26th, 1995, 1839 hrs; "The CO advised that someone had called the Attorney General and asked if he signed a request for military equipment for the Gustafsen Lake incident. Apparently this leak occurred in Eastern Canada somewhere." August 26th, 1995, 1905 hrs; "A/Commr. Emond discussed the press leak on the A/G's request for military. He will follow-up on it and make sure our people do not talk about it at NOC" [National Operations Center?] August 26th, 1995, 2005 hrs; "Stephen Owen called and I updated him on the events over the past two hours." August 26th, 1995, 2130 hrs; "Insp. Guy advised Mercredi is out. Militants are in a bad mood. Mercredi will contact Ron Irwin, the federal Aboriginal [then Minister of Indian Affairs] and John Cashore from the Provincial Aboriginal Ministry [John Cashore is the Minister]. Mercredi is going to pursue the political route. Hopefully all political people will speak with the same position. We have to get the Ministers in line to ensure that they have the proper perspective. Mercredi has revealed what his stand is. He will try to buy more time." [*** NOTE THE REFERENCE TO GETTING ALL MINISTERS IN LINE] August 26th, 1995, 2140 hrs; "Stephen Owen called and I briefed him on Mercredi feedback. He will advise the Attorney General and the Premier to ensure that politically they are in line." [*** ATTN *** Notes A/Commr Brown File# 95KL -334 95E -6812] :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: The RCMP has "cut the phone line to the camp so that they can't be further influenced by their lawyer, Bruce Clark, which is a problem" Vancouver Sun :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. NOTE: The materials contained in this posting are unauthorized, ultra-sensitive and involve the highest levels of the state apparatus of Canada and the Province of British Columbia. The studied silence of mainstream corporate media and other supposed "opposition" and nominal "checks and balances" demonstrates the extent of the system's corruption. Clearly indigenous traditionalists are correct in their contention that domestic remedies are precluded. International pressure and monitoring will be necessary to bring positive change to a deeply entrenched and perfected internal colonization. S.I.S.I.S is deeply appreciative of your continuing attention, vigilance and support. <<==>Free Wolverine<<==>>Free the Ts'Peten Defenders<<==>> +++Demand Public Inquiries into Gustafsen and Stoney Point+++ To sign the petition demanding an inquiry by email, send a message to sisis@envirolink.org with "petition" in the subject header and "I support the petition for a full public inquiry into the events surrounding the Gustafsen Lake crisis," your name, and your city of residence in the body of the message. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: School Program Threatened" --------- Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 20:28:09 -0700 From: "Chris Milda (_Akimel O`odham_)" Subj: "Charter school setup proves positive, state wants to take it away" ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- _Gila River Indian News._ Gila River Indian Community (ARIZONA). 25 July 1997. p. 11. ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Charter school setup proves positive, state wants to take it away." When Gila Crossing and Blackwater Community Schools gained state charter status last year, their funding nearly doubled. Now the state is about to take the windfall away. Both Gila Crossing and Blackwater increased their per pupil funding this past school year by nearly $3,000, thanks to the state funding they qualified for as charter schools. That money was added to the federal funding they were already receiving. Funding at Blackwater Community School increased from about $2,900 per pupil to about $5,500 and funding at Gila Crossing increased a similar amount. While the funding increase was dramatic, tribal officials noted it simply put the schools on a more equal level with other Phoenix area schools. Blackwater principal Jo Lewis said schools in districts surrounding the Gila River Indian Community have funding that ranges from $8,000 to $14,000 per pupil. But during the last legislative session, state representatives passed a bill requiring Indian charter schools to subtract the amount they receive in federal funding of state funding they would have received, beginning in the 1996-97 school year. Those pushing for the bill said Indian charter schools were double dipping by receiving both state and federal funding. For Gila Crossing and Blackwater the new legislation will virtually eliminate the funding gains won through charter status, Lewis said. Blackwater will be back to approximately $3,200 in funding for each student, or only about $300 ahead of where it was before charter status, she said. "We finally got to the point where we could provide equal access for our students and now we're back to square one-- making do with less," Lewis said. Thankfully, the school's board built the potential of losing state funding into its planning by only allowing administrators to use the state funding for equipment and to improve facilities-- ``things they didn't want to use the money for new programs and to hire new staff and then have to eliminate the programs and lay off staff of the state withdrew its funding. In addition to Blackwater and Gila Crossing, six other tribal charter schools will be affected by the legislation. The schools have joined together in the Native American Grant Schools Association to fight the measure, Lewis said. The association has alleged discrimination against Indian charter schools and filed a complaint with the Justice Department's Office of Civil Rights, Lewis said. The federal government has agreed to investigate the case, she said. Lewis said the battle to keep state funding could also end up in court or may go through a federal arbitration process. In addition, the organization is also asking Congress to pass legislation protecting the federal Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) funds it receives from being deducted from state funds. It is the same protection public school districts are already afforded when it comes to federal Impact Aid and Johnson O'Malley (JOM) funds they receive, Lewis noted. Similar status wasn't given to ISEP funds in previous legislation because before BIA schools were able to seek charter status it was never an issue, she said. Before charter school status, both Blackwater and Gila Crossing relied on just ISEP funding and whatever grants or donations they could find. As charter schools and BIA grant schools, they continue to receive ISEP funds, along with state funding. But they aren't eligible for federal Impact Aid or JOM funds as are public schools. The constant threat of reductions in state funding "makes it very difficult to do long-term planning," Lewis said. Arizona charter school legislation was passed in 1994. A charter school is a public school created under a contract, or charter. School organizers may be individuals, teachers, or public or private schools. [missing text] meant to free schools from district and state regulations that might inhibit innovation. But the legislation also left the door open for BIA grant schools, which are independent organizations, to seek charter status to gain state funding. While some Indian education leaders applauded the legislation as a way to put Indian schools on a level playing field, and some BIA schools seized the opportunity, Gov. Fife Symington took a strong stand against bureau schools seeking charter status and pushed for a change in the law. The state soon blocked Indian schools from applying for charter status. But schools, such as Blackwater and Gila Crossing, which had already applied and won the status were allowed to remain charter schools for two years. To seek charter school status, Blackwater and Gila Crossing Community Schools formed an umbrella organization, a corporation known as the Akimel O'odham Pee Posh Charter School. The charter school board is made up of the five-member board of each individual school. --------- "RE: Quebec Secession Case" --------- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 12:36:42 -0700 From: "S.I.S.I.S." Subj: 25506 Quebec Secession Case: SCC sets dates :-:-:-:-S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty:-:-:-:-: Friday, August 29 1997 S.I.S.I.S Bulletin Canada's Supreme Court to hear Quebec Secession case & Mi'gmaq Challenge Canadian Press reported today that the Supreme Court of Canada has tentatively set aside three days to deal with the legal issues surrounding Quebec separation. "A draft copy of the court's fall agenda lists Dec. 8, 9, and 10 to hear a "reference concerning unilateral secession of Quebec from Canada. The exact dates for the case won't be determined until a Sept.18 hearing with Chief Justice Antonio Lamer and the parties involved," says the article. Unmentioned once again in the flurry of political debate on the issue and the upcoming court case is the Mi'gmaq intervention to be argued by native rights lawyer Dr. Bruce Clark. As intervenor, the Mi'gmaq position was briefly encapsulated for the court in a hearing January 17, 1997: "My client's allegation is that the assumption of jurisdiction is extra-territorial, treasonable, fraudulent and arguably genocidal. That brings us to the sort of outer shell of the onion. What really my clients propose to do is to take off that shell and to look underneath at the constitutional law, the international law, but more profoundly the natural law, which to some extent is the province of traditional native culture in any event...what the traditional native governments will do is attempt to advise, assist the Court with the natural law that underlies the constitutional law and the international law." The Canadian government has asked the Supreme Court of Canada to hold the hearing and rule on three questions: - Can Quebec unilaterally declare independence under domestic law? - Does International law give the province a right to secede? - If domestic and international law conflict, which takes precedence? Quebec is made up of indigenous traditional territories. The Mi'gmaq are one of the nations asserting jurisdiction over lands claimed by Quebec and Canada. The Quebec government is boycotting the Supreme Court case. "The decision not to be present at the Supreme Court, that remains unchanged," Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jacques Brassard said Thursday in Quebec City. According to an earlier report prepared for the Quebec government by a legal adviser, Indigenous nations could chose their own sovereignty, to go with a new Quebec, or to remain in Canada. BC's NDP government protested when the then federal Minister of Indian Affairs Ron Irwin made similar statements questioning the provincial control of Indian lands. The Canadian courts have thus far been unwilling to squarely face the issue of indigenous jurisdiction and sovereignty. How the Court will deal with fundamental issues it has thus far attempted to avoid will be awaited with great interest by many. <<--<< SOVEREIGNTY IS THE ISSUE -- CANADA IS THE PROBLEM >>->> <<-<< DECOLONIZE NOW! >>->> Dr. Bruce Clark, LL.B., M.A., Ph.D. (Law) Box 140, 39 Murray Road, Robinsonville, New Brunswick, Canada EOK 1EO Fax (506) 753-7315 S.I.S.I.S. Clark/legal archives: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/Clark/main.html Supreme Court of Canada: http://www.droit.umontreal.ca/doc/esc-scc/en/index.html :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: Investors Beware of BC" --------- Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 23:52:18 -0500 (EST) From: Rachel Subj: International Investors Beware of BC: No Treaties = No Jurisdiction :-:-:-:-S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty:-:-:-:- : Aug. 26, 1997 Bulletin BC'S NDP PREMIER WELCOMES ASIAN INVESTORS TO INVADE INDIGENOUS LANDS BC papers are running paid government advertisements welcoming "on behalf of all British Columbians" the approximately 1100 delegates to the 4th Annual World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention being held August 25 - 28 at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Center. The ads invite the entrepreneurs "to explore, first hand the wealth of opportunities which British Columbia offers to international investors and trading partners." Increasingly the governments of BC and Canada are courting Asia-Pacific big business, multinational investment and globalization. BC's University of Victoria recently revealed plans to award an honourary degree to the President of China. Vancouver will also be the site of an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit November 25 - 28. Vancouver's 'Afternoon Show' on CBC Radio, today interviewed Milton Wong, a conference organizer. "China has a lot of people, Canada has a lot of land, why don't we shake hands and do business together. There are 250,000 Chinese here...they want to use their connections to help build Canada," said Wong. Exactly two years ago, BC watched as Shuswap traditionalists held off the largest paramilitary force in Canadian history, which illegally invaded their unceded sovereign territories at Gustafsen Lake. Two years ago Shuswap elder Wolverine, now being held as a political prisoner by the BC authorities, reaffirmed the resolve of indigenous resisters to defend their lands. "The Canadian government has no jurisdiction over this land. These are just a bunch of politicians who respond to multi-national corporations. The international community is watching them." International investors should draw the appropriate conclusions and know that indigenous sovereign rights must be respected. Resource exploitation and other economic ventures occurring in the absence of consent will increasingly result in vigorous indigenous and popular resistance. On April 8, 1997 in a Vancouver Sun article "Land Claims make investors wary, BC told," AWCEC organizer and businessman Milton Wong seemed to appreciate this. He was responded to by Dr. Bruce Clark, one of the leading authorities on the constitutional and international law concerning Indigenous jurisdiction, sovereignty and the dubious BC Treaty Process. S.I.S.I.S suggests that international business interests may wish to consider the advice contained as well as the possible consequences of ignoring it: The Editor Vancouver Sun 2250 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6H 3G2 April 9, 1997 Dear Sir: In stating that Indian land claims settlements will improve the business climate in the province by ending political instability and economic uncertainty, Mr. Milton Wong not only gave the legislative committee good business advice but, in addition, rendered sound legal and moral advice. As a world leader in international finance the Hong Kong Bank, to which Mr. Wong recently relinquished control of M. K. Wong Associates, presumably appreciates well the intimate connection between fundamental human rights under the rule of law on the one hand, and economic stability on the other. Injustice makes for an unstable society, precisely because injustice is profoundly offensive to the human condition and will, inevitably, be opposed. From this perspective the absence of Indian Treaties in British Columbia is no less a barometer of the potentially disruptive influence of injustice, as are Tibet and Tiananmen Square and potentially Hong Kong relative to China. When any great power derogates from human rights at home, all interests are prejudiced in our increasingly interdependent world. Mr. Wong is quoted as having stated "For this reason and others, I believe a fairly and honourably negotiated Nisga'a treaty would send an important economic message to boardrooms around the world." Lamentably the fact is that under present circumstances there is no possibility of any treaty "fairly and honourably" being negotiated in British Columbia. The reason is that the legal establishment of this province treasonably, fraudulently and genocidally has not only already stolen the land in the absence of legally enabling treaties, but has jettisoned the rule of law itself in an endeavour to cover up the crime. From the rule of law perspective the solution is third-party adjudication in the international arena - relative to impasses reached in the treaty negotiation process going on between natives and newcomers. Only by this device can the rule of law be rehabilitated in British Columbia. Until then, any treaty that may be signed inevitably will remain vulnerable to being set aside at a later date on the ground of the fraud, duress and undue influence which which has resulted from the newcomers' theft of land and their courts' corresponding usurpation of jurisdiction. Third party adjudication was adopted as a matter of existing international and constitutional law in 1704, and the adoption was confirmed for legal purposes in 1773, 1867, and 1982. Still, the courts for British Columbia refuse to address this law, and in virtue of their stonewalling do negate the rule of law. Foreign business interests that inform themselves on this issue perform a beneficial service for British Columbia and Canada, just as do British Columbia and Canada perform a service for China by monitoring injustice in China. The rule of law is our common heritage, and the measure of our legacy in moral no less than economic terms will be taken by the respect both countries pay to the rule of law in the human rights context. Sincerely, Bruce Clark ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Respect Indigenous Sovereignty: No "Business as Usual" on unceded land Milton K Wong 4th Annual World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre Phone: (604) 641-1987 Fax: (604) 641-1436 email: info@4thwcec.org web site: http://www.4thwcec.org BC Premier Glen Clark Phone: (250) 380-6506 Fax: (250) 387-0087 University of Victoria Public Relations email: ddanylch@uvic.ca For more information: Dr.Bruce Clark Box 140, 39 Murray Road Robinsonville, New Brunswick, Canada EOK 1EO Fax: (506) 753-7315 No to APEC! email: notoapec@vcn.bc.ca <<==>Free Wolverine<<==>>Free the Ts'Peten Defenders<<==>> +++Demand Public Inquiries into Gustafsen and Ipperwash+++ :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. --------- "RE: Exxon Data Highly Questionable" --------- Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 21:51:43 -0500 From: amccombs@mail.wiscnet.net (Alice I. McCombs) Subj: ACTION ALERT: Request Investigation of CMC's Groundwater Flow Model Data & Hold on CMC's permit process -- Exxon's CMC Groundwater Flow Model Data Highly Questionable August 27, 1997 For Immediate Release FOR GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION ACTION ALERT: Request investigation of CMC's Groundwater Flow Model Data and that permitting process be put on hold for Exxon's Crandon Mining Company's proposed Wolf River mine. Exxon's CMC Groundwater Flow Model Data Highly Questionable Note: Chairman Apesanahkwat's letter follows this press release. The first two pages of the DNR letter to CMC follows the Chairman's letter. The remainder of the DNR letter can be found on the Menominee Nation Treaty Rights & Mining Impacts Web Site: http://www.menominee.com/nomining/dnr815a.html A sample letter you can send to your WI legislators and/or members of U.S. Congress follows the DNR letter. (Keshena, WI) "A million dollar public relations campaign can't buy quality science. The entire permit process for Crandon Mining Company should be put on hold until they provide a scientifically valid groundwater flow model," stated Apesanahkwat, Chairman of the Menominee Nation. The Menominee Chairman asked Wisconsin's members of Congress and the Bureau of Indian Affairs today for state and federal investigations of groundwater flow model data supplied by Exxon's Crandon Mining Company (CMC) and requested that the permit process for CMC's proposed Wolf River mine be put on hold until CMC provides an accurate groundwater flow model. Apesanahkwat became outraged after receiving a report from the Menominee Nation's groundwater expert about an August 15 letter from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to Crandon Mining Company. The DNR letter indicates CMC used inaccurate and inappropriate data to create its groundwater flow model. In the letter titled "Review Comments on the Crandon Mining Company Groundwater Flow Model, Dated August 1996: Model Input - Unconsolidated Glacial Geology," Chris Carlson, Hydrogeologist for WDNR stated that the DNR and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) staff who reviewed CMC's groundwater flow model: "found several areas where we have comments or concerns. Several of these appear to be errors which may affect the model results. Several others are inconsistencies which may not directly affect model results, but do make the review extremely difficult and time consuming and call into question other parts of the model input." Carlson concluded his letter by stating the DNR believes "the model and model narrative should be revised." "The groundwater flow model is supposed to provide baseline data to develop other equally important studies of surface waters, but CMC appears to have manipulated their groundwater flow model to predict minimal impact by using critical values which are unreasonable and physically impossible." stated Apesanahkwat. "CMC's data is inconsistent. The groundwater data reported in their EIR does not match the data used in their groundwater flow model." stated Apesanahkwat. "That's the science Crandon Mining Company expects the citizens of Wisconsin to trust. Crandon Mining Company has repeatedly stated the public can trust it to use reliable science and proven technology, but CMC's groundwater data is so poor that it calls into question all of the company's studies for their proposed mine." "The DNR is being extremely polite to Crandon Mining Company when what the Department should be doing is putting the entire permit process on hold," stated Apesanahkwat. "The erroneous, inconsistent data supplied by CMC only substantiates what people opposing this mine have said for over twenty years: the area where CMC's mine would be located has so many ground and surface water bodies that it is too complex to ever be modeled successfully. CMC's data certainly shows we can't rely on them to create a workable groundwater flow model." Apesanahkwat believes CMC's groundwater data should be a wake up call. "The public trusts elected officials and the DNR to protect their resources, but if CMC's groundwater data is that company's example of consultation and cooperation with the public and agency officials, the public needs to get concerned and get involved. CMC's groundwater data reveals the big lie behind their glossy public relations campaign." "The Menominee Nation, other tribes and other Wisconsin organizations have hired experts to oversee the permitting project. We are not going to stand by and let our clean water, clean air, and healthy economy be destroyed by a sulfide mine. I'm calling on people in Wisconsin and around the world who are concerned about sulfide mining to demand that the Wisconsin DNR halt the permitting process for Exxon's proposed Wolf River mine until state and Federal investigations are conducted of CMC's groundwater data input and CMC provides a scientifically valid groundwater flow model." The August 15 letter from the DNR to CMC may be viewed on the Menominee Nation Treaty Rights & Mining Impacts web site: http://www.menominee.com/nomining/dnr815a.html August 26, 1997 Apesanahkwat, Chairman Menominee Nation The Honorable Senator Feingold 502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-4904 Dear Senator Feingold, According to an August 15 letter from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to Crandon Mining Company that I recently reviewed with the Menominee Nation's expert in groundwater flow modeling, the groundwater flow model data supplied by Crandon Mining Company (CMC) for its proposed Wolf River mine is inaccurate and unacceptable. In fact, the data supplied by CMC is of such poor quality that it calls into question the reliability of the company's groundwater flow model and its usefulness as a predictive tool for evaluating mining impacts (see enclosed letter from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to Crandon Mining Company). Although the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has requested that CMC revise its groundwater flow model, I believe that CMC has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to supply appropriate data for a critical study of groundwater which is the basis for other important studies of surface waters. I think stronger measures than a revision are required to make sure that CMC provides accurate data in order to be able to protect the quality of the Wolf River for future generations. I realize the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) also has a responsibility to evaluate the groundwater aspects of Crandon Mining Company's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but the Menominee believe the ACE and WDNR have not, as yet, exerted sufficient regulatory authority to ensure that an adequate evaluation of CMC's groundwater flow model data for their EIS is being made. The permitting process for the proposed Crandon mine, which has been going on since 1994, was supposed to be in the Master Hearing by the end of this year or early next year. Wisconsin Indian tribes and citizens have had to invest large amounts of time and dollars to protect themselves from the negative impacts of sulfide mining on their environmental and economic resources during this time. Now with the recent extension of the permitting process into 1999, your constituents will continue to suffer economic and emotional hardship for a huge sulfide mine project that will use unproven technology. I do not believe your constituents should have to be an experiment for Exxon. Therefore, as Chairman and representative of the people of the Menominee Nation I am writing to request that you use the full authority of your office to initiate and/or conduct a complete investigation of the groundwater flow model data produced by Crandon Mining Company for their proposed Wolf River mine. I am also requesting that, until Crandon Mining Company can produce a scientifically reliable groundwater flow model, that the permitting process for CMC's proposed mine near Crandon be put on hold. Sincerely, Apesanahkwat, Chairman Menominee Nation Cc: Arlyn Ackley, Chairman, Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa Phil Shopodock, Chairman, Forest County Potowatomi George Meyer, Secretary, W