From gars@netcom.com Wed Sep 30 18:27:10 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 19:07:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Gary Night Owl To: Internet Recipients of Wotanging Ikche Subject: Wotanging Ikche--nanews06.040 _ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' O ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ O o O / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' O o O / /-< / /--/ /-- VOLUME 06, ISSUE 040 O o o o o O __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, October 3, 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 Minn-Ind, Fol-L & Nat-Film Lists; Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty; UUCP email; Newsgroups: alt.native, soc.culture.native http://www.wintercount.org 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. "Let us walk down the lane a little way to where the woods begin. There is not much activity here on a cold winter day, but the quiet and solitude are beautiful and comforting." "The silence will be short-lived because spring is working beneath the crusty ground. In a few weeks animals will be coming out of hibernation and the birds will be migrating." "Now is the time to enjoy the last of winter's activities. There will be more cold and more snow, but it doesn't last as long and spring beckons with beautiful suggestions of color and mellow days." "Earlier than the sun appears upon the hills, he gives thanks for his protection during the night." __ Chief Cornplant, Seneca +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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! Here in Cobb County, Georgia, Newt Gingrich's home district, there are long standing ordinances against pollution, and a new one against clear cutting for developments. No one seems too concerned about more than five acres of beautiful hardwood and pine trees then burning them. Burning all those trees does require a chemical accelerator, meaning a lot or hydro-carbon and ash particulate pollution. Since this scar will become more asphalt and concrete I am just a tiny bit suspicious greed helped the fine planning and enforcement agencies responsible for controlling pollution find other things to concern themselves with. Then, this week another request for support letters arrived Seems some pottery was unearthed in a grade leveling project. I ask you to read the request and write letters if you wish to. I am personally satisfied the ants and moles in Pennsylvania have not taken up pottery making, so I dispute any contention this unearthed pottery is not from our ancestors. From: Fred Sinkevich Hello Everyone, We need some help to save a hill/mound in Slippery Rock PA. It is located in a campground of which everyone in the campgrounds owns parts of. The majority of the board members (my Mom excluded) want to pave a road up and over the hill and to flatten out the top. Now according to Mom at one time it was part of one big hill where the campground dug out the middle of and there are now this hill and the hill that the reservoir is on. When they dug the middle part out they found some pottery. Currently we are trying to track it down. For a long time everyone in the campground cared about the campground, it's people and it's land...we now have had a lot of new people come in and have no respect for the land. This summer a kid was riding down the hill and fell off his bike and almost lost an eye... That is one board's main reasons for wanting to pave it. Mom's concern is that it will not stop with paving the top of the hill. Last year she barely convinced them not to dig into the hill to take the dirt to use on the creek bank to stop erosion. Any help any of you can give will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for writing to the address below and asking for Lookout Hill to be saved. Send letters about lookout hill To: SRCA board of directors SRCA 1150 West Park Road Slippery Rock PA 16057 Fred =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= Broken Treaties, Empty Promises Forced sterilization. A study by the Government Accounting Office during the 1970s found widespread sterilization abuse in four areas served by the IHS. In 1975 alone, some 25,000 Native American women were permanently sterilized--many after being coerced, misinformed, or threatened. One former IHS nurse reported the use of tubal ligation on "uncooperative" or "alcoholic" women into the 1990s. =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= The language project I have started is moving very slowly, but it is moving. The need for this is a thing I truly believe. Without language a culture dies. What is said in any language seldom translates literally to another. It, at best, approximates the meaning. Our languages are dying. Our cultures will not linger long without our own words to describe the events in our lives, the ways passed down by our ancestors and our prophecies. I am collecting language resource information. Please send me all information each of you have regarding language resources. This should include all written teachings including dictionaries, grammar books and stories. Include all audio and video resources. Include the source, how it is distributed, the publisher, ISBN or other catalogue information that might be known. Include cost and current availability if you have it. Finally, include _your_ opinion. Is it good, bad, indifferent? I will keep this information, by language/nation and make what I have available to any who request it. Send what you can via email to gars@netcom.com You may also send info via snail mail to P O Box 672168. Marietta GA 30006. 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 ---------- - Leonard Peltier Needs Your Help - Daishowa Continues with Appeal - Leonard to be Transferred - Will The IMF Be Rewarded - More Canadian Genocide - Death of Anishinabe Man - Hopi Prophesies - Restore Religious Rights - Surveys and Destruction - Tsuu-T'ina Killings at Big Mountain - Native Prisoner - Clan Dyken Revive Beauty Way Tour - A Hundred Years Ago - Black Mesa Urgent Alert - Poem: Conversation With a Hawk - BC Treaty Process - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days - Nisga'a Deal - Conferences and Powwows - Chiapas News Items - Native America Calling --------- "RE: Leonard Peltier Needs Your Help" --------- Date: 98-09-24 22:10:15 EDT From: saiic@igc.apc.org (SAIIC) Subj: Leonard Peltier needs your help :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: LEONARD PELTIER STILL IS NOT RECEIVING THE MEDICAL TREATMENT HE NEEDS--URGENT APPEAL--PLEASE HELP! SEPTEMBER 7TH NWLPSN STATEMENT American Indian Movement prisoner Leonard Peltier is being made to suffer the full impact of the U.S. government's historical genocidal policies against the indigenous people of the land now called America. Even though the U.S. government has stated many times that they don't know who committed the act that Leonard is in prison for, even though Leonard's defense has disproved the government's case against Leonard, Leonard remains in prison as an example of what the U.S. government will do to those that stand-up for the people against the interests of the transnational corporations and the policies of the U.S. government. Because Leonard's voice has been strong for over 22 years from inside the U.S. dungeons, the U.S. government is trying to break Leonard by using torture on him. LEONARD PELTIER IS BEING TORTURED! Torture is the act of allowing or causing excruciating pain for the purpose of punishment. Leonard has a medical problem with his jaw. Because of the malicious medical treatment at the Springfield Federal Medical Center, which came close to killing him, the condition of his jaw is much worse. The prison will not allow any outside doctor to examine Leonard, which is a right that other prisoners have, but Leonard is denied. The Mayo Clinic, which has done medical work on federal prisoners before has agreed to treat Leonard. Leonard is in excruciating continuous pain. He cannot even chew his food. Still the federal prison refuses to allow Leonard to get the treatment he needs. This is nothing short of blatant outright torture! We ask that all members of the NWLPSN, all supporters of Leonard and all those who believe in justice and oppose the use of torture to please, right now, e-mail messages asking that Leonard be allowed to be treated by the Mayo Clinic. Send messages to: Kathleen Hawk, Director, Bureau of Prisons, "attention indicator" via: swolfson@bop.gov U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell at: administrator@campbell.senate.gov In your message, please not only bring up Leonard's medical condition, but also, that the prison's refusal of medical treatment should be a part of the Congressional hearings on Pine Ridge and the case of Leonard Peltier. Also please ask him when these hearings will take place. President Clinton at; President@whitehouse.gov The e-mail campaign to end the torture of Leonard Peltier started last July. At that time people around the world sent e-mail messages. So many were sent that the Bureau Of Prisons contacted the NWLPSN with a message that they wanted us to send out our e-mail list in the hope that it would end the e-mail campaign. The NWLPSN will not send out the BOP's lies, nor will we call off this campaign until Leonard receives the medical treatment he needs. The torture of Leonard will continue until there is enough of a public out cry that demands that it end. Please take the time to send the needed e-mails and please pass along this information to other people, organizations, e-mail lists and web sites. Thank you for your time. In Solidarity Arthur J. Miller NWLPSN --------- "RE: Leonard to be Transferred" --------- Date: Fri, 25 Sep 98 08:56:43 PDT From: LPDC Subj: Leonard will be transferred to Mayo clinic!? UUCP email [Editorial Note: This is still unconfirmed by the Department of Prisons. Please continue to write] Leonard will transfer to Mayo Clinic!!!? Message from Leonard Peltier: 9/24/98 "This is yet unofficial, but I have spoken with my unit manager, Mr. Pierce who told me today that he had personally seen paper work that says they are going to transfer me for medical reasons, to Rochester Minnesota where I will be treated for my jaw. I want to thank everyone of you that have written letters on my behalf. It is unfortunate that it has taken over two years to get this medical problem treated, but never the less it appears that your letters were effective and I will receive treatment from Dr. Eugene Keller. I love you=17thank you." Note: This is great news, but since it has not happened yet, we should probably keep the letters coming to make sure it does! Leonard says that they never tell him when he will be transferred so we will be keeping a close eye on him. As soon as he is transferred you will hear from us! The medical law-suit will probably still be pursued, we will keep you updated on that also. --Thanks, Gina/LPDC PS- If you are organizing protests and/or civil disobedience for December 19th please let us know. We will soon be listing all cities with contact phone numbers so others can get involved. Thanks! --------- "RE: More Canadian Genocide" --------- Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 11:07:05 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: More Canadian Genocide: TB Sanitariums :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: RUMOURS OF ABUSE, COVER-UP AT CLINICS Windspeaker News, September 1998, Page 44 by Rob McKinley The Pas, Manitoba - Ottawa is being urged to investigate the growing tales of horror from former patients regarding three tuberculosis sanitariums which were operating in Manitoba up until 30 years ago. Activities at one particular facility, the Clearwater Lake Sanitarium near The Pas, are the main concern for the province's First Nation chiefs and New Democrat MLA Eric Robinson. "Some stories the Elders report are that their people went there and never came back," said Robinson, a member of the Cross Lake First Nation and the provincial Indian Affairs critic. He has already heard from numerous people who said their siblings were taken away in the 40s, 50s or 60s and just never came home. As well as the suspicious disappearances, there have also been stories of abuse and neglect at the hands of nurses working at the facility. Recently, he said, a burial site containing 15 bodies was unearthed a few miles from where the Clearwater Sanitarium stood. Many people think the bodies are those of people whose deaths were never reported by the sanitarium. If the bodies are those of former patients, he fears there may be more bodies out there. "It's dozens for the time being, but there could be hundreds as far as I know," he said. Arlene Gibson, the executive director of the Sanitarium Board of Manitoba said past history of the board and of the facilities has long been filed away in the provincial archives, making any immediate answers difficult to come by. She was certain, however, that the Clearwater Sanitarium had nothing to do with the bodies recently found. "We didn't bury people. We had no burials. Someone took the bodies away," she said. "We certainly had no burial sites." Since the early 1900s, when the Clearwater facility opened, she said, many people, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, were sent to the facility, and while medical treatments may have been primitive and many people did die from the disease, she was not aware of any direct complaints sent to the board in it's 60 years of operation. A letter written in 1949 to an Indian Agent from the Clearwater area indicates, however, that there were many problems at the sanitarium which may have been ignored by facility officials and never passed on to the board level. "The Indians feel so bad about the management that they begin to believe that they are being brought to this place to die," wrote Chief Cornelius Bignell, then chief of the Le Pas Indian Band (now the Opaskwayak Cree Nation) in a letter to "Mr. E. Low, Indian Agent," on July 4, 1949. The letter contained a list of seven concerns the band had received from the Clearwater patients. The issues included a need for more fresh air and time outside the facility, the use of excessive force when needles were administered and the higher than normal rates of death. "Too many persons have died and are dying too fast in such a short time. Very few leave the San (sanitarium) alive," read the letter. Gibson said she too would like to see the results of an inquiry into the role the sanitariums played. The inquiry could also identify who operated the tuberculosis facilities, as Gibson said she was not aware of who was in charge. She said the board worked at arm's length to the medical treatment of the disease. Ask William Tagoona who was in charge and he'll tell you it was the staff, especially the nurses. "They were the ultimate bosses. They could do anything with you whenever they wanted," said the 46-year -old former patient. In the mid-1950s, Tagoona, who now lives in Kuujjuaq in northern Quebec, was a patient at Clearwater. He stayed there for 18 months from the age of five. In that time, his life belonged to the nurses. "You were a nothing they could play with. It was scary," he said. For a year and a half, Tagoona said he was kept from his parents and never allowed outside the building. He stayed with other Native patients in the ward "and never really did anything." Most of the children were afraid he said, because if they stepped out of line, they were beaten with thick, leather belts. He told of nights where the nurses would read bedtime stories and the children were told to keep their eyes on the nurse's face. If they looked away and were caught, "she'd take her belt off and hit you with it," he said. The goodnight kiss was another strictly enforced duty. If a child turned his head away from the nurse, then you'd get it again," said Tagoona, who now works for the CBC in northern Quebec. One of the most vivid and scarring memories Tagoona grudgingly recalls took place during meal time. He said the macaroni he was to eat was something he had never tasted before and after tasting some, he threw up in his plate. "The nurse got really angry and mixed up the macaroni and vomit and force fed it to me," he said. Forty years later, Tagoona said he still cannot eat macaroni or spaghetti. "Maybe Canadians would like to know the history of how the Native people were treated in the 1950s," he said, adding that it might show people that Native people aren't "just like that," but that "maybe they were made to be like that by the white people in the past." Tagoona was also a residential school student after his time at the Clearwater Sanitarium. He looks back on his years at the Churchill residential school as good ones. He looks back to his 18 months at Clearwater with a lump in his throat. "I remember many fond memories at residential school, but at Clearwater Lake, I don't even remember one fond memory," he said. "Maybe that's why residential school was so easy for me. I was already pretty tough by then." The 26 chiefs represented in the Manitoba Keewatinow Okimakanak (MKO) in northern Manitoba, recently passed a resolution calling for an immediate investigation into the Clearwater Lake Sanitarium operations, as well as two other facilities in southern Manitoba. "We can no longer remain silent as we have too many health problems that may be related to the treatment our people received in these places," said Red Sucker Lake Chief Fred Harper. MKO Grand Chief Francis Flett agreed. "The rest of Canadian society must know what happened to our people, to learn about the pain and anguish we suffered at the hands of people who were charged with healing us," said Flett. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: "The residential schools, congregating hundreds of children from different reserves with different diseases, were contagion centers. The children died by the dozens or contracted diseases which spread easily through the unsanitary buildings. When they went home, they took the diseases with them. The schools were frequently swept by epidemics. Tuberculosis was out of control by 1936. The government did not know how many Indians had it, or how many died from it. Lack of money was the reason for lack of treatment. "Sanitarium treatment for Indians was not authorized in Manitoba by Indian Affairs until 1938. In that year, the Indian death rate was 25 times the Canadian rate. One-third of the total TB deaths in Manitoba occurred among two per cent of the population. The old Indian sanatoria have, for the most part, been closed. They were terrible places. All the patients were desperately sick and many died. The buildings were old and run down, wards were crowded, and a new patient immediately filled a bed vacated by a corpse. In Manitoba, the Dynevor Indian hospital was set up in a 19th century stone building. "Of sixty-seven patients admitted in 1940, 59 per cent had extremely advanced TB, and 42 per cent were children under 15. The hospital suffered from a shortage of beds and a shortage of nursing staff. 'If more beds are not soon provided, the benefit of case findings will be dissipated,' the hospital director wrote in 1946. Of 88 patients admitted in 1946, 90 per cent had advanced TB of the lungs, and 21 patients died that year. Indians received segregated hospital treatment until the number of patients dwindled so markedly that the Indians could be fitted into the white people's sanatoria." -- From "Reservations are for Indians" by Heather Robertson, Toronto: James Lorimer & Co., pp. 131-133. "In 1941, a team of doctors, out of professional curiosity, began a scientific study of health conditions among the Indians of Northern Manitoba, particularly in Norway House, The Pas and Cross Lake. Indian Affairs contributed to their expenses. Their study lasted until 1944: "'The majority of the Indians we saw, according to our present medical standards, were sick. They were not sick according to lay opinion, but when we examined them carefully from the medical standpoint, they had so many obvious evidences of malnutrition that if you or I were in the same condition, we would demand hospitalization at once. We were struck, particularly, with the inertia, the lack of initiative, the indolence of these people. Physically they shuffled about; they moved slowly. Even though we had to speak to many of them through an interpreter, it was obvious their mental processes were going on at a very slow pace. "'We found, in that particular band, the TB death rate was just fifty times the tuberculosis death rate among the white population of Manitoba. This raises a problem far beyond the Indians because there is a focus of infection which is of concern to you and me. We can never prevent tuberculosis among the white population of Canada when we have a focus of fifty times that among those Indians. "'In trying to find out what was at the bottom of this situation we studied the food which the Indians had. We found, according to our present day standards, the Indians received a diet which could not possibly result in good health. The Indian of today at Norway House is a smaller Indian than forty years ago. This statement is not based on guesswork, but on facts obtained from the post manager of the Hudson Bay post, Mr. Laramont, who happened to be there forty years ago. He says the Indian of today is buying a smaller shirt and smaller pants compared with those articles he bought forty years ago... severe dietary inadequacies have made people angry, submissive, listless, disease ridden and incapable of productive work, resistance, or finally, of continuing to live. Entire population groups reduced to the listless stage have subsisted for generations with chronic dietary inadequacies sufficient to lower progressively their work output, which, with high fecundity, results in a constantly diminishing food supply.' Dr. Frederick Tisdall, Testimony before Senate Commons Committee on Indian Affairs, 1947, vol 1. p.8." -- ibid, p, 134. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: "Genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: a) Killing members of the group; b) Causing serious bocily or mental harm to members of the group; c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its destruction, in whole or in part; d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." -- Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948. CANADA: A COUNTRY BUILT AND MAINTAINED BY COLONIALISM AND GENOCIDE! Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien mailto:remote-printer.Jean_Chretien@16139416900.iddd.tpc.int mailto:pm@pm.gc.ca More information on the internment of indigenous children in Canadian residential schools: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/resschool/main.html :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL: SISIS@envirolink.org WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html --------- "RE: Hopi Prophesies" --------- Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 22:26:49 -0400 From: Gary Smith Subj: Hopi Prophesies http://www.wintercount.org Hopi Prophesies There is a sandstone cliff, near second mesa on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona. On this cliff is etched a picture of the past, present, and the future. This site is more commonly known as Hopi Prophecy Rock. The petroglyph depicts the Hopi as emerging from the underground to the surface of the earth. The actual place for this event is a religious site located in the Grand Canyon. The Sioux also say they emerged from underground at a place in the Black Hills known today as Wind Cave. The story depicted on the prophecy rock continues on by showing how the leading clans of the Hopi migrated in the 4 directions, then turned left---forming a Swastika symbol. The clans that followed migrated in the 4 directions--then turned left---forming reverse Swastika symbol. After journeying in the 4 directions, they were to return to the center. When they reach the center it will be the end of the fourth age. The Sioux, like the Hopi, traveled in the 4 directions after emerging from the underground. The Sioux also believe that man has evolved through 4 ages, calling them the Age of Fire, Age of Rock, Age of the Bow, and Age of the Pipe. The length of each age is unknown, but the prophecy is that during the time of each age, man would gradually become a "two-heart". The Hopi Prophecy Rock clearly depicts three "two-heart" individuals. A two-hearted person is one who thinks with his head rather than his heart. This is in reference to the left-brain function of analytical thinking. A person who think with his heart uses the right-brain function of intuitive thinking. Currently modern man is out of balance because we live in a left brained dominated society. We place more emphasis on left-brain modes of thinking vs. right-brain modes of thought. The Hopi Prophecy Rock shows a junction where the two-heated people have a choice of choosing to start thinking with their hearts or continue to think with their heads only. If they chose the latter, it will lead to self-destruction; if they chose to think with their hearts they would gradually return to the natural way and their own survival. On the Hopi Prophecy Rock are 3 circles which represent 3 world-shakings. The story is that people of the Earth would reach a time when they would lose the story of how "we are all related". The Creator would then cause 3 world-shakings to remind the people of our relatedness. The first world-shaking would be recognized when a bug on ribbon is tossed into the air. This is interpreted as an airplane. The time when airplanes were first used in war was World War I. So World War I would be the first world-shaking. The second world-shaking would be recognized when man used the Hopi migration symbol (swastika) in war. This was World War II, which is the second world-shaking. The great Oglala Sioux holy man, Nicholas Black Elk, had also foreseen the coming of World War I & II. The third world-shaking would be recognized by a red cover or cloak. Could this mean Communist China? Russia? Sioux Elders tell us that Mother earth is surrounded by negative energy which is given off by the human brain. One of the reasons for the Sioux Sun Dance is to give thanks to father sun for all he has provided us on Mother earth. By sending good thoughts to the sun, the Sioux could reduce the negative energy. The Hopi Prophecy story also said that signs of the third-world shaking would be given when: 1. Trees will die. (Acid rain has taken a heavy toll on trees in some areas, but this could also refer to the demise of the rainforest). 2. Man will build a house in the sky. (Space station Mir, or the planned international space station to be built). 3. Cold places will become hot. Hot places will become cold. (Erratic weather patterns and global warming). 4. Lands will sink into the ocean and lands will rise out of the sea. 5. There will be an appearance of the Blue Star Kachina The constellation of Orion's belt is the area of the sky known to the Sioux as the Heart of the White Buffalo constellation. The White Buffalo legend states that a sacred maiden brought a holy pipe to be used by the Sioux. When she departed she said she would return to help the people when they were in trouble and turmoil. As she turned to leave she turned into a black buffalo, then a red buffalo, then a yellow buffalo, and finally into a white buffalo. Then she went back up into the clouds. In August of 1994 a white buffalo was born in Wisconsin. Two more were born in May 1996 in South Dakota. One died but the other lived. Oglala Sioux holy man Dawson No Horse, stated that as we move into the next century, times would be very difficult. Sioux holy man, Black Elk, foresaw the Sacred Hoop of the world's nations coming together soon--- a reference to the thousand years of peace that is to follow the third-world shaking. THE PROPHECIES OF THE HOPI PEOPLE: White Feather, Bear Clan "The Fourth World shall end soon, and the Fifth World will begin. This the elders everywhere know. The Signs over many years have been fulfilled, and so few are left. "This is the First Sign: We were told of the coming of the white-skinned men, like Pahana, but not living like Pahana -- men who took the land that was not theirs and who struck their enemies with thunder. (Guns) "This is the Second Sign: Our lands will see the coming of spinning wheels filled with voices. (Covered wagons) "This is the Third Sign: A strange beast like a buffalo but with great long horns, will overrun the land in large numbers. (Longhorn cattle) "This is the Fourth Sign: The land will be crossed by snakes of iron. (Railroad tracks) "This is the Fifth Sign: The land shall be cris-crossed by a giant spider's web. (Power and telephone lines) "This is the Sixth Sign: The land shall be cris-crossed with rivers of stone that make pictures in the sun. (Concrete roads and their mirage-producing effects.) "This is the Seventh Sign: You will hear of the sea turning black, and many living things dying because of it. (Oil spills) "This is the Eighth Sign: You will see many youth, who wear their hair long like our people, come and join the tribal nations, to learn our ways and wisdom. (Hippies) "And this is the Ninth and Last Sign: You will hear of a dwelling-place in the heavens, above the earth, that shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue star. Very soon after this, the ceremonies of the Hopi people will cease. (U.S. Space Station Skylab, which fell to Earth in 1979. According to Australian eye-witnesses, it appeared to burn blue.) "These are the Signs that great destruction is here: The world shall rock to and fro. The white man will battle people in other lands -- those who possessed the first light of wisdom. There will be many columns of smoke and fire such as the white man has made in the deserts not far from here. Those who stay and live in the places of the Hopi shall be safe. Then there will be much to rebuild. And soon, very soon afterward, Pahana will return. He shall bring with him the dawn of the Fifth World. He shall plant the seeds of his wisdom in our hearts. Even now the seeds are being planted. These shall smooth the way to the Emergence into the Fifth World." The 3 days of darkness of Hopi Prophecy will be 1998/1999. Noted similarity to other religions. Phoenix Bird would raise its wings and fly. Fire that burned it was the consumption of human desires. We are still not in balance. Hopi Clan Rocks were given out to all four races a long time ago. They are stored by race in the following locations: A white man will come and restore the Fire Clay tablet. The Hopi Rock has a + sign and a - (minus) sign on it with a circle. They represent positive, negative and neutral forces in a magnetic field. Where they cross is a vortex into the next dimension. Greatest thing we have for healing is the human spirit. We are children of the Sun. Prophecies which should have happened 10 years ago have been put off. We have been given a window of opportunity. Spiritual Love is the answer. True knowledge is beyond words. Comets are a sign of prophecy. Hale-Bopp was the twin Kachina, white and blue. The next one will be red. It is the Purifier. It will stop and observe us. If we are not purified enough it will finish the job for us. If there is an Armageddon it is within each of us. We have 12 strands of DNA in our blood. Scientists don't know what they are for since they are not being used. But we can activate them ourselves. One way is through drumming and ceremony. End time should be seen as the Beginning time. We are creating at this moment what our Tomorrow will be. The Hopi Indians are the Record Keepers of the Native Americans. The Hopis call this the "The Fourth Age of Man". According to them the earth has been wiped clean 3 times already. First by Fire, next by Ice, most recently by the flood... approximately 11,000-12,000 years ago. Some believe that the actual date of the flood occurred on June 5, 8498 BC. According to the Hopis we are about to enter "The Fifth Age", which they call "The World of Illumination", which seems to coincide with the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. The Hopis say that there will two more worlds after this. "The Sixth Age" which is "The World of Prophecy and Revelation" and "The Seventh Age" which is "The World of Completion". The Native Americans have been not only the forefathers of we Americans who came to this country a few hundred years ago but they have been the Keepers of the Earth for a long period of time. What they believe is very sacred to us. This knowledge is re-emerging at this time in the earth's history. The Hopi believe that they descended from the Pleiades and that even before that they came from Lyra which is the Ring Nebula that the Pleiadians have spoken to Bill Meier about. They call Lyra the "Eye of God". Hopi Prophecies Hopi Elders on the Art Bell Radio Show June 16, 1998 Transcribed by: Caro Goodfellow and Kay Grissom Real names not used: GF1=Grandfather 1--Phoenix, Arizona GF2=Grandfather 2--Phoenix, Arizona--translating for GF1 GM =Grandmother--Phoenix, Arizona GW=Robert Ghost Wolf--Black Hills of South Dakota AB: Art Bell--Los Vegas, Nevada AB: How old are the prophecies that we are talking going to talk about? GF2: {Asks?} He doesn't know exactly what the age of these teachings are. He says they were given to them before Christ. It is mainly by word of mouth that it has been handed down. AB: How does HE feel about the accuracy of the prophecy? GF2: {Asks?} From the time when (?) was the chief, he had been carrying this message. But mainly the message had been carried forth by word of mouth. The accuracy had to deal with how well each individual that was given the opportunity to maintain the exactness of the prophecies. They were all given this prophecy, so they all had to meet at least once or twice a year, in the Kivas, where they would actually sit down and go back through that. One person would talk about the prophecies, and if he ever so much as added something to it or left something out, then the rest of the group would know that part of the prophecies was missing. So, they would tell him, "Well, you didn't say this one here," or "You added this to it." So, that is how this was kept alive through word of mouth and everyone had to remember just what those prophecies were about. AB: Is Grandfather, or are you and others now having many dreams indicating that indeed these are the end times beginning to unfold? GF2: {Asks?} Yes, I have dreamed about these things and that's how a lot of them are coming about and they are true. GF2: {Asks?} It's not a matter of a quick change. If you wanted to change now and change your life around and do your prayers, it will help a little in the alleviation of much terrible outcome from the cataclysms. There is a lot in store for all of us and the intensity of this will be a lot less if we can all settle down and behave and not be in the way of the actions we have right now?..like we are all being corrupt. That has to be taken care of. We have to keep ourselves from being corrupted by anything from the outside. G2: There are a few that he thinks are important things that will be coming up pretty shortly. There's one thing for sure that we are going to come upon is that World War III is....it will take place....and starvation is definitely a part of this thing, where we will hit starvation. The weather change, itself, it's erratic, right now, and it's not what it should be. This weather climate, itself, it's actually taking care of the crops already in a way that we're losing it. That's part of...you know.....leading us into starvation because the crops will not produce. AB: Now, these are three things: weather change, mass starvation and the third world war. Would you please ask Grandfather if the weather changes are the beginning of these changes.....if what we have seen now, with the weather, is the beginning and, of course, we're going to want to ask how soon these other changes, he thinks, will happen. G2: Yes, these are the signs of, you know, the changes and that also part of it is, you know, right now we're having problems with crickets which is a part of these prophecies where they would come in hoards and they will destroy the crops, also, and that is happening, also. GF2: It's been said that there is no exact time and date for these things.....events....to take place but the year 2000 is a......I would say.....that is a close approximation of the time that all of this will start to take place. The teaching from the Elders was that they talked about that everything will happen at once but, when they say these things, they put it in a form that, you know, they say it's going to all happen at once but it's not exactness of happening at once. It will happen but they will, you know, fall pretty much short from the other, following , it's like a domino effect. This is, you know, when one thing happens then the other will fall into place. But, you know, it will be in a short time from one another so this is what Grandfather was talking about. G2: It's been known that this had happened a long time ago but, in our prior world, it happened before, you know, the same things that we had gone through. The teachings were that we were not supposed to follow in the same pattern and try to keep ourselves from going astray from our teachings. These weather patterns that we talked about and cataclysms that take place, are not really set in order....in a fashion that any person could say that, 'Okay, the winds are going to do it this year and the next year will be fires and the following year will be earthquakes, you know.' Also, he's saying that it's not exactly his words that that is the way that it will take place but he knows that these are signs and they are readily available. All the signs are out there. Anyone can see that, that it is taking place and it's only going to get bigger. G2: The Earth changes will take place in such a way, you know, that this whole planet, here, will become a different type of planet because of the changes in itself. It has happened before, as we mentioned earlier, that it did happen before that they went through these changes and they was taught they we weren't supposed to go back to the same routine that we had gone through in the past life. That was the corruption that we were going through....what we're going through, today. There is so much corruption, out there. These were the things that led us to these things and even animals, insects, all of these things will all turn around on us and, you know, they're going to lead us to the same things again. GF2: {Asks GF1} In the big cities, it will effect a lot. You know, how much corruption there will be within the cities. Also, the people themselves have to be aware of all of these things that will take place, so they must change, too. But, he's not asking anyone to follow him in the way he put himself on the path he is on. He is not asking anyone to follow him in that. It is up to the individual to make that decision for him/herself as to which direction they want to go. When you make that choice for yourself, what you want to do with your life, you don't blame anybody else for your own actions, for what you do. If something happens to you along the way, then you are not going to say that you were forced into it. These are the things that he had looked into also. That's why he's saying that he's not asking anyone to follow him in the way he's leading himself. He's only giving out advice that this is what they should do. They should start changing themselves and going back to the old ways of living simple lives, of taking care of themselves from the land that is available to them, and from the food that they grow. These are the things that will help you along the way when you come to your hard times. So, the people must make these decisions for themselves. GF2: From the teachings that were given to him, he has understood that the solar axis itself, of the Sun, is going to change. The places that normally have cold weather will have hot weather. You know, the weather itself is going to get even worse. The temperatures are going to rise even higher, and that will burn up the crops and dry up the Earth, so nothing will be able to grow. It is true that the Sun itself is being affected by this also. GF2: He has seen pictures of the crop circles that have been out there. These are, in his own mind, teachings also, and they're telling us what is becoming of our time and where it is leading us. He has had a chance to look at a few of them, and he does understand what they're trying to put through?..the message in the circle itself. It is telling us that we are very close to it and what we need to do in order to get ourselves back on track, and the other end of it?..when he says, the other end of it, where you get to see all the things happen and live again?..for a new life to start. GF2: I'd like to add a little to what he just said. This is referring to the question prior to this one. I didn't finish it out. He said that the crop circles were put there by outside, like the UFO people, but he's not sure just who put those crop circles there. But, to get back to the question that is the last one here, the teachings from the Elders, he said, yes they know about the possibilities of other life forms on other planets. The "Old Ones," the old people, the "Old Ones" way back had the knowledge and know-how of getting around, and they have traveled to other planets before and they know how it is out there, if there is life on other planets and they DO know that there is life on other planets and what planets are not liveable. But, they don't know the exactness of how they will be helping us out or they will be going against us. They just know that when we are getting close to the end times, we will be visited by people from out there, and we're not aware whether they're going to help us or go against us. We do know that they have high technology to see what is going on. G2: There is a story that we do know that we did have a brother who was set out and he is out there and with that brother and, from the Society of the One Horned Clan, they made a pact that....from the One Horned Clan and the Society and the brother had make like a.....it's a law that the purifying time would come. This was already done, it was like it had been already organized and it was, you know, established. The stories that there will be come a time that whoever is going to come and, you know, to purify the people. G2: The 'Purifier' is mentioned is the other brother that was sent forth, out to the East, and this was the teaching that he had.....that he was sent of to the East and he would reach the point of origin where the Sun would come out from. When he reached that place, then he would touch his head to the Earth and he would return back to us. When this, you know, time comes that's the end of....the end times....time for a purification time when he will return back. He is the one that has the....in a way, you know....the weapons or the artillery and he is the Big Brother so he would know what to do and how he would help us and how we would go about in having to make us understand. His job is to make us understand and try to get ourselves to behave in the way that we're supposed to and, if we don't, then the one from the West will come and they are the ones that are going to come with much force. He, the 'Purifier', the one that went to the East, is supposed to be big enough to take on the ones that are coming from the West. That is going to become like the Third World War. G2: You know, in the cities itself, what's going on.....what you mentioned.....yes, these are part of the teachings and the prophesies that, when we get to these end times, you know, we're all going to start going corrupt. Even, you know, the children because they don't really believe in anything, even what we're trying to teach them and what we try to talk to them about. You know, they look at you but they have a different opinion about these things and they don't believe that. It's hard to try to teach the young ones and even grown-ups, even adults, are in the same situation. It's not just the children who are in this kind of situation, right now, it's even the adults who are in that kind of situation and, you know, there's a lot of corruption in this way, but we do know that these things would start to take place in the school systems and all over where even young children would start to take lives, like that, because it is just a corruption of the mind from the way things are going, right now. The children will go against their own parents G2: He feels that, that is happening, we're misleading ourselves from that, from the material side of it and walking away from the spiritual sense of it. G2: We should never forget, you know, about farming and how to take care of ourselves because you never know when it will hit and that's why they teach us these things, as young. G2: Well, the outcome of this, after that purifying time, the lifestyle will change....more or less. Those people or those ones that have been working, you know, with the evil or and the dark side are going to be eliminated. Only those that are walking on the one path and believing in that one and with a good heart, those are the ones that are going to continue this and there will be some....what you would say....there might be some people who have the minds that are like the scientists that can develop things. Right now we are not supposed to be taking the minerals out of the Earth for any reason at all, you know. Only certain minerals but only for the amount that you need, that's what was taught. But other than that, we're not supposed to reap the Earth, you know, and tear it up like that...what we're doing now. Like intermarriage, it's not supposed to be done. Only after purification time will intermarriage be possible, you know, that we can start to marry other people.....other walks. This is, you know, when the people will come together after purification time and all walks, that have been spared, will come together and one language will be spoken. There will be one law and it has been taught to say that, you know, some people say that it's gonna be their language or it's going to be the Hopi language that's going to be spoken but this is, you know, something that is not very known as to what language will be spoken but there will be one language that will be spoken. Togetherness is what will come about where we're going to come back to what was once before. What Adam and Eve came upon was, you know, was the Garden of Eden where everything will be flourishing, even, you know, the flowers and the vegetation. Everything will be back to normal but from thenceforth we are allowed to do these things and we can take the minerals out of the Earth, to use for a purpose, and not to really destroy it, though. And all the....he mentioned, also, which I forgot to mention......was the altars and the shrines, of the different societies, will be eliminated and all those will be, you know, have to be put away because they will no longer have power and authority over anything so these will be eliminated. AB: Will there be a single power or a single authority or a single law or will everybody simply understand, inside themselves, that we are now one? There are many who talk, in our world, about a single world government.....a single world ruler. Is that what Grandfather is speaking of? G2: Yes, but not in the fashion that we understand it, now......what they're talking about....the New World Order. See, that's more or less in a dictatorial form but this is done in a way, you know, where freedom is an essence. AB: Alright. Grandfather spoke about World War III. I would like to be clear about this. Does he see men killing men.....humans killing humans.....or does he just see explosions and fire? Is that what he calls World War III? Grandfathers One and Two talk back and forth in the Hopi Tongue. G2: What you had mentioned about which one is, you know, the one that's going to be...he said that the taking of lives, you know, this is what will take place because it will be like an elimination of good from the bad. He mentioned about Hitler, you know, that Hitler had done a lot....done away with a lot of people, too, and when that took place, he said that many of the people were....many of the Hopi had realized this and they were glad that this took place because it was a teaching that took place. It was trying to teach the people that this is what is going to happen, see, so look at this as more or less as a warning that this will take place, again. AB: A warning of a Holocaust. G2: Yes. So, there will be lives lost. A lot of lives will be lost. AB: Does Grandfather understand how some lives will be saved while other lives will be spared with so much fire and war? I guess the question is, will it be like an Anti-Christ which some people think will arise, soon....in our world, an Anti-Christ. I don't know if the Hopi have any similar prophecy regarding one who will come, like Hitler, again. G2: Yes. He mentioned that, yes, the Anti-Christ, that there is, you know, that he is coming again but there have been a lot of people that have walked away from that.....from the teachings and walked away from their spiritual path. They went and decided to do something else, you know, rather than having to walk that and he will come in again and he is the one that is going to set us straight, again, on this thing here. G2: The teachings are that the Creator, itself, what we talked about....the Christ....it's the same thing. What life that we're supposed to lead, we've strayed away from it what he....we told him that we would follow him in the same way and, if we walk away from these teachings then, he was the one that was living that and walking that. Then he gave us a choice to do that, also, and if we disregard everything that was taught to us and we walked away from it. He will come back in and step in and take it over again back for himself because he had mentioned that he was the first and he will be the last. So, this is what will happen. AB: "Given that we are in the end times, and that there will be much turmoil, violence, death and destruction....is there anything that we, the living, can do to prepare our souls for the long, long path that we will all walk down after our physical lives end?" G2: Ya, our teachings that we given to us, we've strayed away from it and how we are supposed to, you know, alleviate a lot of some of these things and it's going to be too late for us to try to turn around and walk that spiritual path because we are taught that we are supposed to be on that path from way back. We should have been changing ourselves quite a number of years back because it doesn't take over night for a person to change....to walk a path....the chose path. Also, it doesn't take over night for the Creator to believe in you. He has to look at you, you know, your heart is the thing that has to change and it's not going to change over night. These are the things that are very hard to change on a person and so right now we look at it that it is already too late to start changing. G2: The Kachinas are spirits that we talk about, are in a sense, the teachings but we can't go into detail of who they are.....what they are. I mean, you know, because only an initiated person should know about the knowledge of these but the only thing we can say is that they are spirits and that they are out there and they have their own home. Throughout the years, our elders of the different villages, you know, have been working with the spirits and making the prayer feathers for them and asking for their power to come in and bring in the rain for the crops because we don't have any way of irrigation our fields. We live in a desert area. This is a chosen area because the Hopi had been know to survive in an arid place. Hopi has been know that they would strive and survive, even in a desert place where there is no water really available for those kinds of things. So, they ask, through prayer, to ask their crops to survive and this is a strong sense of spirituality of the Hopi. They come in the form of clouds. G2: He believes that the axis of the Earth itself will change, also.....shift....and that will cause a lot of Earth changes, itself, also. About the stars that you mentioned, there have been a lot of stories about these things and they pertain to a lot of what happened with the stars, too. He says he doesn't know exactly but it's true that a lot of what happened with the stars and different things....the patterns.....are true and now they talk about these things as just like stories and like fairy tale stories but most of them are true. He doesn't know exactly what will take place out there, again, if that should every happen. AB: Alright. Would you ask Grandfather to give us some few things that we should all watch and look for to happen in the next say.....18 months.....or year and a half. G2: Okay, he says that these earthquakes are eminent but there is no real date as to when these will take place. That big earthquake that was supposed to hit California had been altered, in a way, by the Tibetans who had heard about that and they did a lot of prayers there and they helped in altering the intensity of the earthquake that took place in California. That is, you know, something that we should look for is a large earthquake that would take place. It's going to be real big. It's going to be devastating. --------- "RE: Surveys and Destruction at Big Mountain" --------- Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 11:28:08 -0700 From: Robert Dorman Subj: Surveys and Destruction at Big Mountain Mailing List: Big Mountain List From: Condor952@aol.com Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 04:38:39 EDT Subj: Big Mountain Update ------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- Subj: Sovereignty Threaten Date: 98-09-21 15:57:25 EDT From: byk@dana.ucc.nau.edu (Bahe Yazzie Katenay) Greetings Everyone, This is just a brief update on the situation on the land: Big Mtn. I have just returned from a quick weekend visit to the Land to check on my elder parents and to meet with Kee Watchman of Red Willow Springs. My parents are doing fine and hanging in there despite the hardship of trying to continue their way of life. However, situation within the HPL is even much worst it seems. I talk with Mr. Watchman real briefly and he showed me the green steel stakes and bronze survey markers (Bench Mark) place in concrete which were just recently installed. The BIA had been going around to those families who have signed the Accommodation Agreement of 1997 and marking off only six acres per family homesites. Besides these actions, they (BIA) had just torn down the winter sheep camp of Mr. Watchman and his sister, Lucy Woody. The BIA crews even hauled all the materials off so that the Mr. Watchman and his sister will not attempt to rebuild. This has furthered caused Lucy's husband, Jack, to get a heart attack and has just been recently discharged from ICU at Tuba City Indian Hospital. Other families who did not sign the Agreement seem to not have their property marked off. I was not able to have plenty of time to do a complete evaluation of the area in HPL. However, I would urgently announce that all interested supporters to be inform and take immediate necessary steps in confronting their local representative and the U.S. Interior Department's BIA. I'll continue to keep (as best as I could) up with the latest or with this unfortunate developing events in Big Mtn. Thank You so much for time. Sincerely, Bahe ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ You are on the BIGMTLIST, a moderated mailing list of Big Mountain relocation resistance information (not discussion or debate). To unsubscribe, email redorman@theofficenet.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject header. For non-list members receiving this post as a forwarded message, you may subscribe by emailing redorman@theofficenet.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject header. For Big Mountain and other activist internet resources, visit "The Activist Page" at http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/welcome.html Also, for great internet tools please visit: http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271 --------- "RE: Clan Dyken Revive Beauty Way Tour" --------- Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 12:07:16 -0700 From: Robert Dorman Subj: Clan Dyken Revive The Beauty Way Tour '98 Mailing List: Big Mountain List Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 22:52:25 -0800 From: mgp@madre.com (Michael Gerell) Subject: Clan Dyken Revive The Beauty Way Tour '98 We have been doing this food and supply run on Thanksgiving for 10 years now and Clan Dyken has been doing the Beauty Way Tour for 5 years to support the run. We encourage all of you to keep up the good work and if you can help us in our efforts we could use all the help we can get. The situation on the Mountain is getting even more serious as time approaches the year 2000 and the pressure mounts. Keep writing letters to your representatives and keep the faith... Announcing Clan Dykens' 5th annual Revive The Beauty Way Tour to support the 10th annual Food and Supply Run to the resisters on Big Mountain Sovereign Dineh Nation It's been 26 years since the relocation act was passed and almost twice that since John Boyden and Peabody Coal began their conspiracy to cheat the Dineh and Hopi of their land and lively hoods so that they could mine the coal and uranium and gold that lies beneath the surface of that high desert country. There are significantly fewer people actually living on the HPL than 26 years ago, but those left are the tough ones, the ones most likely to resist any attempt to remove them from their rightful homes. Tho it is mostly elders who remain, there are also many young people, some with families, who want the traditional culture to continue at least with some portion of their generation and the generations to come. Do not believe the lies of the press and the governments that only 28 homesteads remain. By my own estimation there are more than 1000 Dineh still calling the HPL home. Just as importantly, the ones who have relocated still look to their traditional ceremonial grounds for comfort in times of trial. I have attended ceremony involving family from all over the Navajo rez who came to grounds on the HPL that have been used by their ancestors for generation upon generation. They joined those relatives still holding on to the homesteads in prayer for the safe passage of a loved one into the spirit world and for the health and happiness of the next seven generations, defying the daily Ranger harassment and threats of arrest. The harassment takes many forms. The Hopi Rangers still come knocking on doors, "Just checking on things." Livestock is regularly confiscated. Permits must be obtained for the simplest daily tasks such as gathering firewood or even performing the daily ceremonies of thanks to the Creator. The system is designed to put the Dineh resisters under the capricious thumb of the Hopi Tribal Council and their minions. But the most heinous crime being perpetrated on the people of Black Mesa, Hopi and Dineh, is the rapid depletion of the 35,000 year old Navajo aquifer. This pristine source of drinking water, the source of all the sacred springs so central to both the Hopi and Dineh traditional spiritual practices, is being sucked dry by Peabody Coal's giant pumps to slurry the ill gotten coal 275 miles to Laughlin Nevada. 1.5 billion gallons per year of the water of life is being mixed with tons of coal and sent down into the desert of Nevada where it is poured out to evaporate in the sun after the coal is separated from it. It is my belief that this is being done as part of a conscious plan to make the land uninhabitable. Already the springs are drying up and land that once supported many corn fields now sits barren, unable to grow even the meagerest of crops. The water at Rocky Ridge is foul, almost undrinkable, so heavily chlorinated that the smell is almost overwhelming when it is first tapped. Even worse this water is so alkaline that it makes a person thirstier minutes after drinking. As the Hopi Rangers move ahead with the staking out of the three acre allotments and prepare to confiscate livestock, a group of younger Dineh activists have been explaining the truth of the Accommodation Agreement to the elders who were coerced and tricked into signing. When they hear from their neices and nephews what the agreement really says they begin to see that they have signed away their way of life, that they will not be able to carry on the traditions and spiritual practices of their ancestors. Almost all of those who signed their names to the government's paper now want to rescind that agreement. "There is no accommodation agreement because nobody's been accommodated. They are just marking time until they can finally push us off our land for good." The people continue to hang on in spite of the harassment because to relocate means to die, to disappear and never be heard from again, especially for the elders. It is our intention to help those folks who are determined to resist to stay alive and to stay healthy so that they can carry on the resistance in their own way. We do not go there to tell them how best to fight the system, but to listen to their thoughts on the matter and then to help them as they would be helped. One of the major things needed to keep the resistance going is a way to get the word out to the world at large. At the moment there is no voice from the land. There is a need for an office to be directed by people from the land. It would have a computer or two on which to write communiques and be hooked to the internet for instantaneous publication of news to the four corners of the world so that help can be sent in times of significant harassment. Recently some of the elders have been holding meetings to develop a strategy to deal with the inevitable attempts to force individuals out of their homesteads. The U.N. Special Rapporteur who met with the elders last winter is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee in early November. And there will be a special session on Religious Intolerance and Human Rights at the U.N. in New York in that same time period. So there is urgent need for funds to get several elders to these hearings to testify in person. In the early part of next year there will be higher level sessions on those same topics at U.N. in Geneva, Switzerland. The people need a voice there as well. Then there are the daily needs for supplemental food, tools for wood gathering and sheep shearing. 3 or 4 CB base stations and police scanners to be strategically placed in selected hogans so that the people can watch the Rangers and keep each other apprised of their comings and goings. And, of course it would be nice to have solar panels and batteries to run the radios and maybe a small electric light. A group of dedicated activists has started to bring a homeopathic health clinic out to the people. They continue to work miracles on a minuscule budget bringing healers and healing to the elders and the sick as well as helping the people who need it to put in corn fields and plant gardens. We want to continue to support this essential effort. Last year we brought $4000 worth of food and supplies to the resisters. That might sound like a lot, but it only translates into a box of food and maybe an axe or shovel per house hold. We need to do more. We are asking your help again this year and will be asking your help until the traditional Dineh and Hopi are restored to their ways of life in peace and harmony on their traditional home lands. We say RELOCATION = GENOCIDE! Help us put a stop to the genocide. The Clan Dyken Revive the Beauty Way Tour is one way of gathering funds and supplies. Please come be a part of this effort to help the people who pray for your continued health and existence in this world. Spiritual support for all of us who fight for the biosphere comes from these elders and their ceremonies. We are calling on our friends who have been supportive in the past to help produce a show in their local areas. The importance of a local producer in each town cannot be over emphasized. The local producer has the responsibility of arranging for the venue, postering and other advertising (such as radio and print media), ticket sales, security, and all the little things that contribute to a successful show. Included please find a list of Beauty Way Tour shows. Please contact us for the name and number of the local producer in you area if you would like to help. If we are not able to get to your community with a Clan Dyken benefit show there are plenty of other ways to raise funds and/or supplies for the annual Thanksgiving run and for the pilgrimages to the U.N. Hold a couple of bake sales, do yard sales, hit up your employers or fellow workers for contributions. Get together with the folks in your area who are concerned about this issue and/or issues of indigenous rights in general and form a group of your own to meet up with us at Anna Mae camp on Big Mountain to help distribute these supplies over the Thanksgiving holiday. If you can't go yourselves we will be happy to carry the money and supplies you gather down to the people for you. Or at the very least you can write to your Senators and Representatives expressing your dismay at the genocide being carried out right here in our own country. We'll be heading out that way with a show in Las Vegas November 19 and on to Tempe, Az. and Flagstaff the 21st and 22nd and out to Big Mountain and Anna Mae Camp the next day. While we are there we try to get in some work around a few of the homesteads. Fixing a roof, mending a corral, installing a new part in and old tractor, getting in a supply of fire wood for the Grandmas at Sarah Begay's, watching someones sheep while they go into town. Some of us stay a few months taking care of the needs of those who must leave the land to testify at one hearing or another, those folks could stay longer if they had someone supplying them with food. The needs are many and urgent. Please examine your heart and give what you can in the form of energy or monetary help . Most importantly of all, keep the people in your prayers, and keep the prayers going. If you are interested in helping with this work, please call Michael Gerell at 530 758 7486 (email: mgp@madre.com) or Mark Dyken at 209 736 6736 (email: mdyken@goldrush.com).If you wish to make a contribution by check you can send it to: Michael Gerell pob 72841 Davis, Ca. 95617. We thank you for your continued support. Walk in Beauty...Ho! Mitaque Oyasin Michael Gerell for Clan Dyken As of 9/22 Most of these shows will have Diane Patterson opening. Oct 10 Sebastapol Hemp Clothing Bene for Mary Catherine Promoter Pookalani Sweetwater 707 584 4954 707 973 1159 7 Front Ct. Rohnert Park, Ca. 94928 CONFIRMED Oct 11 Ft. Bragg and Casper Inn. Local promoter Sita Francia pob 1729 Mendocino 95460 707 9620835 All Peoples Day and Jackie Scoville (Casper Inn) pob 1960 Mendocino, Ca. 95460 707 877 3377CONFIRMED Oct 23 Provolt Promoter Tish 541 8469179 pob 435 Williams Ore. 97544 and Antonio and Karen (ask Tish to get #s) CONFIRMED Oct 24 Ashland Creek Bar & Grille (Dana 541 770 7484). (Elias 541 488 8126) Annika 541 552 1817 500 Ashland Loop Ashland, Ore. 97520 CONFIRMED Oct 31 Sonora Opera House. Sparky. & Jeff Jones Nov 5 Santa Cruz Promoter Palookaville Pat Trapit(?) 408 454 0600 Nov 6 Arcata Celebration Hall. Rick pob 1384 Laytonville, Ca. 95454 707 984 9164 Beth 707 923 3991 ext 102 8068. Cristian "Mo" Hollis 707 825 7368 Jackie Scoville pob 1960 Mendocino, Ca. 95460. 707 CONFIRMED. Nov 7 Mateel Cntre Promoter Beth 707 923 3991 ext Mateel 707 923 3368 CONFIRMED Nov 13 La Pena Sparky. Nov 14 Elk Community Center pormoter Jacki Scoville pob 1960 Mendocino, Ca. 95460 707 877 3377.CONFIRMED. Nov 19 Las Vegas Promoter Samina 702 361 2556 CONFIRMED Nov 21 Tempe Az. Di is working on this we still have no venue. Nov 22 Flagstaff. Mary Catherine Smith & Adam Steinburg 520 525 9291 We could use some more help on this as well. No Venue as yet. Nov 24-28 Big Mountain Supply Run Any ideas and/or energy towards realizing this would be gratefully accepted. Thanks for everything. walk in Beauty, m.g. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ You are on the BIGMTLIST, a moderated mailing list of Big Mountain relocation resistance information (not discussion or debate). To unsubscribe, email redorman@theofficenet.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject header. For non-list members receiving this post as a forwarded message, you may subscribe by emailing redorman@theofficenet.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject header. For Big Mountain and other activist internet resources, visit "The Activist Page" at http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/welcome.html Also, for great internet tools please visit: http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271 --------- "RE: Black Mesa Urgent Alert" --------- From: Robert Dorman Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 10:11:40 -0700 Subj: BM Urgent Alert #1 Mailing List: Big Mountain List Just received this FAX: 89/24/1998 21:82 52867331CS PAGE 01 URGENT ALERT to the Big Mountain List Date: September 24, 1998 Subject : Impending Livestock Impoundments on Black Mesa Please spread the word. We just received word from Kee Watchman and Glenna Begay that the Hopi Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Rangers will begin confiscating sheep, horses, and cows on October 1, 1998 They are saying that they will not even bother to visit the elders homes, they will lust confiscate the animals on-sight while they are grazing. No Five-day notices have ever been sent out by the BIA. This is a violation of federal law. It is illegal for them to seize livestock on Sight. Glenna Begay, an elder matriarch said. "I urgently need supporters to Come out and protect us as I am home alone with a little girl Shanna, my grand daughter. The nan-signers, already denied the ability to gather firewood to heat their homes in the winter, are being told that they will be the first to have their livestock confiscated. The frequency of these threats and scare tactics has been Increasing as more end more elders that did sign the Accommodation Agreement have been withdrawing their signatures, stating that the only reason they did sign was because Kathryn Hazard of the US Department of Justice and Navajo tribal officials came to their door on March 31, 1998, the deadline date, and told them that it they did not sign the Agreement their belongs would be taken to the other side of the fence (Navajo Partition Land), their house burned end their livestock confiscated. Testimonials continue to be gathered exposing the fraud, forgery, lies, threats and intimidation tactics used to force the elders to sign the Agreement. This is the mid-point of a three-year trial period for the Accommodation Agreement, during which time the people have continued to be denied any ability to fix their homes, seen their water wells capped oft and their land staked out in three-acre lots. The Navajo Nation Council has even admitted that over 100 families have never signed the Agreement - subject to relocation in the year 2001, with an undetermined number, not included an any list, subject to eviction at any time. We will continue to keep you posted about any further developments information has been provided by: Lorena Blackwater and Marshe Mnonestersky Consultant to Sovereign Dineh Nation. If you can travel to Black Mesa please call (520) 673-3461 Thank you for your support. --------- "RE: BC Treaty Process" --------- Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 03:51:02 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: BC's Treaty Process good for Forest Industry says Minister :-:-:-:-:-:-:-Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty-:-:-:-:-:-:-: FOREST MINISTER RESPONDS TO COFI COMMENTS ON TREATY Khatou News, Sept. 98 Victoria - Forest Minister David Zirnhelt responded to comments by the Council of Forest Industries about the Nisga'a Treaty. "I welcome COFI's participation in this important discussion. COFI has participated fully in the considerable dialogue around the Nisga'a Treaty Negotiations Advisory Committee and regional advisory committees," said Zirnhelt. "I'm also pleased to hear COFI express clear support for treaty settlements and their acknowledgement of the urgency of resolving land claims, " said Zirnhelt. COFI and the forest industry will be major beneficiaries of the certainty the Nisga'a Treaty and other parties will create, helping BC overcome problems associated with being the only Canadian province to have previously failed to reach treaties with First Nations. "I look forward to meeting with COFI in the near future to further discuss the Nisga'a Treaty," said Zirnhelt. Zirnhelt pointed out that government has been clear on all the issues raised on COFI's recent comments: * Third party compensation - The provincial government has stated from the outset of negotiations that it is committed to avoid impairing the interest of third parties and that, in cases where it is unavoidable, the government is committed to fair compensation through negotiation. *Crown authority - As a TNAC participant, COFI has received extensive briefings on the application of provincial and federal law and standards in the critical areas of wildlife management, forestry, environmental protection and fisheries. *Certainty - The government is confident the Nisga'a Treaty gives the finality, stability and confidence that investors and working people need. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: "The purpose of the BC Treaty process is to legitimize the theft of our lands." Haida elder Lavina White SOVEREIGNTY IS THE ANSWER - CANADA IS THE PROBLEM! More information on the fraudulent BC Treaty Commission: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/Clark/BCgovt.html "The purpose of the BC Treaty Process is to legitimize the theft of our lands." -- Haida elder Lavina White 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: Nisga'a Deal" --------- Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 11:06:32 -0800 From: SISIS@envirolink.org (S.I.S.I.S.) Subj: Nisga'a Deal: Pro and Con 1. Interior Alliance denounces the Nisga'a "Template" 2. NDP BC begins big push of Nisga'a Deal 3. Black-out: David Black and BC's Nisga'a trick-or-treaty circus :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: PRESS RELEASE from the Interior Alliance Interior Alliance Denounces Nisga'a "Template" as Violation of Human Rights (Kamloops, Shuswap Territory/August 3, 1998) The members of the Interior Alliance have always had great respect for the Nisga'a Nation and its leaders. We agreed with the late James Gosnell, when he told the First Ministers of Canada during the constitutional talks in the 1980's, that First Nations "own this land lock, stock and barrel." It has been a long struggle for all First Nations to have our collective human rights as peoples respected by having our aboriginal title recognized and respected by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia. In the end it was the Supreme Court of Canada in their historic Delgamuukw decision on December 11, 1997 that forced the federal and provincial governments to acknowledge that aboriginal title exists in Canada and includes an economic component. Now that the federal and provincial governments have succeeded in getting the Nisga'a Tribal Council leadership to give up their title and rights, both the federal and provincial governments have announced they intend to use the Nisga'a Final Agreement as a "template" with other First Nations in B.C. to eliminate ancestral aboriginal title and rights by replacing them with a new form of reduced and restricted treaty rights. The Governments of Canada and British Columbia obviously intend to apply the Nisga'a Final Agreement as a model far beyond the Nass Valley. Therefore, the Interior Alliance has no choice but to publicly speak put out on the contents of this "treaty". First Nations have opinions on the recognition and protection of aboriginal title and rights much like Canadians have opinions on Canadian Unity and Quebec Secession. The Interior Alliance is already on record opposing the Nisga'a "Treaty" as a model. Chief Arthur Manuel said today "the Nisga'a Final Agreement will never be accepted as a template, or prototype, by the membership or leadership of the Interior Alliance. The Nisga'a model completely undermines the legal principles and framework for reconciliation of aboriginal title with Crown presence that the Supreme Court of Canada as set out in the Delgamuukw decision. Moreover, from our point of view the Nisga'a model is a gross violation of the Nisga'a's human rights as peoples within the meaning of international law, and we blame Prime Minister Chretien and Premier Glen Clark for taking advantage of the unequal bargaining power between the parties to that treaty." Chief Manuel added, "Jean Chretien is guilty of using the 19th century approach just like United States President, Andrew Jackson. In the 1830's, the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Cherokee Nation had title to their lands and internal sovereignty. President Jackson is reported to have said 'John Marshall has made his decision now let him enforce it.' The Cherokee were then marched out of their lands on a "Trail of Tears". In Canada today, history is repeating itself. Canada's Supreme Court Chie Justice Antonio Lamer issued the Delgamuukw decision last December. Now the head of the executive branch, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, is ignoring the head of the judicial branch about the nature and scope of aboriginal title and rights. I have no doubt we will see great harm come from them on the sad journey into the future the Nisga'a are now being told to embark on by the federal and provincial governments, and by some of their own leaders. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief Arthur Manuel Office (250) 828-9789 Cell (250) 314-7179 Chairman, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council Spokesperson, Interior Alliance :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news articles may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. They are provided for reference only.] BC FED RALLIES WORKERS IN SUPPORT OF NISGA'A DEAL Victoria News, September 18, 1998, Page A3 by Bev Wake The BC Federation of Labour is taking its support for the Nisga'a deal on the road. Federation president Ken Georgetti was in Victoria Wednesday night as a guest speaker at a Victoria Labour Council (VLC) meeting, the first of several appearances he'll be making over the next few weeks to drum up support for the historic agreement with BC natives. "Like any negotiations, you have to look at the results of the package," Georgetti says. "You can't satisfy everyone on every point. This is a good agreement for the Nisga'a people and for all people in BC." A motion was put forward at Wednesday's VLC meeting for the council to also officially endorse the deal and encourage all members to support it, but the motion was tabled to give members more time to read the treaty. Negotiators for the province, Canada and the Nisga'a Tribal Council wrapped up 29 months of treaty negotiation in July, following the 1996 agreement-in-principle to resolve the Nisga'a land claim. The deal gives about 6,000 Nisga'a people 1,930 sq. km of traditional land in the Nass River Valley, $190 million and a form of self-government. The agreement must still be approved by the Nisga'a people (they vote in November) before going to the legislature and the House of Commons. "This is one of the most important economic and social developments of the last century," Georgetti says. "The federation has been on record for 30-plus years supporting the resolution of land claims." Georgetti says he's somewhat surprised by the arguments of those who don't support the deal, especially those people who claim there was not enough consultation. Labor representatives were involved in consultations along the way, he says, and were present at the signing of the agreement in August. "If we had that kind of consultation with NAFTA or the MAI, things would have been a lot different," Georgetti says. Georgetti says the deal will create economic security, certainty and ensure the well-being of families and communities throughout BC. With the bulk of the settlement money coming from the federal government, Georgetti says there won't be huge financial costs to BC residents, and likely will be savings in the future once the expensive provisions of the Indian Act no longer apply. "It's a fair agreement that will stand the test of time," he says. As for calls for a referendum in BC before ratification, Georgetti dismisses the notion, just as the provincial government does. "It's never a good experience when the majority votes on the rights of the minority," he says. The Nisga'a treaty was the first one reached in BC this century. Fifty-one other bands in the province are currently negotiating treaties. Letters to the Victoria News - mailto:vicnews@pinc.com :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: PUBLISHER ACCUSED OF ANTI-NISGA'A CAMPAIGN Times-Colonist, September 21, 1998, Page A5 by Cindy Harnett The owner of eight Greater Victoria newspapers and several throughout the island and province is, for the first time in 23 years of publishing, using his power to denounce the Nisga'a deal. Oak Bay's David Black met with newspaper editors in Victoria, the Lower Mainland and the Cariboo last week, with instructions to run editorials against the deal. Black is also supplying papers with eight "backgrounder" columns written by constitutional expert Mel Smith. The author of Our Home or Native Land is against the deal. Black disagrees with suggestions he should not be asserting his power in this way. "The editorial is the opinion of a newspaper, boss or owner. That duty is often delegated to the editor. But it is clear-cut if the owner wants he can call the shots in the editorial. It's his opinion, the paper's. The buck stops at his desk," he said late Sunday. Black said his papers' news coverage will remain unbiased. All commentary however, must be against the deal. Editors who can't write one editorial against the deal, as a matter of conscience, will have one supplied to them. Black asked editors to phone him if they can't comply. As of Sunday, Black said he hasn't received a call, although the opinion of editors throughout Island Publishers, Cariboo Press and Metrovalley newspaper chains is torn over the mandate. "I just think it is so wrong and I think it will destroy BC and the natives," said Black. Black called the deal racist and akin to setting up another reserve system. "We know the reserve system doesn't work. We've watched 100 years of misery. With the Nisga'a deal, the reserves are still there. They're a little bigger, they start off a little wealthier. But they'll remain a people apart forever. And they will have special rights other Canadians will detest." Black said the deal works out to $100,000 a person. He would rather give First Nations people the money than to see the deal signed. "Give it to them. I'm not saying reduce the amount of money we are paying. Give it to them as individuals... Whatever you do put it into their hands. Give them 10 acres, a piece of their own land, not communal land," he said. "I'm not an expert on the agreement, I just know it's wrong," he said. BC Premier Glen Clark challenged Black to ensure that he allows the government to have equal space in his newspapers. Black said he found the government's ads on the deal "repugnant" and "fallacious". Black owns more than 80 community newspapers in BC, Alberta, and Washington state. He also owns the Red Deer Advocate. At a news conference Sunday afternoon in Vancouver, Nelson Leeson, executive chairman of the Nisga'a tribal council, blasted the publisher for his "biased" approach. Robert Hackett, a communications professor at Simon Fraser University and co director of Newswatch Canada, said Black's directive was unprecedented. "Owners have always been able to to exert their influence indirectly, but they've usually been a good deal more subtle about it than that," Hackett said. The Nisga'a are in the second round of community consultations on the treaty. Band members will vote on the deal, which gives them 2,000 square kilometres of land in the Nass valley in northern BC and $190 million in cash. The Nisga'a will be given self-government powers, as well as resource rights. In return, the band will give up its tax exempt status and future land claims. SOVEREIGNTY IS THE ANSWER - CANADA IS THE PROBLEM! Letters to Times-Colonist - mailto:jknox@victoriatimescolonist.com Letters to David Black Publisher c/o mailto:vicnews@pinc.com :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: "The purpose of the BC Treaty process is to legitimize the theft of our lands." -- Elder Lavina White, Haida Nation 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 News Items" --------- Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 16:08:24 -0700 From: "NUEVO AMANECER PRESS" Subj: daily news summary, 9/23 NUEVO AMANECER PRESS ************************************ Daily News Summary Abridged English Version by irlandesa ************************************ WEDNESDAY, September 23, 1998 *** ABOVE AND BELOW *** The Chiapas State Secretary for Economic Development, Jacinto Robles, asserted that the urgency for basic food relief and fuel had now been "overcome." Nonetheless, in the community of Lopez Mateos, municipality of Mapastepec, Enedina Solis Montes de Oca said: "Help has not arrived for us, we are forgotten, and we have been left with nothing, we have nothing to eat and desperation and the crying of our children has made us look for ways to survive, we have to eat that meat." "That meat" is the carcasses of dead animals, drowned in the raging torrents of rivers, washed up on the banks. Bertha Mazariego Ordonez added: "I had four children, and the water took the littlest one away, I couldn't save him, the curent was very strong, we have nothing, everything, along with the house, was destroyed, but now the important thing is to feed the children I have left, that's why we cut the animals which drowned into pieces...We cannot stand so much hunger, we are forgotten, we want them to help us; the children have diarrhea now..." El Nacional, 9/23/98 *** TRANSPARENCY *** The ever resourceful Governor of Chiapas, opined, in a rambling interview, that "what has happened in Chiapas is going to mean a distillation process, a natural purging, where society in the zone that was anguished really found out who their friends were, who gave them a hand, who truly helped them...[I] would never of my own accord play any tricks that could, in the first place, hurt my party, or any others. I wouldn't do that, I can't do that, the electoral process in Chiapas is a glass box, for all the world to see..." Excelsior, 9/23/98 *** THE GLASS BOX *** The national director of the Complete Development System for the Family (DIF), Mario Luis Fuentes, said "day by day the complaints are growing that distribution of aid is being conditioned by some [political] parties" for their own benefit, and the official added he would be filing complaints with the proper authorities shortly. The federal Chamber of Deputies, in response to multitudinous complaints from Chiapas, has organized a 5-member group which will visit the disaster zone in order to see for themselves how aid is being distributed. The visit, and subsequent report, was proposed by the Green Party and backed by the PAN, the PRD and the PT. La Jornada, 9/23/98 El Nacional, 9/23/98 *** OTHER NOTES *** - The first cases of malaria and dengue fever are now being announced in the area: reported thus far are 1522 cases of malaria, 70 of classic dengue and one of hemorrhagic, 182,225 acute respiratory infections and 110,312 cases of diarrhea, added to the already large numbers of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, skin infections and parasitic diseases. - 300,000 hectares of agricultural and grazing land were damaged, profoundly affecting coffee and banana growing; in addition, the hydro- agricultural infrastructure was severely impacted. - National Mexican Railroads has suspended service, both for passengers and cargo, on the Mexico-Oaxaca route, due to damage and obstructions on the line. Excelsior, 9/23/98 El Nacional, 9/23/98 *** PRD AND FZLN OPPOSE MENCHU PRIZE *** ....and the per diem is what? Both the PRD and the Zapatista Front for National Liberation have voiced their opposition to the awarding of the Quetzalcoatl Prize by the Morelos state government to Rigoberta Menchu, the well-known indigenous winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Over the last year, Ms. Menchu has been noted for her cozy relationship with President Zedillo, including support for his unilateral proposal for a law on indigenous rights and culture; her outspoken support of the PRI position that "foreigners" should stay out of Mexican politics [Ms. Menchu is from Guatemala] [she asserted this in Barcelona earlier in the year] and her not so veiled criticism of existing, and strongly supported, indigenous organizations [see below]. Ms. Menchu was in Yucatan earlier in the year, "giving courses." She purportedly plans to be meeting with indigenous groups, "behind closed doors," while she is in Morelos picking up her prize. La Cronica de Hoy, 9/23/98 *** THE BISHOPS TAKE A STAND ...(really) *** The Mexican Episcopate Conference issued a statement in which it asserted that the real reasons for the horrendous natural disaster in Chiapas were the extreme poverty, the cacique-ism and corruption in the electoral process. In an unusually thoughtful exegesis, Alberto Athie presented a report to private and social organizations, at La Salle University, which stated: "the greatest tragedy of contemporary Mexico" is not due to natural causes, but rather to the above, and these issues must be addressed. Reforma, 9/23/98 *** FROM BELOW *** "It would seem evident that masks conceal and silence quiets. But the truth is that masks also reveal and that silences speak. To conceal and to quiet, to reveal and to speak, masks and silence. These are the signs that will help to understand the end of this century in Mexico. Yes, this is a country of masks and silences. I tell this to the sea, and she answers me, from behind her ski mask, with a silent gesture of paradox, which is more than eloquent, as she rolls up and guards the great plans. But I tell you, and I tell myself, that there are masks and masks, and silences and silences." Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos CG of the CCRI, EZLN "Masks and Silences: Above and Below" July, 1998 _________________________________________________ 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) Correspondent and Advisor: Guillermo Michel (Mexico) Correspondents and translation: irlandesa (USA) and Maria Elena Hope (Mexico) Board of Directors: Mexico *When reproducing NAP's translations; please give credit* e-mails: amanecer@aa.net and amanecer@cuhm.mx --------- "RE: Daishowa Continues with Appeal" --------- Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 10:36:32 -0500 From: fol@tao.ca Subj: Daishowa continues with appeal Mailing List: FOL-L Friends of the Lubicon 485 Ridelle Ave. Toronto, ON M6B 1K6 tel: (416) 763-7500 fax: (416) 535-7810 e-mail: fol@tao.ca http://www.tao.ca/~fol September 23, 1998 Although the Daishowa v. Friends of the Lubicon trial ended last April with a decision confirming that the Friends could continue their boycott of Daishowa products, that renewed boycott was deemed unecessary when Daishowa finally agreed not to cut or buy wood cut on unceded Lubicon Lake Indian Nation territories until a land rights settlement was reached between the Lubicons and both levels of government. The Lubicons called off their boycott campaign in June after receiving written confirmation of Daishowa's promise. That should have ended the matter, but it didn't. Calling it "a matter of principle," Daishowa's Tom Cochran recently announced that the transnational paper company plans to go ahead with an appeal of Justice MacPherson's ruling that the consumer boycott of Daishowa products is legal. Cochran calls it merely a matter of "fairly technical legal questions." One "fairly technical legal question" which comes to mind is why Daishowa would waste its time and money on an application for an injunction against a boycott that no longer exists. Asking "fairly technical legal questions" like that in fact lead one to the obvious conclusion that this case has very little to do with "matters of principle" or "fairly technical legal questions" but instead has everything to do with preparing the way for renewed clear-cutting on Lubicon territories. Daishowa technically filed the appeal shortly after Justice MacPherson delivered his decision last April, arguing that the Court made an error in allowing the Friends of the Lubicon to conduct a peaceful consumer boycott of their products. At the same time, Daishowa's lawyers wrote to the Friends' lawyer Karen Wristen that "our clients trust that Friends of the Lubicon will not perceive the delivery of the Notice of Appeal as any change in the position of Daishowa Inc. that a negotiated resolution between Daishowa Inc. and Friends of the Lubicon is in the best interests of all parties and will continue to be pursued." They added, "Our clients have also instructed us to advise you of their strong desire to continue to pursue the prospect of a negotiated resolution of this matter." Following that letter, just such a "negotiated resolution" was reached, whereby Daishowa wrote to Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominayak committing "not to harvest or purchase timber in your area of concern until your land issue is resolved with both levels of government, including harvesting rights, fish, and wildlife concerns." Once the "area of concern" was defined in a subsequent letter and map, Chief Ominayak replied to Daishowa accepting Daishowa's commitment and informing them that as a result, the boycott would be wound down. The Friends of the Lubicon announced on June 12 that they were winding down their boycott of Daishowa products. The Friends also told Daishowa that they "expect, accordingly, that Daishowa's appeal of MacPherson J.'s judgement will be abandoned." On June 16th, Friends lawyer Karen Wristen wrote to Daishowa lawyer Peter Jervis telling him that "my clients have ... instructed me to advise that their involvement in boycott activities concerning Daishowa has ceased and will not recommence so long as Daishowa continues to abide by its written commitment. In these circumstances, it would appear that appeal proceedings are moot. I would appreciate having your view on that point." On July 20th, having had no response on the issue of the appeal, Karen Wristen again wrote to Peter Jervis, saying "I would appreciate your advice as to the appeal, in response to my letter of June 16: do you have instructions to abandon it?" She has still received no formal response to her question. Daishowa's Tom Cochran, when questioned earlier this month by reporters, confirmed that they "are pursuing the appeal," adding that he expected the case to be heard in January of next year. The Lubicons and the Friends of the Lubicon have been clear all along that as long as Daishowa keeps its written commitment not to cut harvest or purchase timber from Lubicon traditional territories until Lubicon land rights have been settled, there will be no further boycott of Daishowa products. For Daishowa to argue before the court that they need to be protected from further boycott activities, then, means one of two things: either that Daishowa intends to break its commitment not to clear-cut Lubicon territories prior to settlement, or they fear that the Lubicons will insist on environmentally responsible methods of harvesting post-settlement and simply want the Lubicons out of the way, period. Given that Daishowa is known to work closely with the province - who have recently stepped up their efforts to tear apart Lubicon society in order to scuttle current Lubicon negotiations - the latter option remains a distinct possibility. Whether Daishowa's announcement that they will continue the lawsuit is part of a coordinated effort to fence in and overwhelm the Lubicons and their supporters or simply a matter of bad faith and dishonesty, the Daishowa lawsuit remains a serious threat to the Lubicon Nation, their supporters, and the right to freedom of expression in Canada. Documents and supporting materials are attached for your information. ___________________________ Peace River Record Gazette September 1, 1998 Daishowa appeal still planned By DEB GUERETTE RECORD-GAZETTE STAFF Daishowa Inc. expects an appeal of a court ruling allowing the Friends of the Lubicon to continue a boycott campaign against the company to be heard early next year. "We are pursuing the appeal," Daishowa's director of corporate affairs Tom Cochrane told the Record-Gazette from his Toronto office. The Ontario-based paper product manufacturing company, is seeking to overturn a part of the Ontario Court judge's ruling that involved theFriends of the Lubicon's right to picket Daishowa's customers. "The judge thought it OK for people to demonstrate and harass our customers. We are appealing that part of the judgment. It flies in the face of a lot of previous decisions," Cochrane said. Protesters should only be permitted to target the company's own plant or office for picketing, he adds, calling the appeal an exercise between lawyers of "fairly technical legal questions." "We're going after the judge on this one. It is more of a matter of principle than something about the Friends of the Lubicon," Cochrane said. Spokesman for the Ontario-based group of Lubicon supporters, Kevin Thomas, calls Daishowa's legal plans "a matter of stupidity." "If they want to, we will take them on again. I hope they are prepared to look pretty stupid, to try to shut down a boycott that doesn't exist anymore," Thomas said Thursday afternoon from Little Buffalo, where he was sitting in on last week's negotiation meetings between the band and federal and provincial governments. The group began the boycott, which Daishowa estimates cost them $20 million in lost sales, in 1991, after the Alberta government granted Daishowa-Marubeni International's (DMI) Peace River pulp producing company a forest management agreement in an area that blanketed territory claimed by the Lubicon. Friends of the Lubicon asked DMI to make a commitment to not log in the 95-square-mile area of disputed territory until a land claim settlement is achieved. When DMI failed to meet the demand, the group successfully persuaded businesses who purchased Daishowa Inc. paper products to shop elsewhere. After boycott pressure inflicted millions of dollars of lost business to Daishowa Inc., the company obtained an injunction against the Friends of the Lubicon, stopping the boycott activities until this spring's ruling in favor of the support group. Daishowa initiated the appeal before DMI announced early this summer it will not harvest in the disputed area until the Lubicon achieved a settlement, Cochrane said. With DMI's new public commitment, the boycott was ended, Thomas said, adding he then wrote Daishowa, asking for clarification about the company's plans regarding the appeal. He says he has yet to receive a reply from Daishowa and has concerns about the intention behind the company trying to overturn the ruling. "It does call into question the plans in store for northern Alberta. They have no reason to worry if the promise not to log there is kept," Thomas said. Once the boycott ended, Friends of the Lubicon members turned their attention to monitoring the progress of the recently commenced sessions of settlement negotiations between the Lubicon and governments. "For the moment, we've adopted a wait and see attitude. We've been following the sessions to try to get a sense whether they are sincere or not," Thomas said. When the boycott against Daishowa wound down, Friends of the Lubicon promised pressure tactics towards the federal government, who "are the ones responsible for dealing with this," Thomas said this spring. While the boycott has ended, Cochrane said it may take the company years, if ever, to recover their lost customers. "It's a very competitive business. Once a customer has changed supplier there is not a whole lot of incentive for them to come back," he said. The achievement of a settlement agreement with the Lubicon would please the executive manager and his company. "We've always maintained the best thing for all parties concerned is a settlement. Nobody has won anything in this whole thing," Cochrane said. Daishowa Inc. is preparing for a January court session for the appeal to be heard, he said. _____________________________ Ms. Karen G. Wristen Barrister and Solicitor c/o Sierra Legal Defence Fund 300 - 106 Front Street East Toronto, ON M5A 1E1 Dear Ms. Wristen: Re: Daishowa Inc. v. Friends of the Lubicon et al I enclose a copy of the Notice of Appeal which is served on you pursuant to the Rules of Civil Procedure. As you may be aware, our client announced its intention to appeal that portion of the decision of Mr. Justice McPherson in which he refused to grant a permanent injunction restraining the picketing and secondary boycotting of the customers of Daishowa Inc. However, our clients held off instructing us to file the Notice of Appeal pending the discussions which were arranged with your clients, without legal counsel, to discuss the possible resolution of all the issues involved in the boycott of Daishowa Inc. As you are aware, a meeting was held on April 21, 1998 at which our clients requested a standstill agreement while discussions took place. Your clients refused to delay recommencing their boycott action. Our clients continue to hope that a resolution of this matter may be possible. A Notice of Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the release of Mr. Justice McPherson's Reasons for Judgment. Our clients intend to request that the appeal be expedited, given the nature of the permanent injunctive relief with respect to picketing and secondary boycott conduct which was requested at trial, but denied by Mr. Justice McPherson. Our clients have also instructed us to advise you of their strong desire to continue to pursue the prospect of a negotiated resolution of this matter. As you know, they have publicly announced their recent request to DMI to again consider all possible measures in the negotiations with the government of Alberta which might lead to a resolution of the boycott commenced by Friends of the Lubicon. Daishowa Inc. has continued to urge DMI to take the necessary steps that it can which would lead to a resolution of the issue. We are advised that DMI has continued to pursue discussions with the Alberta government and that there is optimism that a satisfactory resolution may be possible. The Notice of Appeal is being served on you pursuant to the Rules of Civil Procedure. Our clients trust that Friends of the Lubicon will not perceive the delivery of the Notice of Appeal as any change in the position of Daishowa Inc. that a negotiated resolution between Daishowa Inc. and Friends of the Lubicon is in the best interests of all parties and will continue to be pursued. Yours very truly, Peter R. Jervis _____________________________ Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. VIA FACSIMILE June 9, 1998 Lubicon Cree Indian Nation P.O. Box 6731 Peace River, Alberta T8S 1S5 ATTENTION: CHIEF BERNARD OMINAYAK Dear Chief Ominayak; Thank you for your letter of May 25, 1998. I was pleased to receive your confirmation that the boycott would stop once we had clarified the "area of concern" referred to in my May 20, 1998 letter and our related news release. The "area of concern" to which I was referring is the hunting and trapping territory you identified in your map which you formally submitted at the Unocal gas plant hearing in 1994 (ERCB exhibit 71) that includes approximately 4000 square miles. I understand that we are referring to the same area. I am enclosing a map of the area as we understand it. If the Lubicon people agree to a smaller area in the future (by either a settlement with government or agreement with other native groups or both), we would wish to adjust our commitment accordingly. Until such time, we will proceed on the understanding that the area of concern to which Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. made a commitment on May 20, 1998, is the approximately 4000 square mile area outlined in the attached map. I trust this is sufficient to clarify the scope of our commitment, and that you will now advise your supporters that the assurances they have sought on your behalf have been given. We know that the absence of any agreement beyond our year to year moratorium was a concern. Once again, we wish you the very best in your ongoing negotiations. I am advised that we have provided the same clarification to all media and interested parties who have inquired. Yours truly, DAISHOWA MARUBENI INTERNATIONAL LTD. per: Tokiro Kawamura President Encl. Cc: The Hon. Jane Stewart, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Government of Canada The Hon. David Hancock, Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs, Government of Alberta _____________________________ Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Little Buffalo Lake, tel: 403-629-3945 Fax: 403-629-3939 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6731 Peace River, AB TBS 195 June 11, 199 Tokiro Kawamura President Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. Suite 1700 1095 West Pender Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 2M6 Canada Fax: 604-684-0512 Dear Mr. Kawamura: Thank you for your letter of June 9, 1998. Although it's been a long time coming, the Lubicons acknowledge and accept DMI's public commitment that Daishowa, its related companies and their contractors, will not harvest or purchase timber from the approximately 4,000 square mile (10,000 square kilometre) area identified in the attached map included with your June 9 letter until Lubicon lands and claims, including resource management and harvesting rights, as well as fish, wildlife and environmental concerns, have been settled. I have forwarded a copy of your letter to Lubicon supporters advising them of our acknowledgment and acceptance and requesting that they bring the boycott of Daishowa paper products to an end. As I indicated in my letter of May 25, 1998, the Lubicon people will welcome talks with Daishowa once Lubicon land rights and related resource issues have been settled. After these issues have been settled it may become possible for Daishowa to adjust the commitment made in your letter of May 20 as clarified in your letter of June 9. The Lubicons share your hope that settlement will enable us to work together on mutually advantageous economic development opportunities which take into account Lubicon wildlife and environmental concerns and responsibilities. Sincerely, Bernard Ominayak Chief Lubicon Lake Indian Nation _________________________________ Friends of the Lubicon 485 Ridelle Ave. Toronto, ON M6B 2K6 June 12, 1998 Mr. Tokiro Kawamura President Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. Suite 1700 1095 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6E 2M6 VIA FAX: (604) 684-0512 Dear Mr. Kawamura; Chief Ominayak has informed us that Daishowa's clarification of their May 20, 1998 promise adequately addresses the concerns of the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation. We understand that Daishowa, its related companies and their subcontractors, will not harvest or purchase timber from the approximately 4,000 square mile (10,000 square kilometre) area identified in the attached map included with your June 9th letter until Lubicon lands and claims, including resource management and harvesting rights, as well as fish, wildlife and environmental concerns, have been settled. As a result, we will be winding down our boycott of Daishowa products effective immediately. We expect, accordingly, that Daishowa's appeal of MacPherson J.'s judgement will be abandoned. Sincerely, Kevin Thomas Friends of the Lubicon CC. Chief Bernard Ominayak, Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Tom Cochran, Daishowa Forest Products Ltd. ________________________________ Sierra Legal Defence Fund Suite 214 131 Water Street Vancouver, BC V6B 4M3 June 16, 1998 WITHOUT PREJUDICE Mr. Peter Jervis Lerner & Associates Barristers & Solicitors 2400 -130 Adelaide St. West Box 95, Continental Bank of Canada Building Toronto, ON M5H 3P5 Dear Mr. Jervis: Re: Friends of the Lubicon ats Daishowa Inc. This will confirm the good news you have no doubt received by now, via your client; that the Daishowa boycott has been officially terminated at the request of the Lubicon Cree Nation. The Lubicon Nation is satisfied that the written commitment given by Daishowa to refrain from cutting timber on, or buying timber cut from, Lubicon traditional territory answers the objectives of the boycott. My clients have accordingly instructed me to advise that their involvement in boycott activities concerning Daishowa has ceased and will not recommence so long as Daishowa continues to abide by its written commitment. In these circumstances, it would appear that appeal proceedings are moot. I would appreciate having your views on that point. We should also discuss costs and determine whether or not an application to Justice MacPherson will be required. I am preparing a Bill of Costs on the assumption that quantum will be the only issue. If you intend to raise any issues as to entitlement, please let me know. Yours very truly, Karen G. Wristen _____________________________ Sierra Legal Defence Fund Suite 214 131 Water Street Vancouver, BC V6B 4M3 July 20, 1998 Mr. Peter Jervis Lerner & Associates Barristers & Solicitors 2400 -130 Adelaide St. West Box 95, Continental Bank of Canada Building Toronto, ON M5H 3P5 Dear Mr. Jervis: Re: Friends of the Lubicon ats Daishowa Inc. I enclose a revised draft judgment for your approval. If you would be so kind as to have it issued and entered and provide me with a copy thereafter, I would appreciate it. Also enclosed, a copy of my letter to Mr. Justice MacPherson, requesting dates for submissions as to costs. Would you kindly advise as to your availability in September. I have canvassed the issue of defamatory material on the internet with my clients and they are not aware of anything currently posted to their site which would violate the terms of Justice MacPherson's judgment. Is it possible that you were reviewing someone else's site? Please provide me with the address of the site about which you are concerned and identify the material which you allege to be defamatory. Finally, I would appreciate your advice as to the appeal, in response to my letter of June 16th: do you have instructions to abandon it? Yours very truly, Karen G. Wristen --------- "RE: Will The IMF Be Rewarded" --------- Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 14:31:22 -0700 From: NCDM Subj: Will the IMF Be Rewarded for its String of Disasters? UUCP email Will the IMF Be Rewarded for its String of Disasters? After fighting with Congress since January over $18 billion to expand the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the Clinton Administration has made its first concession to critics. Last week Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, the Administration's chief lobbyist for the funding, said: "I'm not saying the IMF is perfect, because it is not. But it needs funding to protect our national interests." That is like Monica Lewinsky saying, "Linda Tripp has not been a perfect friend, but she is a good listener, and so I will continue to confide in her, and trust her advice." But in Washington, perception is everything, and reality is a sidebar. The Clinton Administration is banking on the perception of the IMF as some sort of International Red Cross that rescues countries that have run into financial trouble. With every tremor in the international economy, as well as the U.S. stock market, the Administration has exhorted the Congress to approve the money or risk being blamed for the next disaster. It is now well recognized that the IMF actually helped create the Asian crisis by encouraging countries like South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand to open their financial markets to vast amounts of unregulated overseas borrowing. Then they worsened it: first, by failing to act as a lender of last resort, which could have stemmed the panic-- for example, by March of this year Indonesia had received only $3 billion out of a promised $40 billion. And second, by imposing harsh and unnecessary austerity measures on the afflicted economies. The result was a regional depression that has made it even more difficult for Japan, which depends heavily on exports to the area, to pull out of its prolonged slump. The IMF did manage to bail out the big foreign banks-- American, European, and Japanese-- that had made bad loans to the private sector in Asia. The IMF required the governments of the affected countries to guarantee payment on these loans, as a condition of their aid packages. Of course not everyone would consider the Asian economic crisis a disaster. Michel Camdessus, the head of the IMF, has called it a "blessing in disguise." Perhaps he will forgive the people of Indonesia, the majority of whom now earn less than what they need to buy a subsistence quantity of rice, if they can't see through the disguise. Then there is Russia, where the last $4.8 billion of IMF money went straight into the outstretched hands of speculators, in a fruitless attempt to defend the value of the ruble. Unfortunately the ruble's stability was about all the IMF had to show for its six years of intervention there, during which the average Russian household has lost about half of its income. A majority of the House of Representatives saw this as the last straw, and last week they voted to cut $14.5 billion out of the President's request for IMF expansion. But the Senate has already approved the full $18 billion, and so the difference will have to be resolved in conference. President Clinton has threatened to veto any bill that doesn't include the full amount. The Administration and its allies insist that the IMF's expansion is necessary to help stabilize the global economy. But this is wrong on all counts. First, as we have seen, the IMF is primarily a destabilizing force. Second, there are other, more constructive solutions to regional crises: for example, Japan proposed a $100 billion fund to stabilize the region's currencies in August of 1997, before they went into free fall. This idea was killed by the Clinton Administration, which insisted that any such funding be controlled by the IMF. Finally, there is something that our government could do to help stave off a global recession, and it would help Americans even more in the process. The Federal Reserve could lower interest rates. This is long overdue in any case, since real interest rates (that is, adjusting for inflation) are extremely high-- more than twice the average over the last four decades. President Clinton has made noises about a co-ordinated interest rate cut by the world's major economies, but Germany's central bank is not interested. Japan has nowhere to go on this score, with their short-term rates already down to one-quarter of one percent. If President Clinton is serious, however, he could pressure the US Federal Reserve, whose response in times like these tends to be too little and too late. There may well be further turbulence ahead in the world economy. But the IMF is part of the problem, not the solution. The majority of the House, including both Republicans and Democrats, understand this reality. They should hold firm, and not be intimidated by the Administration's threats to "spin" any future crises against them. Mark Weisbrot is Research Director of the Preamble Center, in Washington, D.C. ====================== Njoki Njoroge Njehu Public Outreach Coordinator 50 Years Is Enough Network 1247 E Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 - USA Email: wb50years@igc.org Web: www.50years.org --------- "RE: Death of Anishinabe Man" --------- Date: Sun, 20 Sep 98 19:40:48 PDT From: Native American Press Subj: Family members seek answers to death of Anishinabe man in Cass County police custody Family members seek answers to death of Anishinabe man in Cass County police custody By Jeff Armstrong c. Ojibwe News The unexplained death of a 32-year-old Leech Lake man held in Cass County jail has left relatives grasping for explanations in the face of official silence. Less than three days after he was picked up on a 72-hour hold order issued by his Department of Corrections probation officer in Bemidji, Duane Steven Fineday died approximately 2 a.m. Sept. 14, reportedly while en-route to St. Joseph's hospital in Park Rapids, Minnesota from the Cass County jail in Walker. A Pennington resident and father of four, Fineday had no known ailments or injuries at the time of his arrest, according to family members. "He was fine when I left him," said Pat Smith, a neighbor and cousin of Fineday's who witnessed his arrest on the morning of Friday, Sept. 11. "He never had no health problems, I know that. He always used to tell me everything that was going on with him. So if he had any health problems, he would have told me about it," said Smith. Responding to a reporter's question as to whether Fineday was injured while in his custody, Cass County Sheriff Jim Dowson instead attributed Fineday's death to an unspecified illness. The sheriff declined to elaborate further, except to state that the matter is under investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Ramsey County Coroner. According to BCA staff members, the case is assigned to agent Dave Bjerga, who could not be reached for comment. DOC probation officials similarly refused to release information on Fineday's probationary status or the reason for his incarceration. "I'm aware of Duane Fineday's death in the, while incarcerated in Cass County. I'm not in a position at this time to make any statements regarding the circumstances of his incarceration," said Bemidji DOC director Bruce Thompson. "I'm not in a position to give you any information at all." Fineday's probation file was transferred from Cass County to Beltrami in 1996 due to his residency, but it is unclear why he was taken to Cass County jail by Beltrami County officers. A St. Joseph's hospital spokesperson said she was barred by patient confidentiality requirements from releasing any information on Fineday, including the names of relatives or the funeral home. "I have the medical records right here, but I can't tell you what's in them," said hospital spokesperson Laurie Skaro. Family members hold out hope that the Ramsey County autopsy will provide desperately sought answers to their many questions, yet fear that there will be no substantive investigation. "I know they're going to cover it up," said Barbara Fineday, a cousin of the deceased. "I've heard so many different things. I'm not going to believe anything until I see the report." Pat Smith raised questions about the conduct of the arresting officers, identified in Beltrami County dispatch records as deputies Anderson and Hinners. The Pennington man said the deputies threatened him with arrest for failing to help them apprehend Fineday, who fled into the woods when the officers arrived. "First they told me to ask [Fineday| if he would come with them voluntarily, otherwise they'd have to go get a warrant," said Smith. "When he ran out into the woods they said, 'If you don't come get him and bring him out here, we're going to take you in,'" he said. Smith further reported that the officer who caught and tackled Fineday also pulled a gun on him. "Duane kept asking that cop, 'What the hell did you stick the gun in my head for? I'm no dangerous criminal,'" he said. State corrections officials said Fineday's death is the fourth this year in Minnesota's prisons and county jails. It is the first such fatality in Cass County since Cass Lake resident Randy Headbird apparently bled to death in the back of a squad car on Sept. 2, 1993. Quinton Sayers, age 18, died in Beltrami County jail Nov. 9, 1994, in what some family members viewed as questionable circumstances. Both deaths were ruled suicides by s