From gars@netcom.com Wed Jul 15 01:00:38 1998 Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 19:30:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Gary Night Owl To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews06.029 _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 06, ISSUE 029 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, July 18, 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 Triballaw, AisesNet & Nat-Film Lists; Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty; UUCP email; Newsgroup: alt.native http://www.igc.org/igc/en/hl/98070912574/hl4.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. "In this world the Great Father has given to the white man everything and to the Indian nothing. But it will not always be thus. In another world the Indian shall be as the white man and the white man as the Indian. To the Indian will be given wisdom and power, and the white man shall be helpless and unknowing with only the bow and arrow." "....I leave you with this word: Be of good heart. Even though the old days are gone, never to come again, still be of good heart. A better day will dawn for your people. The old days will never be again, even as a man will never again be a child. Manhood brings sorrow and sorrow wisdom. Wise through sorrow will be your people, journeyed to the west for tidings of hope. You sought the Father in the land of sinking sun. The hope you brought of the old life was not as the dawn-light, but as the after-glow of sunset skies." "Now look for the new day and new ways. In the land where the sun rises the Indians have friends. Not westward, but eastward seek the coming of light. May the words of our peoples be placed into the books and echo to every human the message, "look for the new day!""...." __ Short Bull, Dakota +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! Normally do not prolong a discussion more than a couple of weeks. By then most readers have come to a decision regarding the "truth". I have agreed to include this one last comment from John Berry, who felt there were some great inaccuracies in last week's issue regarding the Osage. Not in the form of an argument or defense of my teacher I will remind all the bottom line is there are Osage in danger of being written off with a bureaucratic stroke of the pen. I also refer readers to the first article in this issue which contains comments specific to this issue plus the original article from issue 06.027 which includes special instructions for the Osage initiative petition. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: berryj@okway.okstate.edu Gary? Why are you printing things like this??? This person obviously doesn't know what they are talking about. This deserves a published correction! See *asterisked* section below. There's approx. 12,000 Osages and way more than 20 speakers. | Just an FYI. Best, John Berry \|/ Oklahoma "This past week my teacher shared the following response to Deb's letter: Deb states she is not extinct. This is good. I am very happy she is not. But for the over 300 tribes who are *and probably more that we don't know of*, those people are. **With only 20 Osages left (and ten of those declared incompetent) that tribe too, shall shortly be "extinct".** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thank you for the correction, John. =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= 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 have received a couple of very noteworthy language learning booklets to share with you. While neither may be your ideal, I can promise you can learn rudiments of the associated language with each, and have fun doing so. The first, we picked up at a powwow in Northeast Alabama. "Cherokee Words with Pictures" by Mary Ulmer Chiltoskey Library of Congress card catalog # 72-76716 Can be obtained from the Cherokee Historical Association, Cherokee, NC or from the Cherokee National Historical Society, Tahlequah, OK phone:918 456 6007 Basic English to Cherokee (Eastern dialect) dictionary with some line drawings and some basic sentence structure. "How to Talk Trash in Cherokee" by Don Grooms and John Oocumma (c) Downhome Publishing Company, 1618 NW 6th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32603 or Rt 1, Box 109, Cherokee, NC 28719 Perhaps a bit risque for many, but tons of fun. This booklet assumes you are a english speaking male tourist hitting on a Cherokee lady during a bus tour of the Qualla Boundary. All travel guides should be so entertaining. The next were booklets sent to me by Robert Boulay, Program Officer, Native Citizen's Programs, Dept of Canadian Heritage, and are great line drawing illustrated guides to the Walpole dialect Ojibwe language. ALL available from Walpole Island Language Centre, P O Box 423, Wallaceburg, ONT N8A 4X1 phone: 519 627 4833 "Mkoons Baa Geewse" An illustrated story with english translations at the back of the book. "Kokibinaagnike" Basket weaving instructions with context intense illustrations and english translations at the back of the book. "Weseenyag" Illustrated guide to animal names with english translations at the back of the book. All of the aforementioned Cherokee and Ojibwe language booklets have the neat trick of forcing you to begin to think in the language being taught instead of trying to transliterate to or from english. 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. 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 ---------- - Osage Q & A Dialog - Res School Tribunal - Stop the War - Real Indians - Apache Housing Seniors Complex - Leonard Peltier - Westbank Deal Tainted - Decision on Peltier's Phone - Tsawaout Band Talk - Leonard Peltier/ Mega-Development Update from Canada - Chiapas Dangerzone - Prisoners' Justice Day - Long-Term Yellowstone - Poem: A Nation's Shame Bison Plan - Native Prisoner - Minnesota Wolf News - Inspiration: Screeching Eagle - Delgamuukw Fails Kitkatla - Poem: U-SAy - Montanaet v - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days Crow Tribe of Indians - Conferences and Powwows --------- "RE: Osage Q & A Dialog" --------- From: RATheis2@aol.com Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 12:32:22 EDT Subj: Osage Q & A dialog UUCP email Gary NiteOwl, I am forwarding to you the post I received from Dale. I would appreciate your posting any information you thought might help our cause in the paper. The present Osage Tribal Council mindset is the same it has been for many years. We only got elected to office this past June 1 two new members. One has told me they are proceeding toward a new membership roll. But two votes against seven doesn't carry a resolution, that is the form of government set up under the Osage Act of 1906. They are afraid of change, it might upset the "apple cart". It was good enough for their forefathers, it has been good enough for them, so they say that their children and grandchildren can wait until they die to "inherit" the right to vote and have a say in the Osage government. That is not democratic, that is not a persons human rights under the constitution of the U.S., so it is a fight to the finish to save the Osage tribe before the last original allottee dies. You know well what has happened to other tribes in the past, what is happening now, and anyone who knows what goes on in Washington knows that if they can "cut" spending in whatever manner, they will do it. If they cut off their trust responsibility to the Osage, it's no skin off their nose...... but it sure is for all that depend on their quarterly check for survival, and the jobs that will be lost when the BIA pulls out of the Osage Agency. Prior to the demise of the Osage Nation Government in Sept. 1997, we had set up a membership roll with over 5,000 already signed up, both shareholders and non-shareholders. To date the Osage Tribal Council has not even made an attempt to establish a new membership roll. They say, we are moving in that direction, but I have never seen a resolution or anything in writing that they were even thinking about it. I hope, along with Dale's post, this will enlighten your knowledge of what is happening here on the Osage Reservation. Best regards, Raymond Theis 7/12/98, 11:32 a.m., CDT. From: Wanige@aol.com To: RATheis2@aol.com Subj: Re: Osage Q & A dialog Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 12:31:58 EDT Hello again; I hope you don't mind, but I forwarded the question & answer exchange between the two of us to a friend who publishes Wotanging Ikche Native American News. I felt the points we covered would answer questions that others may have, as well, which could lead to better understanding & more support of your petition. You might want to contact my friend yourself, to let him know whether it would be okay to print our exchange in his newsletter. Just send an e-mail to: gars@netcom.com (I'm sure he would welcome any updates you may want to send his way, also). In Brotherhood, Dale Mitchell - From issue 06.027 RE: Special Instructions on Osage Initiative Petition Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 01:04:23 EDT From: MaDark@aol.com Subj: Fwd: Special Instructions on Osage Initiative Petition My friends - The fate of the Osage Nation is in danger. I am asking that you post this urgent information so that all Osage will know. MaryAnn ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- From: WmBattles@aol.com Please alert all you know or come into contact with... this is most urgent to the survival on an Indian Nation.... with quickest dispatch... I ask for your assistance in making this issue well known to the Osage people... enrolled and not enrolled... Shareholder and non-shareholder... There will likely never again be another opportunity for this tribe to have this opportunity to reunite its people.... Thank you for your thoughts and assistance........ Bill Battles..... and please do not hesitate to pass this on.... ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 14:39:27 EDT From: RATheis2@aol.com Dear Osage Friends, If someone on the mailing list is not Osage or does not wish to receive postings regarding the Osage Nation, please contact me and I will remove your name from the mailing list. I do not wish to offend or have anyone who does not wish to be contacted on my list. To my knowledge, as of this date the Osage Tribal Council has not come up with any document that will preserve the Osage Tribe by means of a new membership roll. Therefore, an Osage attorney has prepared an "Initiative Petition" that we are asking all Osages, shareholders and non-shareholders, over the age of 18-years to sign. This petition will in no manner infringe on or effect the minerals estate in any form. It will though, begin the process whereby the Osage Tribe will have a chance to remain a federally recognized tribe. Many Osages that are not able to keep updated regularly on what is happening with the tribe, which are those that are non-shareholders living off the Osage Reservation, do not know of what might happen when the last original allottee dies. Some do not wish to believe that the U. S. Government would really want to dissolve their trust responsibility to the Osage People. Every lawyer and knowledgeable Osage that I have talked with tells me that the Osage Act of 1906 was just written for the 2,229 original allottees.... and no one else. Another original allottee passed away this month. This leaves only 20 remaining and the youngest will be 92-years old this year. I have been informed that only half of these are competent. When the last original allottee dies the government could easily say that they do not recognize ANY Osages, shareholders or non-shareholders, and then the trust responsibility would CEASE. I do not believe that there is one Osage who would want to see this happen. When you sign this "Initiative Petition" you are sending a message to the President of the United States and Congress that you are an Osage and you want to be recognized. Please sign the petition and help us save our Osage Tribe. It is very simple and easy for you to get a petition. If you have a computer or a friend has a computer, go to the following website and read about the petition and then near the bottom of that page you just "click" on where it will say, "For a version of this Petition which you can print out on your printer,". All who will be receiving this message, of course, will have a computer. We are asking you to make several copies of the petition, take them to your Osage relatives and friends, ask them to sign them, and then mail the filled out petition back to me at the following address: Raymond A. Theis, II 2640 Evergreen Dr. Bartlesville OK 74006-4702 If you have any questions or need any assistance with this process, you can contact me at: (918) 333-4073, telephone/FAX, or by e-mail: RATheis2@aol.com A very good and compassionate Osage friend by the name of Charles W. Campbell has created and is the webmaster of the Official Osage Nation Homepage. He has provided information over the past many months regarding the Osage situation and then the OTC election of June 1, 1998. He has now set up one page that will make it convenient for you to read the instructions and then print out a copy of the petition directly from his website. One thing to remember is that ONLY a hard copy original can be signed by Osages and then returned to me. After you have copied the petition from your computer, please cut off the writing at the very top of the page and then at the line indicated at the end of the petition. Then make an 8 1/2 X 11 inch copy at a print shop, or if you have some "white out" you can use that and then make a copy. We want the signed petitions to be "without" any signs of removal of written words on them. This could make them "not valid" when the count of names is submitted by petition. The following is the website where you can go to make a copy of the petition. http://www.northrim.net/bgbiller/petition.html Remember.... we are all Osages. And all Osages should be able to become members of the tribe. Knowing this, how can you NOT sign the petition. Pray that we can continue to be the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma..... a federally recognized tribe, not one that the government can just wipe off their records by the sweep of a pen. They did this to the Osage Nation Government....... they can do this to the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma. Blessings, peace, and strength, Thank you Raymond A. Theis, II ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- To: Wanige@aol.com Subj: Osage petition Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 16:30:26 EDT Thank you for your inquiry. I will try and answer all your questions. The Osage "Tribe" of Oklahoma is Federally-recognized.... the Osage Nation was the 1994 constitutional form of government that ALL Osages voted in, but a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver rendered a decision that it as valid, thereby Ada Deer sent a letter to Pres. George Tallchief of the Osage Nation informing him that we were de-recognized. No, these will still be Osages that are descendants of those whose names appeared on the original roll that started in 1906 and was finished in 1907. We aren't trying to create new Osages, just get all those who are not shareholders the constitutional right under the U. S. Constitution to have a vote and a say in their government. It will in no way infringe on the minerals estate, but will begin the process to establish a new membership roll for all Osages. Right now, today, there are only 20 original allottees living. The youngest is 92 this year. When the last one of them dies, technically the U. S. Government does not have any further trust responsibility to the Osage Tribe. The only persons who, and I am sure they might only be a few "older" ones, might be against it would be shareholders. They are kinda like the OLD Tribal Council, they didn't want to change anything about the 1906 Act because they had this hard headed attitude that if you mess with anything you might mess it up. In the 1994 constitutional election, 66% of ALL Osages, shareholders and non-shareholders vote in the new government..... that speaks for itself. This is the big problem. The present council and some shareholders do not understand or even believe that the "great white father" would turn them out to pasture. You and I, and about 4,000 other Osages, know they will. They are always looking for ways to cut their budget. This would be a simple one.... let the last one on the present roll die... and that's it. If you haven't read the 1906 Act, which by the way was written by Congress, the Osages fought against doing it for years, but finally gave in. I could mail you, via snail mail the mail page, I don't think I have it anywhere in my files, although I will take a look. But you can find a basic overview I wrote at the following website, also you might check out the Official Osage Nation Homepage for additional information. The sits are: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/8929 and http://www.northrim.com/osage-nation/ When I was a councilman on the Osage National Council, we had written and passed a bill on membership. We had signed up over 5,000 Osages on it before Ada Deer de-recongized us. These were the Osages that voted in the second election of the Osage Nation in 1996. So we were up and running with the potential of having over 18,000 Osages on the new membership roll. The Osage Tribal Council has NEVER made an attempt to prepare or send a new membership roll to Washington. They are just gonna sit back and play out their hand.... but what they don't realize, or even think about is, that when that hand is played out, they will be out. There won't be an Osage Tribal Council, there won't be any BIA presence in Pawhuska, and hundreds of Osages will be out of jobs. They just don't plain care. I have tried for over 8 years to get them to bring in some new economic development for the tribe. Proposals have been presented to them and all they did was say, "we will have to check further into it before we make a decision". Osage have brought proposals to them, as well as non-Indians. They are so set in their ways they are AFRAID to rock the boat. They had better get to rockin' or they won't have anything left to rock. I have just as much Cherokee blood in me as Osage, as far as blood quantum is concerned. I have never signed up on the Cherokee roll here in Oklahoma, but am considering it if the present council doesn't take some positive action on membership. I have traced my Cherokee heritage way back, so I would have no problem doing this. I do know about how other tribes have done there memberships also. What you say regarding the "Overlooked Band of Osage Indians" has been discussed extensively by our group who is presently pushing for the petition. If the present council wishes to stay separate from those non- shareholders, it would be fine with us and we would establish a separate band or group. But we wanted to give the present council the chance, once again, to consider our proposal. We plan on presenting all the petitions we receive to them as the desire of Osages to have a new membership roll. If they do not accept it then we are on our way to Congress and the President. Because Congress, or at least the DOI will say, did you give your present government the opportunity to address this issue. And we can say yes. Then Congress will have to address our petition and begin the process of creating a new membership roll. I know this has been long, but I wanted to answer your questions the best I could. I think if you go to the websites I indicated above that it will help you better understand what has been going on. But, it you still have questions, please contact me again and I will do my best to answer those also. Best regards, Ray A. Theis, II --------- "RE: Stop the War" --------- Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 14:47:03 -0700 From: Arturo Espana Subj: STOP THE WAR ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN SPANISH IN MEXICO IN SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS INCLUDING LA JORNADA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH BY irlandesa FOR NUEVO AMANECER PRESS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STOP THE WAR FOR PEACE WITH JUSTICE AND DIGNITY To international civil society To the people and governments of the world To the communications media To defend Chiapas is to defend a space for liberty for all. The Mexican government has unleashed open warfare against the indigenous rebel communities of Chiapas. The assassination, at the hands of police officers and soldiers, of unarmed campesinos in the dismantling of the Autonomous Municipality San Juan de la Libertad last June 10, creates a serious situation in which the government has opted for a military solution to the conflict. The expulsion of international observers (more than 150 so far this year), along with the new regulations imposed by the I.N.M., is attempting to prevent the presence of witnesses in the conflict zone denouncing the continuous violations of the peoples' human rights, as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also noted. As well as the Mexican Government's refusal to allow the presence of the International Red Cross. The resignation of Samuel Ruiz as president of the CONAI, and the subsequent dissolution of that intermediation body, reveals the impossibility of negotiation as long as the government shows no real willingness for dialogue. In Chiapas there are more than 17,000 persons displaced due to the violence of the war, more than 20 paramilitary groups acting with complete impunity and a hundred political prisoners. In spite of this offensive, and the fact that the government does not carry out the San Andres Accords, civil resistance in the communities is maintained. The force of the word responds to the government's violence. 38 Autonomous Municipalities are the communities' answer to the government's failure to carry out the Accords. It is an emergency situation. The government found the moment opportune for death. Pressure from civil society caused the Mexican government to stop the war twice before. One more time the communities ask us DO NOT LEAVE US ON OUR OWN! + We call for the presence of international observers in Chiapas. The defense of life does not know migration forms or borders. + We call for solidarity with the refugees of war who will not accept government assistance. + We call on the groups and institutions of civil society to unite with the 38 Autonomous Municipalities for recognition, defense and the legitimization of their existence, and to guarantee their survival. + We call on the European Union and the governments and institutions who have signed accords with the Mexican Government to make their ratification dependent on the observance of human rights, establishing mechanisms so that they will not become dead letters. It is only through the carrying out of the following conditions that a door to peace will be able to be opened. + Carrying out of the San Andres Accords. + Defense of the law designed by the COCOPA concerning Indigenous Rights and Culture. + Freedom of the prisoners. + Withdrawal of the Army and an end to the military harassment of the communities, as the United Nations' Commission on Human Rights has requested. + Return of the displaced to their communities. + Presence of a Permanent Observation Post in San Cristobal de las Casas for the observance and guardianship of human rights, open to participation by Mexican and international civil society. + Guarantees for the presence of the observers and the withdrawal of the rules governing them. + Cancellation of all expulsion orders of international observers. Attention to Chiapas. In the new world which we want, defense of rebel dignity is the affirmation of humanity, of life confronting the power of death. Only the voice of everyone will allow hope for the creation of a world where all worlds belong. June 5, 1998 The 12 peace observers expelled in 1997, Michel Sabato, Travis Loller, Jeff Conant, Marta Sanchez Zaragoza, Ana Lopez, Julen Cobos, Olga Claveria, Marion Landis, Sara Baillrsgeon, Julie Marquette, Gautier Lambot, Dominique Berger (expelled from Taniperla), the three expelled from the community 10 de abril, the eight persons expelled in 1996, the 132 Italians . ___________________________________________________ NUEVO AMANECER PRESS- N.A.P.To know about us visit: http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm General Director: Roger Maldonado Director Europe: Darrin Wood Coordinator: USA-Mexico-Europe: Susana Saravia (Anibarro) Advisory and support team: Mexico +When reproducing NAP's translations; please give credit+ +NAP's team works on a volunteer basis and does not receive any funding from any source+ --------- "RE: Apache Housing Seniors Complex" --------- Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 22:08:57 -0600 From: Liz Pollard Subj: Apache Tribal Housing Breaks Ground for Seniors Complex Mailing List: AISESnet General List PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE CONTACTS: PATSY GRUMMAN (USDA) 405-742-1070 - WAYNE SIMS (HUD) 405-553-7520 DUKE H. TSOODLE (HOUSING AUTHORITY, APACHE TRIBE) 405-247-7305 VISION BECOMES REALITY FOR APACHE TRIBAL HOUSING - ALL TRIBES TO BENEFIT ANADARKO, OK - A groundbreaking celebration on Wednesday, July 1, 1998 begins construction for a project that had its beginning in lost dreams, broken promises, and deep disappointment. In the early 90's the Housing Authority of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma lost funding for a low-income housing project when Congress cut the budget and bids for construction of the project came in too late and too high. "The only thing saved from the lost project was a piece of land", says Duke H. Tsoodle, Executive Director of the Authority. The battle had only begun with the loss of the project. Three years of frustration followed: the Housing Authority was not funded for the last round of Mutual Help low-income housing in 1997, they were not successful applicants for the last round of HOME funds and the waiting lists for all types of housing increased to over 200 families. With just a hope and a prayer, the Housing Authority applied to USDA - Rural Development for a Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Loan. There would be monies for one loan under this program in the entire state for 1998 and there had never been a Housing Authority as an applicant. Today Charles P. Rainbolt, State Director, USDA Rural Development, presented a check for $974,728 toward the $1,047,575 project and approved 24 units of Rental Assistance for very low and low income elderly and disabled tribal members. The apartment complex will be called Koon-Kah-Na-I-Sha 'Apache Camp' and will be managed by the Housing Management Department of the Housing Authority. The success of the Apache Tribe in this comeback should offer encouragement to the other 557 federally recognized tribes and 200 Housing Authorities across the nation. "Koon-Kah-Na-I-Sha is an extraordinary project," said Rainbolt, "The Apache Tribe worked very hard to make this project a reality and Rural Development is proud to forge this partnership with the Tribe and Housing Authority." The project contains twenty-four one and two-bedroom units of housing for the elderly and disabled. The complex will also house a community center which will become the Apache Center For Creative Living. Within the center the residents, family and friends can enjoy planned activities, gatherings, and continued education from the satellite link with educational facilities. Tenants will also enjoy a petting zoo, gardens and a greenhouse. Residents can look forward to growing plants that will be used to beautify the grounds of the complex. Another "first of a kind" feature of this development will be a petting zoo. The zoo is the result of a partnership between the authority and the Little River Zoo in Norman, OK, plus private donations. The zoo will provide small animals on a rotating basis. These "at-risk babies" will be given special attention and cuddling by the tenants of the center. Seed funds for the zoo came from McClain County Bank through Sharon Wise, tribal lending specialist, and private donations. Ms. Wise will present a check during the groundbreaking ceremony. Wayne Sims, Administrator, Office of Native American Programs for HUD, states "This development exemplifies what a true 'partnership' is all about. In 1996, Congress enacted the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act which allows tribes to make their own decisions concerning housing, instead of fitting it into a standard mold. The act also relies heavily on tribes using their grant funds in combination with other funding and leveraging their funds to make the outcome more productive. The Apaches are a golden example of the intent of this Act." The Housing Authority is making a name for itself in cyberspace, too. Visit them at their website, located at http://www.apachehousing.org to get an idea of the other projects it has on the boards, as well as some of the awards it has won. One of the latter is recognition by the National Housing Institute as "Community Development Site of the Month" for the month of June, 1998. As such, the site will be featured in the Institute's magazine "Shelterforce" as an excellent on-line resource for housing and development professionals. For further info, contact Liz Pollard, Webmaster and Publicist, at (405)247-2251. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Elizabeth "Liz" Pollard Smoke Signals Enterprises Email: lpollard@smokesig.com On the Web: http://www.smokesig.com Co-author: "Liz & Bob's Web Builder's Guide." Download this powerful resource manual for integrated campus and electronic marketing communications from the Web! (http://www.smokesig.com) Promotions for American Indian Exposition: http://www.indianexpo.org Other sites include: Moccasin Telegraph: http://www.indianexpo.org/moccasin.html Housing Authority of the Apache Tribe: http://www.apachehousing.org --------- "RE: Westbank Deal Tainted" --------- Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 01:18:14 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Westbank deal "secretive" and "tainted" :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: SELF-GOVERNMENT DEAL FOR WESTBANK FIRST NATION Kelowna Daily Courier, July 9, 1998, by Brennan Clarke [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.] KELOWNA, B.C. (CP) - One of Canada's wealthiest First Nations signed a self-government agreement with the federal government Wednesday but not everyone is happy. If Westbank band members ratify the agreement-in-principle, the band will gain broad powers similar to a municipality to enact bylaws in areas such as taxation, rent increases, business licences, agriculture, public works, land management and law enforcement. Some non-aboriginal residents, even some band members, aren't happy about the power shift. The band now needs approval from the Indian and Northern Affairs to make such changes. The Westbank reserve sits on prime real estate beside Kelowna in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, a tourism and retirement mecca known for its fruit and wine industries. Though it has only 300 members, the band is landlord to some 7,000 non-native residents who lease property on the reserve. The situation has led to friction. A tenant at a trailer park on the reserve was evicted for challenging an illegal interest fee in a rental contract. In another case, residents of a home development hit by two rent hikes in a year found they had no recourse except appeals to Indian Affairs. The self-government agreement could make those kinds of problems easier to solve, said Ray Manzer, vice-president of the Kelowna and District Manufactured Home Owners Association. He said he hoped the 77-page agreement, which took nine years to reach, will allow non-native residents some say in band decisions that affect them. "Until now we've had no security of tenure of any kind," said Manzer. Kelowna residents known as the Concerned Citizens Group are worried non-natives who live on reserve but can't vote in band council elections will be subject to taxation without representation. Bill Duyvewaardt is concerned about clauses in the deal that make Westbank laws superior to some provincial and federal laws, particularly in landlord-tenant issues and policing. Gordon Okenden said a secretive process led to the deal. "People in the area were not informed. I've been to many Westbank First Nation tripartite (treaty) meetings and this self-government act surprised a lot of us." But Westbank chief negotiator Tim Raybould heralded self-government as a way for First Nations to escape the confines of the Indian Act. The Westbank band understands non-native residents are a key source of band income, he said. "The band realizes they depend on the goodwill of citizens at large. Were not going to chase them off." The document is only an agreement-in-principle and separate from treaty talks requiring more negotiation and clarification, he added. After the final agreement is in place, an open ratification vote will be held. But band member Tom Lindley said the agreement was "tainted right from the word go" because the band council never held a vote on whether negotiations should proceed in 1989. Council members hefty salaries, paid mostly with government money, call their loyalties into question, he said. "This is a form of government being imposed upon us. Its not what a lot of people want." Youth who oppose the treaty process occupied band offices in May for a couple of days before being removed by police. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: 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: Tsawaout Band Talk Mega-Development" --------- Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 19:55:10 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Reichmann's O & Y plan mega-development with Tsawaout band :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: NATIVES TALK MEGA-DEVELOPMENT: TORONTO'S POWERFUL O & Y ENTERPRISES IS PURSUING AN $8-MILLION MULTI-PHASE DEAL WITH THE TSAWAOUT BAND Victoria Times-Colonist, July 9, 1998, Page A3, by Susan Chung [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.] The Tsawaout band is in preliminary talks with O & Y Enterprises, headed by a member of the Reichmann family, to build an $8-million development on the band's Saanich Peninsula reserve. Chief Al Claxton met with the group Wednesday to discuss a possible first phase, 60,000-square-foot commercial retail development. O & Y Enterprises is a division of O & Y Properties Inc. headed by Philip Reichmann in Toronto. The publicly traded company is a remnant of Olympia and York, one of the most powerful forces in real estate before it collapsed in the early 1990s. The company, which manages more than $80 million square feet of office space, has also suggested building on the reserve: - a native theme village incorporating tourism related retail; - an 18-hole championship golf course complete with all amenities; - single family, townhouse, multi-family residences and cabins; - a marina - a resort hotel; If everything goes well, "in a couple of years, we'll have a grand opening," said John McDiarmid of Montrose Financial Group, which is handling the money end of the deal. Band members now have to discuss what developments they'll accept. "I'm happy for the most part," said Claxton after the meeting, the second one since October. The band has been trying to develop its land for nearly two years to solve chronically high unemployment among its people. But a number of key issues need to be resolved before any ground is broken. "At present there are a lot of misconceptions and a certain reluctance to explore opportunities when the business community considers doing business with First Nations people," says a five-page outline the group gave to the band. "Some of these fears are founded in bad experiences...There are also many examples of successes to draw upon as well." Any companies involved in the project will want to know who has control of the land in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on the Delgamuukw case in December and last week's Federal Court ruling on Clydesdale Estates. The Delgamuukw case involves 58,000 square kilometres of land in the BC Interior claimed by the Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en bands and dramatically strengthened the legal claims to land for which no treaties were signed. The Clydesdale Estate case questioned who has control of native land on the nearby Tsartlip reserve - the band council or an individual native who has a certificate of possession for the land from the Department of Indian Affairs. The Federal Court upheld the department's authority to issue a lease to the individual natives for the land, but it is unclear what effect the ruling affects other developments. Claxton told the developers he did not believe Delgamuukw would affect the project because the band and its members clearly own and control the land. Other issues that need to be discussed include: - how the existing mobile home park will fit into the new development including how to deal with existing residents who might be displaced; - environmental impact; - what kind of security is available for the lender in case the project fails; - will there be enough water and sewage capacity to handle the development. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Letters to Times-Colonist - mailto:jknox@victoriatimescolonist.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: Chiapas Dangerzone" --------- Date: Wed, 08 Jul 1998 02:15:45 GMT From: Pharaoh Chromium 93 Subj: Chiapas- Dangerzone Newsgroup: alt.native La Jornada, Friday, July 3, 1998 Adolfo Gilly Danger Zone Translated for Amanecer Press by Rosalva Bermudez-Ballin The almost unanimous rebuff encountered by Dr. Ernesto Zedillo's speech at Simojovel speaks well of the mental health and the maturity of Mexican public opinion. This country is tired of offenses, immoderate orders, and hateful words. This country knows too much and does not accept that certain limits of prudence, good behavior and moderation continue to be ignored by those who, as rulers, are more obligated than others to respect them. The speech at Simojovel was received with general amazement, dialogue was mentioned after disqualifying and slandering all the possible interlocutors and accusing them of "Messianic leadership" and Apostles of hypocrisy." In astonishment we all learned that the EZLN is responsible for the financial crisis of December 1994, and that the treasonous ambush in February 1995 was an act to "discretion" on the part of the federal government, and that the EZLN is the one refusing to fulfill the San Andres Accords. In his last edition, the economist talks about the extrajudicial executions of indigenous people in the hands of the federal army, whose Commander in Chief is Dr. Ernesto Zedillo. He is not the only one in world opinion who considers in such terms, the deplorable scandal over human rights in Chiapas and the rest of the country: unarmed prisoners executed by their captors; prisoners, blindfolded and wrapped like bundles at the bottom of trucks; open and naked cadavers returned to their relatives; sacred feelings profaned; indigenous people's homes plundered, robbed and destroyed by Zedillo's troops or by the paramilitaries who protected by those troops proliferate in the area. This is the Chiapan panorama in the showcase presented before the world. Dr. Zedillo did not say one word about that inhumane reality at Simojovel. The meaning of the omission is clear: Dr. Zedillo, as president of the republic, assumes the legality of those behaviors and also the responsibility. To whom is that solitary speech directed, then? With whom is he speaking? The message is the speech of a ruler who is cornered by his own disaster. It is the speech of a man who is all alone, a man who seems determined to continue as if there were not an EZLN, no opposition political parties, no Congress, no independent newspapers, or public opinion; as if only the solitary echo of his voice existed. The very serious problem is, however, that that man has the power, he is the Commander of the Mexican Army, and he has around him and at his disposal, those who are ready to second his words and his actions. Besides the financial disaster and the social suffering resulting from successive policies by this and the previous government, this high official can still bring to a conclusion the logic of his words, he can go over the Law of Concord and Pacification which he has just declared obsolete, he can hurl a strike against the Zapatista Directorship and their bases of support in the indigenous communities, and he can submerge us all in a bloody mess. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo is not only besieged by the Zapatista silence, the country's incredulity, the alarm of international opinion, his cabinet's crisis, the growing fractures of his political party. He is also besieged by the impossibility of making Congress accept, unless they all accept to sink in another person's discredit, the enormous embezzlement to the nation which means the Foboproa, the legalization of the biggest financial swindle in this Mexican century committed under the protection of the government and the impunity of bankers and rulers in the last two presidencies. Dr. Zedillo is also besieged, although he doesn't know it, by an enormous sense of guilt. Any careful analysis can find, without mistake, that feeling underlying his speech. That blame becomes evident in his obsessive search for the evil people and the guilty in the four winds, in the revealing defensive controversy about "double language" and in his tragic Macbeth's hand syndrome. That is a dangerous feeling. I'm not the only one who is amazed and alarmed about the message which Dr. Zedillo sent the Mexican Team: "To want is to be able," which, besides being a denial of reality, it was Benito Mussolini's slogan. This is not a totalitarian country. No functionary, no matter how high up is his rank, has the right to tell us how "we Mexicans must act." And if those totalitarian exhortations come from the presidency, let us be careful, because they indicate an angry state of the spirit, improper in a person who, given his position, must maintain his moderation and prudence. This is not a time for intemperance. It is not worthy to go into polemics with Dr. Zedillo, nor to refute his arguments. The PRI continues to break. No party, no matter how submissive their previous habits might have been, can accept such conduct. The Chiapas PRI senator, Pablo Salazar Mendiguchia, has just declared himself severely against the presidential politics and in defense of his compatriots and his state. The situation is delicate and fragile. We can't stop this crazy presidential race just in the streets and in the plazas. At this hour we must resort to the existing institutions. Congress must summon Dr. Ernesto Zedillo and his secretaries. Before that sovereign body, whose powers match his, the Executive Power must explain the triple disaster: Chiapas, Fobaproa and International politics. To ease the situation and avoid the worse, the president of the Republic must dialogue with the Congress of the Union. It is necessary to move away from the danger zone. It is necessary to abandon the soliloquy and move towards the speech of reason, tolerance and Law. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo is not in the condition to do this by himself. The Congress of the Union and its parties now have the initiative and the floor. --- Parar la Guerra en Chiapas - Stop the War in Chiapas http://www.kineko.com/pc93/index.htm http://www.wilder.net/c73/index.htm http://nni.irdg.com/pc93/index.htm http://www.peak.org/~joshua/fzln http://www.newhumans.com/chiapas/automail.html http://www.findmail.com/list/chiapas-l/ gopher://mundo.eco.utexas.edu:70/11/mailing/chiapas95.archive --------- "RE: Long-Term Yellowstone Bison Plan" --------- Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 10:36:45 +0200 From: Serge HUMBERT Subject: news http://www.igc.org/igc/en/hl/98070912574/hl4.html LONG-TERM YELLOWSTONE BISON PLAN RELEASED DENVER, Colorado, July 8, 1998 (ENS) - A long-term management plan for the bison in Yellowstone National Park has emerged from months of talks between government agencies. The management of America's last herd of wild bison, or buffalo, has become necessary because Montana cattle ranchers on the borders of Yellowstone fear their livestock may contract brucellosis from bison that migrate out of the Park in winter in search of food. Brucellosis is a disease that causes pregnant females to abort. There is a difference of opinion as to whether bison have ever transmitted brucellosis to cattle. Bison protectors say there has been no scientifically verified transmission, while ranchers maintain the threat to their disease-free certification is too great to risk contact between cattle and bison. During the winter of 1996-1997, nearly one-third of the Yellowstone herd, 1,100 bison, were slaughtered by Montana Department of Livestock personnel as they moved out of the Park on groomed snowmobile trails in search of food. This slaughter mobilized a vigorous campaign to protect the bison. A coalition of native people and other environmentalists protected the bison during the past winter by hazing them back into the Park. Only 11 were killed. A series of public meetings will be held across the country this summer to allow people a chance to learn about and comment on the draft plan for the management of bison in Yellowstone National Park. The plan was written by a group of combined federal and state agencies. The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, are the lead federal agencies. The state of Montana is the lead state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plan Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is a cooperating agency. Seven alternatives for long-term bison management are outlined in the draft environmental impact statement. Alternative 1 is the no-action alternative that would continue with existing interim plan, and alternative 7, to manage for a bison population of 1,700 to 2,500 bison is the agencies' preferred alternative. FEATURES COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES Each of the seven alternatives has features in common: All alternatives require the cooperation of the state of Montana, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Every alternative envisions the bison population would be managed primarily through natural processes inside Yellowstone National Park. In all alternatives (except alternative 5 in the short term), the use of lethal controls to manage bison is minimized as the population size approaches 1,700 animals. All alternatives include large geographic areas where bison are able to range with little human intervention. In alternative 5, this area is limited to Yellowstone National Park. Monitoring is an integral part of every alternative, especially as bison approach designated border areas in Montana. All alternatives define a management boundary beyond which agencies would take action to ensure bison do not remain. If a capture facility is sited as part of an alternative, it would meet certain environmental criteria and comply with requirements of the Endangered Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act before construction began. All alternatives include humane treatment of bison held in capture or quarantine facilities. All alternatives except alternative 5 allow bison outside the park. To do so and not affect Montana's brucellosis-free status for cattle ranchers, special management areas (SMAs) would be created. The creation of these SMAs would not require changes to current APHIS regulations, but would require the approval of the state of Montana. Slaughtered bison could be auctioned or distributed to social service organizations. Bison shot in the field may be released to tribes. Live bison would be available if they had completed the approved quarantine protocol. In Montana, private landowners may shoot bison on their land with permission from the Department of Livestock, or they may ask the department to remove bison. All alternatives include the suggested vaccination of female cattle calves in areas adjacent to the park or in SMAs, as well as surveillance testing of these herds should contact with bison be suspected or occur. All alternatives also assume vaccination of bison calves and captured adult bison when a safe and effective vaccine is available. All alternatives include future research efforts. THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE 7: MANAGE FOR SPECIFIC NUMBER OF BISON The preferred alternative is different from all other alternatives in that a range of bison population numbers would be the focus. This range would be from 1,700 to 2,500 bison. Specific management scenarios would be put in place as the population approached either end of that range. Agency controls would decrease as the bison population approached 1,700 and would cease at 1,700 bison in certain areas. Additional measures to remove increasing numbers of bison would be implemented near the 2,500 mark if bison left Yellowstone Park or special management areas. Because bison removals occur at or outside the park boundary, the bison population could at times exceed 2,500 inside the park. In the long term, the agencies might acquire access to additional winter range in the Gardiner Valley on the west side of the Yellowstone River through purchase of grazing rights, easements, or property from willing sellers. If acquired, this tract would be designated a special management area (SMA) subject to the approval of the state of Montana. The bison capture facility now located at Stephens Creek could be dismantled and moved within the SMA. No modifications in grazing allotments or acquisitions of property, easements, or grazing rights in the western SMA are anticipated. Although the preferred alternative is distinct, it has elements similar to other alternatives. Capture and slaughter of bison that test positive for brucellosis would be the primary means of managing risk, as it is in alternatives 1, 4, and 5. As in alternative 4, most bison that do not test positive for brucellosis would be shipped to quarantine, and low levels of hunting would be allowed in SMAs outside the park. As in alternative 3, the preferred plan has a long-term phase that proposes acquisition of winter range north of the Yellowstone park boundary. Alternatives 1 through 6 are unique, as each emphasizes a particular strategy to manage bison or combination of strategies not analyzed in the preferred alternative. A 120-day public comment period began June 12, 1998 and will end October 16, 1998. Public comments and requests for a copy of the EIS can be sent to: Bison Management Plan EIS Team, National Park Service - Sarah Bransom DSC-RP, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225-0287. Tel: 303-969-2310. A summary of the EIS can be obtained, and comments on the EIS can be made on the Web at: http://www.nps.gov/planning/current.htm. THE PUBLIC MEETINGS There will be 13 public meetings, beginning July 27 in Helena, Montana and ending in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 6. Each meeting will last from 2 to 9 pm. A hearing officer and a court reporter will be present at each meeting. Testimony will be taken from the public on a first come, first served basis. Oral testimony will be limited to five minutes. Written testimony of any length can also be submitted for the record. A 15-minute video explaining the EIS process and the range of alternatives will be played every two hours during the meetings. The public meeting schedule: July 7 - Best Western Colonial Inn, Capitol Room, 2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, MT 59601 July 29 - Gardiner School, 510 Stone St., Gardiner, MT 82190 August 10 - Virginian Lodge, Buffalo Room, 750 West Broadway, Jackson, WY 83001 August 11 - Best Western Stardust Motor Lodge, Russet Room, 700 Lindsay Boulevard, Idaho Falls, ID 83402 August 13 - Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone Conf. Hotel, Can/Dun/Geyser Room, 315 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, Montana 59758 August 25 - Holiday Inn Billings Plaza, Lewis and Clark/Yellowstone Room, 5500 Midland Road, Billings, MT 59101 August 27 - Holiday Inn, Taggarts Rooms 1, 2 & 3, 1701 Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY September 1 - Holiday Inn Denver West Village, Golden Room, 14707 West Colfax Ave., Golden, CO 80401 September 3 - Wyndham Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 September 17 - Sumner School, Museum and Archives, 1201 17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 September 23 - Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street, Sea Cliff Room, San Francisco. CA 94105 September 29 - Holiday Inn South, 3401 South Interstate Hwy. 35, Austin, TX 78741 October 6 - Thunderbird Hotel and Conference Center, Shoshone Room, 2201 East 78th St., Bloomington, MN 55425-1228 --------- "RE: Minnesota Wolf News" --------- Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 11:13:00 -0500 From: "Jean BraveHeart" Subj: NEWS FROM MWA UUCP email Here is an editorial from the Star Tribune dated 7/14/98 regarding the Minnesota Wolf Roundtable Meetings. This is written by a member of our coalition Durk A. Gescheidle from the Animal Rights Coalition. Wolf roundtable As a delegate to the Minnesota wolf roundtable, I read with interest your July 2 editorial about de-listing and the potential fate of the wolf in our state. While you got it right for the most part, I must submit corrections on a couple of items. The editorial stated that a census of the wolf population would confirm the Department of Natural Resources' estimated population of 2,200 wolves. There are serious concerns about the 2,200 figure, which is actually an extrapolation from a 10-year-old sampling, as well as the DNR's overall methodology and motives. Lest anyone forget, DNR officials sought to wrest control over the wolf from the feds in 1980, 1983 and 1991 so they could implement a "sporting" season on the animal. Thankfully, they failed in their self-serving efforts to undermine the Endangered Species Act. In another matter, allowing farmers to shoot wolves is a terrible idea. Wolf experts like L. David Mech of the International Wolf Center and the DNR's Bill Berg have estimated that 250-400 wolves are illegally killed each year. Enforcement in such matters is virtually nonexistent, as no one has ever been prosecuted for violating federal law. A delegate to the roundtable from the Minnesota Cattlemen's Association told a roundtable adviser that no wolves in Minnesota would be just fine with him. Allowing farmers to shoot wolves would exacerbate an already serious problem. Within the roundtable is a coalition of wolf advocates who are vehemently opposed to any hunting or trapping. Our goal is to ensure that a wolf pelt will never serve as a substitute for the living animal. -- Durk A. Gescheidle, Webster, Minn. --------- "RE: Delgamuukw Fails Kitkatla" --------- Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 00:32:55 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Delgamuukw fails Kitkatla in BC Court of Appeal :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: KITKATLA CLAIM MORAL VICTORY DESPITE COURT DISMISSAL The Canadian Press, July 6, 1998, by Greg Joyce [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.] VANCOUVER (CP) - Kitkatla First Nation claimed moral victory Monday after losing a bid to ban logging on B.C. land it claims as traditional territory. "We feel we won by the fact we were heard," Chief Matthew Hill said after the B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed an application already rejected by B.C. Supreme Court. "B.C. and other First Nations are aware that our rights do exist." The Kitkatla, who live near Prince Rupert on the northwest coast, invoked a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision to try to stop International Forest Products from logging old-growth forest. But the appeal court panel dismissed the application in part because the Kitkatla aren't living on the land, an important factor in determining aboriginal title set out by the country's highest court in its Delgamuukw ruling last December. The Delgamuukw decision - initiated by the Gitksan Wetsuweten in northwestern British Columbia - also expanded the definition and scope of aboriginal rights. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled aboriginal groups that have not signed treaties must be consulted and perhaps compensated in any development taking place on their traditional lands. Both Hill and company spokesman Rick Slaco said the appeal court emphasized that point in its ruling - negotiation is preferred over litigation. The decision on Kitkatla gives Interfor a green light to continue logging the area where it has worked since 1985. Logging did not stop during the court applications. The Kitkatla lost its initial injunction application in B.C. Supreme Court last month. But in her decision, Justice Mary Southin said it may be necessary for an appeal court to rule in light of Delgamuukw. "The (appeal court) agreed that we had done all we could in terms of consultation," said Slaco. He said Interfor had always consulted with another First Nation in the area - the Laxkwalaams - but only recently had heard from the Kitkatla, whose land claim overlaps with the Laxkwalaams. "We talked to the Kitkatla as well but we couldn't agree," said Slaco. Both are members of the Tsimshian Tribal Council, part of the B.C. Treaty Commission process aimed at reaching treaties for dozens of First Nations in the province. Kitkatla members have been logging in the area for many years, said Hill, but are opposed to logging practices of many large forestry companies. "Clear-cutting isn't our way," said Hill. Slaco suggested the company would use helicopters in future to practise more selective logging methods. Kitkatla lawyer Jack Woodward said some timber in the disputed area is old-growth cedar that should be protected. "There's certainly the possibility of other court cases to protect those old-growth areas," he said. The Kitkatla are one of eight B.C. bands that have launched court action based on Delgamuukw to stop resource development. There are likely various reasons for going to court seeking clarification of Delgamuukw, said Peter Smith, a spokesman for the Aboriginal Affairs Ministry. "Kitkatla was about consultation," Smith said from Victoria. "Sechelt have filed seeking a declaration of aboriginal title." The common denominator is Delgamuukw, he said, but the rulings sought "may be many and varied." :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: 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: Montanaet v Crow Tribe of Indians" --------- Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 07:58:32 -0700 Forwarded by Nancy Thomas ---------------- Original message follows ---------------- Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 07:43:47 -0700 From: Larry Kibbey Subj: (Long)MONTANAET AL . v . CROW TRIBE OF INDIANS (fwd) ============================================================= MONTANAET AL . v. CROW TRIBE OF INDIANS No. 96-1829 -- Argued February 24, 1998 -- Decided May 18, 1998 92 F.3d 826, 98 F.3d 1194, reversed and remanded. < http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/96-1829.cpanel.html > ============================================================= In 1904, the Crow Tribe ceded part of its Montana Reservation to the United States for settlement by non-Indians. The United States holds rights to minerals underlying the ceded strip in trust for the Tribe. In 1972, with the approval of the Department of the Interior and pursuant to the Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 1938 (IMLA), Westmoreland Resources, Inc., a non-Indian company, entered into a mining lease with the Tribe for coal underlying the ceded strip. After executing the lease, Westmoreland signed contracts with its customers, four utility companies, allowing it to pass on to the utilities the cost of valid taxes. Westmoreland and the Tribe renegotiated the lease in 1974. The amended lease had an extendible ten-year term, and set some of the highest royalties in the United States. In 1975, Montana imposed a severance tax and a gross proceeds tax on all coal produced in the State, including coal underlying the reservation proper and the ceded strip. Westmoreland paid these taxes without timely pursuit of the procedures Montana law provides for protests and refunds. Some six months after the State imposed its taxes, the Crow Tribal Council adopted its own severance tax. The Department of the Interior approved the Tribe's tax as applied to coal underlying the reservation proper but, because of a limitation in the Tribe's constitution, did not approve as to coal beneath the ceded strip. The Tribe again enacted a tax for coal mined on the ceded strip in 1982, and again the Department rejected the tax. In 1978, the Tribe brought a federal action for injunctive and declaratory relief against Montana and its counties, alleging that the State's severance and gross proceeds taxes were preempted by the IMLA and infringed on the Tribe's right to govern itself. The District Court dismissed the complaint. The Ninth Circuit reversed, holding that the Tribe's allegations, if proved, would establish that the IMLA preempted the State's taxes. The Court of Appeals noted, however, that the Tribe had paid none of Westmoreland's taxes and apparently would not be entitled to any refund in the event that the taxes were declared invalid. Crow Tribe v. Montana, 650 F. 2d 1104, 1113, n. 13 (Crow I). In 1982, the Tribe and Westmoreland entered into an agreement, with Interior Department approval, under which Westmoreland agreed to pay the Tribe a tax equal to the State's then existing taxes, less any tax payments Westmoreland was required to pay to the State and its subdivisions. The agreement achieved, prospectively, the federal permission the Tribe had long sought. It allowed the Tribe to have an approved tax in place so that, if successful in the litigation against Montana, the Tribe could claim for itself any tax amounts Westmoreland would be ordered to pay into the District Court's registry pendente lite . It also enabled Westmoreland to avoid double taxation, and absolved the company from any tax payment obligation to the Tribe for the 1976-1982 period. In 1983, the District Court granted a motion by the Tribe and Westmoreland to deposit severance tax payments into the District Court's registry, pending resolution of the controversy over Montana's taxing authority. In 1987, the court granted the same interim relief for the gross proceeds taxes. Later that year, the United States intervened on behalf of the Tribe to protect its interests as trustee of the coal upon which Montana's taxes were levied. After trial, the District Court determined that federal law did not preempt the State's taxes on coal mined at the ceded strip. The Ninth Circuit again reversed, concluding that the taxes were both preempted by the IMLA and void for interfering with tribal self-governance. Crow Tribe v. Montana, 819 F.2d 895, 903 (Crow II). The Court of Appeals stressed, inter alia, that the State's taxes had at least some negative impact on the marketability of the Tribe's coal. Id., at 900. This Court summarily affirmed. When the case returned to the District Court in 1988, the court ordered distribution of the funds in its registry to the United States as trustee for the Tribe. Subsequently, the United States and the Tribe filed amended complaints against Montana and Big Horn County to recover taxes paid by Westmoreland prior to the 1983 and 1987 orders directing deposits into the court's registry. Neither the Tribe nor the United States requested, as additional or alternate relief, recovery for the Tribe's actual financial losses attributable to the State's taxes. After trial, the District Court concluded that the disgorgement remedy sought by the Tribe was not appropriate. Key to the court's decision was this Court's holding in Cotton Petroleum Corp. v. New Mexico, 490 U.S. 163, that both State and Tribe may impose severance taxes on on-reservation oil and gas production by a non-Indian lessee. Cotton Petroleum indicated that Montana's taxes on ceded strip coal were invalidated in Crow II not because the State lacked power to tax the coal at all, but because its taxes were "extraordinarily high." Id., at 186-187, n. 17. The District Court also considered that Westmoreland would not have paid coal taxes to the Tribe before 1983, for Interior Department approval was essential to allow pass through to the company's customers. Furthermore, under the 1982 lease agreement, the Tribe and Westmoreland stipulated that Westmoreland would have no tax liability to the Tribe for the 1976-1982 period. Moreover, the deposited funds, Westmoreland's post-1982 tax payments, had been turned over in full to the United States for the benefit of the Tribe. The court further noted that Westmoreland did not timely endeavor to recover taxes paid to the State and counties, and the Tribe did nothing to prompt Westmoreland to initiate appropriate refund proceedings. The court received additional evidence concerning the effect of Montana's taxes on the marketability of Montana coal and described the parties' conflicting positions on that issue, but made no findings on the matter. The Ninth Circuit again reversed, holding that the District Court had ignored the law of the case and abused its discretion. Held: The restitution sought for the Tribe is not warranted. Pp. 14-21. (a) As a rule, a nontaxpayer may not sue for a refund of taxes paid by another. The Ninth Circuit evidently had that rule in mind when it noted, in Crow I, that the Tribe was apparently not entitled to any refund of taxes Westmoreland had paid to Montana. The Tribe maintains, however, that the disgorgement remedy it gained does not fall within the "refund" category. The Tribe's disgorgement claim must be examined in light of this Court's path marking decision in Cotton Petroleum Corp. v. New Mexico, 490 U.S. 163. There, the Court clarified that neither the IMLA, nor any other federal law, categorically preempts state nondiscriminatory severance taxes on all extraction enterprises in a State, including on-reservation operations. Both State and Tribe have taxing jurisdiction over on-reservation production. The Court in Cotton Petroleum distinguished Crow II in a footnote, indicating that Montana had the power to tax Crow coal, but not at an exorbitant rate. Pp. 14-17. (b) The Tribe first argues that it, not Montana, should have received Westmoreland's 1975-1982 coal tax payments; therefore the proper remedy is to require the State to turn all taxes it collected from Westmoreland over to the Tribe. However, as Cotton Petroleum makes plain, neither the State nor the Tribe enjoys authority to tax to the total exclusion of the other. This situation differs from cases like Valley County v. Thomas, 109 Mont. 345, 97 P.2d 345, in which only one jurisdiction could tax a particular activity. Moreover, the Tribe could not have taxed Westmoreland during the period in question, for the Interior Department had withheld the essential permission, further distancing this case from Valley County . The District Court correctly took these and other factors into account in holding disgorgement an exorbitant, and therefore inequitable, remedy. Pp. 17-18. (c) The Tribe and the United States urge the negative impact of Montana's high taxes on the marketability of the Tribe's coal as an alternative justification for requiring Montana to disgorge the taxes collected from Westmoreland. This claim rests on the concern that, by taxing the coal actually mined and sold, Montana deprived the Tribe of its fair share of the economic rent. Again, however, the Tribe could not have exacted a tax from Westmoreland before 1983, because the Interior Department withheld approval. And no evidence suggests that Westmoreland would have agreed to pay even higher royalties to the Tribe in 1974, but for Montana's tax. It merits emphasis also that under Cotton Petroleum, Montana could have imposed a severance tax, albeit not one so extraordinarily high. The District Court did not consider awarding the Tribe, in lieu of all the 1975-1982 taxes Montana collected, damages based on actual losses the Tribe suffered. This was not an oversight. The complaint contained no prayer for compensatory damages. Nor did the proof establish entitlement to such relief. The Tribe concentrated on disgorgement as the desired remedy; it deliberately sought and proved no damages attributable to coal not sold because the State's tax made the price too high. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(c) therefore could not aid the Tribe, for the Tribe had not shown entitlement to actual damages. While not foreclosing the District Court from any course the Federal Rules and that court's thorough grasp on this litigation may lead it to take, this Court is satisfied that the Court of Appeals improperly overturned the District Court's judgment. Pp. 18-21. 92 F.3d 826, 98 F.3d 1194, reversed and remanded. GINSBURG, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which REHNQUIST, C.J., and STEVENS, SCALIA, KENNEDY, THOMAS, and BREYER, JJ., joined. SOUTER, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, in which O'CONNOR, J., joined. --------- "RE: Res School Tribunal" --------- Date: 98-07-12 15:08:13 EDT From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: IHRAAM press release on res school tribunal :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. is releasing the following IHRAAM statement at their request. Please direct inquiries to , *not* S.I.S.I.S. For more information on the hearings and on residential schools in general, see http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/resschool/main.html --------Forwarded message------- Date: Wed, 08 Jul 1998 14:31:43 +0100 From: yussuf kly July 8th, 1998. PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IHRAAM AND THE INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TRIBUNAL ON RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS On June 12-14th, an International Indian Tribunal on Residential Schools was held in Vancouver to hear testimony by victims of human rights abuses who attended these schools. Subsequent to the event, the role played at the Tribunal by IHRAAM, an international NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC at the United Nations, has been variously interpreted by the media, by attendant groups and participants. IHRAAM's Communications Director, on behalf of the IHRAAM Directorate, today issued the following clarification concerning both IHRAAM's role, and its intentions with regard to any future Report on this Tribunal: IHRAAM was invited to participate in the tribunal exclusively as an Observer organization, and did have representation present. Our representation was very concerned about the suffering expressed, as well as about what is being done to redress the grievances. However, IHRAAM holds no recordings of the testimonies delivered, and no official IHRAAM communique has been released to the media or to any other official body with regard to the proceedings of the Tribunal. This does not preclude the issuing of findings or holding of press conferences by local organizers of this event, or their further pursuit of these issues in whatever manner they may see fit. No report has yet been prepared by IHRAAM or received by it, nor has it been requested to facilitate the transmission to the United Nations of any report the Tribunal may have prepared. Should such a request be made by the Tribunal or any other community group, it would be given appropriate consideration. An important aspect of this appropriate consideration would be the international legal requirement of "exhaustion of domestic remedies," that is, that all domestic efforts being undertaken by the Canadian government and the United Church of Canada be given sufficient opportunity to resolve the situation. Not until they may be regarded as having been exhausted without achieving adequate, reasonable and fair outcomes, should the UN be approached. IHRAAM is composed of many different minority groups. Its long standing policy is to avoid inappropriate interference in their efforts and to be so organized that each minority group associated with IHRAAM can make independent decisions regarding its group while at the same time facilitating mutual cooperation and the efforts of all, including the majority communities, in the correct legal and political use of UN human rights instruments to resolve minority/majority human rights conflicts. In this spirit, we invite all indigenous groups, all human rights groups, community organizations and individual advocates of human rights to join IHRAAM as associates or independent associated organizations. For further information, you may contact our New York UN Representative and Director, Dr. Laxmi Berwa (301-868-9066), or IHRAAM Director, Dr. Farid Muhammad, (312-939-0111). Further information about IHRAAM is available at the IHRAAM website at http://www.ihraam.org. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL : WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Real Indians" --------- Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 23:47:36 -0500 (CDT) From: JRP Subj: Real Indians! UUCP email Hi Gary -- A friend who does not have Internet access at this time, has asked me to send this to you. I will forward all replies. thanks. -- Dee jrp05@gnofn.org ------------------------------------------------------------------ GNO> "Will the Last Real Indian Please Guard the Sacred Fire?". So few guard it these days. Even those who think they are are often just guarding the Sacred Prestige and Sacred PR Hype. I have been given many things to see involving the sacred fire, so I'd better speak. Some I know, and others I know of, have been sent on missions to find the Real Lakotas, Real Cherokees, Real Whites, Real Whatevers. They've been sent out into a sea of factions all shouting "we're the real ones". I can tell you something: adherence to little rules and norms developed by an organization of people isn't what makes you real. It's what makes you a member of a herd led by someone who wants you to think "Because I Said So" is sufficient reason for everything. It's what makes you mediocre enough to join yet another social club with big pretenses and little meaning. Try to look for Real among those who *demand* to be called that, and you'll find a club jockeying for position. It'll have a nice shell, and no insides. Last summer I got into a talk along these lines with a Christian. I told her there's a special place in Hell reserved for those who were *sure* they could get to Heaven simply by following a set of petty rules for behavior handed to them by a their preachers. Behavioral rules that are simply there, with no basis ever stated, no principles ever explained, and no explanations ever found. Everywhere people try to this to get them to their version of Heaven, and also to make them real in the estimation of others doing the same things, and sharing the same set of procedure fetishes. The Real are there, though. And they're last, too. They're hard to find in a room full of chest-thumpers reciting slogans at full volume, but they're there. The Real are the ones who amidst it all are guarding the sacred fire, and can't be swayed from it, even by a few buzzword-driven cliques . They've decided that this task of guarding of the sacred fire is worth braving the ultimate stigma these days: being called obsolete, or out of fashion, or even the Devil's buzzword - paranoid; or even unreal. So, Real Ones, know this: when the monkeys scream as they do now, it can only mean it's time to throw something on the Sacred Fire to make it burn brighter. naho -!- Maximus 3.00 --------- "RE: Leonard Peltier" --------- Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 15:49:18 -0500 (CDT) From: Freedom Heart Rising Subj: URGENT: Leonard Peltier: Please read, and distribute UUCP email O'siyo: I just talked with Janet Stone at the LPDC. Yesterday, the prison began a 90 day "telephone privilege" suspension for Leonard, due to the mistaken 3 way call. (See previous LPDC message on board.) The LPDC is asking that we write letters to our senators, and also to Kathleen Hawk, of BOP, and Warden Booker, and Leavenworth. The contact information is below. Also, please phone the prison at 913-682-8700. It's dangerous for Leonard not to have phone privileges, and they are using this very petty excuse for a 90 day phone suspension. When you phone, let them know you are concerned about Leonard. He is safer when they know we are out here, and holding them responsible for his safety. I asked how he is, and Janet said that Lori Whitehawk from the LPDC went to see him yesterday, and though he is not happy - obviously - he is alright at this point; as well as he can be, under his present circumstances. Thank you: Freedom Heart Rising Contact information: Ms. Kathleen Hawk Director, Bureau of Prisons 320 First Street Washington, DC 20534 Fax: 202-514-6878 Warden Booker Leavenworth Prison P.O. Box 1000 Lawrence, KS 66048 Phone: 913-682-8700 --------- "RE: Decision on Peltier's Phone" --------- Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 12:17:08 -0500 From: LPDC Subj: decision on Peltier's phone-90 days UUCP email The decision has been made on Leonard Peltier's phone privileges. They have suspended them for 90 days. Please continue to write and encourage others to write to the following. Also you can call the prison. Ask to file a complaint. Sometimes they will take your complaint and sometimes they will not. But, at least their phones will be ringing. In solidarity, LPDC Ms. Kathleen Hawk Director, Bureau of Prisons 320 First Street Washington, DC 20534 FAX: 202-514-6878 Warden Booker Leavenworth Federal Prison PO Box 1000 Leavenworth, KS 66048 913-682-8700 Dear Leonard Peltier Supporters, Upon arriving back to the LPDC office after the June 27th freedom rally, we were informed that Leonard's phone privileges had been suspended. Prison officials are clearly targeting Leonard, looking for anything they can find to harass him. As you may know, Leonard's phone use is strictly regulated and he is only allowed to call people who are on his authorized list. Leonard called a supporter who is on this list. The supporter's assistant answered and transferred the call to the supporter who was on a mobile phone. The prison considered this to be a 3-way call and suspended his phone privileges because 3-way calls are unauthorized. Leonard did not know that the number he was being transferred to was different to the one which he dialed. Obviously this is a petty violation. Now we are unable to communicate with Leonard and we are, of course, very worried. On Friday the 10th prison officials will be making a decision as to how long the suspension will last. Please call the prison and let them know that we are looking out for Leonard. Ask them why they are holding such a petty charge against him. Tell them that they seem to be acting out of maliciousness since Leonard did not call an unauthorized number and he was clearly not intentionally breaking any rules. In solidarity, The Leonard Peltier Defense --------- "RE: Leonard Peltier/Update from Canada" --------- Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 10:02:50 -0500 (CDT) From: Freedom Heart Rising Subj: Leonard Peltier: Update from Canada: Please Read!!!/Fwd. This came to me from Dan Smoke. Thank you so much, Dan. -FHR ***** U P D A T E .... July 4, 1998 Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Canada ______________________________________________ The political lobby in Canada and review of the Peltier case by the Canadian government's Department of Justice Four years ago and 18 years after Leonard Peltier's illegal extradition from Canada, the years of lobby and overwhelming evidence, and wave after wave of international appeals and outrage, convinced the Canadian government's former justice minister Allan Rock to conduct an official investigation of the Peltier case in Canada. Throughout the years, Canada's LPDC has quietly been contacting peoples across the country, from Leonard's original defense attorneys handling his extradition proceedings; to politicians and human rights workers; trade union officials and educators to voice their appeals directly to the review process and to the justice minister in specific. This request has been expanded to the international community with great results. We are convinced that the constant monitoring and demands of the world community continues to be a major factor in why the Canadian government is taking so long in deciding what to do with this case as its own complicity in assisting in fabricating the affidavits with the F.B.I. used to extradite Leonard was pointed out in classified correspondences by both the United States Attorney General's department and the F.B.I. The truth is that this case runs deep in Canada's conscience and as more governmental bodies worldwide condemn the violations in both Canada and the United States; advocating Leonard's freedom directly with American authorities, there is a growing responsibility amongst Canada's politicians to seek out remedies to correct the injustice. These include requesting the return of Peltier to Canada, declaring the original extradition null and void, citing breach of trust; defrauding of Canada's sovereign jurisdiction and extradition procedure. Today a new justice minister has replaced Mr. Rock, who recently turned over the case to a governmental office of the privacy commissioner to assess the material for privacy and security concerns. On May 11, 1998 Justice Minister Anne McLellan stated in the House of Commons: " ...As soon as I am satisfied and the privacy commissioner is satisfied that we can release the report we will do so." In mid June the privacy commissioner returned the documents with its opinions to the minister, although at this time we still don't have any further information. The fact is that all evidence supplied to the Canadian extradition court in 1976 by the F.B.I. had been fabricated, severely violating the trust between consenting states under international protocol; while duping the Canadian government and the peoples of Canada. This stain has been carried forward year after year in Canada working its way for a remedy ever since the Supreme Court of Canada in 1989 recognized the fraud that had occurred and recommended a political remedy. In the summer of 1996, former parliamentarian Warren Allmand assessed the "Peltier files" upon the minister's request and concluded his review with a 14-page report which to this day has also never been made public although he was given the assurance by the minister at the time that a decision would come shortly. The Canadian government and the Minister of Justice need to hear from the world community now more than ever expressing the concern that if the truth had been presented during the extradition process, an innocent man would never have been extradited. We would like to ask people to express your outrage over the callous abuse and breach of trust of international protocol in another country's jurisdiction and the abuse and violation of a person's fundamental human rights. Make a strong appeal for the government of Canada and the Minister of Justice to annul Leonard Peltier's extradition and seek his return to Canada. Also state your growing concern over Leonard's deteriorating health; that he is not being given proper medical treatment. Further state your support for Canada's strong protest of such abuse to the President of the United States and the U.S. Attorney General. And finally to join in a worldwide and growing chorus of political endorsements from governmental bodies and representatives for Leonard Peltier's immediate release through executive clemency. And finally and most important is the growing alarm over Leonard's deteriorating health; that he is not being given the medical treatment which prison doctors themselves have recommended and which he can only receive at specialized clinics, such as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn which has agreed to take him on as a patient. Leonard suffers from a permanent lockjaw, with a mouth that can not close or open; the tremendous pain of atrophied fused jaw bone and muscles, abscessed teeth, recurring headaches and eating food he can only mash with his tongue. Please stress the urgency for his freedom on the basis of humanitarian considerations regarding his growing health problems. While Canada's Parliament is presently in recess and a decision not expected from the minister until it resumes this September, now is the time to urgently send in your letters, faxes and e-mails. Please let the minister know of this outrageous injustice for the past 22 years. You can reach her at: The Hon. Anne McLellan, Justice Minister of Canada 239 Wellington St., Ottawa Ontario Canada K1A OH8 Fax: (613) 996-4516 and (613) 954-0811 e-mail: mclellan.a@parl.gc.ca Write to the Prime Minister of Canada and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade requesting a strong objection of the international violations including breach of trust and abuse of human rights with the recommendation for Leonard Peltier's return to Canada or his immediate release through executive clemency. The Hon. Lloyd Axworthy Minister for Foreign Affairs & Int'l Trade The Lester B. Pearson Bldg. 125 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, On. Canada K1A 0G2 Fax: (613) 992-7559; (613) 944-1246 The Hon. Jean Chretien Prime Minister of Canada 201 Langevin block, 80 Wellington St., Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A OA2 Fax: (613) 957-5673 Peoples should also write, email and fax to the President of the United States on this matter of Canada's involvement and its search to rectify this injustice; condemning the FBI for duping the peoples of Canada, its government and diplomatic protocol. To grant Peltier his freedom through executive clemency and objecting to how the USA's reputation remains forever tarnished by its actions in this regard. In all cases, please appeal for swift political action for immediate, urgent and proper medical treatment for Leonard. President Bill Clinton The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. U.S.A. 20500 Fax: (202) 456-2461 e-mail: president@whitehouse.gov __________________________________________________ For more information, contact: LPDC Canada 43 Chandler Drive, Scarborough, Ontario Canada M1G 1Z1 tel/fax: (416) 439-1893 e-mail: lpdccfd@web.net For more details on Canada's involvement, check out the web site: http://www.execulink.com/~hkoehler/peltier.htm Thank you for your continued support and solidarity, Frank & Anne Dreaver Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Canada All My Relations Dan Smoke - Asayenes & Mary Lou Smoke - Asayenes Kwe Producers/Hosts "Smoke Signals" First Nations Radio Program Radio Western, CHRW, 94.7 FM (5l9) 659-4682 fax (5l9) 453-3676 --------- "RE: Prisoners' Justice Day" --------- Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 15:45:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Susanne Michelle Hrybko Subj: Prisoners' Justice Day - Vancouver UUCP email Press release from Prisoners' Justice Day Committee, Vancouver re: This year's events in Vancouver August 10th is a day set aside each year when prisoners and supporters gather to honour the memory of the men and women who have died unnatural deaths in Canadian prisons. On August 10th, 1974, Eddie Nalon bled to death in a solitary confinement unit at Milhaven Maximum Security Prison near Kingston, Ontario when the emergency call button in his cell failed to work. An inquest later found that the call buttons in that unit had been deactivated by the guards. Prisoners at Milhaven marked the anniversary of Eddie's death by fasting and refusing to work. What started as a one time event behind the walls of Milhaven Prison has become an international day of solidarity. On this day, prisoners around the world fast, refuse to work, and remain in their cells while supporters organize community events to draw public attention to the conditions inside prisons. The urgent need for change within both the criminal justice system and the prison system is accentuated when we look at the increasing number of prisoner deaths in Canada. The most recent toll from Statistics Canada indicates that for the 1996-97 period, there were 101 deaths of federal prisoners and 44 deaths of provincial prisoners. Prison deaths from murder, suicide, and neglect can and must be prevented. In Vancouver there will be a number of free public events to commemorate the day: 1) Friday, July 24th, 7-9pm Public Information Forum at the Urban Native Education Centre, 285 East 5th Ave., featuring The Lil'wat Drummers, The Ts'peten Defense Committee, Kelly White, The Aboriginal Women's Action Network, and performer Kathleen Yearwood 2) Tuesday, July 28th, 7:30-9:30pm Voices From Within at Video-In, 1965 Main street. A screening of Elsa Pang's "Prison Obituary", plus various shorts including "You Don't Look for Street Signs When You're in a Jungle", and "Instead of Prisons" 1980 interview with Howie Brown, speakers Kris Lyons, Joint Effort, and performance by Penny Singh 3) Saturday, August 1st, 5-7pm A focus on HIV/AIDS in prisons at The Gathering Place, 609 Helmcken Street featuring BCPWA Prison Outreach Project, Eddie Rouse, Sharon Street from the BCCW HIV Peer Education Team, and musical performance by Ani Kyd. 4) Sunday, August 9thm 1-3pm Memorial Rally in front of the Vancouver Pre-Trial Centre, 275 East Cordova Street. This event will include BCPWA Prison Outreach Project, Karlene Faith, Third World Alliance, Kris Lyons, The Ts'peten Defense Committee, Kelly White, Eddie Rouse, The Lil'wat Drummers, Wayde Compton, Daughters of the Wind, and LOUD. 5) There will also be programming on CO-OP Radio CFRO 102.7FM's Stark Raven show August 3rd and 10th and on Kla How Ya FM on August 7th. Please let us know of anything being organized in your area. PRISONERS' JUSTICE DAY COMMITTEE P.O. Box 78005, 2606 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 5W1 fax: (604) 872-0509 (The committee can also be contacted by leaving e-mail messages at hrybko@sfu.ca) --------- "RE: Poem: A Nation's Shame" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Jul 1998 00:07:29 -0400 From: Peter Cole Subj: a nation's shame UUCP email July 4, 1998 To Whom it May Concern; I sent this letter/poem to Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and the NYTimes oped page on June 8 and I have not heard back from either place so I send it to you. In peace. all my relations Peter Cole June 8, 1998 Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Chairperson, Select Committee on Indian Affairs, 380 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, Senator Campbell; ama sqit senator campbell and all eyes else this is my letter/poem in support of mr leonard peltier longtime political prisoner of the us government fyi mr peltier is not an indian he is a member of the first peoples of this continent not of the subcontinent of india o:na Peter Cole Stl'atl'imx Nation, British Columbia With Respect to the Incarceration of Leonard Peltier until leonard peltier can be or become something other than part of a bothersome native issue involving among other things the incipient and continuing and continued illegal expropriation annexation and/or illegal purchase of all of the contiguous and outlying lands of these so called united states of america together with the violent extinguishment of the rights including the inherent right to sovereignty of the original and autochthonal inhabitants of this country he will not have freedom until the extraterritorial appropriation by this excessive oppressive foreign occupying armed force called the united states government and its peoples now in its third/fifth century of illegal occupation of these once pristine environments of which the original inhabitants are in perpetuity stewards is overturned and the governments thereof and therein return to the indigenous people their right and privilege to enjoy and benefit from their special relationship with these their ancestral home/lands and to their relations the animals and plants fishes and birds together with the right of all to unsullied waters and clean air until this precipitates on the united states of america leonard peltier in one body or another in one name or another will not be granted freedom from the prison from the foreign laws of this occupying power there will always be a leonard peltier in a prison in these lands there will all ways be many leonard peltiers placed there by the agents and agencies of foreign domination and takeover and their provocateurs held there by five centuries of breathholding shame shame which is the true face the real name of this america there will always be bad medicine in this place spread throughout the geography and people and actions of these united states ensuring that this country will never become great or even good or even all right or not so bad or just evil by default rather than design this will continue until the visitors return home repatriate or until the first peoples are given back their rights and dominions including control of them as human beings walking on this earth there is always talk in america of the peace process somewhere in the world but it never has to do with anything taking place at home you want a west bank america look south of the 49th parallel look north of the rio grande look east of the pacific ocean look west of the atlantic ocean you want a west bank america look to alaska and hawai'i this is your west bank four million square miles of it let us not forget in speaking of this west bank to look at what you call the louisiana purchase and the appropriation through force of arms texas california new mexico arizona from other foreign occupying forces the annexation of hawai'i the purchase of alaska from people who did not even own it any more than charles james george elizabeth henry philip ferdinand isabella innocent pius and gregory owned it certainly it was not the indigenous people who sold it to you not only did you not ask the first peoples if you could come if you could stay for more than a brief visit on a visitor's visa or even on your own cognizance you did not ask the stones or the forest nations the rivers or the sky the fourleggeds or the insect nation these things you do not know about because you are disconnected from your spirit and from the land you violate in every way you can find to do so why is it overwhelmingly the poor who are (in) your prisons while you're looking at the map america let your gaze rest on puerto rico vietnam the middle east mexican/indonesian/kenyan export processing zones beneficiaries of so called international free trade look at the imf world bank the un foreign aid the peace corps look at the presence of your navy your army your marines your nuclear missiles your peace/keepers like a plague across the world purportedly ensuring freedom now your latest shamed president wants a hundred million dollars plus to fight bioterrorism how ironic with the usa being the world's biggest bioterrorist much of it against its own people if you follow the trail of this targeted money you will see it will be used for research and development into creating more tools which is to say weapons with which to oppress the rest of the world including its own citizens more ways and means to suppress the free speech your citizens claim to hold so dear we all know where aids really came from and how much money pharmaceutical companies are making because of it let us talk about this recombinant dna lab monster that you have brewed in your belly america when we talk about germ warfare about biological terrorism there is no room for negotiation now with respect to the western way that has not worked maybe PRATEC will open some eyes maybe those fires in florida will the ice storms no america will not bend america will not lose face if only america knew how little face it had to lose in the world community letting leonard peltier free would show the injustice the united states of america blames the rest of the world for perpetrating look homeward america leonard peltier is a shackled guest of mrs and mr america and kids america who will grow into mrs and mr america in your house of detention and torture and shame they are not kind to him there they not even civil they did not become prison guards and wardens because they are nice people now would be a good time america to let leonard out now would be a good time to admit you manufactured another big mistake another collosal lie that all the acid rain in pennsylvania and ohio couldn't wash from your s/oiled countenance leonard peltier has to ask for justice from the world's largest extraterritorial colonial presence he has to ask that his case be heard in its courts knowing that this country has no soul nevertheless he presses his case because these are the concatenations he has to negotiate it must break his heart to have to ask the monster for parole because the monster does not like questions it likes only tacit obeisance I can see mr all america boy now home fresh faced from china talking about tienneman square and civil rights abuses I can see mr all sitting in the oval office of the 'white' house that was built by slaves from africa waiting to say no way leonard sleep in the dirt eat my dust rot maybe not in those words no mr president speaks other/words it keeps his face from getting wrinkled not that lies don't leonard peltier knows america as a violating presence in the world a hiroshima nagasaki nevada bikini atoll (ha and you complain about indian and pakistan) desert storm memorialization presence leonard knows america as the dys/claimer of turtle island this is the america the rest of the world knows and speaks of in asides and secret memos insinuations this standing army waiting to invade this corporate presence waiting to invade this transmedia propagandizing selfaggrandizing advertisement waiting to invade anyone anything for money leonard if you were a commodity the stock exchange might find a future for you but you are not a big enough issue in america you have to wait behind the whitehouse scandals leonard if you were more marketable if somebody could make billions from you out of prison you'd be out today when america uses the euphemism 'global village' it really means global strip mall what does this america know of village this nation which disgraces itself over and over again even in the eyes of its own citizens its voters what is in the heart of this country that keeps leonard peltier from walking the earth with his sisters and his brothers as a free human being no doubt about it none at all this is the american way there is nothing even remotely unamerican about it to say america is to say violence incarnate manifest destiny is another way of saying we are the only race that matters how much more racist can you get when I heard someone singing america the beautiful I knew this country needed a new song something more appropriate more uptodate oh say can you see leonard peltier is a prisoner of every person in these united states who says I am proud to be an american he is the prisoner of everyone who says I am proud to be a patriot this invasive autocratic plutocratic presence this colonial force has through the wills of individual immigrant persons handed down deeded bequeathed to their children and grandchildren land which was never theirs to give or take title to resources which are not resources but living parts of the earth the stones and the forests and the rivers that are the heritage of leonard peltier in their original state and what has america done to leonard peltier it has put him into a hole and forgotten him immigrants since the first whiteship brought laws from englandspainfrancehollandportu and other places they forged and legislated new laws to ensure they could do and continue to do what they wanted and justify what they did or wanted to do using their own laws and prevarications there was a law of the land when the first whites landed it was called living in the village it was called honouring the spirit of all living things but this has never been the way of america to obey the laws of the nations their way has been to destroy the original inhabitants by any means possible and enforce their own way it's called capitalism it's called commerce under the euphemism free market economy free enterprise free for whom for the greedy the soullness the empty and this is all that america is about and political prisoners called other/wise renamed with some other sobriquet some alias must be a song in there somewhere but it's not about freedom for leonard peltier each and every person in america has slammed the door turned the key locked leonard peltier in his cell america you need a new statue in new york harbour the one that is there should be blindfolded with weapons of mass destruction in one hand and a wad of laundered bills in the other what definition of liberty america can you be thinking of what definition of 'great' at thanksgiving time in america when every school in new jersey practices racist caricaturing of the first peoples of this continent when the people of america fill themselves with dead birds and dead pigs and pesticided fungicided herbicided vegetables and predigested self-righteous congratulations for their greatness as a country among countries I think of leonard peltier in his cell I think of the denial of individual and tribal/nation/al sovereignty of ab/original peoples by the mostly white immigrants to this continent I think of the planned and implemented slaughters the perpetual genocide that is this country's legacy from its foreparents beginning with 95 percent of the ab/original peoples through direct military warfare and undocumented ex officio massacres like wounded knee how many children have you killed today america not to forget diphtheria anthrax smallpox measles infected blankets america was born using biological warfare it is part of the plan that made this country what it is the killing of pregnant women the newborn the unborn young children the old the disabled and as many men as you could without having to reload your precious phallus this is the legacy of white america for its children and grandchildren and so on down the line leonard peltier has to plead with the president of these united states and his aides and advisors for his right to freedom he already has the right it is the freedom he is after but sometimes the president of the usa doesn't hear these pleas because he's in somebody else's pocket somebody else's hot tub somebody else's you choose the noun and the r-value is such that he can't hear leonard the acoustics aren't so good in those places is it not often times the will of the president to enact injustice just so long as its not front page injustice at least not too many times in a week front page nytimes injustice until leonard peltier gets onto the wire services the school curricula the government bills the media he will stay in prison because america is about high profile stories because america is about cowboys winning and 'indians' being put on reservations like the man says on the cd prisons are the fastest growing reservations in this country until leonard peltier can become a thorn in the foot a boil on the behind a pimple on the face of the american justice system his voice will not be heard because america is about cosmetic surgery because america is about looking good because america is about/face until leonard peltier can become the biggest embarrassment to a country with no shortage of that commodity until leonard can be/come the biggest source of shame in a country which claims to celebrate fairness and freedom and truth cough cough cough out of one side of its mouth while selling arms to the highest bidder on the other side he will not be free because america is about how much tarnish can a national image take just ask richard nixon john kennedy george bush ronald reagan and the new boy on the block and if I missed anyone's name please see me after clash america is afraid of being cited ridiculed shamed called down for its five hundred year history of war crimes internal and international for its history of genocide against the first peoples of this and other continents ask your current boywonder why he won't sign the united nations war crimes tribunal the new nuremberg tell the fairy tale answer he gives you to your children at night and see if it puts them to sleep a two year old wouldn't believe it while we're on the subject of the un what's this 'security council' for why shouldn't every country be on the security council have a veto because it's the big boys club and they have secrets they don't want anybody to know about because they got sling shots and peashooters and words they want to keep from the ears of the unready who do you think the unready is composed of you me and us and why aren't we ready? -- we are they've just read us wrong this time the poll is wrong until leonard peltier can become front page news in the new york times until he is invited to talk on those dippy talk shows where people are paid to applaud where they have cheerleaders to keep up the profile of the chat host/ess who make downwards of half a million dollars a week until leonard is mentioned by sports announcers colour commentators anchor people retired football players until he becomes a war hero soap-opera hero baseball hero to the american people a known entity commodity news event catch phrase soundbyte until mattel can make a mint or disney or lowneys 20th century fox www.sonytheatres.com making leonard peltier dolls and films and t-shirts he will not even exist in the minds of america or even in the periphery of their vision audition perdition because america is about mottos and public personas because america is about who's on first not who's in prison especially if they're indigenous or 'other' other it doesn't matter to the american public if he's guilty or framed because the united states of america is about individuals being unimportant statistical remnants if they're not famous or rich or outrageous in a big way individuals of no particular media-hypeable stature are not to stand or sit or lie in the way of opportunity and progress hinderances to the art of making it big bigger biggest because everybody knows america is about commercials and commercialism and commercialization it's about getting rich and famous and crooked all at the same time it's in all the papers so who reads anyway least/wise in new jersey manhattan long island dc why da dey need ta read dey got a hunert channels a tv videogames internet supermarket tabloids hair/nail/tanning 'beauty' shops on every corner and sometimes halfway up the block too america where nobody over 40 has grey hair america with noonhour drive-thru liposuctioned bulemic surgery tucked pinched addendaed mr and mrs america putting on the dorian gray for another day not to mention the michael jackson the cher the manwomanteenager in the next officecarskateboard this is what matters this kind of day to day in america yet leonard peltier is freer than america is or can be or can even imagine be/coming it is the nation of america that is behind bars but it is too blind deaf unfeeling thickheaded stupid and caught in the traffic of being itself to even know it america is just a bigger prison than leavenworth how long did it take for nelson mandela to slide through the racism of a country in which a majority of the people are indigenous to find some kind of freedom to be 'heard' not just to speak how long will it take for leonard peltier to slide through the racism of a country in which a majority of people are racist against indigenous people because they are ashamed in their hearts and their spirits and their minds and their bodies for stealing our land and destroying our cultures but are too afraid to openly admit because this nation is guilty of enacting the biggest holocaust in the history of human being and it hasn't stopped yet it doesn't know how to go to that place of surcease because it doesn't know what to do with all its leisure time/space hands/feet except smoke take drugs beat somebody up make money especially when the theme parks close down at 9 o'clock and the drugs are late or not so great anymore and the cigarettes make their mouths taste like their minds feel when they do feel and the booze makes them look eventually the way they feel inside which is nothing much of anything america isn't interested in what's on page two or who's second best or what happened yesterday in afghanistan or east timor or tibet or pine ridge south dakota it's either frontpage sportspage or the funny papers if we can get leonard peltier into one of those places he has a chance of a fair or at least lingering hearing a chance for freedom from incarcerated oppression by the united states government but don't bet on it because I don't think the new boy on the block and his friends together with the us congress and the house of representatives can even spell clemency let alone even guess right what it means on a multiple choice examination best out of four wake up america and look in/to the mirror and tell me what you see before you pop your first pill before that first fix whose face is that I see a president with a credibility problem a public with a priorization problem a nation with an ego problem a fractured justice system rampant racism sexism classism I see a corrupt police service armed forces a dismantled educational religious political metaphysical egalitarian philosophical spiritual and so on down the line disintegration I see a nation with no more depth than foundation cream shoe polish after shave no more ethics than a dollar bill I see a nation that was built on lies a nation that was built on blood mostly other people's that was built on stealing and more lies and more stealing and more lies generation after generation of killing nationally internationally locally statewide in the streets in the schools church home cafeteria grocery store forest stream atm and your record abroad stands for itself then there's the killing once removed on television movies videogames paperbacks I see a nation that tries so hard to keep up the image of being great that it wouldn't know great from a hole in the ozone it wouldn't know great from the mai treaty it should use for toilet paper it wouldn't know great especially if it were unshiny inexpensive healthy unpackaged handmade honest and unadorned especially if it were not for sale especially if it were free but corporate america wouldn't go for that how could anything free be great no one can stop america from further destroying itself except its own common downtoearth honest people of whom there are many but they're too busy trying to survive trying to overcome the effects of television and substance abuse and unregulated advertising they're too busy trying to become or remain healthy or fit or awake or aware they have no time to see what their government is doing to them with its diversions which are meant to keep them busy to keep them from thinking to keep them from singing protest songs about the country they live in about the people who are supposedly leading them to keep them otherwise engaged when they're not at work because it's dangerous for a country if the citizens think because thinking citizens can become voters and juries and shop stewards and consumer advocates so the government provides subsidies for entertainment industries like spectator sports and tv game shows theme parks strip malls golf courses beauty contests a television in every room internet in every house that'll keep'm busy and away from protest marches and peace rallies it is not the president of the united states and it cannot be that person who will set leonard peltier free it can only be the people all my relations Peter Cole --------- "RE: Native Prisoner" --------- Date: Mon, 13 July 1998 23:14:49 -0400 From: Janet Smith (evestar@juno.com) Subj: Contacting those in the Ironhouse UUCP email Tell a Native American Prisoner someone cares! The following is a portion of the list of Native American Prisoners incarcerated in prisons throughout the United States. The full list is found at the Native Prisoners Pen Pal list the following web site: http://www.brooks.simplenet.com/penpal.html. The list is compiled from contributions by Wotanging Ikche readers, other friends and from Laura Brooks' research on Native American Spiritual Freedom in Prison. If you know of a Native prisoner who would like to be included here, please e-mail Janet Smith at jans@atlcom.net. My thanks to Laura Brooks for giving this list a home on the web. New Request: Subj: Add Native Prisoner Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 18:58:24 +0300 From: "Lize Kegge" Dear Janet I would appreciate it if you could please add the following to the Native Prisoner List: Milo Rose #090411 Union Correctional Institute P.O. Box 221 A-1 P12115 Raiford FL 32083 Ancestry: Cherokee Thanks and would appreciate acknowledging receipt Best wishes Edi Arangies via Lize Kegge ------------------- While I can't pretend I'm pleased to find yet one more brother behind bars, I am grateful that this brother is now introduced to you. I hope one or more of our readers will drop him or card or letter to let him know he is not forgotten. I offer thanks to those of you who have written to others who have appeared on this list for about a year now. I was hoping to have another name for you this evening. Yesterday I received a note asking me if there were a charge for listing prisoners on Laura Brooks' web site (and in Wotanging Ikche). The answer is absolutely not. If you know of one, or several, or many prisoners who wish to correspond with Native people - please write to me at jans@atlcom.net or evestar@juno.com. Janet Smith Reminder and Caution: It is common for prisoners to be moved abruptly. If your correspondent suddenly quits writing, don't assume it's by choice. Inquire about his location and situation -- often the prison chaplain can help you with this. If you know a prisoner on our list has been moved, please let me know. If your correspondent requests that you send him anything, particularly ceremonial items, check the prison to ensure the requested items are not contraband. Sometimes items of religious significance that are ordinarily banned may be given to the prisoner by the chaplain. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Free the Wolverine Campaign: Wolverine (William Jones Ignace) "OJ" Pitawanakwat Political Prisoner Political Prisoner Box 4000 Box 4000 Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford, BC V2S 5X8 V2S 5X8 For more information, please contact the Free the Wolverine Campaign: Box 13-2147 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5N 4B3 Spokespeople: Splitting the Sky - Phone/Fax: (604) 543-9661 Bill Lightbown - Phone: (604) 251-4949 or see the SISIS pages at http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/gustmain.html Also we have a listing of native political prisoners around the world, at http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/links/POW.html --------------------------------- Please especially remember - this is the "Year of Leonard". Leonard Peltier #89637-132, Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048 --------- "RE: Inspiration: Screeching Eagle" --------- Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 11:40:12 -0400 From: "Brian A. Jones" Subj: Screeching Eagle UUCP email Greetings Brother, I have been given several inspirational writings penned by my hand, but guided by The Great Spirit. Today, I was told the Eagle is screeching, the call must go out! You are the only one who I know who can send these writings so they will be received by many of the people. Please allow me to send you these three, in the order they have been written. Use them as you are inspired by The Great Spirit. Thank you. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If Only Upon our travel in life, we search and search relentlessly we search for the meaning of life, but find it does not exist we search for the answers to our questions, but find there are too many questions to be answered we search for love, but find it buried too deeply within us to shine through to offer to anyone we search for dreams, but find them clouded by darkness we search for a shining star to wish upon, but find none of our wishes come true we search for friends, but never find a true one, for they seem to not exist Only after having exhausted our search, do we ultimately realize that our meaning of life is the path we walk upon our questions are answered thru prayer, knowledge and understanding our love, which at first flickers as a tiny ember, grows into a glowing fire abundantly spreading warmth our dreams become goals created within and focused upon with balance our wishes become multitudes of blessings our true friend an entire nation of brothers and sisters And, of all these areas in which we search the meaning...the answer...the love...the dreams...the wishes...the friend not one is the product of our search or, of us Each is a gift, each unique in its virtue and each bestowed collectively These gifts are the gifts of a generous, loving Creator who lives within us all They are the very essence of Life...the Manna which provides sustenance the meaning...the answer...the love...the dreams...the wishes...the friend All gifts which our Creator has chosen to unconditionally and unselfishly give us... if only we would stop to listen and understand Donna Hopkins-Jones 1998 ++++++++++++++++++ Realization of Truth Are you ready to listen to the realization of truth? Would you recognize it if you heard it? Try, try to hear the sighing, the wailing and the breaking of a fragile heart. For these are the sounds of truth, which vibrate into and pierce the air we breathe every day. Perhaps for you they may be faintly heard, just as a single raindrop can be heard falling from the sky above onto a pane of glass...listen closely, can you hear them? However, know this, these sounds are not faint, they are LOUD. For there is one who can hear them turbulently because they resonate from within Her. For decades, She has recognized this truth, and yet, She has patiently and silently sat, with this recognition of truth thoroughly buried within the depths of her bowels, as She dies more with th