_ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' VOLUME 15, ISSUE 032 / /-< / /--/ /-- __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, WOTANGING IKCHE - Lakota - Common News Wotanging Ikche and Native American News Copyright c. 1996-2007 nanews.org Aboriginal/AmerIndian Perspective about the First Nations of Turtle Island August 6, 2007 Hopi paamuya/joyful moon Yuchi tseneaga/dog days moon Eastern Cherokee nvda udatanvagisdi ulisdv/end of the fruit moon Blackfeet pakkii'pistsi otsiai'tssp/moon when choke berries ripen +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Much more happens in Indian Country than is reported | | in this weekly newsletter. For daily updates & events | | go to http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm | +-------------------------------------------------------+ Otapi'sin Atsinikiisinaakssin -- Blackfeet -- News for All the People Ni-mah-mi-kwa-zoo-min -- Ojibwe -- We Are Talking About Ourselves Aunchemokauhettittea -- Naragansett -- Let Us Share News Kanoheda Aniyvwiya -- Cherokee -- Journal of the People O Es'te Opunvk'vmucvse -- Creek -- People's New News O o O Acimowin -- Plains Cree -- Story or Account O o O Tlaixmatiliztli -- Nahuatl -- News O o o o o O Agnutmaqan -- Listuguj Mi'kmaq -- News O o O Sho-da-ku-ye -- Teehahnahmah -- Talking Birchbark O o O Un Chota -- Susquehannic Seneca -- The People Speak O Ha-Sah-Sliltha -- Ditidaht Nation -- News of the People Ximopanolti tehuatzin, inin Mexika tlahtolli -- Nahuatl -- For you we offer these words It-hah-pe-hah Ah-num pah-le -- Chickasaw -- Together We Are Talking Dineh jii' adah' ho'nil'e'gii ba' ha' neh -- Navajo Nation -- What's Happening among The People News Okla Humma Holisso Nowat Anya -- Choctaw -- People(s) Red Newspaper Hi'a chu ah gaa -- Pima -- The stories or the talk of the People s ch mA mL tL squee Lux -- Okanogan -- News from the People Native American News -- Language of the Occupation Forces ++>If you speak a Native American language not listed above, please send us your words for "News of the People." We'd rather take up this whole page saving these few words of our hundreds of nations than present a nice clean banner in the language of the occupation forces who came here determined to replace our words with their own. email gars@nanews.org with the equivalent of "News of the People" in your tribal language along with the english translation <================<<<< >>>>================> This newsletter is produced in straight ASCII text for greatest portability across platforms. Read it with a fixed-pitch font, such as Courier, Monaco, FixedSys or CG Times. Proportional fonts will be difficult to read. <================<<<< >>>>================> This issue contains articles from: www.indianz.com; www.pechanga.net; www.indiancountrytoday.com; Mailing List: Chiapas95, Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement, Mexico Solidarity Network, Native American Poetry; UUCP Mail IMPORTANT!! ----------- 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@speakeasy.org ++ It is archived at http://www.nanews.org <================<<<< >>>>================> +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + | As historian Patricia Nelson | | Once a language is lost, it is | | Limerick summarized in "The | | gone forever | | Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken | | * Of the 300 original Native | | Past of the American West... | | languages in North America, | | "Set the blood quantum at | | only 175 exist today. | | one-quarter, hold to it as a | | * 125 of these are no longer | | rigid definition of Indians, | | learned by children. | | let intermarriage proceed as | | * 55 are spoken by 1 to 6 elders;| | it had for centuries, and | | when they die, their language | | eventually Indians will be | | will disappear. | | defined out of existence." | | * Without action, only 20 | | "When that happens, the federal | | languages will survive the next| | government will be freed of | | 50 years. | | its persistent 'Indian problem.'"| | Source: Indigenous Language | +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ | Institute | |http://www.indigenous-language.org| This issue's Quote: + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + "At first we thought that it was coincidence that so many bills on Native issues were being blocked by members of the Republican Steering Committee," "But it is clear now that it is not..." __ Joe A. Garcia, President National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | 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 +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Journey | In the summer and early fall | The Bloodline | of 1998 the Treaty Unity Riders | | rode a thousand miles on horse- | For all that live and live by law | back, carrying a staff and | We Stand, we Call, We Ride | praying each step of the way. | For All that fear and fear by sight | | We Hear, we Listen, we Ride | These prayers were offered for | For all that pray and pray by strength| each of us, and that the Unity | We Feel, we Move, we Ride | of all Peoples might happen. | For all that die and die by greed | | We Hurt, we Cry, we Ride | Tatanka Cante forwarded this | For all that birth and birth by right | poem on behalf of all the Unity | We Smile, we Hold, we Ride | Riders that we might stop and | For all that need and need by heart | ask if the next words we say, the | We Came, we Went, we Rode. | next act we make is for the good | | of the People or is it from ego | Treaty Unity Riders | for self. +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ O'siyo Brothers and Sisters http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6888177&nav=2HABH0dT Native Iowan Killed In Bridge Collapse Laid To Rest August 5, 2007 An Iowa woman, killed in the Minneapolis bridge collapse, was laid to rest today. Friends and family of 32-year old Julia Blackhawk attended her funeral in Winnebago, Nebraska. Blackhawk was originally from Sioux City. She was the mother of two young boys and attended a Minneapolis cosmetology school. Just a few hours before the collapse, Julia had lunch with her ex- husband. Khaf Ansari tells us Julia Blackhawk was a proud Winnebago Native American, and cherished her childhood in Iowa. Ansari says, "She just loved growing up there and it was part of her personality, part of her character, and it was just the way she was." Blackhawk's funeral was held at 2:00pm at the Ho-Chunk Community Center in Winnebago, Nebraska. She was one of five people killed, when the 35W bridge collapsed on Wednesday. Copyright c. 2001 - 2007 WorldNow and WHO-TV. All Rights Reserved. --- Julia Blackhawk and others died needlessly in the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis. Had funds intended for the repair of this nation's aging infrastructure not been diverted to finance George W. Bush's misguided adventure in the mid-East, Julia might still be alive. I have tried to avoid political stances in this newsletter, but only a mindless, blind follower of the current administration could deny the damage done to this country since George W. Bush was installed as president a bit over six years ago by a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling. Does anyone alive still believe any of the lies fed the United States citizens to support this ultimate folly of wars? Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Where is the promised head of Osama bin Laden? Where is the Iraqui passionate embrace of Bushy democracy? Lies, lies and damned lies. Now the highways and bridges of the Eisenhower Interstate System are crumbling from disrepair. A Winnebago lady on her way home to her two little boys will not be the last to pay the same price at home our warriors are paying in the mideastern desert... a pointless death. ' ' Gary Smith (*,*) wotanging@bellsouth.net P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org Marietta, GA 30007, U.S.A. ===w=w=== http://www.nanews.org ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ----------- Editorial Section: - JODI RAVE: . Broken bridges and promises Powwows pay tribute to Veterans - Indian Country suffers - GIAGO: Challenging long waits for care Rich California gaming Tribes - Indian Health Care Improvement Act - CLARKSON: - OST can't find Owners Reservations beyond the Law of more than $70M - JODI RAVE: Players showcase - Bill will bring Dollars talents at Hoops Camp to Tribes for Foster Care - HARJO: Ward Churchill, - Owner defends the White Man's Burden Indio Mobile Home Park - Mexico Solidarity Network - Further Materials News and Analysis in Schaghticoke Appeal denied - Elders Lodge a first for B.C. - Navajo: We need Nursing Homes now - Indian Affairs aware - NCAI blames Republicans of Mould woes in '04 for blocking Indian Bills - Threat to Human & Indigenous - House Panel votes to cut Funds Rights of Canadians to Cherokee Nation - Department of Justice - CN Officials react Consults with Indian Country to possible funding loss - Policing is - Congresswoman Watson a Federal Trust Responsibility calls for termination of CNO - ICT: Renewing Justice and Safety - Northwest Tribes - Graham takes extradition fight canoe to Lummi Island to Supreme Court - Celilo Village gets - Native Justice improved Housing, Water, Sewer -- BIA boss confident despite - Roy elected President hurdles, especially in justice of American Library Assoc. -- Shawn Brant's Bail Review - WHITE FACE: on Prisoner Justice Day 'Are you Oglala or Wasicu?' - History: Carlisle Indian School - ICT: 'Big Three' - Rustywire: the Deerhunter can learn much from Richardson - Lee Goins Poem: Spirit Talker --------- "RE: Indian Country suffers long waits for care" --------- Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:59:19 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="IHS" http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ article?AID=/20070729/NEWS01/707290316 Indian Country suffers long waits for care By KAREN OGDEN and RICHARD PETERSON Tribune Staff Writers July 29, 2007 Don't get sick after June 1. In Indian Country it's a joke, and a sad reality for the 1.9 million patients of the federal Indian Health Service. The quip refers to the last quarter of the fiscal year for the cash- strapped agency, which estimates that it's funded at roughly half its need to be on par with the mainstream American health care system. "We're broke by summer," said Fort Peck Tribes Health Director James Melbourne of his reservation's IHS clinics. Patients who need specialized care, say for arthritis or a heart condition, are out of luck unless they're in imminent danger of losing life or limb. The IHS estimates its patients receive $2,158 per person a year in health care services - barely more than a third of the average of $5,921 for the general population in the United States. Even federal prisoners have more spent on them each year, at $3,900 per person, U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said in testimony to Congress earlier this year. "That is health care rationing, and it is an outrage in this country," Dorgan said. "It is happening in a quiet way, inflicting misery all across this country on the first Americans, those who expect we would meet our trust responsibility to provide health care for Native Americans." Basic care is available: stitches for a split lip, antibiotics for bronchitis or a brace for a sprained ankle. Trauma patients such as severely injured victims of a house fire or car wreck also fare well, getting immediate treatment in the emergency room or a flight to a larger hospital. Out of luck are the folks in between, those who need to see an outside specialist for a painful skin condition or even a crippling joint problem. In Montana and Wyoming, approximately 5,170 patients are on the waiting list. "The (non-IHS patient) will wait about two to three months for an orthopedic procedure," said Stacy Bohlen, executive director of the National Indian Health Board. "Indians in your state are waiting six years and that could take your whole life away in that amount of time ... and that's just the tip of the iceberg." Nationwide, the majority of IHS clinics are funded at only 40 percent to 60 percent of what they would need to be on par with comparable mainstream health clinics, according to the agency's Web site. And the conditions are the worst in rural clinics, according to Bohlen. In Montana and Wyoming, six IHS facilities were funded at 60 percent to 80 percent in 2005, the most recent figures available, and two facilities, Flathead and Wind River in Wyoming, were at 40 percent to 60 percent funding, according to the IHS Billings Area Office. Few argue that the IHS, which receives $3.1 billion annually, isn't underfunded. Many point the finger at Congress, which has failed for more than a decade to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. First passed in 1976, the law was to ensure that Native Americans receive quality health care. But some IHS insiders contend that the agency's problems run deeper, saying underqualified staff and poor management play a big role in the IHS' financial woes. Burning out A rapidly growing patient population and rising health care costs are only making matters worse. In Montana, the growing caseload is straining the Blackfeet and Crow reservation hospitals, which have become de facto regional medical centers for IHS patients. "Patients from as far away as Illinois, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and North and South Dakota are traveling to the Blackfeet Community Hospital ... for their health care needs," said Blackfeet Tribal Chairman Earl Old Person in congressional testimony in January. Most are seeking advanced treatment that isn't available where they live for diabetes, high blood pressure or other conditions. The Blackfeet Service Unit has seen its outpatient visits rise from 60,000 in 1984 to 124,000 in 2006. "Unfortunately, this increasing demand has not been adequately addressed for staffing levels," Old Person said. Conditions grew desperate this spring in the hospital's pharmacy. In mid-April, patients faced a three- to five-day wait to get nonemergency prescriptions filled, according to Service Unit Director Jim Kennedy. The clinic, which needs at least nine pharmacists, had only six at the time. On average, the Blackfeet pharmacy fills 800 to 900 prescriptions a day, compared with 200 to 300 for most community pharmacies, Old Person said in his testimony. Several of the pharmacists quit because of burnout, he added. The pharmacy has since filled its vacancies and shortened the waits. But patients waiting for surgeries and other treatments still suffer. As of April, the Blackfeet hospital had a backlog estimated at $1.3 million for patients waiting for elective surgeries for ailments such as worn-out rotator cuffs, torn knee ligaments and injured discs, according to Kennedy. "We're able to cover pretty much the life-threatening things," he said. "But the issue would be quality of life." Fighting for funding Montana's U.S. senators, Max Baucus and Jon Tester, are joining Dorgan in a push to reauthorize the Indian Health Improvement Act, which has not been renewed since 1992. Reauthorization will end inconsistent funding for the IHS, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tester said. "It's gotta get funded," Tester said. "But if it doesn't, we'll look at different ways that will solve it." Attempts to reauthorize the act, which expired in 2000, have repeatedly met with opposition, mostly from Republican members of Congress. "As a result, the current funding level for the Indian Health Service system is only 52 to 60 percent of the need," Baucus said in a March press release. "That means that in any given year, by the month of June, the only patients who can receive treatment in Indian Health Service hospitals are those with conditions that threaten life and limb." In an era when millions of Americans are without insurance, tribal leaders are sometimes asked why Indians should see doctors for free. "It's really frustrating as a tribal leader today," said Sooney Little Plume, chairman of the Blackfeet Tribal Council's Health and Social Services Committee. At the reservation's community college, he points out a display of sketches of the Blackfeet signers of the Lame Bull Treaty of 1855. The men gave up their land in exchange for care of their people by the federal government, he said. "It's like we're begging for something that was already guaranteed to us," Little Plume said. "Where is it? Why are we going through what we're going through?" Money on the table? Some officials say that simply throwing money at the problem won't cure the IHS' woes. The agency's financial troubles run much deeper, said Tennyson Doney, a former IHS Service Unit director on the Crow Reservation, who alleges he was wrongfully forced to retire in 2002 after a 30-year career with the IHS. Last year, Doney reached a settlement with the agency over an Equal Employment Opportunity grievance he filed. He said he was blamed for a case in which three workers at the Crow Service Unit abused a credit card in 2002. Doney said he had previously tried to change the clinic's credit card policy,but the main IHS office in Billings wouldn't go along with his recommendations. Doney, who has a master's degree in public health administration, started his IHS career as a health educator at Fort Belknap. He later went into administration at the clinic and then at the Blackfeet hospital, where he worked as acting service unit director. He said a big part of the IHS' financial woes is its failure to collect from third parties such as Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. "They've got such poor billing that they never collect anything," Doney said, echoing concerns voiced by other IHS physicians that millions of dollars are left on the table each year. In his congressional testimony, Old Person raised the issue of collection problems, calling it another symptom of understaffing from budget shortfalls. The hospital "struggles on a daily basis to maintain and enhance third- party collections," he said. Bill Walston, a family practitioner who worked as chief medical officer at the Fort Belknap Clinic, said he encountered similar problems. "I never saw a budget," Walston said. "I never knew what my budget was." Walston said he encountered timecard fraud, at least one doctor who was overprescribing narcotics, nepotism within the ranks of the IHS administration and doctors working overtime without getting reimbursed. Walston said he was met with resistance when he tried to change things. "I came into a loaded situation," he said. "I was just trying to administer and supervise and do my job." After filing three grievances and an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint, Walston was fired in 2004, before the end of his 12-month probation period. "Because I challenged them, they found a way to get rid of me," said Walston, who has since been rehired by the IHS. The IHS declined to comment on Walston's case because of privacy concerns. However, in a written response the agency said "we do maintain good results with our billing and collection process and where there are problems it is due to staff shortages and not inexperience." Waiting to die While the causes for and solutions to the IHS' problems are debatable, the impacts are clear, and sometimes tragic. On Wyoming's Wind River Reservation, 5-year-old Dylan Whiteplume was diagnosed in 2004 with neuroblastoma, a cancer that forms in the nerve tissue. Richard Brannan, longtime chairman of the reservation's Northern Arapaho Tribe, told Dylan's story in March in testimony before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The Wind River IHS Service Unit did not have the treatments Dylan needed, so he waited, Brannan said. "By the time resources were made available through private sector partnerships and charitable giving, Dylan was in advanced stages of the disease," he said. When the boy finally entered a cancer care facility, he befriended a little girl with the same condition who was diagnosed at the same time he was, but admitted for treatment earlier. Dylan died in 2005. The girl was cured and is healthy, Brannan said. The IHS doctors, nurses and administrators responsible for patients such as Dylan, and the thousands of others waiting for care, are not to blame said Bohlen, with the National Indian Health Board. "These are not terrible people who don't care about Indians," she said. "These are people who are trying to make a boat out of toothpicks." --- Reach Tribune Enterprise Editor Karen Ogden at kogden@greatfallstribune. com or at 791-6536 or 800-438-6600. Reach Tribune Staff Writer Richard Peterson at 791-6547, 800-438-6600 or rpeterson@greatfallstribune.com. IHS by the numbers Montana, Wyoming (All figures are from the 2006 fiscal year) Annual operating budget: $213 million * Patients served: More than 70,000 patients are served by six IHS clinics or hospitals, two tribally run but IHS-funded clinics and five urban programs. * Cost of catastrophic cases (over $25,000 per patient) treated in 2006: $6.4 million * Cost of catastrophic cases funded in 2006: $2.2 million * Cost of cases put on waiting list in 2006 because of budget shortfalls: $4.2 million Nationwide * Annual appropriation: $3.1 billion * Patients served: 1.9 million of the nation's 3.3 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Population served: * Members of 561 federally recognized tribes in 35 states. * 600,000 American Indians in urban clinics. Funding disparity: The IHS estimates the average cost of mainstream health insurance plans is 40 percent greater than the IHS funding level. Copyright c. 2007 The Great Falls Tribune. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Indian Health Care Improvement Act" --------- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 15:29:12 -0400 From: "Piatt, Barry (Dorgan)" Subj: NEWS - Dorgan gets commitments to move Indian Health Care Improvement Act through Senate this session Attached, and with text pasted in below, is a news release in which Senator Byron Dorgan announces important commitments he has received to move the Indian Health Care Improvement Act through the Senate this session. The legislation is long over-due and urgently needed. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact me at the telephone number or e-mail address listed below. Barry E. Piatt Communications Director U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) PHONE: 202-224-1191 E-Mail: barry_piatt@dorgan.senate.gov For Immediate Release CONTACT: Barry Piatt Wednesday or Fran Benton August 1, 2007 PHONE: 202-224-2551 Urgently needed bill languished in previous Congress: DORGAN SECURES COMMITMENT FOR SENATE ACTION ON INDIAN HEALTH IMPROVEMENT BILL (WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, has secured commitments from two key Senate leaders to take action in the full Senate this year on long-stalled legislation to improve health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act would significantly strengthen Indian health care services and facilities, as well as health care prevention and treatment programs, including child abuse prevention and mental health services on Indian reservations. It would also strengthen initiatives to better meet the health needs of Indians who do not live on reservations. Despite a federal promise more than a century ago to meet the health care needs of American Indians, Dorgan noted that on many reservations, health care is at "third world levels." He described the current state of Indian health care as a "crisis" and said he would not allow another Congress to come and go without acting to improve it. The Indian Affairs Committee approved similar legislation in the previous Congress, but the full Senate never considered it. In an exchange on the Senate floor Wednesday morning, however, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pledged to Dorgan that he would bring the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to the Senate floor for action during this session of Congress. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), whose committee has jurisdiction over a portion of the bill, said he will schedule a committee session to act on the bill September 12. The Indian Affairs Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over the bill, has already approved it. "I appreciate the sense of urgency Senators Reid and Baucus are expressing with their commitments to move this legislation and I commend them for it," Dorgan said. "The crisis in Indian health care needs urgent attention and action, and I am grateful for their pledges to see that both the Finance Committee and the full Senate will consider this legislation promptly." --------- "RE: OST can't find Owners of more than $70M" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 10:35:22 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="OST HOLDING $70M IN UNCLAIMED TRUST FUNDS" http://www.indianz.com/News/2007/004233.asp OST can't find owners of more than $70M in trust funds August 2, 2007 Despite increased efforts, the Office of Special Trustee still can't find the rightful owners of more than $70 million in Indian trust funds, according to a report filed in court on Wednesday. As of June 30, there were 70,704 "whereabouts unknown accounts" in the Indian trust, according to the Interior Department's latest status report. That's up from the 62,640 WAU accounts that were identified as of March 31. The total worth of the 70,000-plus accounts came to $70.7 million, the report stated. That's higher than the $62.7 million the department disclosed just four months ago. According to the Bryan Marozas, the program manager of OST's beneficiary call center, the number of WAU accounts has increased due to the way trust reform is being carried out. Once the department's fiduciary trust model is completed, the number "is expected to stabilize," he said. But the rate at which the number of WAU accounts are added to the system continues to surpass the rate at which OST locates the rightful owners of Indian trust funds. That makes it difficult for the agency to catch up. For example, 14,234 accounts with a total value of $6.6 million were added to the WAU list from April 1 through June 30. During the same time frame, OST was only able to locate the rightful owners of 6,170 accounts worth $6.4 million, according to the report. The record was no better from January 1 to March 31. During that time, OST added 12,164 accounts worth more than $7 million to the list and located only 4,382 account holders with a total value of $5.9 million. Of the 70,000-plus WAU accounts, the majority contain less than $1,000. A large chunk - 25,194 accounts - each have less than $1, according to the report. But there a significant number of WAU accounts with balances greater than $1,000 and balances greater than $5,000. There are 69 accounts that have balances greater than $50,000, money that isn't being distributed to the proper owners. The number of WAU accounts plays into the Cobell trust fund lawsuit, which entered its 11th year in June. The plaintiffs say the department's numbers are unreliable because the data in the computer systems has not been verified. Without knowing who has been paid and who hasn't, the department has no way of knowing whether the money got to the correct beneficiaries. A trial that will start in October is expected to shed some light on the issue. A separate issue also affects the accounting but in a different way. The Bureau of Indian Affairs has long used "special deposit accounts" to hold trust funds in temporary accounts until it identifies the rightful owner. In many cases, the BIA is able to deposit the money into the correct account. According to the report filed in court, over $43 million in SDA monies has been properly distributed. But more than $15 million in over 11,000 special deposit accounts remains in limbo, according to the report. These accounts will not be part of the historical accounting, the department said in its May 2007 plan, an exclusion that will also be considered at the upcoming trial. "Accounting for these SDA is not a historical endeavor, because any distribution from an SDA to an IIM account will be a current period transaction after December 31, 2000, the end of the historical accounting period," the report stated. "As a result, the 2007 plan excludes SDA." The report filed yesterday was the department's 30th since the start of the Cobell case. The reports are filed every quarter in order to keep the court informed of trust reform efforts. Copyright c. 2007 Indianz.Com. --------- "RE: Bill will bring Dollars to Tribes for Foster Care" --------- Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 18:23:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="BAUCUS WILL BRING CHILD WELFARE PARITY TO TRIBES" http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8912 Baucus Bill will bring Federal Dollars to Tribes for Foster Care, Adoption Proposal puts Native American communities on par with states in federal funding for child welfare services WASHINGTON, DC August 3, 2007 Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) today introduced legislation that will provide Indian Tribes with the same direct access to federal funding for foster care and adoption services that states currently receive. The Tribal Foster Care and Adoption Act of 2007 will provide federal funding that will allow Native American Tribes to establish independent foster care and adoption programs. The federal government currently reimburses states for eligible foster care and adoption assistance costs incurred as part of providing foster care or adoption assistance to children under their jurisdiction. However, under existing law, Tribal spending on foster care and adoption may only be reimbursed through contracts with the states in which they are located. The Baucus proposal amends the Social Security Act to allow Tribes to receive direct reimbursement for eligible costs related to foster care services, adoption assistance services, employee training and education, administra tive costs related to case planning and case management, and establishment and operation of required data collection systems. "This bill provides Tribes with the ability to serve their children directly with culturally appropriate care and understanding," said Baucus. "This bill serves some of our most vulnerable children and Congress must stand up for those kids. It is only logical to put Tribal adoption services on equal footing with the states, and I intend to work with my colleagues to do just that." The Indian and Alaska Native Foster Care and Adoption Services Act improves the Native American child welfare system without significant costs or new federal programs. The bill requires Tribal adoption and foster care programs to meet the same federal performance requirements that are required of states to ensure the safety of and accountability for children placed in Tribal foster care programs. Additionally, the legislation gives more authority to HHS to modify agreements with Tribes in a manner that would advance the best interests and safety of children served by the Tribe. The Baucus bill is being co-sponsored by Senators Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), John McCain (D-N.M.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Oregon buys land near Chief Joseph Gravesite" --------- Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 18:23:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="BUFFER TO OLD CHIEF JOSEPH'S GRAVE" http://www.indianz.com/News http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8QPECVO0.html Oregon buys land near Chief Joseph gravesite Associated Press August 3, 2007 The state completed its purchase of roughly 62 acres of land between Joseph and Wallowa Lake, and plans to turn the area into a park. The state Parks and Recreation Department paid $4.1 million to K&B Family Limited Partnership for the land adjacent to the Old Chief Joseph gravesite, said Chris Havel, a department spokesman. The parcel has been the center of disputes for years. Most recently, developers wanted to build houses on the land - known as the Marr Ranch property - but leaders from the Nez Perce Tribe and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation believe the area contains the bones of their ancestors. The property, which is under a grazing lease through Oct. 15, will be closed to the public through completion of a planning process tentatively scheduled for spring. The parks department provided $3.2 million for the purchase from its acquisition budget, which is supported by money from Oregon Lottery. Donations of $300,000 each to Oregon State Parks Trust came from Nez Perce, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. "This property will remain the way it is for all time," said Dave Eshbaugh, spokesman for the Portland-based Oregon State Parks Trust. "It is such a beautiful location - it is so culturally and historically important that it would be a shame to develop it." Eshbaugh predicted development would involve trails, interpretive signs and possibly parking improvements, but nothing extensive. The site's archaeological significance has remained in dispute over the years. Steve Krieger of K&B Limited Family Partnership has said numerous small archaeological digs turned up nothing. Nez Perce Tribe leaders believe at least two cultural sites exist on the land with two others nearby. The tribe has tried to keep those locations secret to protect them from disturbance. The land was the starting point for the 1,170-mile Nee-Me-Poo Trail, the route followed by Young Chief Joseph and his band of 750 Nez Perce in an epic 1877 horseback retreat to Montana during a running war with 2,000 U.S. cavalry soldiers. Old Chief Joseph was the father of Young Chief Joseph and died in 1871. His body was moved from what is now the town of Wallowa to its current grave in 1926. An eight-acre buffer separates the property from the park and cemetery that contains the grave. Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com Copyright c. 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright c. 2007 KGW-TV - Northwest NewsChannel 8 - NBC Portland. --------- "RE: Owner defends Indio Mobile Home Park" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 14:38:29 EDT From: Subj: BIA and trailer park http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-duro3aug03,1,6590319.story From the Los Angeles Times Owner defends Indio mobile home park A spokesman for 'Duroville' says the settlement is being targeted unfairly by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Officials say safety is their main concern. By David Kelly Times Staff Writer August 3, 2007 INDIO, CALIF. - Hoping to head off possible closure, representatives of the troubled Desert Mobile Home Park on Thursday accused the Bureau of Indian Affairs of racism and failing to provide them with detailed reports that criticize the park as a health hazard. "If the park shuts down it will be a disaster for Riverside County," said Alan Singer, who was recently hired by park owner Harvey Duro as his spokesman. "Before the mobile home park, people were living under trees, in cars. They were mugged, they were shot. Don't they have a right to have a roof over their head?" Singer, along with park manager Jack Gradias, held a news conference at Larson Justice Center in Indio where they criticized the BIA for speaking to journalists about a park inspection before sharing it with park officials. They disputed allegations that the crowded park, often called Duroville, represents an imminent threat to the health and safety of the 4,000 low- wage farmworkers living there. Last month, the BIA inspected the 40-acre facility on the Torres Martinez Reservation near Highway 86 in Thermal. James Fletcher, who heads the Southern California Agency of the BIA, said this week that standing sewage, dangerous electrical wiring and trailers packed together made the place a hazard. A fire in May burned six trailers and left eight families homeless. The BIA ordered Duro to make repairs in 2004 that the agency said were not done. Agency officials will decide next week whether to give him one more chance or ask a court to shut the park down. The park has been cited numerous times over the years for clean-water violations, open sewage, illegal dumping and insufficient space between its estimated 350 trailers. Because the park is on Indian land, it is not subject to county building and safety codes. Both Singer and Gradias said the BIA had not given them the report and didn't respond to their phone calls. They also accused Fletcher of being predisposed to closing the park. Fletcher denied the allegations, saying he had met Thursday with Duro and the Torres Martinez Tribal Council and went over all the findings. He said a written report would be delivered next week. Duro is a former chairman of the tribe and a member of the council. "My concern is for the folks living in those units; it's not safe for them," Fletcher said. "If Mr. Duro would provide safe drinking water, have no electrical hazards and would deal with the proximity of the trailers to each other, he would not be in this predicament." After the government becomes aware of potential hazards and unsanitary conditions, he said, it cannot simply ignore them. "We are obliged to do something about it," he said. "If we didn't, we could possibly be legally liable." Gradias said tenants were now worried about being evicted, and some had withheld rent payments. He also suggested that the BIA was motivated by racism because nearly every park tenant is Latino. "Open your eyes," he said. "Illegal immigration is in the news now." Fletcher said, if anything, he was acting out of concern for the tenants. "I don't think Mr. Duro understands that there is more to running a park than saying 'Here's where you hook up your trailer,' " he said. Gradias pointed out that the recent fire wasn't caused by faulty wiring but by arson. Asked if it was made worse by the warren of trailers, he said couldn't comment because he hadn't seen the report. "Harvey doesn't own the trailers; the people own the trailers," he said. "We are not trying to hide anything." Singer noted that while the BIA was threatening to shut down Duroville, the Environmental Protection Agency was working with the owner to make changes. In December, the EPA warned Duro that it would take enforcement action if he didn't stop illegal dumping and other environmental violations at the park. Since then, they have been working on a resolution. Copyright c. 2007 Los Angeles Times. --------- "RE: Further Materials in Schaghticoke Appeal denied" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 10:35:22 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="JUDGE DENIES BID FOR FURTHER MATERIALS" http://www.indianz.com/News http://www.registercitizen.com/site/news.cfm? newsid=18654237&BRD=1652&PAG=461&dept_id=572360&rfi=6 Judge denies bid for further materials in Schaghticoke recognition appeal August 2, 2007 BRIDGEPORT (AP) - A federal judge has issued a ruling that could clear the way for a decision on an appeal by the Kent-based Schaghticoke Tribal nation for federal recognition. U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Dorsey has denied the Schaghticoke request for further discovery in an ongoing lawsuit appealing their denial of federal recognition. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who had successfully challenged the state-recognized tribe's federal recognition, said the ruling effectively sets a limit on what further information the tribe could seek. "Further subpoenas and depositions would only prolong an already farfetched and fruitless fishing expedition," Blumenthal said Monday. "The federal government rightly denied the group's request for recognition because it failed to meet the criteria for federal tribal status." The Schaghticokes were given federal acknowledgment by the Department of Interior in early 2004, but the decision was reversed in late 2005 by the Interior Board of Indian Appeals after Blumenthal filed an appeal. Schaghticoke Chief Richard Velky said the Schaghticokes still have court-approved discovery to conduct that would shed light on its claim that improper political influence killed their recognition effort. "In the very near future, we will lay out all of the information we've gathered so the public can see what some of Connecticut's highest elected officials did to our tribe," Velky said Monday. On March 19, Dorsey ordered the lobbying firm Barbour, Griffith and Rogers to provide the Schaghticokes' attorneys with all documents relating to the firm's contacts from January 2004 through December 2005 with members of Congress and Interior Department officials concerning the tribe. The tribe offices in Derby, but its reservation is in Kent. Copyright c. The Register Citizen 2007. --------- "RE: Navajo: We need Nursing Homes now" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 10:35:22 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="PRESSING NEED FOR NAVAJO NURSING HOME" http://www.gallupindependent.com/2007/august/080307zp_nvjonrsinhmes.html Navajo: We need nursing homes now By Zsombor Peter Staff Writer August 3, 2007 TUBA CITY - Bobby Bennett Sr. used to live on his own. His wife passed away six years ago. His children have all grown up and moved on. But for the past three months, he's been living with a pair of strangers. Bennett met the couple - in their 60s or 70s; he's not sure - during a meeting of the Tuba City Seniors Council, which he chairs. That's when he heard their story. They had no heat or electricity at their Gap home. They were often sick; one suffers from high blood pressure. And their children weren't doing much to help. One was constantly on the move. The other was mentally disabled. Bennett, 64 himself, decided to take the elderly pair in - at his own expense. "I cook for them and I haul them to wherever they want, to the grocery store and hospital, or meetings, and a lot of times we just sit around and talk," he said. To Bennett, it's a sign of how desperately his side of the expansive Navajo reservation needs a nursing home to take care of elderly with no one to take care of them or too old to take care of themselves. He's called local county and hospital officials to an Aug. 8 meeting at the Tuba City Senior Citizens Center to start brain-storming ways to make it happen. Options for the area's elderly are limited. The Navajo Area Agency on Aging provides a variety of at-home care programs for some 1,300 elderly across the reservation. But the costs, Bennett said, can prove burdensome. "Sometimes the family runs out of money and that's the last visit," he said, "or (the programs) run out of people (to send)." The Agency runs three group homes for elders who can take care of most of their own needs - in Crownpoint, Lower Greasewood and Shiprock - with 67 beds apiece. But even a stay there costs $30 a day. For elders who need more attention, the options are even fewer. According to Agency Director Laverne Wyaco, the tribe runs no nursing homes of its own. Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. said he would build several with some of the money the tribe would raise through a massive bond sale. But when Council killed the bond, Wyaco said, the nursing homes went with it. The only nursing home on the reservation - privately operated - is in Chinle. Families can find others in the tribe's border towns, but that option comes with its own set of problems for elders. Off the reservation, Bennett said, "they're taken away from their environment ... from their families." At the very least, that can lead to language barriers. Most staff at off-reservation nursing homes don't speak Navajo. Navajo elders often speak little English. But the problems can run deeper. "They long for their native foods," Wyaco said. "They long for their homeland." The long distances can also put a strain on the entire family. For families that live on the reservation, putting an elder in an off- reservation nursing home, said Joe Engelkin, Tuba City Indian Medical Center's CEO, "means that families are going to be traveling a lot; they have to basically re-route their lives." According to Engelkin, Indian Health Service figures say some 90 elderly need the services of a nursing home in Tuba City alone. "That's a lot of elderly who have to leave," he said. Bennett, Engelkin and Wyaco all agree the reservation needs more nursing homes. Bennett hopes the Aug. 8 meeting will help them find the funding. "I don't know how much it takes to build a nursing home," he said. "We'll try to get as much (money) as we can." Engelkin, who said he'll be attending the meeting, isn't sure the hospital can help pay for a nursing home directly. But he said it might be able to contribute in other ways, by providing staffing, for example. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. Copyright c. 2007 the Gallup Independent. --------- "RE: NCAI blames Republicans for blocking Indian Bills" --------- Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:36:56 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="NCAI CITES REPUBLICAN COMMITMENT TO FIGHT INDIAN ASSISTANCE" http://www.indianz.com/News http://www.ncai.org/News_View.19+M5d60c255df5.0.html?&tx_ttnews [backPid]=9&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=335 Native American Community Shocked by Senate Republican Steering Committee Commitment to Fight All Bills Helping Native People July 30, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Adam McMullin at 202-466-7767 or amcmullin@ncai.org Kraynal Alfred at 202-466-7767 or kalfred@ncai.org Native American Community Shocked by Senate Republican Steering Committee Commitment to Fight All Bills Helping Native People WASHINGTON - July 27, 2007 - Blow after blow, the U.S. Senate Republican Steering Committee continues to block all legislation that benefits Indian people. The Senate Republican Steering Committee is a small group of Senators who have been working together to put secret "holds" on all legislation benefiting Indian tribes and Indian people. Indian Country has had strong ties to the Republican Party through the Indian Self-Determination Policy and respect for the U.S. Constitution, which explicitly recognizes the treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, religious freedom, and the shared values of federalism that encourage local decision-making. Tribal leaders and the Republican Party share strong interests in law enforcement, economic development, energy, the military, veterans, and many other issues. "At first we thought that it was coincidence that so many bills on Native issues were being blocked by members of the Republican Steering Committee," said National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Joe A. Garcia. "But it is clear now that it is not. NCAI is a non-partisan organization that has built successful relationships on both sides of the aisle for many decades. It is a very small number of Republican Senators, but we must address this obstructionism that stops all legislation no matter how bi-partisan and non-controversial." Most recently, the Senate Republican Steering Committee, lead by Senator James DeMint (R-SC) and including Senators John Kyl (R-AZ), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL), killed non-controversial, bi-partisan piece of legislation that would have helped tribes in combating sexual predators on tribal lands. The Adam Walsh Child Protection Act of 2006 requires tribes to comply with its provisions by July 27, 2007. The legislation in question would have given tribes another year to make important decisions on how they want to work with the systems registry that is being created by the U.S. Department of Justice. "This legislation has a real human impact," said Garcia. "This kind of responsibility should be handled by those who know their communities best - tribal leaders, not a few Senators far off in Washington." In February the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Native American Methamphetamine Enforcement and Treatment Act (H.R. 545) to make Indian tribes eligible to apply for certain grants to fight methamphetamine abuse and trafficking in Indian Country. Senator Kyl has a hold on the bill and is preventing its passage in the belief that a grant program could somehow confer jurisdiction to tribes over drug offenses committed in Indian Country. Tribes need these grants for prevention, treatment and enforcement against drug traffickers, and Kyl's obstructionism is endangering public safety for reservations and their neighbors. The Republican Steering Committee has also fought the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, legislation that would modernize the health care system for reservations and at the end of last session held up all bills affecting Native Americans. "We had a similar situation in the mid-1990's with Senator Slade Gorton - but tribes overcame that obstructionism," said Garcia. "The Constitution requires respect for tribal governments. We want to work together in a productive way. It's time for the Senate Republican Steering Committee to do its part and allow tribes to take responsibility for issues affecting them. The Committee just doesn't seem to be well informed on Indian Country issues." Copyright c. 2001-2006 National Congress of American Indians. --------- "RE: House Panel votes to cut Funds to Cherokee Nation" --------- Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:59:19 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="KNEE JERK REACTION TO CNO VOTE" http://www.indianz.com/News Source: http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=132399 House Panel votes to cut Funds to Cherokee Nation The House Financial Services Committee voted on Thursday to cut federal funds to the Cherokee Nation under H.R. 3002. The bill creates an economic and community development fund under the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Rep. Mel Watt (D-North Carolina) offered an amendment to restrict these funds to the Cherokee Nation until the tribe complies with an 1866 treaty and restores citizenship to the Freedmen, the descendants of African slaves. The amendment was approved at a markup yesterday, as Cherokee Chief Chad Smith was testifying before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in support of Indian Health Service nominee Dr. Charles Grim. Copyright c. 2007 Indianz.com. --------- "RE: CN Officials react to possible funding loss" --------- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 07:44:25 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CNO REACT TO THREAT" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/local/local_story_212104749.html CN officials react to possible funding loss By TEDDYE SNELL Tahlequah Daily Press July 31, 2007 Cherokee Nation officials Monday reacted to news from Washington, D.C., about the possible loss of federal funding - specifically, funds from Housing and Urban Development. U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., proposed an amendment in the House Friday, requesting the tribe's funding be stopped until the issues put forth by the Freedmen are addressed. Despite temporary restoration to full citizenship following a March ouster by tribal citizens, some Freedmen believe the Cherokee Nation is not upholding its agreement with them as set forth in the Treaty of 1866. Principal Chief Chad Smith was disappointed the Freedmen are continuing to pursue federal sanctions. "We're disappointed this action has been taken," said Smith. "The Cherokee Nation has taken every step to bring this matter to a just and equitable resolution, but the fact remains that the Cherokee Nation is being singled out for an enrollment policy that we share with more than 500 other Indian tribes. You have to have an Indian ancestor on our base rolls to be a citizen. You have to have Indian ancestry to be in an Indian tribe." Dr. Ron Daniels, national civil rights leader associated with the Freedmen band, contends the tribe's stance is a move to remove African- Americans specifically. "The Cherokee Nation's blatant acts of disregard for those [CBC/African American political constituency] who have been the staunchest allies of Native Americans in their quest for justice and opposition against the shameful conduct of the U.S. government, can no longer be tolerated in Congress or anywhere else," said Daniels. "This gross offense against these African Americans' civil rights, human rights and political leaders and organizations, and deceptive quest for ethnic purity threatens to do irreparable damage to that relationship." Smith argues the Freedmen issue, which is currently in the courts, has never been a racial one. "Thousands of African-Americans, including more than 1,500 descendants of slaves, are Cherokee citizens because they also have Indian ancestors," Smith said. "Our fundamental principle is that you have to be an Indian to be in an Indian tribe. Even so, the Cherokee Nation currently allows citizenship to non-Indian freedmen descendants pending their tribal court appeals." Cherokee Freedmen were restored as tribal citizens following a class action suit filed by Nathan Young III, court-appointed attorney for more than 270 Freedmen seeking redress after a March special election ousted them from the tribe. Smith also pointed out that, in denying federal funding to the Cherokee Nation, Freedmen would also be affected. "This amendment hurts the very people it claims to be helping, because it denies services to non-Indian freedmen descendants, who are citizens of the Cherokee Nation today, but will suffer along with Indian citizens if funding is cut," said Smith. "Cutting off access to this program only denies opportunities for quality housing to low-income citizens, including the elderly and handicapped." Watt's amendment echoes a bill U.S. Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., introduced in June - HR 2824. This bill proposed the severance of U.S. relations with, and halt of federal funding to, the Cherokee Nation until " full tribal citizenship rights are restored." Smith believes the tribe's laws abide by the 1866 Treaty. "We have fully complied with the 1866 Treaty, and we'd like to see the United States comply with it, too," he said. According to a press release from the Freedmen, in August, Watson is planning a trip to Oklahoma to participate in a series of town hall meetings in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Muskogee. Representatives of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, the Oklahoma Chapter of the NAACP and others will co-sponsor the meetings and travel with her delegation. Copyright c. 2007 Tahlequah Daily Press. --------- "RE: Congresswoman Watson calls for termination of CNO" --------- Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2007 07:38:33 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="WATSON PUSHES FOR CNO TERMINATION" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=33824 U.S. Congresswoman Watson Calls For Termination Of Cherokee Nation Mike Graham August 1, 2007 U.S. California Congresswoman Diane E. Watson has introduced legislation (H.R. 2824) to sever U.S. relations with the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. The legislation calls for cutting all federal funding to the Cherokee Nation, until such time that the Cherokee Nation as she see's it, restores full tribal citizenship to a group of African Americans known as Freedmen. Some members of the Freedmen group lay claim to citizenship to the Cherokee Nation through a 1866 treaty abandoned by the federal government over one hundred years ago. Last March, Cherokee Nation citizens voted to expel anyone regardless of race, that had not proven their Cherokee blood relationship to a tribal citizen listed on their roll books. Congresswoman Watson's legislation also call's for suspending the Cherokee Nation's authority to conduct gaming operations. This action alone would cause thousands of people to loose their jobs to include Freedmen citizens of the nation , plus cause countless other businesses to close down. Any member of congress supporting congresswoman Watson's Inhuman cause with H.R.2824, will open up a Pandora's box that will shake the hall's of government's coast to coast far beyond election year in 2008. Democrats and republicans are on notice as to the ramifications and short coming of H.R.2824 passing. The American Indian community is outraged that a congresswoman in our time today would disgrace themselves as the federal government did back in the 1800's toward Indians. It's time to take a stand and send a strong message to Congresswoman Watson and the federal government as to our tribal nation's sovereign right's, there the supreme law of this land! Congresswoman Watson should be voted out of office to say the least over her actions covering this issue. Congresswoman Watson is not calling for the full restoration of the 1866 treaty, that action would mean that all the land that is now called the state of Oklahoma, would have to be turned back over to Indian nations that were forced to sign on to the 1866 treaty. No where in the 1866 treaty is the word citizenship stated covering any Freedmen. The American Indian community is further outraged over the fact that every time a U.S. House member or caucus has a problem with an Indian nation government, they call for severing reconnection of the Indian nations government. It's the same old 1800s hang-em high vigilantly law, don't let the facts or truth get in the way, stop the Indians anyway you can as they see it. The Indian War's are not over by no means, today there being played out in congress through bills and resolutions like California Congresswoman Watson's H.R.2824. Not since the Termination Era of the mid 1950s, when the official policy of the federal government was complete destruction of indigenous peoples, has American Indians and Americans seen such a piece of legislation." Congresswoman Watson's bill leaves the false impression that the Cherokee Nation's constitutional amendment expelled all African Americans from citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Facts concerning the Cherokee Nation are that they proudly count thousands of African Americans among its citizens, including more than 1,500 citizens who are descendants of Freedmen who have proven Indian ancestry. The Cherokee Nation also stands behind the statement that, Congresswoman Watson's H.R.2824 resolution will essentially punish the Cherokee Nation for requiring its citizens to have Indian ancestry, the same requirements enforced by more than 500 other Indian tribes in the United States. The American Indian community is demanding that our U.S. representatives open their eyes and see California Congresswoman Watson's H.R.2824 resolution for what it truly is, a throw back to the days of the "Custer policy" against all American Indian men, women and children. Our sons and daughters today are giving their life for America on battlefields around the world against terrorism. It's a sick national joke that an elected member of the U.S. House of Congress would disgrace them with a resolution like H.R.2824. Support stopping H.R.2824 Contact your congress person: http://capwiz. com/cherokee/issues/alert/?alertid=10085201&type=CO Fact: Even in the federal government, voting is not a personal right, it's a privilege. Fact: The Cherokee Nation Government in no way supported enslavement of any race of people. Fact: No where in the 1866 treaty does it state "citizenship" for Freedmen, only protection and equal rights under tribal nation laws covering it's citizens. Mike Graham, citizen Oklahoma Cherokee Nation Founder: United Native America www.UnitedNativeAmerica.com --- Mike Graham is a citizen of the Oklahoma Cherokee Nation. Founded United Native America in 1993 to form a national group to take action on American Indian issues. The groups main issue is to bring about a federal national holiday for Native Americans. Graham has been a guest speaker on national and international radio talk shows to include television programs. He has traveled across the country discussing issues with Indian nation leaders. The American Chronicle and its affiliates have no responsibility for the views, opinions and information communicated here. The contributor(s) and news providers are fully responsible for their content. --------- "RE: Northwest Tribes canoe to Lummi Island" --------- Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 07:43:37 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="REAWAKENING POTLATCH" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://thedaily.washington.edu/article/2007/8/1/ northwestTribesCanoeToLummiIsland Northwest tribes canoe to Lummi Island By Sophia Trumbauer August 1, 2007 Costal Salish tribes from across the Northwest made the arduous canoe journey to Lummi Island, 15 miles from Bellingham, for this week's five- day celebration of traditions, cultural events and a historical potlatch. The Lummi Nation will host the event and revive traditional practices by holding its first potlatch since 1937. "The anticipation and hope is overwhelming; there are no words to describe such an experience," said James "Smitty" Hillaire, the head of the Paddle to Lummi Committee. Committee office manager Stephanie Martin described the event as a "healing journey" in that it marks an expression of native pride - something she said has been constantly challenged in past generations. Martin explained that the catalyst for the original Paddle to Seattle was actually a tribal response to the "use it or lose it" federal policies on waterway rights for American Indian tribes. The event promoted Native rights, and the now-annual Intertribal Canoe Journey has spurred on a cultural revivalism not seen in decades. Upon arrival, the tribes will partake in formal guest processions and share in the traditional songs and dances of the Lummi people. The event is family-friendly and geared toward reinstituting ancient traditions for the younger generations with its motto of "Hope, Happiness, Healing, Honor and Hospitality." Ted Solomon, director of the Paddle to Lummi, described the event as "uniting all nations together into one people, with one goal, on very positive terms." He was also appreciative of non-Native participation and community support. The Lummi Nation has been preparing for three years, organizing and gathering community resources in order to host an event with more than 60,000 participants. The Intertribal Canoe Journey was born out of the Washington State Centennial festivities' "Paddle to Seattle," which was a nine-canoe run. It has grown into one of the largest Northwest tribal events in recent history, with 80 canoes registered, 24 tribes participating and an expected 13,000 people participating each day. The journey itself is a harrowing athletic accomplishment for the canoe runners; some travel all the way from Alaska and Southern Oregon to the shores of Lummi Stommish Grounds. Paddle to Lummi Community Cultural Connections (P2LCCC), a non-native organization, garnered community support from Whatcom County through its $300,000 fundraising goal and contribution campaign within local businesses. "I believe that event will have a solidifying effect on the community [and] that lasting friendships will be formed through the cooperation it takes to host an event of this scale," said Beth Brownfield, chair of P2LCCC. Kara Black, her partner in the organization, hopes that this type of event will not only bring an understanding of the history of American Indian culture but will also instill a sense of appreciation, which is increasing all over Washington State. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and everyone should come on up," Martin said. Reach reporter Sophia Trumbauer at news@thedaily.washington.edu Copyright c. 2007 The Daily - University of Washington. --------- "RE: Celilo Village gets improved Housing, Water, Sewer" --------- Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:14:52 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CELILO VILLAGE" http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article-id=8896 Celilo Village gets improved housing, water and sewer systems CELILO VILLAGE, OR By ERIC MORTENSON (AP) July 29, 2007 Searing heat bakes the brown hills that rise up along both sides of the Columbia River, but the air conditioning inside the government-issue doublewide works perfectly. Village Chief Olsen Meanus Jr., shirtless and sweating from a day spent lugging box springs and dressers, sits for a moment as his children explore the white-on-white interior of their temporary home. It's a better environment for the kids, Meanus muses. And all the recent village improvements - the new longhouse, the new water and sewer systems, now the new houses - all of that work honors the elders who have preserved the heritage of this ancient gathering place for Northwest tribes, he says. The Meanus family and about 50 other village residents have started moving into modular homes provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The families will live there for the next nine months while contractors build 14 homes and the first paved streets and sidewalks the village has seen. The village's existing residences will be torn down - many are decrepit shacks or trailers afflicted with lead paint and substandard plumbing and wiring. The new homes will be two-, three-, or four-bedroom houses ranging from about 1,400 to 1,800 square feet, said George Miller, the corps' project manager. The housing will be owned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which will issue residency permits. Village residents will live there free, taking on some responsibility for maintenance. For most residents, even the temporary modular homes are a dramatic step up. Each has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and comes with washer, dryer and air conditioning in addition to the usual stove and fridge. A half- dozen homes are handicap-accessible. Even so, Meanus will miss his old home. "It's the only house I've ever lived in," he says ruefully. "I have a lot of memories in that house." Such is the hold Celilo Village has on Native Americans. Despite decades of poverty, neglect and broken promises, despite being cut off from reservation services and dealing with sketchy sewer, water and electrical service, even good change is unsettling. But change is coming and fast. The work is part of a $67 million project that essentially represents an admission by the government that it did not abide by a series of agreements, beginning with an 1855 treaty that promised Northwest tribes access to "usual and accustomed" fishing sites. Celilo, seven miles upstream from The Dalles, was a fishing, trade and cultural center for Pacific Northwest tribes for an estimated 10,000 years. Native Americans, perched on planks or platforms, netted migrating salmon as they milled and leaped in a series of pools and falls. Water backed up by completion of The Dalles Dam in 1957 flooded Celilo Falls and forced relocation of the original village. The Bonneville and John Day hydroelectric dams affected other Native American fishing sites. To make amends, the Corps of Engineers in the past few years has rebuilt 31 traditional fishing sites along the Columbia, adding access roads, boat ramps or other amenities as needed. At the request of the Warm Springs, Umatilla, Yakama and Nez Perce tribes, the corps added the Celilo Village restoration to the project. A 2003 corps report, written to authorize the village project, was unusually plainspoken in its assessment of the government's responsibility. The corps contributed to problems at Celilo by providing inadequate housing and infrastructure to residents forced to relocate because of The Dalles Dam, the report said. The agency's long involvement at Celilo "sets this site peculiarly apart as a corps responsibility," the report said. "It's hard to think long-term when you don't have decent water, electricity and sewage," said Miller, the project manager. The home and street construction extend a flurry of improvements at Celilo. Contractors built a new village longhouse in 2005, and this spring it hosted a 50-year commemoration of the flooding of Celilo Falls. Since then, workers have drilled a new well, installed a 250,000-gallon water reservoir, built a new sewage lagoon and pump station, and added fire hydrants. A Bureau of Indian Affairs administrative office and classroom will be built in 2009, Miller said. The village work has been followed closely by Native Americans living on Northwest reservations and elsewhere. An estimated 2,000 people, most of them Native Americans, attended the 50-year commemoration at Celilo. Amber Schulz, an employee with Cooper Zietz Engineers Inc. of Portland, a Native American-owned firm, found herself doing technical drawings for the project. Her mother's family has roots in Celilo Village; the late renowned Chief Tommy Thompson was Schulz's great-great-grandfather. "To rebuild those ties has been very important to me," Schulz said. "There's an innate place people need to go that is home. It's really powerful to reconnect; it's like re-meeting your family." The corps' Miller said the work has been particularly rewarding. "It's a special place," he said. "What I felt was most interesting was that the people never left. They're tied to the river and the resource." Copyright c. 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Roy elected President of American Library Assoc." --------- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 07:44:25 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="AMERICA'S LEADING LIBRARIAN IS AMERICAN INDIAN" http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415479 Loriene Roy elected president of American Library Association by: Jerry Reynolds / Indian Country Today August 1, 2007 WASHINGTON - For the first time in 131 years, the leading librarian in the land is an American Indian - "although there are a lot of great Native librarians," Loriene Roy was quick to add. The American Library Association, oldest and largest of its kind anywhere, elected Roy to a one-year term as president beginning June 27, when an inaugural celebration in Washington included an indigenous peoples' procession. Roy is an enrolled citizen at White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Her mother was Pembina Band and her father, Mississippi Band Ojibwe. "And my dad was ... Bear Clan, so I'm Bear Clan." The 64,000-member ALA plays an enormous role in public education, and Roy intends to take full advantage of its resources on behalf of Native youth. She has already founded "If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything," a nationwide reading and literacy club for Native young people that also aims to improve tribal libraries. Working with the University of Texas School of Information, where she has taught for 20 years, Roy has taken the program to thousands of Native young people in dozens of often- overlooked communities. Wherever the program has gone, book donations associated with the program have improved community library collections. But above all, reading among the young has flourished, providing a good foot forward in a world where literacy rules. The purposes of the program will be brought to her ALA presidency through a Circle of Literacy Task Force. "Under the Circle of Literacy, we're organizing a Gathering of Readers," Roy said. "'Gathering of Nations' is the largest pow wow in the U.S., so with Gathering of Readers we're going to invite 50 to 100 schools that serve indigenous children around the world to share examples of how they celebrate culture and reading in their schools. And we'll feature Native writers' messages and then invite the world to visit the [Internet] site. It'll be during National Library Week next April, April 15th to 18th. And then the theme actually of National Library Week next year is 'Join the Circle at Your Library,' so it's connecting to what we're doing." At a time when libraries are changing, Roy is true to a long tradition of librarians who went from cataloguing materials by specially handwritten standardized index cards, then by the typewriters that were a cause for concern in their day, and now by computerized retrieval systems. But the opportunities of library adaptation to the Internet today can serve Native communities as never before. Native community libraries may contain Native language materials, but they are usually limited collections. Native language materials can circulate over the Internet, however, as a kind of virtual library. "In fact, that's one reason we're developing this Web site related to the Gathering of Readers, to show that Native kids are involved not only in reading, promoting literacy in the English language, but also expressing themselves as whole and fulfilled Native people through language recovery." The circle of Native-language literacy will grow through the virtual library, Roy expects, as it has already grown across imposed international boundaries. "Native language revitalization is so hot in tribal communities. And especially the connections with Native Hawaiians and the Maori, who've led the way globally, with the formation of the language nest schools in Aeteoroa, in New Zealand, and then the Native Hawaiians looking at that model and replicating it." But at the end of the day, computer use is still limited in many Indian communities. Getting a fix on the number of Native libraries isn't easy - in fact, the very concept of a library is flexible enough in much of Indian country to include not only textual sources, but oral culture and tribal documentation. All that considered, Roy estimates the number to be at least 200. "Of course those are tribal community libraries, and in some studies a tribal library is really the information center. So it often has the tribal records office, it often has the archives, sometimes the museum, sometimes the tribal school library is the library for the community. In some cases, the tribal college library ... is also the tribal public library." But in every case, Roy added, "The presence of a library providing access to print, to electronic resources, is even more important in Indian country." Her personal story is a case in point. Neither of her parents had a diploma coming out of high school. They had eight children, so money was never abundant. Roy began to read as a retreat. "You know I'm the oldest of the eight, and I think it provided me with a place to be on my own in a household of eight or 10 people. And I remember we had an agreement: I was allowed to read as long as I was in the room with everyone. So I had my corner on the floor next to a freezer, and I could read anything I wanted. And I think, too, I remember seeing my parents read, and we know that parents are the first teachers of reading. And so Native parents, when I'm asked, 'What do we do?' - Read. Read with your children." In any case, she began a lending library within the family. Later, working as a medical technician, she needed patient care information and could only access it by taking library classes. She got started on the first of several degrees and hasn't looked back. Copyright c. 1998 - 2007 Indian Country Today. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: WHITE FACE: 'Are you Oglala or Wasicu?'" --------- Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:59:19 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="NATIVE AMERICAN ENERGY GROUP" http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415465 White Face: 'Are you Oglala or Wasicu?' by: Charmaine White Face July 27, 2007 The question was raised at a recent meeting called by Oglala Sioux Tribal President John Yellow Bird Steele about the idea of mining uranium on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: "Are you Oglala or Wasicu?" If a person is Oglala, or Anishinabeg, or Dine', or from any other indigenous nation that is trying desperately to retain their indigenous values, the answer to the possibility of mining uranium is a simple and resounding "No!" The answer "yes" to the question of mining uranium reflects the values of the Wasicu, or the white man, and the Lakota word wasicu literally means "takes the fat" for a reason. All of the indigenous nations understood what uranium was in their own terms and their own cultures. The Dine' (Navajo) called it "the yellow monster." An Oglala holy man spoke of only those who had a dream and were protected could go into areas where uranium was naturally occurring. The understanding is entirely different than viewing uranium according to the Wasicus as an energy source, or natural resource. Mitochondria in the cell is also a source of energy that Wasicu scientists still do not understand, and their study of the cell is a lot older than the study of uranium. Steele, as the president of one of the poorest tribes on the North American continent, is in the unenviable position of trying to improve the economic conditions on the reservation while at the same time trying to stay within the cultural, traditional values of the Oglala people. With the price of uranium soon to be reaching the $200 per pound category, and with uranium located all over the region, he called a meeting to discuss an offer made to the previous tribal president, Cecelia Fire Thunder. As the new tribal president, he has been asked to sign a memorandum of agreement with the mining entity, Native American Energy Group. The slick handout from NAEG has a quote from Leonard Peltier on its front cover which states: "I heard about your company and all the good things you are doing for Native Americans. Our people are good and deserve a chance to live a better life. Too many companies say they want to help, but in the end they only help themselves to our resources and give us barely enough to survive. I knew in my heart that someday a company like yours would come, a company that does not take advantage of us and truly wants to help. I have heard about your 'Tribal Empowerment Program,' and I wish to be a member and supporter. My supporters and followers also pledge their complete support for your company as well." A woman at the meeting said she was going to contact Peltier to see if he really did say these things, and to let him know what NAEG is planning for the Pine Ridge Reservation. The handout further stated, "Native American Energy Group is an energy company that was originally founded in 2001 to develop energy resources on Native American reservations in the United States. Upon inception, the founders of the Company initiated its current philosophy of commitment and dedication to create opportunities for an emerging group of American Indian Nations with abundant natural resources, to become producing nations which explore, produce and control their own natural resources." Again, we have an entity planning to come into the last Oglala territory and impose their philosophy in typical colonizing fashion. If NAEG was truly cognizant of Oglala philosophy and values, they would know in the first place not to call Ina Makoce, Mother Earth, "natural resources." If they understood the vast difference in philosophy between the Oglalas and the Wasicus, they would have known better than to even try to recommend destroying and hurting her by mining. Even more unconscionable is the idea of waving the possibility of multimillion dollars in front of tribal presidents responsible for the economic development of a reservation that is slated for poverty by design. It is not just the epitome of colonialism, but is the equivalent of the guard of this prisoner of war camp opening the gate and telling the prison leader he will be free. Upon running, the prisoner will be shot for escaping; only in this case, the bullet will be the unseen, unsmelled, untasted form of nuclear radiation. Steele is right to gather more heads together than just the OST Executive Committee, his own group of advisers, or even the entire tribal council when trying to decide what to do about something as dangerous as uranium mining. Along with the current tribal ban on mining on the reservation, Steele needs to arm himself with as much information and advice as he can muster to fend off the other uranium mining companies that are sure to come knocking on the door soon. The task force he established was originally called the Uranium Mining Task Force, but after the presentations and discussions, concluding with the question of "are we Oglala or Wasicu," the group changed the name to the Natural Resources Protection Task Force. The new name fits according to Wasicu philosophy and understanding. If it were totally according to Oglala understanding, there would be no need for any task force, as we would all know that we must always protect Ina Makoce and we would never talk about mining. But the colonization and forced cultural genocide has succeeded so well that we must continue to learn all we can according to the Wasicu philosophy and understanding, then discuss with each other and remind ourselves of what it is in Oglala terms and values. The front line helping President Steele is the young, educated and culturally aware staff that currently comprises the Oglala Sioux Tribe Environmental Protection Office and Natural Resources Regulatory Agency. If politics and corruption don't interfere and they are allowed to do their jobs, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation may be one of the last places left in the upper Midwest that is not completely polluted by nuclear radiation. Charmaine White Face, whose Lakota name is Zumila Wobaga, is Oglala Lakota. She is a biologist, physical scientist, former educator, writer and the founder and coordinator for Defenders of the Black Hills. White Face may be reached at bhdefenders@msn.com. Copyright c. 1998 - 2007 Indian Country Today. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: ICT: 'Big Three' can learn much from Richardson" --------- Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:59:19 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="ICT OP ED: BILL RICHARDSON AND INDIAN COUNTRY" http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415459 'Big Three' can learn much from Richardson by: Editors Report / Indian Country Today July 27, 2007 If the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates were as one-dimensional as the popular media portray, American Indians might be hard-pressed to decide which candidate best reflects the values of Indian country. Is it Hillary Clinton, an experienced woman leader? Or maybe it is Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, whose brown skin underscores each audacious speech on paradigm change. John Edwards sheds light on poverty and inequality. The front-runners are evident; their actions in improving the federal-tribal relationship are not. At least their campaign materials boast a basic knowledge of the significance of tribal sovereignty, an improvement from 2004 when George W. Bush famously stumbled through a simple question regarding its meaning. Whether these candidates believe tribal sovereignty is good for Americans is another matter altogether. As they begin to develop Indian policy proposals, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's strong record on government-to-government relations with tribal nations stands as a beacon. Shortly after declaring his candidacy, Richardson told Indian Country Today that if elected president, he would install a cabinet-level secretary of Indian Affairs. Given his record, this is less lip service than intention. In 2005 he appointed Jemez Pueblo native Benny Shendo Jr. as New Mexico's first secretary of Indian Affairs. It is the only state in the country that has a cabinet secretary and a department of Indian Affairs. Spoken commitment followed by action is the key to winning the increasingly critical Native vote. Obama has begun courting the Native vote, circulating a well-versed letter to tribal leaders stating his support for tribal nations. Referring to his somewhat limited legislative record on Indian issues, Obama boldly concluded, "Only with the benefit of your ideas will we usher in a new era of federal Indian policy - an era of tribal nation-building when tribes, not bureaucrats, determine how to best govern themselves." It is campaign rhetoric for sure, but coming from the sincere and charismatic Obama, the words could not be more welcome. He might share aspects of his "foundational policy for First Americans" with Indian country through its various media to ensure his bold ideas actually reach Native voters, as news cameras are unlikely to follow him (or any candidate) out to the rez. Taking notice of the strategic advantage of campaigning in Indian country - securing a critical swing vote - Clinton's campaign has formed the Nevada Native American Leadership Council, a group of Nevada tribal leaders united in support of the New York senator's bid for the presidency. The council will serve as an advisory body in Nevada's Indian areas. According to the release, the council will "play an active role in reaching out and organizing Native American communities." Several Indian leaders from throughout Nevada comprise the council. This is a wonderful development for Clinton's campaign and Indian tribes in Nevada; but in New York, where she has served as junior senator since 2000, her record shows little discernable support among tribes. She is, along with Obama, a co- sponsor of a bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Edwards may have the advantage of experience over his first- and second- place rivals. The North Carolina senior senator joined fellow Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., in representing the Lumbee Tribe in its quest for federal recognition. While his opponent for the 2004 Democratic nomination, John Kerry, avoided the issue, Edwards endorsed Indian gaming and expressed support for revenue sharing conflict resolution based on respect and consultation. His national economic plan included investing in Indian country and increasing the funding for community development financial institutions, a program supported by the Department of the Treasury to channel micro-loans to reservations. Edwards would be wise to build upon his past policy proposals for Indian country in order to gain footing in states with small but key Indian constituencies. It is important to note that while the leading candidates are reaching out to Indian country as campaign strategy, they will not appear at what may be the only forum focused solely on Indian issues. Prez on the Rez, an event sponsored by the Indigenous Democratic Network (INDN's List), is slated for Aug. 23 at the Morongo reservation in southern California. The forum places Democratic candidates squarely before Indian people to address their concerns. It is the first such forum to be held in Indian country, and leaders of all federally recognized tribes have been invited. The chance afforded to nearly every other group in America has finally materialized for Indian people. Not surprisingly, Richardson was the first to accept the invitation. Unfortunately, the "Big Three" won't attend due to scheduling conflicts. It is too bad. Each could benefit from the example set by Richardson, and by experiencing firsthand the strength of Indian leadership and the challenges they face in their communities. Copyright c. 1998 - 2007 Indian Country Today. All Rights Reserved, --------- "RE: JODI RAVE: Powwows pay tribute to Veterans" --------- Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:14:52 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="JODI RAVE: VETERANS' POWWOWS" http://www.indianz.com/News http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/07/30/jodirave/rave50.txt Powwows give true tributes to Native veterans By JODI RAVE of the Missoulian July 30, 2007 GRAND RONDE, Ore. - Gilbert Towner rested under the shade of a tree while a cool ocean breeze rustled a field of 500 U.S. flags at the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde Veterans Powwow. The 78-year-old Marine, who lives in Lapwai, Idaho, served as the head man dancer at this summer's powwow on the Grand Ronde Reservation. "I'm not doing too good a job," he said. "It's too hard on me. My legs are all shot up." The Tututni elder's legs may be ravaged by war, but his memory stands quick and readily recalls small details of big moments during time served in the Korean War. Dates, times, places, names remain etched from days when a bullet exited the back of his head and a mortar round broke both legs at the knees. Towner and more than 300 military servicemen and women were honored during an extraordinary tribute to veterans. The honoring was done up in the confederated style of the Chasta, Kalapuya, Molalla, Rogue River and Umpqua tribes during their annual veterans celebration this month in Grande Ronde. The powwow was a reminder that if you're in Indian Country, it doesn't have to be Veterans Day to celebrate a war hero and those who fill the ranks of the U.S. armed forces. As the summer months roll by, the powwow season bustles with dancers. And powwows become a common venue to find veterans called front-and-center for recognition. Even then, the Grande Ronde Veterans Powwow organizers manage to go above and beyond. Their efforts weren't lost on the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard service members of all races who arrived in full force at the powwow arena. I had the chance to visit with many of them, ranging from elders and leather-clad Harley riders to representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The two-day event was highlighted with veteran introductions and two medal presentations. Recipients received Veterans of Oregon Honorable Service, Warrior of Valor and Order of the Silver Rose medals. "You see these hard-core guys get tears in their eyes before you present it," said Gene Labonte, chairman of the Northwest Indian Veterans Association. "A lot of people never had any recognition before this." As a veteran of the U.S. Army and Air and Army National Guard units, I, too, received the medals. As I stood in line, I didn't expect to be overwhelmed. But I truly felt honored to stand with those who fought on the front lines, with people who truly gave of themselves. Some came home broken. Some fell apart after they came home. Dave Smith was a door gunner for an Army aviation unit when he was exposed to Agent Orange. The 55-year-old Navajo man lost all the toes on both his feet about eight years after coming back to the United States. Twenty million gallons of the toxic chemical were dumped on jungle vegetation in Vietnam, and more than 600,000 deaths have been attributed to Agent Orange. The Veterans of Oregon association presented Smith with a Silver Rose medal. Jim Willis, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, was among several military representatives who were on hand to answer service- related questions about medical, education and homeownership benefits. He wore a Native-style ribbon shirt and joined other veterans in the powwow's grand entry. "What brings me here is the honor they're paying to all veterans of all eras, no matter when they served or whether they're tribal members or not," Willis said. "As the director of veterans affairs, this is the place I should be." He described the annual powwow as the largest he's ever seen. "What stays the same is the level of respect. If you walk around, you see people hugging one another and really expressing genuine affection. And they've never met before." While the veteran honoring celebrations continue in Native communities across the country, some people don't understand why Indians would support and celebrate the flag of a country whose historical record is rife with abuse and mistreatment of indigenous people. "I was talking to a sergeant first class who was a full-blooded Cherokee from Oklahoma," said Willis. "We were taking about why Native people serve, including Hawaiians and Alaskans, in the armed forces in such large numbers. His answer was so simple and so direct. He said, `You have to remember, this was my country before it was your country. And I love it. And any danger to this country is a danger to my people, to my pride and to my tradition. And I'm going to defend that. And my children are going to defend that.'" June Sell-Sherer, a veteran of the Women's Army Corps and a citizen of the Grande Ronde confederacy, said she's proud of her tribe's annual event. "It's one of the greatest things we do. Our veterans need this." Willis agrees: "This is as much an American event as anything that anyone could hope to attend, whether it be a county fair or state fair or some kind of veterans convention. The same elements are here that you see there. And there is a different level of pride that is associated with being Native peoples - and welcoming others into their midst. "I just hope it continues forever." Reporter Jodi Rave can be reached at 1-800-366-7186 or jodi.rave@lee.net. Copyright c. 2007 Missoulian - Lee Enterproses, Inc. --------- "RE: GIAGO: Challenging Rich California gaming Tribes" --------- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 19:11:27 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="GIAGO: CHALLENGE TO CASINO RICH TRIBES" http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8910 Challenging the rich gaming tribes in California By Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji) July 30, 2007 Has the luster and adventure of the Indian casinos in California started to wear thin? A labor union and racetrack owner filed ballot measures on Friday seeking to overturn expansive new gambling compacts for some of the state's richest Indian tribes, according to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune. The measures would give the voters of California the opportunity to vote on the pending compacts that would allow the Sycuan of El Cajon and the Pechanga of Temecula to build some of the largest casinos in the world. The corporate owner of the Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows horse racetracks joined with the union UNITE HERE, with oral support from some of the rival Indian tribes, to block the expansion. The 23-year compacts would permit the Pechanga and Morongo to operate up to 7,500 slot machines each. Sycuan and Agua Caliente, a Palm Springs tribe, could have as many as 5,000 slot machines each. All four tribes are currently limited to 2,000 slot machines, the maximum under the state's 1999 compacts. In the early years of gaming in California rivalries between some gaming tribes has escalated because rich tribes like the Agua Caliente and Pechanga tried to block compacts negotiated by Pala and the Lytton band of San Pablo and the Quechan of Imperial County that delayed or blocked deals that cost those tribes millions of dollars. Those tribes will probably support the ballot measures by UNITE HERE and the racetracks against the four tribes seeking the huge expansion. There appears to be growing opposition to some of the gaming compacts approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger in recent years and some polls suggest that Californians may be starting to question the rapid growth of casino gaming. Cheryl Schmidt, head of the gaming watchdog Stand Up for California, said, "There is a change in attitude. People have soured on the political influence of the tribes, their internal infighting and they want to limit the proliferation of gaming." Jack Gribbon of UNITE HERE said, "Voters are circumspect about this expansion. They realize it is the rich getting richer that does nothing for workers, does nothing for poor tribes and I believe we will win that argument." A spokesman for the racetracks, Greg Larson, said, "These compacts grant a monopoly on electronic gaming devices to tribes closing the door on California racing's ability to compete with racetracks in other states." Most Californians supported Indian gaming when it was about helping Indians rise out of poverty, but many now feel that this mission has been accomplished 10-times over for most of California's tribes although there are still a few isolated tribes that continue to live in poverty. The political infighting by some of the tribes against each other as gaming became the goose that laid the golden egg has also turned off many Californians and has generated rivalries between different tribes that would support the union and the racetracks against their fellow tribes. "Tribes and tribal leaders have long memories," said Howard Dickstein, an attorney representing the Pala tribe. The ballot measures would place before voters four bills that ratified the compacts. Independently, the gaming agreements still must be approved by the Interior Department before taking effect according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. While visiting San Diego last week I was reminded of how far tribes like the Sycuan have come when I attended an outdoor, evening concert called Marvin at the Movies that starred the world famous songwriter and conductor, Marvin Hamlisch. Several members of the tribe were present at the concert primarily because the Sycuan Resort and Casino sponsored the entire event. In fact a full-page ad in the program pictured a photo of the tribe's chairman, Daniel J. Tucker, and photos of the entire tribal council. I had the fortune, or misfortune, of staying at the Marriott on the Harbor not knowing that next door at the San Diego Convention Center 120,000 fanatics were attending the Comic-con International Convention. I knew something was up when I climbed on the elevator at the hotel and was suddenly joined by Spiderman, Darth Vader and Superman. I vividly recall visiting the Sycuan and Pechanga when I was stationed with the Navy in San Diego in the 1950s and I was appalled at the extreme poverty I found there. It reminded me so much of my home on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota where the riches of Indian gaming are only a dream. I can only admire these tribes for their good fortune. As the old saying goes, "There are only three ways to a successful business and they are location, location and location." --- Copyright c. 2007 Native American Journalists Foundation, Inc. (Tim Giago is an Oglala Lakota born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in the Class of 1991. He was the founder and publisher of Indian Country Today newspaper and the founder and first president of the Native American Journalists Association. His latest book "Children Left Behind, The Dark Legacy of the Indian Missions," is now available at: order@clearlightbooks. com. The book just won the Bronze Star from the Independent Publishers Awards. He can be reached at najournalist@msn.com) Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: CLARKSON: Reservations beyond the Law" --------- Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 07:43:37 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="NON-INDIANS WHO ABUSE INDIAN WOMEN, CHILDREN ESCAPE JUSTICE" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/ la-oe-clarkson3aug03,0,1867347.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail Reservations beyond the law A legal loophole allows non-Indians who victimize Indian women and kids on reservations to escape justice By Gavin Clarkson August 3, 2007 For more than a decade, a white man married to an Indian woman sexually terrorized his entire family on the Eastern Cherokee reservation in North Carolina. If his wife complained about the rapes and beatings with a baseball bat, he shocked her with a Taser. While raping his wife, he would force his teenage daughters to stand by so he could fondle their genitalia to compensate for erectile dysfunction. Afterward, he would show them his AK-47 and threaten to kill them if they ever left him or told anyone. Despite those threats, his wife finally reported the incidents to tribal police. Eastern Cherokee prosecutor James Kilbourne wanted to prosecute, but the tribe did not have criminal jurisdiction over the non-Indian husband. Local and state authorities didn't have jurisdiction either because the victims were Indians. In 21st century America, how is it that the availability of justice on Indian reservations is determined by the race of the perpetrator and victim? Although the federal government recognizes Indian tribes as sovereign nations, Congress and the Supreme Court have severely restricted tribes' ability to protect their citizens from violent crime. The first blow came in 1885, when the Major Crimes Act declared that the federal government - not Indian tribes - had jurisdiction over murders, rapes and felony assaults involving Indians. Then, in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court further stripped tribes of criminal jurisdiction over non- -Indians in Oliphant vs. Suquamish Indian Tribe. The legacy of that fundamentally flawed decision is a jurisdictional void that has produced an epidemic of violence against Indian women and children. On most reservations today, tribes prosecute misdemeanors committed by Indians, and the state prosecutes crimes committed by non-Indians against non-Indians. But when a non-Indian victimizes an Indian, only U.S. attorneys can file charges. But U.S. attorneys often don't pursue such cases. In fact, they decline to prosecute crimes committed on reservations nearly twice as often as those committed off-reservation, according to Justice Department data recently analyzed by the Wall Street Journal. Six states (including California) were given criminal jurisdiction over Indians by Congress in 1953, but prosecutors in those states turn down cases at similarly high rates, according to preliminary findings from research underway at UCLA. No one knows exactly how many Indian reservation rape or assault cases are referred to federal prosecutors, or how many of those go to trial. There is no system to track such cases, and no meaningful data-sharing between tribal and federal authorities. Without this information, we can only speculate as to why cases aren't prosecuted. Federal law enforcement officials interviewed for a recent National Public Radio story suggested that rape and assault cases simply aren't priorities for U.S. attorneys, who also work on terrorism, organized-crime and drug-trafficking cases. I know of a number of U.S. attorneys, however, who want to prosecute domestic violence cases, but the federal statutory hurdle is so high that a broken nose is insufficient grounds for a felony assault charge. That requires "serious bodily injury," defined as a substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or mental faculty. As a result, most domestic violence cases wind up classified as misdemeanors, which means that they rarely, if ever, get prosecuted. U.S. attorneys also understandably decline cases they clearly can't win. The abusive husband in the Eastern Cherokee case was finally prosecuted and convicted only after he nearly severed his wife's hand with a shard of glass. The bottom line is that Indian women and children are denied any meaningful protection under the law, and the criminals know it. Chickasaw Nation Police Chief Jason O'Neil said predators strut through Indian Country as if they were in "a lawless community, where they can do whatever they want." Former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) put it this way: "The word is out that people can get off the hook, so to speak, if they are not Indian." Indian women are victimized at astonishingly high rates - 2 1/2 times the national average, according to Justice Department data. More than one- third of all Indian women will be raped at least once during their lifetimes, and nearly two-thirds will be violently assaulted. Nearly 90% of rapes and sexual assaults involve non-Indian assailants. There's other Oliphant-case fallout as well. To exploit the jurisdictional void, some pedophiles became teachers in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools - where they had little or no fear of prosecution even after being caught molesting Indian kids. Non-Indian drug gangs have discovered this legal loophole and have set up methamphetamine operations on reservations. Other non-Indian traffickers have intentionally married Indian women to establish themselves on reservations, where their risk of prosecution is lowest. The Oliphant decision, roundly criticized for years, is the primary cause of this tragedy. But Congress is not without blame. The Supreme Court specifically acknowledged that Congress could fix this jurisdictional void, yet legislators have never taken action. Congress only recently allocated funds to study the problem. Regardless of the cause, the most logical remedy is quite simple: Substitute the word "persons" for the word "Indians" in one sentence of the Indian Civil Rights Act. That small change would allow tribes to prosecute anyone, Indian and non-Indian alike, who commits a crime on Indian land. Tribal and federal prosecutors could then work complementarily, just as state and federal prosecutors do. Why should a non-Indian who molests an Indian child or rapes an Indian woman be able to escape justice merely by committing the crime on a reservation? Congress has fixed other jurisdictional voids created by Supreme Court decisions. It should do so again, and soon. Indian women and children cannot afford to wait another 30 years for justice. Gavin Clarkson is an assistant professor in the University of Michigan School of Information, School of Law and Native American Studies. Copyright c. 2007 Los Angeles Times. --------- "RE: JODI RAVE: Players showcase talents at Hoops Camp" --------- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 07:44:25 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="JODI RAVE: SHOWCASE FOR NATIVE HOOPSTERS" http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/08/01/jodirave/rave49.txt Native News Players showcase talents at Native Elite Sports hoops camp By JODI RAVE of the Missoulian August 1, 2007 Hayley Knife Chief captured the attention of coaches while nabbing a national high school player of the year award during the Native Elite Sports Basketball camp in Macy, Neb., over the weekend. "I didn't expect it because there's a lot of competition," said Knife Chief. "I was shocked, but pleased and honored that I got that award." The 18-year-old Knife Chief of Claremore, Okla., was among a select group of Native boys' and girls' high school basketball players invited to participate in the annual NES camp, which allowed top athletes from across the United States to show their skills in a gymnasium on the Omaha Reservation. The July 27-28 camp entered its second year, during which organizers have quickly moved to become NCAA certified. This year, some 10 coaches from Division I and II colleges attended and scouted for players, said Webster. The NES sports showcase is one of the few Native venues to provide such an opportunity specifically for urban and reservation youths. And young people arrived pumped and ready to play. "I would put these Native kids against any all-star team in the country," said Barry Webster, chairman of Native Elite Sports, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth through sports. All student athletes were assigned to one of four teams. Each team then competed against one another in a series of three games. Coaches observed. Some offered playing opportunities. "We exceeded our expectations," said Webster. "We got some Division I schools there. The talent was tremendous. The boys' side was top-notch. It was a great event. Every time you turned around, there was a slam dunk." Brady Fairbanks of Cass Lake, Minn., received the boys' title of National High School Player of the Year. And even though he nabbed the attention of on-scene coaches, he has already agreed to play Division II ball at Bemidji State University in Minnesota. "They're bringing in a lot of good freshmen and I was one of their top priorities," said Fairbanks, who was a leading scorer and rebounder in Minnesota's Class 1A high school basketball. Fairbanks was among the youth asked to participate based on outstanding court skills and a noteworthy academic record. Knife Chief left the camp with one scholarship offer to play ball for Brown Mackie College in Kansas. She said she was thrilled with the offer, but still wanted to take her chances back home. She will walk onto the University of Oklahoma's women's team this fall. "I want to go to an Oklahoma school and be near my family," said the former all-state player. The young woman praised the event. "I think NES is going to become something big. It will give a lot of Native Americans a chance to play basketball. I'm very proud of what Barry's done." Said Webster: "We hope that every Native American boy and girl on every reservation hears about this and is inspired and determined to come to NES and take their game to the next level." Reporter Jodi Rave can be reached at 800-366-7186 or at jodi.rave@lee.net. Copyright c. 2007 Missoulian - Lee Enterprises, Inc. --------- "RE: HARJO: Ward Churchill, the White Man's Burden" --------- Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 10:35:22 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="HARJO: WARD CHURCHILL" http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415491 Harjo: Ward Churchill, the white man's burden by: Suzan Shown Harjo / Indian Country Today August 3, 2007 Ward Churchill wants you to believe the University of Colorado fired him from a tenured professorship because he wrote an inflammatory essay calling people who were killed in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, "little Eichmanns" who were a "technocratic corps at the very heart of America's global financial empire." CU would have you think that its July 24 firing had nothing to do with what Churchill wrote in that essay and everything to do with what he didn't write in his books, but claimed he did. The CU Board of Regents fired Churchill by an unambiguous 8 - 1 vote for academic misconduct, including alleged plagiarism and lies about historical facts. Churchill and CU will finish the fight in court and the focal point will be, as it has always been, about money. Churchill first distorted historical facts to CU in his resume, when he claimed to be Cherokee and Creek. CU accepted those claims as gospel and gave him a communications professorship and an ethnic studies chairmanship, with promotions adding up to a $96,000 annual salary. This gave Churchill the time and means to write books and sell them on the lecture circuit. Former students maintain that he required them to buy and read his books, and to validate his perspectives. For a while, he also sold paintings whose subject matter and styles were lifted from works by other artists. When the Indian Arts and Crafts Act was amended with increased penalties for promoting products as made by Indians when they were not, he not only stopped marketing his artwork, but he started attacking the Native artists and leaders who were responsible for the amended law. Churchill falsely claimed that the Indian Arts and Crafts Act imposed a federal standard of Indian identity. In fact, the federal law bows to and depends totally on tribal law about who is and who is not a tribal citizen or member. While Churchill wrongly says that the arts law is rigid and unforgiving, it actually has a compassionate standard for unfair or unfortunate exclusions. It provides for inclusion under the law for anyone a Native nation certifies as an Indian artisan, even if that person cannot meet tribal citizenship or membership standards. When Churchill started attacking real Native people behind that law, he opened his own life and identity to scrutiny and criticism. Native peoples found that Churchill's claims to be a tribal person were baseless and informed CU that he was not a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation or Cherokee Nation. At the same time that Churchill was dissing "card-carrying Indians," he started waving around something that purported to be an "associate membership" in the Keetoowah Band of Cherokees, which translated into English as "not even close to being Native." The Keetoowah Band does not claim Churchill as one of its own. Churchill struck out at anyone and everyone who would not validate him as a Native person, exhibiting a virulent attitude against Native people of a kind rarely seen beyond the rings of anti-Indian hate groups. When Churchill was exposed as non-Indian, CU defended him and high- handedly dismissed the Native nations and people who refuted his claims. Self-declaration of Indian identity is good enough for the academy, said the CU officials. CU's stance allowed Churchill to wrap himself in a borrowed identity while appearing to be a courageous insider chastising his own. Both CU and Churchill took the position that no Indians were going to tell them what to do or to be the final word on who is a Native person. While Churchill is primarily marketing himself as a free-speech martyr, he's also creating a subsidiary brand: "Indian-rights martyr." He's selling the idea that he was such an Indian advocate that CU and American society generally wanted him canned. But that doesn't square with the facts of his employment at CU. CU hired him because he was "Indian" and because it believed his "Indian-ness" enhanced its faculty's cultural and ethnic diversity profile. CU hired him and gave him promotions and tenure without the academic credentials it usually required of its faculty members. CU has consistently maintained its defense of Churchill as an Indian against actual Native peoples. Not only did Churchill use "Indian-ness" to land a job that he would not have gotten as a white man, he has publicly blamed lapses in research judgment on a lack of Indian studies standards. Why is it important for Native peoples to continue to tell the world that Churchill is not a Native person? Churchill is now a cause celebre and there are a lot of people who are angry with Native people because of him. Some Churchill supporters are mad at Native peoples for being mean to a "fellow Indian." Some Churchill opponents are mad at Indians because Churchill claimed to be one. Some folks are against Indian studies because Churchill says there aren't any Indian studies standards. Some folks are opposed to Indian studies because Churchill has been part of Indian studies. There are even a number of well-meaning people who think that, by supporting Churchill, they are supporting Native peoples and Native rights. Like it or not, Churchill is like gum on the bottom of your shoe and we're stuck with him for a bit. All we can do for now is to defend our Native nations and people against his attacks, and take up for Indian studies, too. Another thing we can do is to ask a series of questions along these lines: What makes you think Churchill is a Native person? His sunglasses and, if so, why? His lack of graciousness and, if so, why? His lack of support by or contact with any of the Native nations he claims? By reminding people that Churchill should not be the Indians' burden, you might not win any popularity contests, but I guarantee you some memorable conversations. --- Suzan Shown Harjo, Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee, is president of the Morning Star Institute in Washington, D.C., and a columnist for Indian Country Today. Copyright c. 1998 - 2007 Indian Country Today. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Mexico Solidarity Network News and Analysis" --------- Date: Monday, July 30, 2007 01:17 pm From: Chiapas 95 Moderators Subj: En;MSN News and Analysis,Jul 16-22 Mailing List: Chiapas95 This message is forwarded to you by the editors of the Chiapas95 newslists. To contact the editors or to submit material for posting send to: . ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:43:41 -0400 From: Mexico Solidarity Network Please do not reply to this email. All correspondence should be addressed to msn@mexicosolidarity.org MEXICO SOLIDARITY NETWORK WEEKLY NEWS AND ANALYSIS JULY 16-22, 2007 1. PROTESTS RETURN TO OAXACA 2. SECOND ENCOUNTER OF ZAPATISTAS WITH PEOPLES OF THE WORLD 3. BANK OF MEXICO WILL SUSPEND DOLLAR SALES 4. MSN PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS (Contact MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org) 1. PROTESTS RETURN TO OAXACA Protests organized by the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) returned to Oaxaca City this week in anticipation of the Guelaguetza, a cultural celebration that is typically the largest tourist attraction of the year. In spite of police repression and efforts by Governor Ulises Ruiz to control a restive population, more than 10,000 demonstrators turned out Monday to protest the "officiala" Guelaguetza. Police responded with violence, severely injuring at least forty people and arresting at least sixty. Authorities set bail at $2 million pesos per person. Protestors responded to police violence by torching six city buses. In one particularly violent case, police arrested Emeterio Merino Cruz Vasquez, a member of the Committee for Defense of Human Rights in Santiago Xanica. A series of photos published in major newspapers show police taking Cruz into custody without resistance, then beating him violently. Today Cruz is hospitalized in a coma, and police are denying any responsibility. Following Monday's demonstrations, the Inter-American Human Rights Commission issued an unprecedented statement expressing its "grave concerna" for the Governor's abuse of police powers and widespread violations of fundamental human rights. On Sunday, the APPO and Section 22 of the teacher's union organized a largely peaceful march that avoided the heavily guarded official Guelaguetza celebration site. The APPO is demanding the removal of Governor Ulises Ruiz and fundamental reforms in state government. 2. SECOND ENCOUNTER OF ZAPATISTAS WITH PEOPLES OF THE WORLD The Second Encounter of Zapatistas with the Peoples of the World drew more than 3,000 participants for the inaugural ceremony in Oventic, Chiapas. The Encounter included a large contingent from Via Campesina, including representatives from Brazil, Thailand, Korea and India. Subcomandante Marcos highlighted the anti-capitalist nature of the Zapatista struggle. In response to repeated questions about the consumption of Coca Cola in Zapatista communities, Marcos explained, "We can change the consumption habits in society or we can change the forms in which merchandise circulates, but until we change the ownership of property and the means of production, the exploitation of workers will not disappear, and capitalism will continue to survive and grow.a" Consumption of Coca Cola in Zapatista communities is an ongoing concern of many international visitors who often fail to appreciate the qualities that make the drink so popular - a source of clean drinking water, high in calories, an d high in caffeine content which serves to dull hunger pains. Some communities have begun to move to other soft drinks, but to date there is no soft drink produced under conditions that avoid capitalist exploitation. The Zapatista movement has continually struggled with many internationalists to explain the difference between movements based on consumption patterns, which ultimately fail to address capitalist exploitation, and movements based on control of the means of production, which means defense of land in the Zapatista movement. Marcos also called on supporters to pay close attention to recent events in Oaxaca (see article above). The Encounter will continue in two additional centers of Zapatista resistance, Morelia and La Realidad, through July 29. 3. BANK OF MEXICO WILL SUSPEND DOLLAR SALES The Bank of Mexico will suspend the sale of dollars from August 1 through October 31 due to a shortfall in reserves. Over the past year the Bank registered a decline of US$8.5 billion in dollar deposits, due mainly to decreasing oil sales, a leveling of immigrant remittances, and payments on international debts. This is the first suspension of daily dollar sales since the Bank initiated the practice in 2003. The unprecedented announcement most likely means a steep devaluation of the peso and increased inflation in coming months. The peso has been relatively stable for the past several years, trading between 10.5 and 11 pesos per dollar. 4. MSN PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS (Contact MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org) STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM: June 3 - July 14, 2007: Summer Study Abroad Program. Earn 8 credits studying Indigenous Social Movements and the Other Campaign in Chiapas, Mexico. 8 credits. June 17 - July 28, 2007: Summer Study Abroad Program. Earn 8 credits studying Migration: Dynamics and Debates. Students spend 16 days in Tlaxcala, a sending state for undocumented migrants; 16 days in Ciudad Juarez, a center of migration, maquiladora workers and undocumented border crossings; and 10 days in Washington, DC, home of the community-based group Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and center of the current debate on immigration reform. 8 credits September 9 - December 14, 2007: Study in Chiapas, Tlaxcala, Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez, with a focus on the theory and practice of Mexican social movements, 16 credits. January 27 - May 2, 2008: Study in Chiapas, Tlaxcala and Mexico City, with a focus on indigenous movements, campesino organizations, and urban movements. 16 credits. February 3 - May 9, 2008: Study in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua City, Mexico City and Chiapas, with a focus on border dynamics, urban movements and indigenous movements. 16 credits. CHICAGO AUTONOMOUS CENTER (3460 W. LAWRENCE AVE.) English classes - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 6:30-8:30pm: English classes utilize popular education strategies to increase conversational English capacity. Literacy classes in Spanish - Literacy classes begin June 10 and utilize popular education strategies to teach basic reading and writing skills. Cultural events and political workshops - For a full schedule of cultural events and political workshops, contact the Mexico Solidarity Network at 773-583-7728 or by visiting: http://www.mexicosolidarity. org/site/communityforum SPEAKING TOURS: October 14-27, 2007: Speaking tour - Immigrant rights, featuring a speaker from the National Assembly of Ex-Braceros who will the current debate on immigration reform, international immigration dynamics and previous experiences with guest worker programs. California October 21 - November 3, 2007: Speaking tour - Immigrant rights, featuring a speaker from Centro Sin Fronteras who will discuss community- based struggles for immigrant rights and the recent rash of anti-immigrant roundups throughout the US. North and South Dakota, MN, WI, MI, IN October 21 - November 4, 2007: Speaking tour - Zapatista solidarity and the Otra Campana, featuring Zapatista artisanry. An activist from Chiapas will discuss the politics of the Other Campaign. The tour will feature Zapatista artisanry produced by women's cooperatives in Chiapas. Southwest November 4-17, 2007: Speaking tour - Immigrant rights and the Otra Campana, featuring a speaker from the Consejo Nacional Urbano Campesino(National Urban-Rural Council) who will discuss immigration dynamics and community-based organizing in the Other Campaign. Mid Atlantic Coast