From gars@netcom.com Mon Jun 1 23:54:39 1998 Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 19:37:06 -0700 (PDT) From: Gary Night Owl To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews06.022 _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 06, ISSUE 022 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, May 30, 1998 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 Stop-the-Slaughter, Triballaw, Nat-Film & Innu-L Lists; Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty; UUCP email; Newsgroups: alt.native,soc.culture.native; http://serpiente.dgsca.unam.mx/jornada/conflicto.html 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. IMPORTANT!! ----------- To all who send copywrite protected articles, make very sure you have permission from the copywrite holder (a newspaper, the AP, a magazine, an author) because a new law is now in effect that says you can be prosecuted even if there is no monetary gain. Just because a newspaper has a website where it posts some or all of its editions does not grant permission for their redistribution. Be careful and be sure you pass on the items you do with full permission. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, all material appearing in this newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for educational purposes. <----<<<< >>>>----> 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 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. Downloading Wotanging Ikche on AOL From: MAANG1419@aol.com Just thought I would share some info. I could not download on to a .txt because I kept getting the message (when I tried to retrieve it) that the text editor could not handle the volume. This time I downloaded it on to a .doc and when I retrieved it out of file manager, IT WORKED. "I love that land of winding waters more than all the rest of the world. A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal." __ Chief Joseph, Nez Perce +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! We have seen another "Memorial Day" come and go, with the picnics and trips to the lakes. I wonder how many bothered to send thanks for the warriors who gave their lives so that we might enjoy picnics and trips to the lakes. I wonder how many have even once gone to a hospital to help those who returned in body only? I thank my ancestors for the sacrifices they made so that I could join others in dance, as I did this Memorial Day. =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= The language project I have started is moving very slowly, but it is moving. The need for this is a thing I truly believe. Without language a culture dies. What is said in any language seldom translates literally to another. It, at best, approximates the meaning. Our languages are dying. Our cultures will not linger long without our own words to describe the events in our lives, the ways passed down by our ancestors and our prophecies. I am collecting language resource information. Please send me all information each of you have regarding language resources. This should include all written teachings including dictionaries, grammar books and stories. Include all audio and video resources. Include the source, how it is distributed, the publisher, ISBN or other catalogue information that might be known. Include cost and current availability if you have it. Finally, include _your_ opinion. Is it good, bad, indifferent? I will keep this information, by language/nation and make what I have available to any who request it. Send what you can via email to gars@netcom.com You may also send info via snail mail to P O Box 672168. Marietta GA 30006. =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= Thanks to Mike Wicks for the following reminder: In Memory (with Respect and Honor) AIM Casualties on Pine Ridge, 1973-1976 5.24.1976 Sam Afraid of Bear - AIM supporter shot to death at Pine Ridge. Investigation "ongoing." 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 ---------- - Peltier Day in Washington - Mexican Indigenous Congress Calls - Sac and Fox Celebrate Court Ruling for Uprising - Natives Lose Ipperwash Beach Claim - Guatemala - Native American Journalist - Freedom to Pay on Trial - McLeod Lake Land Claim - Update on San Carlos and - Citizen Hearings on Great Lakes Foster Hearing - Another Small Victory - Yellowstone Buffalo Update - Thanks to Those who Sent Seeds - Gorton/Racial Project - Native American Music Awards - World Trade Organization Protest - California Gaming Issues - Quebec News - NA Prisoners in California - Lower Churchill News - Native Prisoner - Voisey's Bay - A Hundred Years Ago - Lubicon Victory on Logging - Poem: For the Veterans - Canadian Ethnic Cleansing - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days - Traditional Hopi Elders Viewpoint - Indigenous Folks at - FCNL Native American Legislative AIDS Conference Updates - Conferences and Powwows - NYM Westbank Occupation --------- "RE: Peltier Day in Washington" --------- Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 04:21:45 +0200 From: Bobby Castillo Subj: Leonard Peltier Washington Newsgroup: alt.native Peltier Day in Washington SATURDAY JUNE 27th, 1998 Attention Peltier supporters! Although the anniversary of the shoot-out is June 26th, we decided to do the demonstration and rally on Saturday the 27th to enable more of Leonard's supporters to participate. After the way Leonard's May 4th parole hearing was handled, it is very important that all make special effort to come to this event so that we can show our outrage with the continued abuse and corruption of the injustice system. Leonard has no faith in the system and neither should we. The government has again admitted that they do not know who shot the agents. Let's show Leonard and the rest of the world that this fight is no where near being over and that we will not go away. The demonstration will be from 12pm-5pm at Ellipse park across from the White House. Lakota elder, David Chief will be opening the event with a ceremony and drumming. Speakers include Steve Robideau of the LPDC, Laura Serrano of SAIIC, a representative from the United American Indians of New England, Pam and Ramona Africa of the MOVE organization, Bobby Castillo of the LPDC, Robert Pictou Branscombe, Anna May Aquash's cousin, an Earth First! representative, representative from the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War and Political Prisoners, Keith McHenry of Food Not Bombs, and special guest, Robbie Robertson, music and more. SCHEDULE: Washington, DC June 26th 1:00 PM to 5:00 Leonard Peltier Defense Committee will be meeting with the Leonard Peltier Support Group's and any new people who want to get involved in building a support group. Saint Augustine Catholic Church 1419 V street N.W. Washington D.C. (202) 265-1470 contact- Linda Wallace Topics and workshops Executive Clemency Congressional Hearings City/County Resolutions and Proclamations International Campaign Chiapas Food Drive Feb 6th 1999 Demonstrations around the World/(Civil Disobedience) 6:30 to 10:00 Chiapas Food Drive Meeting We will be discussing the September 16th Chiapas food drive with various chapters of Food Not Bombs, Pastors for Peace, SAIIC, other organizations and anyone who wishes to get involved. June 27th 12:00 to 5:00 PM 12:00 Noon - Opening Ceremony by David Chief and Native Drummers Rally for Leonard Peltier at Ellipse Park-Across from the White House speaker's music and more Speakers: MC-Bobby Castillo-LPDC-Aztlan Liberation Organization Romona Africa - MOVE Laura Moreno - SAAIC Pamala Africa - Friends and Family for Mumia Steve Robideau - LPDC-American Indian Movement Dave Hill - LPDC-American Indian Movement Robbie Robertson-Musician Keith McHenry - Co/founder of Food Not Bombs Chicano Mexicano Prison Project Earth First Music and much more 5:00 closing ceremony For more information contact: Leonard Peltier Defense Committee PO Box 583 Lawrence, Ks 66044 (785) 842-5774 lpdc@idir.net http://members.xoom.com/freepeltier/index.html --------- "RE: Sac and Fox Celebrate Court Ruling" --------- Date: Thu, 21 May 98 14:10:09 -0600 From: berryj@okway.okstate.edu Subj: (FWD)Indian News 5-21-98 ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Subject: Indian News 5-21-98 Date: 5/21/98 12:07 AM SAC AND FOX CELEBRATE LANDMARK COURT RULING By JEAN PAGEL Associated Press 17 May 1998 STROUD - A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court five years ago told the Oklahoma Tax Commission to back off the Sac and Fox Nation, which was issuing its own license tags for tribal members. "It has freed up so many Oklahoma citizens from unlawful taxation of their income and vehicles," said Truman Carter, treasurer for the Sac and Fox. "No one should be forced to pay unlawful taxes just by the sheer size and pressure of big state government." The court ruled tax collectors for the state cannot coerce vehicle tag fees or income taxes out of tribal members who live and work on Sac and Fox lands. Participants say the landmark case reaffirmed the long- standing authority of American Indian tribes to govern themselves. They say about 20 other tribes in Oklahoma have followed the Sac and Fox precedent in issuing their own license plates. The legacy of the May 17, 1993, court ruling is celebrated on its five- year anniversary as evidence of the unique legal standing Indians retain. Carter was the tribe's tax collector in 1983 at the time the business committee decided to start its own system of registering vehicles owned by people who lived within Sac and Fox jurisdiction in Lincoln, Payne and Pottawatomie counties. The tribe began issuing titles and license plates to people who previously bought vehicle tags fro m the state of Oklahoma. "By what right does the state tax Indian property in Indian country?" asked William Rice, attorney general for the tribe. 'Where do they get the authority to do that? Rice said the tribe decided to collect its own vehicle taxes - as, well as income taxes, sales taxes and lease taxes - so that it could expand governmental services such as police and fire protection. The Oklahoma Tax Commission did not quibble with the tribe's decision to impose its own taxes. But commission officials thought Sac and Fox members should keep paying taxes to the state, too. The Sac and Fox filed a federal lawsuit in 1990 accusing the commission of attempting to collect delinquent taxes on traded-in vehicles previously tagged by the tribe U.S. District Judge Wayne Alley of Oklahoma sided with the tribe in April 1991. "The effect of this practice is to make the sale of Indian-owned vehicles commercially unfeasible," Alley wrote. "... The attempt to 'retroactively' collect these taxes frustrates the proper exercise of tribal government, and is an impermissible attempt to interfere in the tribe's legitimate functioning." Alley also barred the commission from requiring tribal members who work for the tribe to pay state income taxes. Non-Indian employees may have their income taxed by the state, he said. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Alley's rulings in June 1992. The U.S. Supreme Court took up the matter in 1993. Paula Ross, communications director for the commission, said the office was administering the law and trying to protect the state's tax base. justices in a 9-0 opinion said the commission was wrong to argue that the Sac and Fox members, by virtue of having their reservation dissolved in an 1891 treaty, were subject to state "But our cases make it clear that a tribal member need not live on a formal reservation to be outside the state's taxing jurisdiction; it is enough that the member live in 'Indian country,' " the court ruled. Indian sources said the significance of the case was the hope and courage gained by other tribes in Oklahoma that were contemplating tax assessments. Mike Factor, tax commissioner for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Okmulgee, said the Sac and Fox case paved the way. But tribal tax collectors still encounter resistance from people who argue that Oklahoma roads and public education are losing out when Indians pay taxes to their tribes instead of the state. --------- "RE: Natives Lose Ipperwash Beach Claim" --------- Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 16:08:01 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Natives Lose Ipperwash Beach Claim NATIVES LOSE IPPERWASH BEACH CLAIM London Free Press, May 20, 1998, by Julie Carl [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. It is provided for reference only.] Landowners at West Ipperwash beach are celebrating today after the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed a native land claim Tuesday against their properties.But among Kettle and Stony Point band members, there was disappointment and bitterness at the loss. The high court dismissed the claim on 33 hectares of land along 2 1/2 kilometres of West Ipperwash beach. "It's been a long six years," said Mary-Lou LaPratte, spokesperson for the West Ipperwash Property Owners Association, representing more than 100 of the landowners."So many people are looking to get on with their lives." Just up the road from the beach, the natives' disappointment was evident in the voice of Kettle and Stony Point Chief Irvin George."Any time we lose a battle over land, it's a bitter pill to swallow . . . our population is growing but our boundaries aren't." The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal immediately after hearing arguments Tuesday morning. Jeff Cowan, lawyer for the property owners' association, said in its ruling the court agreed with the Ontario Court of Appeal decision.In that 20-page ruling in 1996, Justice John Laskin said "throughout this period, a minority of the band objected to the sale but even it acknowledged that a majority of the members wanted to sell," when the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point surrendered the land in 1927. Tuesday's decision upholds the surrender of the land. Still to come, part of the same lawsuit, is a trial to determine whether the Crown breached its fiduciary duties, who owns the beach and who has the right to use it. In 1992, the band launched a lawsuit claiming the surrender was not valid because some band members were offered payments to vote for surrendering the land. Band lawyer Russell Raikes argued that constituted a fraud on the rest of the band.He said offering money to people in such dire economic straits as the natives negated their assent.Cowan said the payments were made to all voting members of the band whether they supported the surrender.The suit also claimed a breach of fiduciary duty against the Crown and easement and beach rights. In 1995, Ontario Court Justice Gordon Killeen ruled against the natives' case on the non-beach front property, saying the payments gave the surrender "the odor of moral failure" but did not invalidate the sale. However, his decision said the breach of fiduciary duty, easement and beach rights issues should go to trial. Raikes said although he was disappointed the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, he was heartened that the court said the natives' "remedy lies in compensation" over the breach of fiduciary duty. The suit over a fiduciary breach, ownership and easement of the beach are still to go to trial, he said. At least 68 property owners have beachfront property that will be involved, LaPratte said. Still others hold deeds that claim beach rights, said Cowan. The Indian Claims Commission said last year that Ottawa cheated the band, , buying the land for $85 an acre when speculators flipped it soon after for $300 an acre. The commission said the federal government breached its obligation to the natives by allowing the "exploitive transaction" and recommended it compensate the band. A unique element of the band's land claim was the trespass lawsuit against each of the 114 property owners. It launched a $200,000 suit against each landowner for trespassing on what the Chippewas said was band property.The 107 landowners that belong to the West Ipperwash Property Owners Association spent more than $300,000 defending their claim to the property. Cowan said they have been awarded court costs by both the Ontario Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal, but they'll recover only a portion of their actual costs. LaPratte said she expects to see for-sale signs go up in front of each property in West Ipperwash today. Her beachfront house, which she purchased just 16 weeks before the claim was launched, has been on the market for six years. No buyers could be found who were willing to assume the trespass lawsuit, LaPratte said. But now she's confident it will sell. "Some people just want out. We don't want to risk it starting up again." :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Native American Journalist on Trial" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 10:16:48 GMT From: johnny@SPAMBLOCKWildfieldStudios.com (Johnny Asia) Subj: Native American journalist on trial!! Newsgroup: alt.native NORTHWEST LEONARD PELTIER SUPPORT NETWORK P.O. Box 5464 Tacoma, WA 98415-0464 e-mail, arthurmiller50@juno.com STATEMENT OF SUPPORT OF VERNON FOSTER Greetings, Vernon Foster, of the American Indian Movement-AZ, has been charged with "inciting a riot" as a result of organizing support, upon request, for San Carlos Apaches who felt that their voice was being suppressed. Part of the evidence being used against Vernon is an e-mail message that went out that stated that a man had been beaten to death because of the situation that was going on at San Carlos. Once it was found out that this death was not connected to the situation, Vernon issued a statement to that fact. I have been a journalist now for 31 years, and I find the charging of Vernon Foster for "inciting to riot", based upon the evidence being used against him, to be a direct threat upon free speech and freedom of the press. Vernon did, like every newspaper, magazine, tv and radio news does everyday, based his writing upon the information he was able to obtain from first hand accounts. Given the situation at San Carlos, those accounts did not seem unreasonable. Upon further investigation, people at San Carlos found that the death was not connected to the situation. Rather than being what the government is trying to portray Vernon as being, an inciter, Vernon in issuing his second statement shows, beyond any doubt, his credibility. The government is attempting to create a double standard in the case of Vernon Foster, for if this same standard was applied to all other media people the prisons would be overflowing with journalists. It seems what is really happening here is that the State is trying to send a message to all others who may attempt to stand up for those whose voices are being suppressed, that such an action will be met with the iron heal of the law. Is this not the same type of repression that the U.S. speaks out against in situations around the world? Placing the blame on Vernon Foster for the situation at San Carlos, is nothing more than an attempt to cover-up the truth about who is really responsible. When those in power seek to suppression the voice of a non-violent opposition with a private police force, police from outside jurisdictions, the use of attack dogs on people, and using the legal powers of the State, clearly the blame for the situation is with those that are abusing their power. It is like blaming a rape victim for a rape. The NORTHWEST LEONARD PELTIER SUPPORT NETWORK, which covers the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, stands in support of Vernon Foster, and calls upon all of its members, supporters and all people who believe in social justice to do likewise. We respectfully ask that all charges against Vernon Foster be dropped now. In The Pursuit Of Justice Arthur J. Miller NWLPSN Supporters, we have been asked to write letters in support of Vernon Foster, please e-mail them to TsalagWmm@aol.com. Remember, "an injury to one is and injury to all!". Please take the time to send support messages in this very important case. The statements will be presented in court. --------- "RE: Update on San Carlos and Foster Hearing" --------- Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 23:23:39 EDT From: TsalagiWmn Subj: Update on San Carlos and Foster Hearing UUCP email First...thank you to all those who sent statements on behalf of Vernon. They were greatly appreciated. At 10:30 this morning, in front of a packed courtroom on the San Carlos Apache reservation, Vernon Foster appeared to defend himself against charges for "inciting a riot"...and to show cause on why this "incident" should not be "proof" to put a permanent restraining order against him *and* Jane Doe Foster, Jane Doe Foster 1 and 2 along with Jane and John Does 1 through 10 and ABC corporations and Black and white proprietorships and......well, you get the idea...:). The courtroom was packed with Call to Action people and with the police officers that were to testify against Vernon. The Judge that was presiding over the hearing was the same judge who dismissed the preceeding restraining order against AIM...and dismissed it with prejudice. The prosecutor pushed and pushed claiming the judge's relationship to the defense attorney was grounds for him to excuse himself as judge....the Judge decided that this was true...and removed himself...postponing the hearing until June 22, 1998. Vernon feels that this charge is simply an attempt to keep him and AIM off of the reservation so they cannot help to support the Apache people. The council has ignored the vote that removed them from office and are still acting as a governing body. Their latest act was to "recall" Chairman Stanley. This means that there is now no one on that council to oppose them and Chairman Stanley must be re-elected before having any power. We do not think that will be a problem, however, it is giving the council free reign until he can be re-elected. A meeting was held on Tuesday, May 12, 1998 at the federal courthouse in Globe, Arizona. This was to be a meeting with the Dept of Justice along with representatives from Janet Reno's office, however, the only ones there were U.S. Marshals, a representative from J.D. Hayworth's office and a few others. Cars were noted outside around the building and were identified as feds complete with long range listening devices, video recorders and cameras recording all who entered or exited the building. The result of this meeting was nothing more than a sounding board for the Apache people. Call To Action continues to stand strong with the help and guidance of the Elders and the Apache medicine people. CTA is going on 70 straight days of meetings and rally's. They are more determined than ever to get control of their Nation back and to do it legally and peacefully. They still wish to have AIM there as moral support and as advisors. People are still losing jobs and others work under the threat of being fired if they show support for Call To Action. Vernon feels that these charges and this attempt at a restraining order.. .even though the previous one was dismissed with prejudice...is simply a diversion in the hopes of getting attention away from the true situation... the council and their activities...and trying to focus the "blame" on to AIM. He feels that they hope to keep AIM away from the Apache people and keep us from giving support to the San Carlos people. We, in AIMAZ, and especially Vernon, do not want this minor road block to interfere with our work with the Apache people. We believe that if Vernon...or our chapter... has to stop what we are doing and try to raise funds for a legal defense... then this "minor" road block would turn into a major one as our attention would not be on the San Carlos people. With the hearing being moved to June 22...we believe that they have actually helped us...giving us time to get more statements from those of you who read the reports coming from AIMAZ and also giving us time to raise money for Vernon's legal defense... which he believes is in fact, a defense for AIM. He also believes that this could be turned into a "high profile" case in order to focus more attention on the San Carlos situation. For those that continue to support our cause, we ask for more statements regarding the "reports" about the beating and any monetary donations that can be spared. Vernon has to have a $400 retainer along with an additional $400 for hours put in. I will try to post a "balance" as often as I can and we will put out a statement to halt donations once the fund hits $1000. Vernon feels that this amount should be sufficient to cover attorney fees. As stated before, Vernon does not want this to interfere with our continued struggle to help the people of San Carlos. With the establishment of the defense fund, Vernon can stay focused on San Carlos and not worry about trying to raise funds for an attorney. Statements and monetary donations can be sent to: Vernon Foster 6053 E. Hillview Mesa, Az. 85205 Email statements can still be sent to this account. As I said before, this is a minor roadblock and an attempt to divert the attention of AIM and especially of Vernon. With the help of the contributions, Vernon can stay focused on San Carlos and let them see that intimidation nor prosecution will back him or AIM off from helping the people. The struggle continues. In Struggle, T --------- "RE: Yellowstone Buffalo Update" --------- Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 10:24:07 +0100 From: Buffalo Folks Subj: Greetings! Mailing List: Stop-the-Slaughter This update: +++++++++++++++++++++++ + Technical notes + 5/13/98 words from Mike + Jake speaks about Buffalo hazing + Buffalo Nations year round Campaigns ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Technical Notes We have converted the Stop-the-Slaughter update list over to a listserve. There is still a human at this address though for personal correspondence. (Hopefully this will free me up a bit to update the webpages.) This list serve will continue to send out 3-5 updates regarding the Yellowstone buffalo every month. This list serve passes on information from a number of groups and individuals working for the buffalo! Since this was a "quiet" winter (except to the 11 who were killed), we had a steady but slower growth of concerned folks joining the list. If you can pass this on to a few people each...it would be great to keep our numbers of concerned folks growing. This issue is far from over. Hats off to the dedicated work of the Buffalo Nations volunteers! This field season showed that a dedicated group of people working towards a common goal can indeed affect a positive change. Having people in the field daily made all the difference. Thanks to everyone for each and every effort, from prayers to phone calls to long skis at dawn, may the buffalo roam wild and free. for the earth, su +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ * 5/13/98 by Mike.... Two weeks ago, the Montana Department of Livestock did their major military like hazing operation in west Yellowstone Montana (see article below). They used two helicopters, three all terrain vehicles, a motor cross bike, several four wheel drive trucks and two horses. It was a very expensive, loud operation involving alot of manpower as well as a lot of taxpayers dollars. Meanwhile three pregnant buffalo ignored them and quietly ducked off into the woods to have their babies. For the last two weeks these mothers and their calves have lived in a small area north of the Madison river, a quarter mile west of highway 191. This morning the mothers and children awoke with one thing in mind, to test the calves' new legs. After two weeks of strengthening the legs, the journey to return to the herd began. Within minutes of awakening, they were up and off toward Yellowstone National Park. Our first concern was their crossing Highway 191. Buffalo Nations placed the first traffic warning volunteer in position as they were nearing the first bluff, overlooking the highway. Then, faster than the helicopter chased buffalo two weeks before, they crossed the final obstacle to freedom. Up and down each 40 foot bluff they crossed the highway and didn't stop. Moving at speeds adult buffalo could be proud of, they continued past the safety line of the park. They continued on for at least 1/2 a mile not even breaking for a mouth full of the fresh new green grasses. Finally, they did stop and look at us, before going out of view. We take note of this simple stress free journey back into the Park. No helicopters, ATVs, etc. or multi thousand dollar budget was necessary. Simple but effective. Our smiles were reflected in the safety of the new calves and their moms. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Jake speaks about the April Hazing fiasco....... Its been a long couple of weeks here at Buffalo Nations. Certainly the loudest thing that's happened lately was the Montana Department of Livestock's (DOL) big haze. At the time there were almost 300 buffalo on and around Horse Butte, a big hill several miles west of Yellowstone Park that the buffalo get to by following the north shore of the Madison River. The buffalo were gathering there as they have for generations to birth their calves. They were enjoying some of the best spring grazing in the area. Now, a thing like that made the DOL nervous. Their main concern seemed to be for a a rancher from Idaho who runs 240 head of cattle on Horse Butte (which is public land) during the summer. So instead of waiting for the natural birthing cycles and then migration of the buffalo to the Park, the DOL felt they should carry out a military hazing operation. As we all know, there has never been a proven transmission of the DOL's big fear, brucellosis, in the wild. Many of the buffalo on the Butte were bulls which couldn't transmit it anyway. But stressing pregnant and new born calves and young bulls with an motorized assault and full tilt run seem to be the right decision to the DOL. So, first the DOL sent Buffalo Nations a long letter written in legalese, asking us not to try and stop their hazing operation, and threatened to kill any buffalo left outside the park if the haze was unsuccessful. It was a hard decision to make, whether or not to try and stop the DOL. We didn't like them running buffalo with their aggressive methods just days before the kids were born, and why do cows have more of a right to Horse Butte than buffalo. As one local resident put it, "The buffalo have probably been having their calves on Horse Butte for a few thousand years." We decided that while the hazing was pretty lame, it wasn't killing buffalo, and the reason Buffalo Nations exists is to prevent the killing of buffalo. So, we decided to monitor the hazing operation with hidden and obvious cameras, ready to turn to direct action if the buffalo were in mortal danger. We quickly put out an alert and grew from our core group of 6 people at that time to 30 plus people showing up from all over. Our numbers filled the house and spilled out into the yard, as well as allowing us to double numbers and increase patrols in the field. I know some of you are reading this, so thanks! Before the haze, activists slipped in and stationed themselves in small teams along the hazing route. The DOL showed up about an hour after sunrise riding 2 horses, several ATVs, a pickup or four, a helicopters, and a dirt bike. Every one of these vehicles, except the dirt bike, carried a shotgun and cracker-barrel shells, which are basically M80s launched out of a shotgun, scientifically designed to scare the hell out of animals. And believe me, they shot their cap guns off fast and furious all day, in true cowboy style. Buffalo Nations was watching over the first buffalo moved that day as well as the one last hazed into the park, and just about every one in between as they were running in front of the wall of noise. The DOL pulled some cheesy stunts that day, like running buffalo through a barbed wire fence, and the Yellowstone Village and Bear Trap housing areas. Tina who lives in the Bear Trap subdivision said, "It was crazy, they flew their helicopter right over my house, and there were buffalo running everywhere." They also violated a federal closure by flying directly over a bald eagle nesting area and chasing an eagle off in a flurry (thankfully the eagle was not physically injured.) In addition to that violation, they broke Endangered species provisions and flew over the eagles open feeding water before 10am and they even landed their helicopter in the closure area (yep, we got it on video.) We were glad our numbers were strong so that we could monitor their actions. By the end of the day, no buffalo were killed. So the DOL had gone and the woods got quiet again, we found quite a few straggling buffalo, including a newborn calf and its shell shocked mother. Since then we've been watching the small groups that wander in and out of the park when they feel like it. The DOL continues to try to haze them into the park, we haven't heard anything more about their threat to shoot the buffalo who are still out of the park. In fact Larry Petersen, the chief executive of the DOL, sent us a personal letter the other day saying he looked forward to working with us next year. One activist called it "pretty damn cordial" of him. In a few days were only going to have 4 people here. Though the buffalo don't seem to be in as much danger as they were this winter, our patrols are probably the only thing making the DOL play nice. We also have to keep the office running, which is more work than it looks like as well as doing our educational tables again this summer. We still need a few volunteers for the months to come. Buffalo Nations is much bigger than just those of us at the cabin. Thanks for your support and for spreading the word. Happy traveling to the Swedes, wherever they are. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + CNN Earth Matters recently did a piece on the hazing. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Buffalo Nations will be continuing our work year round until this madness stops. Although it is early to be thinking about the next field season, the hazing action did point out that we can definitely use some more good field radios, batteries, rechargers, a home base cb, cbs and antennae, video camera gear and batteries as well as some good field tape recorders. Any help with fulfilling this wish list will be most appreciated. Thanks so much for all of your continued support. Any and all help from radios to donations to spreading the word is important. Thanks and happy spring! Today, the snow is melting off in the mountains of Yellowstone, but as they say about Montana springs..."if ya' don't like the weather...wait 5 minutes." +++++++++++++++++++++++ Please check out http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo for updates from the only group working every day in the Park: Buffalo Nations and find out what you can do http://www.wildrockies.org/bison Please pass these URL's on Also check this out! sign on to the code of silence! http://www.wildrockies.org/quiet/ no more helicopter hazing!... --------- "RE: Gorton/Racial Project" --------- Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 21:38:34 -0700 (PDT) From: Richard Clark Eckert Subj: Gorton - Racial Project Mailing List: TRIBALLAW (triballaw@thecity.sfsu.edu) NOTE: A large portion of the ideas reflected in this posting are derived from the writings of Blauner, Cruse, Fannon, Omi and Winant and other race/ethnicity theorists --- with a special emphasis on Omi and Winant. A very pessimistic comment here - The Gorton push to limit Native sovereignty smacks at the core of what Omi and Winant in _Racial Formation in the United States_ (Routledge, 1994 2nd edition) call the "equality of opportunity" rhetoric of the new right. Racism is ideologically legitimated by arguing the equality of rights of individuals in lieu of equality of collective rights. At the same time this neoconservative racial project argues for a focus on universalism, not particulars. Thus, the new racism is masked in rhetoric such as "Equal Rights For Everyone." That theme is very much a part of the anti-Indian rhetoric in a number of states. In a failure to contend with conservatives on the issue of race liberals have pretend that race is no longer an issue, often citing Billy Wilson's _Declining Significance of Race_. But far worse than clinging to the flawed ideals of Wilson, the liberals have absorbed the neoconservative agenda on race. The pinnacle of this ideological retreat is documented in the President's Initiative on Race, something I am sorry to say some Natives have come to support. The retreat has been in progress for more than 20 years now. The liberals response to the conservative "race card" is to try to ignore it. They sold out to the white right wing folks! The implication of this 20 year pattern of retreat from the collective gains of the 60's and 70's is that the Democrats will sit back and pretend that race is not the issue when they vote to limit sovereignty. But consider this - whether looking to protect the rights of the collective or the rights of the individual - both are paternalistic. Consider for a moment the anti-statism that was present in the Reagan-Bush years. Whites were trying to free themselves from Fed paternalism. Now they are saying that Natives need to be freed from Native paternalism. Paternalism of the past will look like a picnic if Gorton gets his way. Gorton is fine tuning this notion as is that Democrat from CN who wants to limit tribal purchases of off-rez lands. Thompson (Gov - WI) and Engler (Gov - MI) have made political careers off of it. They are all arguing that non-Natives should have equal opportunity access to that which belongs to Natives, but at the same time Natives should not have equal opportunity access to retrieve that which was stolen. Natives should for some reason accept their view of what is best for us. Yuk! I hate to say it but this Gorton thing looks real bad in terms of the pattern of the last 20 years. It sounds like Bush emerging from the LA riots blaming social welfare policies instead of the abuses in power by the police. Said something like the people of LA had to start taking responsibility. Hey the police maybe needed to be a bit responsible! MAYBE John Trudell was correct when he called Billy Clinton "the biggest fascist of them all" this past January. But then Trudell also asked why Hope was part of the Pandora's Box and why Hope wasn't in some other box. Whoa! I did say MAYBE. Have to wait and see what Billy does or doesn't do. So how can the white right wing pile of manure be stirred so that even a moron has the common sense to recognize the stench for what it is? That is, how can we invoke a sacred argument, an argument so smart that no one in their white right wing mind can argue with it? And still dodge the universalism and essentialism of the Republican rhetoric? And without pretending their isn't a problem the way the Democrats have? And without sounding like some overdosed left wing Marxist who still can't figure out that Marxism ain't gonna make it in American politics? So -- Can the neoconservative attacks on Natives be diverted with a claim of "collective sovereignty by individuals consent" or some other social contract theme of consensus that brings in the individual without diminishing sovereignty? hmmm - I am open to suggestions. And then of course there will be the request for suggestion on how to implement such a theme. Richard C. Eckert --------- "RE: World Trade Organization Protest" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 10:57:51 +0200 (MET) From: pga@agp.org (Peoples' Global Action Secretariat) Subj: International press release UUCP email May 18th, 1998 3rd international PRESS RELEASE by Peoples' Global Action Today the Second Ministerial Conference of the (WTO) starts in Geneva, in the context of a hundreds of protests all over the World. Nearly a million of people from all social sectors (farmers, indigenous peoples, workers, women, ethnical groups, unemployed and many other groups) are expressing since the 1st of May our rejection to the WTO, the multilateral trade system, and neoliberal policies - participating in the first international days of action of Peoples' Global Action (PGA) against "Free" Trade and the WTO. Selection of actions during the G8 Summit in Birmingham (16th/17th May) and during the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in Geneva (18th-20th May) On Saturday, at the same time as the beginning of the G8 Summit, over hundred thousand people throughout the world protested against the WTO and their neoliberal policies: Global Street Parties were celebrated in 35 cities all over the world, for example in Geneva, Birmingham, Sydney, Toronto and Prague with several thousand people in each town. In Brazil, a protest march of 40 000 landless and homeless people reached the capital Brasilia; 10 000 unemployed joined them on Monday. On Wednesday, the final day of the WTO conference, a demonstration through the government district of Brasilia is planned. In India, 23 regional conferences against the WTO are occurring today. In Hyderabad, WTO symbols are being burned in several public places. On Saturday, there were more than 100 actions against the WTO and on May 1st, hundreds of thousands of peasants and workers urged the Indian to withdraw from the WTO in a massive national rally. In Canada, a protest against the planned Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) is scheduled for today. There will be further demonstrations and direct actions in different Canadian cities on Wednesday. The OECD meeting starting this weekend in Montreal shall be blocked throughout its duration. On "Peoples' Trade Day today, actions are being carried out in the United States and in Geneva against different symbolic centers of global capitalism. Meanwhile, an incredible wave of repression is hitting Geneva: throughout the town, people are being stopped by the police at random, arrested and jailed for hours without any given reason - without judicial basis. Foreign persons which "do not carry enough money on them" (about 500 SFrs.) are registered for police records and then deported with a prohibition of re-entry. Many people got heavily injured by the police on Saturday evening, although they behaved passively. At least one young man from Geneva still is in intensive care due to inner bleeding. The bicycle caravan "Money or Life" organized by WiWa Wendland in Germany was already stopped before reaching Geneva, all foreign participants were arrested, deported and are not allowed to re-enter Switzerland for two years. 40 Italians were arrested on their arrival at the train station in Geneva and also deported. On Sunday afternoon, the caravan traveled to the French border to return the wagons, tractors and further equipment back to the German participants banned from Switzerland who were waiting at the other side of the border. On their way back to Geneva, ten people were arrested, among them two journalists from Switzerland and from Berlin. These were also registered for police records and had to spend hours in a freezing cold civil service building wearing summer clothes. After this custody they were given a paper written in French accusing them of having participated in all actions and demonstrations and were urged to sign it. We condemn these arbitrary acts of the Genevan police and justice. These arrests are clearly illegal. We especially protest against the detention of journalists. Peoples' Global Action is a worldwide alliance of organizations and grassroots movements that was formed the last February in a conference where representatives of grassroots movements from 56 countries of all continents came together. The conference produced the Manifesto of the PGA (available at www.agp.org) that states: "We live in a time in which capital, with the help of international agencies like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB) and other institutions, is shaping national policies in order to strengthen its global control over political, economic and cultural life. Capital has always been global. Its boundless drive for expansion and profit recognises no limits. From the slave trade of earlier centuries to the imperial colonisation of peoples, lands and cultures across the globe, capitalist accumulation has always fed on the blood and tears of the peoples of the world. This destruction and misery has been restrained only by grassroots resistance. Today, capital is deploying a new strategy to assert its power and neutralise peoples' resistance. Its name is economic globalisation, and it consists in the dismantling of national limitations to trade and to the free movement of capital. The effects of economic globalisation spread through the fabric of societies and communities of the world, integrating their peoples into a single gigantic system aimed at the extraction profit and the control of peoples and nature. Words like "globalisation", "liberalisation" and "deregulation" just disguise the growing disparities in living conditions between elites and masses in both privileged and "peripheral" countries. ++ Land, water, forest, wildlife, aquatic life and mineral resources are not commodities, but our life support. For decades the powers that have emerged from money and market have swelled their profits and tightened their control of politics and economics by usurping these resources, at the cost of the lives and livelihoods of vast majorities around the world. For decades the World Bank and the IMF, and now the WTO, in alliance with national governments and corporate powers, have facilitated maneuverings to appropriate the environment. The result is environmental devastation, tragic and unmanageable social displacement, and the wiping out of cultural and biological diversity, much of it irretrievably lost without compensation to those reliant on it. ++ The WTO, the IMF, the World Bank, and other institutions that promote globalisation and liberalisation want us to believe in the beneficial effects of global competition. Their agreements and policies constitute direct violations of basic human rights (including civil, political, economic, social, labour and cultural rights) which are codified in international law and many national constitutions, and ingrained in people's understandings of human dignity. We have had enough of their inhuman policies. We reject the principle of competitiveness as solution for peoples' problems. It only leads to the destruction of small producers and local economies. Neo-liberalism is the real enemy of economic freedom. ++ The need has become urgent for concerted action to dismantle the illegitimate world governing system which combines transnational capital, nation-states, international financial institutions and trade agreements. Only a global alliance of peoples' movements, respecting autonomy and facilitating action-oriented resistance, can defeat this emerging globalised monster. If impoverishment of populations is the agenda of neo-liberalism, direct empowerment of the peoples though constructive direct action and civil disobedience will be the programme of the Peoples' Global Action against "Free" Trade and the WTO." In a press briefing that took place today at United Nations the representatives of PGA declared: "The struggle that takes place in these days will continue until the disappearance of the WTO and all other institutions and agreements that cause misery and death. It is part of a process of convergence of millions of people fighting all over the planet for a just society in harmony with the environment. The movements that participate in this process want to send a clear message to the WTO: we will not allow economic globalisation to destroy our environment, our culture, our future, our lives. Consequently, we reject the treaties of the WTO and we will not allow their implementation". For more information please contact our press office: phone: (0041) 22/ 344 47 31 fax: (0041) 22/ 940 20 70 e-mail: press-action@agp.org --------- "RE: Quebec News" --------- Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 07:14:48 -0230 From: Larry Innes Subj: News: Quebec Mailing List: Innu People Forum list - Column - Paul Wells - Indians didn't buy PQ ploy PAUL WELLS The Gazette Speaking hypothetically last September, Premier Lucien Bouchard said he would never accept that Quebec be recognized as a "nation" but barred from leaving Canada. Trading labels for "rights" in that way, Bouchard said, "would make Quebec socially unique but politically a eunuch." Shortly after he said that, Bouchard sent his Indian affairs minister, Guy Chevrette, off with pruning shears to geld Quebec's aboriginal populations. On Tuesday, the Indians called Chevrette's bluff. Their rejection of his overtures is very, very important to the debate over Quebec secession. Chevrette's assignment was to get aboriginal signatures on a deal that would offer real improvements to Quebec aboriginals' ability to govern themselves - in return for respect of Quebec's "territorial integrity." Why? Because several aboriginal populations, especially the Cree and Inuit, have insisted they will never be forced to join a Quebec secession without their consent. And in landmark referendums held in October 1995, those populations voted overwhelmingly against joining any Quebec secession. This opens up the real possibility that a seceding Quebec would be unable to hang on to the northern two-thirds of its territory. So on April 2, Chevrette offered a set of excellent ideas for improving Quebec's relationship with aboriginals. These would include letting their communities decide how to spend tax revenues collected internally, and substantial new investments from Quebec. But there were three conditions: that the Indians recognize Quebec's territorial integrity, the sovereignty of the National Assembly, and the Quebec government's "legislative and regulatory effectivity." That "effectivity" bit is especially telling. During February's landmark Supreme Court hearings on secession, sovereignist lawyer Andre Joli-Coeur argued Quebec's government could secede from Canada by demonstrating "effective control" over Quebec territory. Lawyers for the Cree and other aboriginals asked the Supremes how, precisely, that control would be exercised. Well, how better than with a piece of paper saying, in effect, "We Indians say the Quebec government can have the lot of it?" Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, told me yesterday Chevrette sprang this "territorial integrity" stuff on the natives very late in the game. "Last December, at the moment of his first contact with certain Quebec chiefs, Mr. Chevrette said, 'We could chat forever about philosophical or theoretical issues, but it won't advance more practical issues in natives' everyday life.' " So far, so good. "At that meeting there was no document tabled. Then on March 27, when there was a private meeting between certain chiefs and Mr. Chevrette, they showed us overheads, 12 or 15, with the broad outlines of their policy document. But there was never a reference to the question of territorial integrity. "But the final document came out with, I don't know, a reference every two or three pages to that issue. So it was a bit surprising to us." Well, yeah, I guess so. You think you're negotiating in good faith with a government interested in improving the real lives of real people, and you realize it's all about the Quebec government taking your land in some future secession. Now Picard, and the chiefs he represents, are in a sticky wicket. They want to negotiate those real improvements, but they have the distinct impression they cannot get those improvements without signing away the same territorial and self-determination rights claimed by the Quebec government. "I think it would be absolutely unjust, even odious, for the Quebec government to make our communities' economic development conditional on principals that are Quebec's alone," Picard said. Here, for the six- or seven-hundredth time, is an example of the profound unilateralism of the Quebec sovereignty movement. Imagine the sanctimonious outrage from Quebec City if a federal government ever offered to trade money or social programs for a formal rejection of the sovereignist project. "Eunuch" would be only the most polite word out of Bouchard's mouth. But those are the terms of the deal Bouchard and Chevrette offered the aboriginals. And now they're mad they got caught. Typical. --------- "RE: Lower Churchill News" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 10:22:30 -0300 From: Larry Innes Subj: News: Lower Churchill Mailing List: Innu People Forum list The province will begin formal talks with the Innu Nation concerning the Lower Churchill Hydro Development. Key Words: "Brian Tobin" Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, "Katie Rich" Innu Nation Media: 01 CBC Radio - Labrador Morning Reporter: John Soper, Chris Hall Date: 98/05/14, 08:30 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - John Soper: The province will begin formal talks with the Innu Nation about a $10 billion hydro-electric development for the Lower Churchill River. The river is part of the Innu's traditional land claim. As Chris Hall reports, talks are beginning that may resolve the dispute. Chris Hall: This was the scene just two months ago when Brian Tobin and Lucien Bouchard arrived in Churchill Falls to announce their hydro-electric project. About 100 Innu blocked the road into town and they warned both Premiers that the work won't go ahead unless their demands are met. Yesterday that confrontation gave way to conversation as Innu leaders joined Tobin around the board room table in his St. John's office. Chief Katie Rich says the Premier understands their concerns. Katie Rich: And I think that there has bee a change and the Newfoundland government is changing that and saying to us that we, the elected have us involved. Chris Hall: Tobin says the talks will deal with the Innu's land claim and their concerns about the proposed development. The province is sharing confidential information with the Innu and Tobin says his government will pay for them to hire a consultant to oversee environmental studies that begin this summer. Brian Tobin: We see this project going forward on a partnership basis. And if there's an appropriate role and opportunity for benefit for the Innu people, it's part of this development. Those issues and others, I'm sure will all be discussed. Chris Hall: But after that the details get a little fuzzy. Tobin and Rich refuse to say whether these discussions will include the most contentious issue, the Innu's outstanding claim for compensation for land that was flooded forever when the original dam was built on the Churchill River 30 years ago. Chris Hall, CBC News, St. John's. The Innu Nation of Labrador will take part in negotiations with the provincial government to develop the Lower Churchill Hydro Project. Key Words: "Brian Tobin" Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, "Katie Rich" Innu Nation, Lower Churchill Falls Hydro Project Media: 02 CFCB - Morning News Reporter: Chris Green Date: 98/05/14, 07:30 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chris Green: The Innu Nation of Labrador will take part in negotiations with the provincial government to develop second Churchill Falls Hydro Project. However details are sketchy as to the scope of the talks. Premier Brian Tobin would not say if the Innu would be considered partners in the deal currently being negotiated between this province and Quebec. Brian Tobin: Katie has indicated to me for the time and the information necessary and so on, to consult with the community, a process I know is already underway. We have some weeks ago provided information, full information to the Innu Nation, including documents, material, and analysis, that information has been held in confidence. Chris Green: Innu Chief Katie Rich says the provincial government has shown its open to native input. Katie Rich: We weren't aware of these discussions and I think that there has been a change in how the Newfoundland government is taking changing that and saying to us that we, they would like to have us involved in anything that goes on on the land. Chris Green: Yesterday was the first sign of cooperation since a small but effective protest by the Innu disrupted a project signing ceremony in Churchill Falls last March. Innu take part in Churchill talks Key Words: Katie Rich Innu Nation President, Premier Brian Tobin, Lower Churchill, Hydro-Quebec Media: 50 Evening Telegram - Internet Reporter: Michelle MacAfee Date: 98/05/14, 13:33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Innu Nation of Labrador agreed Wednesday to begin negotiations with the Newfoundland government aimed at developing a $10-billion joint hydroelectric project with Quebec on the Churchill River. But details were sketchy as to the scope of the talks. Newfoundland Premier Brian Tobin and Innu Nation President Katie Rich would not say if the Innu would be considered partners in the deal being negotiated between government and hydro company officials in Newfoundland and Quebec, or whether any agreement would be a side deal. Rich also refused to say whether compensation for flooding that occurred on land claimed by the Innu when the first Churchill Falls power project began production in 1971 would be on the table. "We've met with the premier regarding the Lower Churchill and we've agreed that we would sit down and negotiate as government to government," said Rich. "We have established trust for going forward," added Tobin. A team of negotiators was to draw up a schedule for the talks today and outline areas to be covered. Tobin said these talks do not involve Hydro-Quebec or the Quebec government. The move marks the first real signs of progress between the two governments and aboriginals since a small but effective protest last March disrupted plans by Tobin and Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard to announce the framework for a future deal. The Innu Nation and the Mamit Innuat of northern Quebec said they were angry they were not consulted about the project at the outset. They also said outstanding land claims must be settled and compensation be awarded for the earlier flooding before any new project would be allowed to proceed. Tobin renewed his commitment Wednesday to the "fast-tracked" land-claim negotiations that had been under way before the Churchill River announcement was made. The Labrador Innu say they are satisfied now that they will have a say in how the project is planned. "On March 9 we were not aware of discussions between Quebec and the Newfoundland premier and I think there has been a change in how the Newfoundland government is trying to have us involved," said Rich. The Innu Nation now has the same information and analysis about the proposed project as the government has, said Tobin. The province will also be providing funding to the Innu so they can conduct their own review of some preliminary environmental work that will be done by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro this summer. The deal between Newfoundland and Quebec, if finalized by a target date of Dec. 15, would see 3,200 megawatts of new power developed from the Churchill River system. It would include a $3.2-billion dam on the Lower Churchill, the diversion of water from two Quebec rivers into a new generating station on the Upper Churchill and $3 billion in new transmission lines in the two provinces. Bouchard could not be reached for comment. The Quebec Innu have refused to meet with the provincial government to discuss the project and don't plan on changing their minds soon, said Armand McKenzie, a lawyer for the Mamit Innuat. --------- "RE: Voisey's Bay" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 10:23:58 -0300 From: Larry Innes Subj: News: EA Mailing List: Innu People Forum list A decision by the Voisey's Bay Environmental Review panel today could delay the public hearings by another couple of months. Interview with Leslie Griffith. Key Words: Leslie Griffith Chairman of Panel, Media: 09 CBC Radio - On The Go Reporter: Cindy Wall Date: 98/05/01, 16:40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cindy Wall: A decision today by the Voisey's Bay Environmental Review Panel could delay the public hearings by another couple of months. The panel has asked Voisey's Bay Nickel for more information on the effects of its proposed mine. Jeff Gilhuley: The decision came after months of public review and scrutiny by panel members of the nickel companies impact statement. Leslie Griffiths Chairs that panel and Cindy reached her in her home in Nova Scotia. Cindy Wall: Miss Griffiths can you explain for us how the panel came up with this decision to ask for more information from Voisey's Bay Nickel? Was it entirely based on your own reading of the statement or did the public play a large role here? Leslie Griffiths: Well certainly the Deficiency Statement is the, is the result of the panel's deliberations and it is our decision. The process that we used was that like many other people we spent some long hours reading the EIS very carefully and then of course we received many submissions, some quite long and detailed submissions from the public and also of course from federal and provincial agencies. So we got a lot of input there and we looked at that very carefully, then we held several days of meetings in which we went back to our guidelines, very carefully went through our guidelines, looked at our own comments from our own reading, looked at comments that we received from other people and tossed it round, round, and round and then eventually made our decision. So we certainly had a lot of input to consider, ultimately of course it is the panels decision. Cindy Wall: Can we go over then some of the areas that you do need more information on, what specifically are you looking for? Leslie Griffiths: Some of the things that we are looking for more information on is the Marine Transportation system. We are looking for some more information on the water and waste management proposals they have. We have focused on a couple of, some key geographic areas within the claim block and asked for some more information on those. Then we... Some more information on biological resources to fill out some of the impact assessment information they have given us. Finally we have asked for some more information on socio economic matters particularly relating to the labor force information, and stuff on insurance and liability provisions, and then finally some more information on monitoring and follow up. Cindy Wall: Oh those are some big, broad areas aren't they? Leslie Griffiths: Well we have tried to be quite specific within those areas about the information we feel is required to complete the EIS. Cindy Wall: I'm going to jump to one area that sort of stood out for me, that's mercury contaminant potential. Your saying there is just not enough of what can happen, you know if, what the potential is for some contamination there. Leslie Griffiths: Well the issue around that is that obviously mercury contamination is, in the north has been a question that many people have in other areas. So we found that when we went to the EIS we were not able to determine whether or not the project, it was likely that the project was in fact going to be releasing any additional mercury into the environment. It may be and it may not be, but we didn't find the information to, that would enable people to discuss that at the public hearings. So we just asked for the proponent to provide us with some basic information about that. Cindy Wall: Okay. Overall how did the original statement do in meeting the panels guidelines? Can you tell us that? Leslie Griffiths: There was certainly a great deal of information in the EIS and many of our guidelines were certainly met adequately. But there were some specific areas which we have identified in the statement that we feel we need more information. Cindy Wall: How much, I wonder, does this amount to, this additional information that's required? I'm not sure how far in depth now the company has to go that it hasn't already gone. I don't know if you can give us some sense of that? Leslie Griffiths: I think that's certainly for VBNC to respond to and to give some indication of how long they think it would take them to get the information. It's certainly never the panels intention to cause long delay's in the process, and in many cases when you read the deficiency statements you will see that we have in fact qualified our requests by saying that we would like the response based on currently available data so that in many cases we quite specifically asked the proponent not to go out and gather a whole lot of new data. Cindy Wall: Okay so once you do get the additional information then what happens? Does it go back to the public once again? Leslie Griffiths: Yes, there is another, somewhat shorter public review of that additional information. It will be out for public review for 45 days. When that period is ended the panel then has an additional 15 days in which we will determine whether this, with this additional information we now believe we can go forward to public hearings or not. Cindy Wall: Miss Griffiths thank you very much. Leslie Griffiths: Okay your welcome. Jeff Gilhuley: Leslie Griffiths is Chair of the Federal Environmental Panel that is reviewing the Voisey's Bay Project. The Premier isn't surprised that the Environmental Panel found deficiencies in the Voisey's Bay EIS report. Key Words: "Brian Tobin" Premier, Media: 09 CBC Radio - On The Go Reporter: Jeff Gilhuley Date: 98/05/01, 16:48 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jeff Gilhuley: The Premier, Brian Tobin also gave his reaction this afternoon to this news about the Voisey's Bay EIS. The Premier told reporters that he is not surprised the assessment panel found deficiencies in it, especially given the scope of the project. Brian Tobin: I think you have got recognize this is very large, very complex project. It is a green field site that's being developed, not an existing industrial site and frankly what the people should... what the public should draw from the conclusion today is that the environmental review process has integrity, that the panel is working, it's doing its job, it is not prepared to accept at face value a report notwithstanding the effort and the cost and the complexity that's gone into it, that they are asking additional questions. Quite frankly we have said from day one we want a project from many points of view including the environmental point of view which represents a world class undertaking. We are not in a hurry as a province to see from an environmental point of view shortcuts taken. So quite frankly it gives me added comfort that the process is an appropriate one, that at the end of the day I think this project is still deliverable within the kind of time frame that was talked about originally as it was announced, baring in mind somewhat of a delay which has already been built in. Frankly you can't rush the environmental requirements of this project, that's what we are seeing with today's decision. We are seeing that the process works, but there is nothing here in what has been handed down today which should cause any undue delay. There is a request, there is a demand, there is a requirement for additional information, but we are not talking about a demand that is going to set this back by six months or nine months or a year. This company ought to be able to respond to this within a month or two. That should not unduly affect the project. Jeff Gilhuley: Premier Brian Tobin speaking with reporters earlier this afternoon. --------- "RE: Lubicon Victory on Logging" --------- Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 07:29:26 -0230 From: Larry Innes Subj: Lubicon victory on logging Mailing List: Innu People Forum list PUBLICATION The Calgary Herald DATE Thu 21 May 1998 EDITION FINAL SECTION/CATEGORY News PAGE NUMBER A4 BYLINE Dennis Hryciuk, Edmonton Journal STORY LENGTH 416 Lubicon activists may end boycott of Daishowa Environmental activists are considering an end to a boycott against forestry giant Daishowa Inc. after the company promised Wednesday to refrain from logging land claimed by the Lubicon Cree band. The announcement, which comes a month after a court ruling allowing the boycott, looks promising, said Ed Bianchi, a spokesman for Friends of the Lubicon. "We're waiting for more specifics before we break open the champagne. "I'm cautiously optimistic that this means Daishowa is making a public commitment that we have asked them to make for the last seven years." Bianchi commented after Daishowa-Marubeni International Inc. announced it will not log in 10,000 square kilometres of land claimed by the Lubicon until the issue is settled by the Alberta and federal governments. A court decision last month that allowed resumption of a boycott against Daishowa must have played a part in the decision, Bianchi said. "Obviously, what was influential is the way the boycott gained momentum during the trial and after the decision." In late April, an Ontario judge quashed a 1996 injunction against the boycott. The judge ruled activists have a right to freedom of speech. Friends of the Lubicon and other supporters launched a boycott against paper bags sold by Daishowa, saying the company's logging threatened the Lubicon's way of life. The court case was certainly a factor in the latest announcement, said Jim Morrison, Edmonton general manager at Daishowa-Marubeni, a company affiliated with Daishowa Inc. But so was the Daishowa-Marubeni's recent decision to shelve its paper mill, which would have been added to the pulp mill near Peace River, Morrison said. That has allowed the company to renegotiate logging rights outside the Lubicon claim area, he said. "The boycott file is closed as far as we are concerned," Morrison said. Until now, Daishowa-Marubeni has voluntarily stayed out of the contested area. Lubicon band adviser Fred Lennarson said the company has not clearly stated if it would stay out of only a small 160-square-kilometre area or the much larger 10,000-square-kilometre region that forms part of the Lubicon land claim. If it is the larger area, the boycott would be wound down, Lennarson said. However, if Daishowa-Marubeni decided to eventually go ahead with the paper mill, "that raises a whole series of other questions," he said. Nonetheless, the Lubicon want a settlement to their 59-year-old struggle for land, Lennarson said. The Issue: Daishowa boycott. - What's New: Company promises to refrain from logging disputed Lubicon lands. - What's Next: Activists say boycott could be ended. --------- "RE: Canadian Ethnic Cleansing" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 02:32:36 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Cdn Ethnic Cleansing: "Eugenicsgate" :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: WHO IS KILLING CANADIAN HISTORY Canadian Forum magazine, May 1998 by Tony Hall There was much of the macabre in the Klein government's aborted move towards a Final Solution to end the legal legacy of Alberta's dark embrace between 1928 and 1971 of the tainted science of racial purification through the state-directed practice of eugenic medicine. It was strange to see how the Tories responded with such surprise to the surge of public indignation that the legislature was about to suspend the basic civil rights of one of society's most vulnerable and gruesomely violated groups. This attempt, in what might be called Eugenicsgate, to compound the victims' original surgical invasion with a second assault on their legal rights, came through the now infamous Bill 26. This legislation would have prohibited the courts from making an independent adjudication of the extent of the damage done as a result of the Crown's butchery of the family trees connected to the 4,728 individuals known to have been involuntarily sterilized. To clear the way for this second round of violation under the knife in order to eliminate their chances of having children, the Alberta government announced it would invoke the so-called "notwithstanding clause." The explosive potential inherent in any triggering of this extraordinary legal mechanism is equalled only in the federal power to disallow provincial legislation. Without a doubt, this most recent chapter of Eugenicsgate ranks as by far the darkest moment in the history of efforts to use or abuse the new constitution. The new twist in an old story has many implications, not the least of which is probably to expose Ralph Klein as unfit for national leadership of the PC party. If Alberta were home to a relatively normal and decent political culture, there might be a chance that the Premier would acknowledge the gravity of what has transpired and resign with an apology to the citizenry. As it is, however, Alberta has been so unshakably ruled for so long by the same small Family Compact, who maintain power by periodically switching political hats from Social Credit to PC to Reform, that it seems there can be no scandal serious enough to rupture the continuity of this province's dynastic succession. Indeed, in his glib explanation that "the lawyers made me do it" Ralph Klein demonstrates well the extent of the political illness that plagues this province. For a long time now, the rule of men has been allowed to prevail over the rule of law in this resource-rich jurisdiction where easy oil money has long permitted the ruling dynasty to smooth over the problems generated by stupidity or corruption. To underline the seriousness of the malaise exposed by Eugenicsgate, I don't think it beyond the realm of fair comparison to equate our situation in Alberta to that of a group who entered the police station only to find the authorities there casually donning their jackboots and white KKK outfits. I picture the authorities looking at our shocked reaction with surprise and then removing their racist garb with assurances that their outfits will go back into the closet and that we can just pick up where we left off. While I would expect many to react with fast hostility against such extreme imagery, allow me to support this metaphor with reference to information contained in Angus McLaren's history of eugenics in Canada entitled Our Own Master Race. In that text, Professor McLaren details the extensive collaboration before the Second World War of Canada's leading proponents of eugenics, including Madge Thurlow Macklin, with similar enthusiasts in Nazi Germany. The author details the continuation of state-sanctioned eugenics in Alberta until 1971, by which time there were very few White Anglo-Saxon Protestant victims. Instead a disproportionate number of those deemed too biologically degenerate to procreate were Catholics or Eastern Europeans. Referring to the official body overseeing the involuntary sterilization, McLaren adds, "In the last years of the Board's activities, Indians and Metis, who represented only 2.5 per cent of Alberta's population, accounted for over 25 per cent of those sterilized." Of course, many Native people and their allies will be very familiar with the kind of justifications made by Premier Klein in introducing Bill 26, when he proclaimed that anything bad that has happened took place a long time ago in some milieu totally unconnected to today's Alberta. This kind of rationalization aimed at distancing citizens and governments from any collective responsibility for state crimes is typical of right-wing regimes. It is an approach that demonstrates that Klein's real place is among the history impaired Reformers rather than in the PC party. Under Jean Charest or Joe Clark's influence, the PC's never entirely abandoned their authentic conservative roots apart from the Reformesque mania to forge an unabashedly Darwinistic New World Order. In his move to suspend the Canadian Charter of Rights in order to bring a legal end to Alberta's direct responsibility for almost 5,000 individual crimes against humanity, Ralph Klein has given a clear indication of the dangerous disregard for the rule of law at the highest levels of this provincial government. Moreover, in paternalistically characterizing this move as a humanitarian act of compassion for the surviving victims as well as a convenient expedient to protect the taxpayers of Alberta, Mr. Klein has effectively repeated the main features of the arguments given to justify the original sterilizations. Thus, in attempting to put distance between the provincial PCs and the crimes committed by the old Manning government, the Premier has inadvertently shown the striking continuity that runs through the province's leadership from generation to generation. Accordingly, the relationship of Eugenicsgate to the Unite-the-Right movement deserves much careful scrutiny, especially given that Preston Manning's own brother was kept with so many of the other patients deemed genetically unfit at the now-infamous Michener Centre in Red Deer. In Who Killed Canadian History? Jack Granatstein argues that Canada is becoming a country of amnesiacs with very little collective knowledge, interest, respect or curiosity about our shared past. This thesis was painfully illustrated by the speed with which the media dropped the story of Eugenicsgate once Ralph Klein backed away from using the "notwithstanding" clause. How was it that even decades after the really big Eugenics experiment in Nazi Germany, the government of Alberta continued to provide thousands of human beings for similar purposes? How is it that so many questions go unanswered and so little demand to know more about this astounding assertion of Master Race authority? Unfortunately, these questions remain because of Professor Granatstein's own assertions as a champion and a apologist for closing down the Somalia Inquiry as well as the preference of too many Canadian's for silence and cover-up rather than truth and reckoning when it comes to racism and fascism. Who is killing Canadian history? I would place particular responsibility on all those building barriers to the Canadian people's right to have full public inquiries into a growing list of scandals which we need to understand more fully if we are ever to come to terms with the darker side of our body politic. Thus to the list of smelly coverups including those connected to the Somali scandal, to the role of the Harris government in the murder at Ipperwash of Dudley George, to the Indian fighting tactics used to quell the Native stand at Gustafsen Lake, and to the specifics of what happened over more than a century in Canada's Indian residential schools, we can now add the unacknowledged racist dimension of Eugenicsgate. Tony Hall teaches Native American Studies at the University of Lethbridge email: hall@uleth.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------ STOP THE "SMELLY COVERUPS" OF CANADIAN RACISM AND GENOCIDE Prime minister of Canada Jean Chretien: mailto:remote-printer.Jean_Chretien@16139416900.iddd.tpc.int Alberta Premier Ralph Klein c/o mailto:AltaTalk@gov.ab.ca BC NDP Premier Glen Clark (demand a Gustafsen inquiry) - mailto:premier@gov.bc.ca More information on: Gustafsen Lake: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/gustmain.html Stoney Point (aka Ipperwash): http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/Ipperwash/00arcmai.html Somalia scandal: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/GustLake/jul03sis.html Canadian residential schools atrocities: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/resschool/main.html :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Traditional Hopi Elders Viewpoint" --------- Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 14:31:52 -0400 From: not@inthe.game (justanoldman) Subj: Re: Techqua Ikachi: Land and Life - The Hopi Traditional Hopi Elders Viewpoint Newsgroup: alt.native In article <35675c93.54387209@news.digitalpla.net>, williamscottanderson@yahoo.com (Wm. Scott Anderson) wrote: Here's the scoop on the phonies & pretenders on this website, straight from the TRUE Hopi elders. As of 23 March 1998... Hope you pay attention & stop promoting these clowns, williamscottanderson Issues- Press Releases from Hotevilla Priesthood Assembly January 6, 1997- In a historic meeting held on Jan 5, 1997 at the Kokop clan house in Hotevilla, members of the four Hopi religious priesthoods decided to restrict access to the village. Severe limitations were put on new-age interpretation and appropriation of Hopi religious practices which include the disassembling of their shrines on Hotevilla lands. They also agreed to expose self appointed leaders and spokespersons of Hotevilla. Kyashongewma, Neil Kayquoptewa who called for the meeting stated, "All my life we here in Hotevilla have been plagued by self appointed leaders who have created confusion in this village with the support of outsiders. We have talked about meeting on this for a number of years and now the priesthood members have made their decision." Neil, who is 82 years old has been appointed through traditional practices to lead the village through the current cycle. It was decided to invoke the kiva practices which require each member to state his position and truth from the authority of the kiva into which they have been initiated, which is also considered his home. STATEMENT of WIWIMKYAM of Hotevilla: OUR TUNATYA We the ordained members of the first Wimi, the original religious instructions, have gathered on this day of January 5, 1997 at the Kokop clan house in Hotevilla. In consultation among the four priesthoods Aalt, Wuwuchim, Tataukyam and Kwakwant together we set forth our tunatya, our wishes : 1. That all people outside of our village and our jurisdiction stop interfering in our religious affairs and religious practices and That the village ceremonial and religious events are closed to non-Hopis. 2. That all non-Hopi shrines be obliterated from Hotevilla lands 3. That self designated religious leaders be exposed and stopped. 4. That all people accepting our hospitality learn and accept our ways of proper conduct and respect before entering our village. Signatories Josovi Kiva-Wuwuchim members Kyashhongewma-Neil Kayquaptewa, and Tsosyumptewa- Franklin Suhu Kwan Kiva -Kwakwant members Roger Nasevaema, Wilton Kooyahoema, Enos Selestewa, Hugh Tenakhongva Hawiovi Kiva -Wuwuchim members Dan Evehema,Wuwuchim Member absent Declines to sign StanleyDash,Wuwuchim Member Nasavi Kiva-Aalt member Leslie Kootshongsie Tsukiva-Wuwuchim members Humihoima-Simon Wuwuchim, Homer Koyiyumptewa, Posiwyawma-Carrol (in rest home) Tao Kiva-Tao members Wesley Honanie, Poleykuiva Matthew (absent) Paul Sewemaenewa (absent) HOTEVILLA WIWIMKYAM ASSEMBLY Press Release-1/20/97 HOTEVILLA, AZ.-In a followup meeting, member's of Hotevilla's four religious fraternities( Aalt, Wuwuchimt, Tatawkaymt, Kwakwant) con-firmed that the village is closed to those who have shown disregard and disrespect during religious and ceremonial activities at Hotevilla, including certain individuals and/or outside groups who continue to cause disruption and confrontation. Elaborating on the restrictions they reminded the people that a Hopi is one who has received the full religious instructions. After that a Hopi is one whose mother is Hopi. Recognizing other Indians who have been initiated into the Katsina society, they are reminded they have priveleges and a reason to be present at the ceremonies. In-laws were also included in those invited to be present at the ceremonies. Finally those type of relationships that promote good and respectful exchanges between Hotevilla Sinom and Non-Hopit were encouraged. The recent developments are a direct result of years of abuse from outsiders who have made Hotevilla religious and ceremonial activities a spectacle. Non-Hopit have come to Hotevilla in the past and have followed religious processions too closely, imitated Hopi religious/ ceremonial activities, i.e., Paho (Prayer Feather) and shrine making, which shows disrespect for Hopi traditions and culture. Some Non-Hopit have taken various religious items from Hopi shrines and illegally bought old Hopi artifacts, some of which had high religious significance. A priority is the matter of individuals and groups who have used the name Hotevilla and/or Hopi to promote themselves, their causes and organizations without acknowledging respected and accepted community practices. These people have appropriated Hotevilla traditional/ religious Navoti (knowledge) for self promotion and personal economic gain. The Wiwimkyam want the public to know that certain individuals and groups must be exposed and the public record set straight on these people. The group restated their authority as originating from the assembly of Wiwimkyam and not one single individual. They wanted this repeated and understood. A deliberate accounting of their positions on these matters will be released in a thoughtful manner. A public meeting is anticipated soon. Meanwhile the Hotevilla Community development office has been designated as the information referral center. For more information call: 520-734-2420. HOTEVILLA WIWIMKYAM ASSEMBLY Hotevilla. Press Release-2/4/97 Following the recent night dances at Hotevilla it has become clear that Martin Gasweseoma and Dan Evehema will continue to encourage their supporters to defy the assembly of Wiwimkyam. Unwelcome individuals attended the dances in Hawiovi Kiva and outside, in direct defiance of the closure terms. In response to these individuals and their supporters the Wiwimkyam assembly are resolved to expose the reckless behavior of these two self-appointed chiefs. Martin and Dan do not hold any positions of religious authority in Hotevilla. Succession to leadership positions in Hotevilla are as follows: The Kikmongwi (village chief) and the Wim Momgwit (high priests) hold life long positions or until they no longer can perform the physical requirements of their position. They are selected while in the mother's womb. They are ordained in a hairwashing ritual by the Kwakwant. Then they are instructed in the physical, natural and spiritual laws of the Land and their responsibilities to the people, by the assembly of high priests at the Kokop Clan house, wherein resides Masau. This same assembly removes irresponsible leaders. Martin and Dan have never gone through this process. No Bear Clan person has been Kikmongwi at Hotevilla. Poliwuhioma from the Bluebird Clan has served as Kikmongwi, during Patcavu. He passed this on to Siwihoima who then instructed Lomahoima. Yukioma and Pongyayawma (Kokop Clan uncle and nephew) have served as caretakers of the land, beyond the village proper, through safekeeping of the stone tablets, holding them in trust for the people. These tablets provides safe passage for the people so they have served the people in the village and throughout Hopi lands, through this service. This has been the leadership at Hotevilla. Martin and Dan are aware of their responsibilities in the community which does not include the authority to speak for the people. Dan claims Greasewood Clan, Katsina and Snake leadership and holds none of these but only membership in the Wuwuchim and in that membership he takes direction from the Wuwuchim at the Mong (Chief) Kiva. He has never been seen smoking and praying at the Katsin-ki, or any other Kiva during religious events, nor at community events such as weddings. Both know that a Hopi leader stays at home, available to the community but Martin's trips abroad selling his message are well known and Dan is seldom seen in the village. Both are engaged in Paho making outside of religiously prescribed places and times. Persons not entitled to this ritual are learning from them and so are engaged in the mockery of original, accepted practices. Martin and Dan try to emulate Yukioma's resolve never to accept the Whiteman's goods. The Whitemen arrive daily at Martin's house with material goods. Dan seeks contributions over the internet. Thomas Banyacya, Manuel Hoyungowa, Rena Murillo, Emory Holmes and non-Hopis Katherine Chesire (founder of Touch the Earth Foundation), Thomas E. Mails (author of Hotevilla, The Hopi Survival Kit, Native American Pathways, Mystic Warriors of the Plains) and Roy Steevenz continue to seek contributions for Hotevilla, supposedly with the Elders' blessings. Do not send contributions to Hotevilla, on their behalf or those of Caretaker's of Hotvela in Hopi and Hopi Sinom. Also be wary of contributions to Hotevilla through, Don't Waste Arizona, Inc.. The people of Hotevilla will confirm this information. Those from outside the community who continue to create conflict are in headlong collision with the community. Gratitude is extended to the non-Hopi friends who respected the closure and showed restraint although they had a long history of attending these events. Gratitude also goes out to those assisting with the distribution of this information. On file, Eleven (11) of fifteen (15) Wiwimkyam signatories to Tunatya. For more information call: Phone: 520-734-2420 --------- "RE: FCNL Native American Legislative Updates" --------- Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 13:45:13 -0400 From: Aura Kanegis Subj: FCNL Native American Legislative Updates for May 19, 1998 UUCP email FCNL Native American Legislative Updates for May 19, 1998 The following are updates and action suggestions from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) regarding Indian affairs legislation for the coming two weeks. These messages focus on selected legislation which Congress is considering now, and suggest some points that you may wish to make in your communications with Congress. These messages are intended as a supplement to other FCNL Native American Program materials and do not reflect FCNL's complete policy position on any issue, nor do they include all pertinent facts on any topic. For more information, or to request the FCNL Indian Report and other background documents, please contact Aura Kanegis, FCNL Legislative Advocate for Native American Affairs: (202) 547-6000 ext. 113; 245 2nd St. NE, Washington, DC 20002; aura@fcnl.org. INDIAN TRIBES AND STATE RETAIL SALES TAXES. The Senate is scheduled to consider the National Tobacco Policy and Youth Smoking Reduction Act (S 1415) beginning May 18. Section 604, introduced by Sen. Gorton (WA), would require Indian tribes to collect and pay state sales and excise taxes on tobacco to the federal Treasury, which would then remit these taxes to the states. The legislation would: preempt and undermine over 200 existing successful state-tribal compacts; remove any incentive for states to cooperate with tribes in negotiating future compacts; and unfairly single out Indian Tribal governments under the guise of "eliminating pricing disparities" while ignoring the fact that such disparities will continue to exist between States. Proponents of Section 604 argue that the provision would eliminate price disparities between the cost of cigarettes sold on and off Indian reservations. Yet the legislation does not address the obvious disparities between states in cigarette taxes. For example, the tax on a pack of cigarettes in the District of Columbia is 65 cents per pack. In Virginia, however, the tax on a pack of cigarettes ranges between 37.5 cents at maximum and 2.5 cents at minimum. Ignoring these obvious inequities, Section 604 would unfairly penalize Indian Tribal Governments under the guise of attaining price parity. Legislation that would impose changes of this magnitude in Indian Country should not be brought to a vote in the Senate until after tribal governments have been consulted and it has been given full consideration by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (SCIA). The SCIA has not been given the opportunity to hold hearings on this, and the Senate has had no opportunity to examine how this proposal would impact on tribal governments, federal-tribal relations, and tribal and local economies. Further, tribes have not been consulted or given an opportunity to testify on these controversial proposals. ACTION: Please contact your Senators to ask that they vote to strike Section 604 from S 1415 when the motion to remove the provision comes to the Senate floor for a vote. FY99 BUDGET. In April, the Senate set allocation levels for the thirteen FY99 appropriations bills. Under the Senate budget resolution, the total allocation for Interior appropriations would be $13.3 billion, down from the FY98 level of $13.8 billion and far short of the President's FY99 request of $14.1 billion. This is a troubling beginning for the appropriations bill that funds most Indian programs. In FY96, federal funding for Indian programs fell 13% short of the president's budget request, including dramatic cuts in funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development programs for New Indian Housing, and the Indian Health Service. In FY97 and FY98, funding for these programs continued to fall short of the President's modest request. In a year when the U.S. economy is booming and the federal government is expecting to raise a $50 billion dollar surplus, the federal government should be investing in the country's poorest communities, not cutting their budgets. ACTION: The Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee will likely begin to mark up the appropriations bill in early June. Please contact members of this subcommittee to urge that they fund Indian programs at or above the President's request. SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY. On May 20, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee is scheduled to mark-up S 1691, legislation introduced by Sen. Gorton (WA) which would waive tribal government immunity across a broad range of governmental functions and subject tribal governments to lawsuits in federal and state courts. This legislation would not advance the cause of due process in Indian Country, and would deeply undermine the ability of tribes to govern themselves by leaving them exposed to potentially crippling law suits by private individuals and organizations challenging their day-to-day governance decisions. Rather than seeking to undermine tribal governments in this way, members of Congress should be working to strengthen tribal court systems, to build their capacity to better ensure due process for all people in Indian Country. ACTION: Contact members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to urge that they oppose S 1691. Ask that the Committee seek ways to address justice in Indian Country in collaboration with tribes, in a manner that will enhance rather than abridge tribal sovereignty. For background information on sovereign immunity, request FCNL document # G-828-NA. For a copy of the FCNL-AFSC joint testimony on sovereign immunity, request document #T-854-NA from FCNL. --------- "RE: NYM Westbank Occupation" --------- Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 17:52:58 -0700 (PDT) From: John Shafer Subj: NYM Press Release: Westbank Occupation Please distribute widely MAY 25, 1998 - PRESS RELEASE NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT PROTEST BC TREATY COMMISSION PROCESS: WESTBANK FIRST NATION ADMINISTRATION OFFICES As a result of a four (4) day gathering on the Native Youth Movement in Westbank, we the youth of the Okanagan Nation have decided to stage a protest by "occupying" the offices of the Westbank Indian Band. (aka Westbank First Nation) We demand that all levels of government immediately terminate the fraudulent and illegal British Columbia Treaty Process!!! We young people fully understand that the BC Treaty process was designed to dispossess us youth of our aboriginal title to our lands and our inherent rights to the resources contained within our territories. The Chief and Council of the so called Westbank First Nation have no right to negotiate away our aboriginal title and rights. Our Okanagan Nation Tribal Lands belong to us, the youth, and to the future generations of our Okanagan People from now until the end of time. No single "Band" or so-called, self-appointed "First Nation" has the right to "sell out" our inheritance or birthright. We were put on Mother Earth to protect the land and rights of the people of the entire Okanagan Nation. We have called on our Brothers and Sisters in the Native Youth Movement to support us in our action. Any attack on our rights is also an attack on their rights. All Native Youth have an undeniable right to fight to protect their aboriginal rights from being sold-out by any and all corrupt Native leaders who, in return for money, shamelessly collaborate with all levels of government!! We will not stop protesting until we see an end to the "sell-out" British Columbia Treaty Process. For further information Contact: Rose Caldwell 250-490-5314 Tori Baptiste 250-490-5314 Shane Kruger 250-490-5314 --------- "RE: Mexican Indigenous Congress Calls for Uprising" --------- Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 18:20:28 GMT From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Mexican Indigenous Congress calls for uprising!! :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: The Irish Times, Wednesday, May 20, 1998 Congress calls uprising to protect districts Zapatista-style communities are spreading as the government vows to crush them, Michael McCaughan reports from San Cristobal de las Casas Mexico's indigenous people rallied to the cause of the Chiapas rebels last week, announcing the creation of Zapatista-style autonomous districts in five states which stretch halfway across the country. "I will finish off the autonomous municipalities," warned Chiapas governor Roberto Albores Guillen, after dismantling the second of 38 Zapatista rebel districts. Mexico's National Indigenous Congress (CNI), with representatives of Mexico's 56 indigenous peoples, responded by calling for a "national uprising" and the creation of autonomous districts beyond Chiapas. Members of Mexico's Mixtec, Chontal, Huasteca, Chinanteco and Nahuatl indigenous peoples immediately announced plans to set up autonomous districts in Tabasco, Hidalgo, Michoacan, Guerrero and even Mexico City, citing the nation's constitution as the legal basis for the initiative. "We're fed up being obliged to vote for the PRI (Mexico's ruling party) in return for road works and healthcare," said Ms Laura Garcia Vazquez, a Mixtec leader from Guerrero state. She was accompanied by 2,000 Mixtec Indians and 70 bilingual teachers, who declared nearby Rancho Nuevo Democracia an autonomous district, uniting 30 Mixtec villages. In Atlapexco, Hidalgo state, a coalition of independent indigenous organisations also took steps to establish their own autonomous district, arguing that local authority offices were located too far from their villages and that "imposed authorities" failed to respond to local needs. "It's the only hope we have of living in peace," said Mr Jaime Cortes, a Huasteca Indian leader. Over 100 Huasteca villagers have been killed in the past two decades, with 500 imprisoned in 1980 alone, in an ongoing struggle for recognition of communal lands. Mexico's constitution permits the establishment of new municipalities once five legal requirements are fulfilled. The law demands political, economic and social viability for the proposed district, but final approval rests with each state congress, where the ruling party has until now enjoyed a clear majority. The centre-left Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), led by Mexico City Mayor Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, criticised the dissolution of Zapatista rebel districts and promised to back the proposed autonomous zones around the country. In Nezahualcoyotl, a working-class suburb of Mexico City with 800,000 inhabitants, Zapatista supporters petitioned the government this week for a referendum to consider converting the suburb into an autonomous district, a request repeated in San Nicolas Ecatepec, also in Mexico State. In Tabasco, north of Chiapas, Auldarico Hernandez, PRD deputy and Chontal Indian, announced the creation of three autonomous municipalities in his electoral district, describing the move as a "direct response to army aggression against Zapatista communities in Chiapas state." At least 60,000 Mexican troops have pinned down Zapatista rebels inside their jungle bases while 300 fires sent billowing clouds of smoke toward Zapatista communities, destroying coffee plants and obliging hundreds of villagers to seek medical attention for respiratory ailments. The nationwide autonomy fever came just as Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo criticised foreign observers for focusing on Chiapas's indigenous population and neglecting the 'advances' of other indigenous peoples. "Mexico is not one state, nor is it one problem, and it is not all Chiapas," Mr Zedillo told Mexicans last Thursday, as events once more outpaced his words. Interior Minister Francisco Labastida also announced plans to modify rules for human rights observers visiting Chiapas. This followed a chaotic visit by 135 Italians, 40 of whom were expelled for going to Taniperlas, a rebel administration dismantled a month ago. From now on observer groups cannot exceed 10 members, may stay a maximum of 10 days in the country, and must inform the government of the places and people they intend to interview. The US-based Human Rights Watch denounced the new rules.. If observers are deemed to have broken the rules they will be subject to deportation or community service work, such as "three days of road-sweeping," Mexico's Interior Ministry warned this week. "With a little luck we may end up fighting forest fires in Zapatista territory," joked one departing Italian last Monday. Five Canadian parliamentarians arrived the same day, continuing the close monitoring of the Chiapas conflict, which remains the defining issue in Mexican politics. (c) Copyright: The Irish Times :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Guatemala" --------- Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 16:08:54 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Fwd:URGENT ACTION GUATEMALA S.I.S.I.S. note: The Defensoria Maya have given support and solidarity to the struggles of many indigenous peoples, including the Ts'peten (Gustafsen Lake) Defenders. We at S.I.S.I.S. ask everyone to return that solidarity now, when the Defensoria Maya so desperately need it. Addresses and emails are at the end of the message. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:Forwarded message:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 17:04:36 -0600 (MDT) From: Defensoria Maya Guatemala, 20 de Mayo de 1998 URGENT ACTION On May 16th 1998 at 7.00 p.m., two armed and unknown men, both robust, intimidated and issued death threats to Licenciado Ovidio Paz Bal, one of the lawyers of Defensoria Maya. The event occurred in the municipio of Solol=E1 in the Department of Solol=E1. According to the victim he got off the bus that he had taken from the capital city and was on his way home when he was followed by the two men. The said individuals told him: "stop, if you don't we are going to shoot you in the head, as well as Juan and Ricardo". Whilst the lawyer asked for help in a nearby shop and the unknown men left the vicinity. The people to whom the men were referring as victims are Juan Leon, the national coordinator of Defensoria Maya and Ricardo Sulugui Juracan, the regional coordinator of Defensoria Maya in Solol=E1. As Defensoria Maya we are worried that these events exist within an evidently more general context of threats, intimidation and extra-judicial executions that are being carried out by paramilitary groups. Juan Leon is one of the leaders of the Pueblo Maya and has worked over various decades for the promotion and defence of indigenous rights and human rights, not only in Guatemala but in the international context, including work with the United Nations. Ricardo Sulugui is a leader of the Pueblo Maya Kakchikel who has worked arduously against militarisation and the eradication of the civil patrols, these activities among others contributing to the struggle for the full respect of the rights of the Pueblo Maya and of human rights in general. At present he is one of the negotiators for the Pueblo Maya Kakchikel of Solol=E1 in relation to the construction of a Maya University in Solol=E1, in the site occupied by Military Zone number 14. Licenciado Ovidio Paz is a member of the judicial commission of Defensoria Maya. Through the application of Maya Customary Law and Guatemalan state law, the said commission has contributed to the resolution of various conflicts nationally and locally in Guatemala. As members and community and municipal delegates of Defensoria Maya and as representatives of the linguistic communities of the Pueblo Maya, we give our full support to our coordinators and we wish them strength and spirit in continuing the struggle for the full respect of our rights as Maya people and for the end to discrimination. At the same time we renounce and condemn the events of intimidation that not only are the members of our organisation subject to, but equally subject are members of other organisations struggling for the preservation of peace and the respect of human rights. In order that events of pain and death do not continue occurring in our country and that the Government of Guatemala clarifies and resolves the said events, we demand that it control and disarm the paramilitary groups. We implore MINUGUA, the diplomatic corps in Guatemala and other national governments, as organisations and institutions of human rights and indigenous rights, that they reinforce their observation of the evolution of human rights in Guatemala and that they give public recognition of their support for our leaders who are in mortal danger. As Mayans we are convinced that peace justice and the construction of a Pluricultural and Plurilingual Guatemalan state and nation cannot occur whilst Guatemalan men and women are assassinated and intimidated. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:End forwarded message:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to: Alvaru Arzu, President Palacio Nacional, Nivel 2 6 Calle entre 6 y 7 Avenida, Zona 1 01001 Guatemala Ciudad Guatemala mailto:alvaroarzu@guate.net webpage Gobernador Departamental Parque Central Ciudad de Solola, Solola Guatemala phone 502-9-621473 Canada and the US: Prime Minister Jean Chretien Room 309-S Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ont. K1A OA6 Canada Phone: (613) 992-4211 Fax: (613) 941-6900 mailto:remote-printer.Jean_Chretien@16139416900.iddd.tpc.int President William Clinton The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA Phone: (202) 456-1414 Fax: (202) 456-2886 or (202) 456-2461 mailto:remote-printer.William_Clinton@12024562886.iddd.tpc.int webpage :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Freedom to Pay" --------- Date: Mon, May 18, 1998 1:34 PM EDT From: SISIS@envirolink.org Subj: NDP moves to muzzle FOI :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: FREEDOM TO PAY BC Report, May 11, 1998, Page 13 [S.I.S.I.S. note: Researchers report that requests concerning Gustafsen Lake to BC's Freedom of Information office remain unanswered. Similar interference has been experienced by land claims researchers seeking access to BC archives. See The following mainstream news article may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. It is provided for reference only.] One of Mike Harcourt's few universally praised accomplishments as premier was the passage of an effective freedom-of-information law. However, Darrell Evans, executive director of the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, said late last month that the Clark government has now prepared a plan "to neutralize" the law. Mr. Evans said in a press release that he had learned the government was planning to: double fees for FOI requests (to $60 an hour and 50 cents a page for photocopying); cut by 50% the budgets of the offices that respond to FOI requests; insist that FOI officers charge fees wherever possible. Within days, Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh confirmed that his ministry's $609,000 annual FOI budget is being cut for fiscal year 1998-99 - by 60%, not just 50%. Later, Advanced Education Minister Andrew Petter maintained that only 10% is being cut from the $21 million a year it costs to administer the Freedom of Information Act. "The government declared its intention to raise fees a year ago, but they backed off after a flurry of criticism," Mr. Evans said. "It's a measure of how much the current government hates freedom of information that these drastic changes are being made while the FOI act is under review by an all-party legislative committee, and its public consultations aren't even finished." :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to the BC Report - bcreport@axionet.com In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: McLeod Lake Land Claim" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 02:32:13 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: McLeod Lake land claim :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: INDIAN BAND NEAR ACCORD IN 99 YEAR OLD BC CLAIM Vancouver Sun, May 19, 1998 Page B8 (CP) [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. It is provided for reference only.] Prince George - The McLeod Lake Indian Band has signed an agreement-in-principle and is close to settling a 99 year old land claim with the provincial and federal governments. The 387-member band, based near the north end of McLeod Lake about 150 kilometres north of Prince George, signed the tentative agreement last week to accept the terms of Treaty No.8. Negotiator Andrew Schuck said the agreement, which sees the band get 19,800 hectares of land and about $20 million, is a good one for the band and a final agreement could be reached by the fall. "We think it's a good deal and we're going to recommend it to the band members," Schuck said. "There will be a referendum held in the fall, a ratification vote." Treaty No. 8 was originally signed in 1899 and covers a portion of northern BC and Alberta. It involves a number of other bands, including seven in BC. Two others originally included in Treaty No. 8, the Tsay Kay Dene and Fort Ware bands, are currently in the BC treaty negotiation process and are trying to reach deals under new terms. Schuck said the deal involves $9.3 million from the federal government, about $10 million from the province for stumpage for trees cut on the land and about $2 million for court costs from Canada and the province. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to the Vancouver Sun - mailto:sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Citizen Hearings on Great Lakes" --------- Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 07:56:50 -0700 From: Toronto Environmental Alliance Subj: CITIZEN HEARINGS ON GREAT LAKES AND ST. LAWRENCE RIVER WATER POLLUTION --------------------------------------------------------------- CITIZEN HEARINGS ON GREAT LAKES AND ST. LAWRENCE RIVER WATER POLLUTION June 23 - Oct. 9, 1998 --------------------------------------------------------------- Exercise your right to clean drinking water and safe food. Demand government action to protect the Lakes and River from industrial chemicals. Great Lakes United (GLU) is coming to a town near you to listen and deliver your concerns to our governments. We need your stories and experiences in living with pollution & local successes in restoring and protecting your neighbourhoods. At the hearings, you can help: -Protect the health of your children from industrial releases of harmful chemicals. -Increase access to the Lakes in your community. -Ensure your right to know what chemicals are being released into your community and the Great Lakes. -Stop the loss of habitat and basin wildlife. -Protect the right to safe and sustainable jobs. To attend or help plan a hearing call your local organizer or call GLU's Hearings Organizer Shelly Petrie @ (416) 596-0660 Have Your Say Clean Water Now! -------------------------------------------------------------- HEARING SCHEDULE & LOCAL ORGANIZER -------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, June 23 - Green Bay, Wisconsin Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin (920) 437-7304; cwac@execpc.com Saturday, July 11 - Hamilton, Ontario Community Action Parkdale East (905) 545-9856/(fax)-7304 Tuesday, July 7 - Detroit/Windsor Citizens Environmental Alliance (CEA) (519) 973-1116; cea@web.net Saturday, September 12 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Clean North (705) 945-1573; cleannorth@web.net Saturday, September 19 - Duluth, Minnesota Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (218) 726-1828; lakes@cp.duluth.mn.us Thursday, September 24 - Gary, Indiana Save The Dunes Council (219) 879-3937; std@savedunes.org Grand Calumet Task Force (219)473-4246; gctf@igc.org Tuesday, Oct 6 - Buffalo, New York Citizens' Environmental Coalition (716) 798-0111; dianecec@aol.com Friday, Oct. 9 - Montreal, Quebec Societe pour Vaincre la Pollution (514) 844-5477 GLU Montreal (514) 396-3333 sgingras@glu.org TBA (Fall) - Toronto, Ontario Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) (416) 596-0660; tea@web.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------- We work hard to ensure clean drinking water, safe food, pollution-free neighbourhoods and a healthy future for our children. Yet, everyday factories, incinerators and sewage treatment plants release harmful chemicals into the water, our air and backyards. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA), signed in 1972 by the US and Canadian governments promises to protect the Lakes and our health. But, recent government cutbacks and industry's successful attempts to deregulate environmental laws have placed our health and the environment in even more danger. This year the GLWQA is under review by Canada/US governments. Join Great Lakes United (GLU) and other groups across the Lakes to produce a 'citizens' agenda' for pollution prevention and the clean up of contaminated sites. Hamilton's PVC plastics fire, releasing terrifying amounts of cancer-causing dioxin into Lake Ontario, cannot happen again. Detroit River's grossly contaminated sediments must be cleaned up. Demand action. Our voices are critical to instill political will in our government leaders. Citizens' of the basin own the GLWQA. Public outcry for clean water created the Agreement. Clean Water Now! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Toronto Environmental Alliance mailto:tea@web.net http://www.reuse.org ph 416.596.0660 fx 416.596-0345 122 st. patrick st. #209 toronto ontario m5t 2x8 --------- "RE: Another Small Victory" --------- Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 00:40:45 -0700 From: Barbara Russell Subj: Another small victory Mailing List: NA-FORUM-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU The tribes in Washington State had to go to court to get the State and local government to honor the treaty (nothing new for NA). It was decided that tribes had a right to 50% of the shellfish harvest. Many land owners aren't too happy about the Indians right to set foot on "their" land to gather shell fish. One of the major land owners in the Puget Sound area is the U.S. Navy -- and the military often isn't seen as a friend to Native Americans. Well the local tribes have won another small victory for their rights and for respect from -- of all governmental bodies -- the U.S. Navy. Bangor Sub Base is on the Hood Canal. A bit of geography of some of you land locked folks on this list. There is a peninsula next to the Pacific Ocean called the Olympic Peninsula. This is a very large land mass and it sort of looks like the lower jaw -- the very big opening to the north is call the Straight of Juan de Fuca which connects to Puget Sound. Between Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula can be found Kitsap Peninsula (Kitsap was a local Indian Chief). Bangor Sub Base is on the west side of Kitsap and the body of water between Kitsap and the Olympic Peninsula is called Hood Canal. There is a bridge connecting Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas (this floating bridge sunk in 1979). The U.S. Navy owns a very large chuck of water front oyster bed loaded real estate. The Point No Point Treaty Counsel has been negotiating with the U.S. Navy for treaty access to the Oyster beds. So the wild-life manager of the base is giving the Treaty Counsel the larger bed, which contains 50% of the oysters to manage. The Treaty Counsel will manage and harvest. These beds have been untouched for generations -- so they should yield thousands of oysters. I have a feeling that the local tribes will be teaching the whites about resource management. This was probably missing in your local news -- my husband is always on the lookout for pro Native American News stories and picked up a copy of the local Navy Times. No other news organization has picked up this story. This week the Native American Tribes in Washington State had two small victories. All Native Americans should rejoice for them -- IMHO. Barbara Russell Barbara Russell & GYPSY West of Seattle, Washington, West Coast North America --------- "RE: Thanks to Those who Sent Seeds" --------- Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 13:10:39 -0600 (MDT) From: Rosalie Little Thunder Subj: saturday UUCP email I never took the time to properly thank you, Janet & Gary and all those good people out there that helped with replacing lost seeds. There is always a reason for what happens...sometimes it is hard to find the lesson in it, but sometimes it is obvious. I was worried that the theft would not only affect the material project, but would be discouraging to some otherwise fine people that are struggling to be of use to others. But the seeds came, wrapped in the caring of strangers who gave, probably never to get credit for it. Anonymous giving is the ultimate of compassion. So now, the folks at Pepperland Farm are planting and planting. Dustyn sustained a knee injury, but he hobbled along anyway, not wanting the seeds to go to waste. They've overcome their test, learning that there are wonderful hearts out there. And they can go on, working not for themselves, but extending the generosity beyond their project. During all of this, they were worrying about the Black Mesa folks in Arizona that were also struggling with their permaculture farming efforts too. So the generosity and compassionate are passed on and on; those were the seeds that were sent, planted, and are growing. I thank all those that responded so quickly with open hearts. The goodness will come back, when it has traveled the circle that we so firmly believe in. Mitakuye Oyas'in (All my relatives), Rosalie Little Thunder --------- "RE: Native American Music Awards" --------- Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 04:27:19 -0400 (EDT) From: NAMMYS (by way of Dan Smoke ) Subj: Native American Music Awards UUCP email FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DID YOU KNOW THEY WERE NATIVE? Exclusive Segment To Be Featured at First Native American Music Awards Wayne Newton, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Burt Reynolds, Donna Summer, and Johnny Depp are just a few of the nationally recognized names and faces whose Native American heritage will be revealed in an exclusive newsbreaking segment at the First Native American Music Awards. Like its featured performers and nominees, this segment aims to raise awareness on leading Native Americans in the entertainment industry. Hosted by Wayne Newton, other popular celebrities and musicians who will also be featured in this segment include: producers Daniel Lanois and Nile Rodgers, comedian Jonathon Winters, actors Tommy Lee Jones and Lou Diamond Phillips with more to be announced. The First Native American Music Awards will be held Sunday, Memorial Day Weekend on May 24, 1998 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Conneticut. Tickets are available through ticketmaster or can be purchased by calling the Fox Theatre box office at 1 800 200 2882. --------- "RE: California Gaming Issues" --------- Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 08:14:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Tony Cohen Subj: California gaming issues Mailing List: TRIBALLAW (triballaw@thecity.sfsu.edu) I haven't seen any mention on this list of the disaster occuring in California as the United States and California work together to wipe out tribal government gaming. Here' s an op-ed piece published May 10, 1998 in the Santa Rosa, California Press Democrat on the subject. On May 19th, United States Marshals began a statewide effort to serve "warrants of arrest" on the gaming machines used in tribal casinos. >>>Facing Deadline, Tribal Casinos Pin Hopes on Voters<<< By: Tony Cohen, George Forman, and Pat Prochaska In 1886, the Supreme Court explained why the federal government had to protect Indian tribes: "Because of local ill feeling, the people of the States where they are found are often their deadliest enemies." Time has resulted in remarkable changes. As an unholy alliance prepares to return California tribes to poverty and despair, many tribes now see California voters as their best hope for survival. The United States Department of Justice insists that beginning May 13th, it will bring enforcement actions to close the casinos that California's tribal governments need to fund employment, health care, education, housing, and public works. After working for years to end tribal governmental gaming, Governor Wilson, cardrooms, racetracks, and Nevada casinos are delighted. Those who justify this obscene treatment of America's poorest people wrap their treachery in a simple package. Their marketing mantra is "illegal slot machines." Beneath the packaging, however, lies a complex fraud. In 1987, the Supreme Court told California to leave tribal government gaming alone because tribes are quasi-sovereign governments. Tribes are subservient to the federal government, but not to the states, unless Congress says so. In 1988, the states convinced Congress to pass the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ("IGRA") to override that decision. IGRA created a gaming category called "Class III," and required tribes which want Class III gaming to negotiate with states for "compacts." Not surprisingly, Class III includes virtually all video gaming machines, casino patrons' favorites. Tribes, however, only have to accept compact provisions which are "directly related to and necessary for the regulation and licensing" of the gaming activities. Unfortunately, Governor Wilson refuses to abide by that IGRA restriction. Because Congress understood that tribes have little b