And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Mailing-List: contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]; run by ezmlm >Delivered-To: mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 17:12:51 -0500 >From: LISN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Organization: League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 [en] (Win98; I) >X-Accept-Language: en >To: League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > NativeWeb News <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [league] Letters to BIA and Kevin Gover > >Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 20:08:00 -0500 (EST) >From: Leanora E Winters <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Big Mountain Issue > >Comments for: Mr. Kevin Gover, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for >Indian Affairs > >Women of All Red Nations is most concerned with the Bureau of Indian >Affair's (BIA) massive campaign of livestock confiscation and >impoundment >on the area known as the Hopi Partitioned Lands, in the State of >Arizona. We >ask that the BIA stop what amounts to cruel, targeted extermination of >Dineh/Navajo elders. There are alternatives to these draconian measures. > >The conflict of interest is very clear in this action of systematic >harassment and removal. While claiming that BiA's sole purpose is to >protect deteriorating range conditions, the livestock impoundment >targets >the very people threatened by policies generated by the 1974 and >1996 Navajo/Hopi Settlement Acts. These people are being torn from their >traditional lands and relocated to contaminated lands where they >experience long term exposure to hazardous materials and the >consequential >health risks. > >Elders like Zonnie Whitehair and Roberta Blackgoat, who face the >possible >loss of their herds, their livelihoods, their means of survival must not >continue to be subjected to what appears to be calculated terror. > >We ask that the BIA reconsider current policies which are transforming a >self-sufficient people into government dependent people. This outcome >seems to contradict other recent U. S. federal policy. Moreover, the >right >of the Dineh people to pursue their traditional religion, culture, and >livelihood/means of survival should be respected. > >Women of All Red Nations will continue to watch this evolving situation >with great interest and hope that the principles that protect human >dignity and respect the unique nature of indigenous societies will be >upheld. > > Leanora E. Winters > International Coordinator > Women of All Red Nations > 301-855-2722 > 202-994-3365 (Fax) > >------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >Subject: Re: [Fwd: Sign-on to support] >Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999 21:10:48 +0100 >From: "U.P.secr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: LISN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >> Ms. Heather Sibbinson >> Bureau of Indian Affairs >> United States Department of the Interior >> 1849 C Street NW >> Washington, DC 20240 >> >> We understand that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is proceeding to enforce >> a range management system under which many Dineh families living on Hopi >> Partitioned Land lack permits necessary to keep their current livestock. >> Many of the people at risk under this program are elderly people who >> depend upon their livestock for their survival and whose culture and >> religion is based on their ties to their land and their livestock. The >> confiscation of their livestock poses a risk to their health and >> violates their right to practice their traditional way of life. >> >> The Dineh families are living on their ancestral lands and many still >> practice the subsistence herding practices as they have done for >> hundreds of years before the US government acquired jurisdiction over >> the region. To the extent that Congress, tribal governments, or agencies >> have passed laws or regulations affecting this region, they are >> obligated to respect the right of these people to continue their >> traditional lifestyle in their customary use areas and to insure that >> these policies do not interfere with this right. >> >> We are also concerned about the conflict of interest inherent in the >> BIA's dual role of enforcing both range management and the provisions of >> the 1974 and 1996 Navajo-Hopi Settlement Acts. The purpose of a range >> management program should be confined to exercising a trust >> responsibility with respect to the health of the ecosystem. Under the >> Settlement Acts, the BIA is asked to assist in the relocation of many >> Dineh from their ancestral land, and previous government policies such >> as the Bennett Freeze were clearly intended to make it difficult for the >> people to remain on their land. To remove the people's means of survival >> on their traditional land would make it easier for the BIA to fulfill >> its enforcement obligations with respect to the Settlement Acts. The >> presence of this conflict of interest undermines the credibility of your >> agency with respect to range management. >> >> We are watching the events in this region with great concern and hope >> that your office will keep us updated as to policies and events >> affecting the region. As we enter the new millenium, we hope that all >> governments will uphold principles that protect human dignity and >> respect the unique nature of Indigenous societies. >> >Sincerely, > > Ole Fjord Larsen > Secr., the formative world parliament of the united peoples > > >cc: Mr. Kevin Gover, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian >Affairs > >----------------------------------------------------------------- > >League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere >To receive organizational information, announcements and news: >Please send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, >send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >LISN Web Site | http://www.lisn.net > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
