And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: I don't think that the messages referred to below have been carried over the Native news list. In case they have, I am circulating the following from Big Mountain...Ish >From BIGMTLIST via [EMAIL PROTECTED] Recently there have been a number of internet posts on other lists concerning some of the Dineh support activities and individual supporters. Some of these posts have been very critical of certain individual supporters. I have been asked by some people to post some of these negative messages, and have refused. My rule concerning this is: "6. If you badmouth elders or supporters, and expect me to post your slander, you came to the wrong person. In the past I unwisely got sucked into this kind of thing a few times, but it's not worth the disharmony that it causes the movement." Some other lists prefer not to screen out the negative posts, and consequently, they have been proliferating. I feel that it is important for our energies to be directed in a positive direction to help the elders, and not to waste them in inter-organizational rivalry and bickering. I sincerely believe that every "supporter" has the desire to support, and believes that his or her activities are making or trying to make a difference in helping the Dineh. I think the trouble comes when we misunderstand each others intentions, and we view another person's support agenda as conflicting with our own. It might be easy to conclude that the other person is somehow a traitor to the cause and is just trying to make trouble. This assumption, unfortunately, can and has given rise to personal attacks (in print and through word of mouth) on these other supporters. With the intent of clearing up one of these misunderstandings, I am posting the following message. Although it might be considered by some that this message should only go to the specific individuals involved, I am putting it out on the list because so many of you, I am sure, also subscribe to other Native American related lists and have read the negative posts that this message refers to. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 11:51:10 EST To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dear BIG MOUNTAIN SUPPORTERS, I am sending this letter to let you know that I appreciate your sincere concern for the welfare of the Dineh people. I am fully aware of the contributions many of you have made over many years, and for some of you since long before I came out here 7 years ago. First of all, I would like to respond to rumors that are rampant with regard to my conversation with Fred Chavez which was purposely misquoted for purposes known only to the BIA. In fact, the only reason that I called him initially was at the request of Pauline Whitesinger who was afraid that her animals may have been impounded. I first told Fred that I was calling on behalf of Pauline Whitesinger to see if they impounded her animals. He said that he did not have her animals. I asked him if he could hold off on the impoundments since were were holding a series of community meetings that would provide a basis for a proposal to the BIA in Washington, DC - for community range management, supplementary hay and feed for the above permitted animals so that we could avoid any impoundments. I asked him what his plans were for future impoundments. He said that he is just following the law and he has the legal right to impound these animals to protect the range. I told him that as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) I was appealing to the UN community for human rights observers to come to witness what they were doing to the elders. Even an army of Human rights observers are not a threat. Their role is to witness and support. And this was never mentioned after this occasion. However, I do apologize for giving Fred Chavez something to misquote me on. When Rena Babbitt Lane�s horse was confiscated, I called him and the BIA in Washington, DC to negotiate for the release of her horse. They confiscated it from inside the corral. In fact when the BIA brought back her horse at no cost and they made an apology to Rena, telling her they made a big mistake impounding her horse from inside the corral. When I spoke with Fred Chavez yesterday, Tuesday, as part of a continuing dialogue, I hoped to delay the sale at public auction today, Wednesday, of Ella and Anna Begay�s animals, pending the result of an investigation currently under way. He informed me that he was recording his conversation with me. I told him that was fine, and that I would prefer being recorded to being misquoted again. When I asked him to have a heart for the Dineh people he laughed and said they were going to be sold today at public auction. However, unlikely, this morning at 8:00 AM he called me and told me I could have 1 more week to complete this investigation of circumstances surrounding the impoundment that will hopefully result in the release of these animals at no cost to Ella and Anna Begay. I want you to know that I am very careful when speaking with him and do so several times each week to inquire whether any animals have been confiscated. Our conversations have remained civil. Over the past several yers I have secured the release of many impounded animals belonging to several families-including Kee Shay, Ruth Benally, Leta O'Daniel, Glenna Begay, Hazel Lou Nez and others. Sometimes this required raising the funds to pay for their release, sometimes, I found illegal impoundments and had the BIA return these animals at no cost to the people. I believe that great difficulties and confusions occur when people live in remote areas, so that communication often becomes a rumor mill. These difficulties are often exacerbated by forces opposed to the people who are trying to pursue a divide-and-conquer program. It is crucial for people who share the same concerns to work together with mutual respect and support. It is my hope that we can do this. And if you have any concerns about me or statements attributed to you or other behavior, please contact me directly so that we can work out all misunderstandings in private. The Dineh's struggle to obtain their civil and religious rights it should not be sidetracked by conflicts among supporters or by Dineh in-fighting, whether this is Dineh living on HPL, those that relocated, or those that are displaced and living in surrounding communities. Our hands are full. Please, we don�t have time for the attacks. Let us put the negativity aside including questions about the quality of the food that SOL Communications has been distributing. The food runs that have been coming in from LA are appreciated by everyone and from what I have seen the food and recent seeds delivered has always been of very high quality. In addition, its distribution is made with a good heart for the people. These attacks take away time from valuable work that we are doing. And you know full well how much work needs to be done. Mary Katherine, it was your mother, Katherine Smith that was with us as the lead matriarch in meetings in New York with Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations (UN). Thanks to Katherine, she put something in place that can�t be done. She was the one mainly responsible for much of the NGO support for the Dineh, including their presence on Black Mesa when Mr. Amor, the Special Rapporteur came out to meet with the people. The reason we went there was to bring the UN and NGOs out here. And it has helped bring us support within the UN and the international Community. On April 7th a delegation will be traveling to Geneva Switzerland to attend the 55th session fo the UN Commission on Human Rights. Representatives from Big Mountain, Cactus Valley, Red Willow Spring, and Star Mountain will be attending. We will be meeting with UN officials. Everyone going has their passport and we are looking for good things to come of this trip. I wish you all strength and continued good work in the future and hope that finally, we can begin to work together for the common good of the Dineh. I believe strongly that not only do these attacks hurt us but even more importantly they hurt the Dineh people. When I go around visiting elders with a circle of people that is too small, and which I do as often as I can, too often what I see is that the elders are the only ones at home, sometimes left baby sitting their grandchildren from surrounding border towns. The elders are scared, often they have tears in their eyes and are forced to live in terror - waiting for the day that the US government will destroy them. Where are their kids who are educated and can write? Why don�t they help? The elders are suffering and the time is growing short. I believe strongly that it is only when everyone works, Dineh and supporter alike that we will be able to create something that will benefit the people. If you want to speak with me I can be reached by phone at: (520) 673-3461, by mail at: P.O. Box 1968, Kaibeto, AZ 86053 or by E-mail at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Yours sincerely, Marsha Monestersky ******************************************** You are on the BIGMTLIST, a moderated mailing list of Big Mountain relocation resistance information (not discussion or debate). To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe" in the subject header. For non-list members receiving this post as a forwarded message, you may subscribe by emailing [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "subscribe" in the subject header. For Big Mountain and other activist internet resources, visit "The Activist Page" at http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/welcome.html Also, for great internet tools please visit: http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271 ******************************************** &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
