And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 15:42:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Shafer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
X-Sender: wy430@vtn1
CANADA-US NATIVES PLAN POLITICAL ACCORD
CBC News WebPosted Mon Apr 12 16:20:18 1999
OTTAWA - Aboriginal leaders in the United States and Canada are
planning a summit meeting for July in Vancouver. They hope to create a
political accord that will draw them closer together.
It will be the first meeting of its kind in 60 years and is expected
to be North American's largest ever gathering of indigenous people.
The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine,
says tribes in the United States and Canada need to strengthen their
ties.
So the meeting will be a focus for human rights and political
developments, as well as cultural and economic practices. "There is
strength in numbers , in organizing ourselves better, elevating
issues," says Fontaine.
Ron Allen, president of the National Congress of American Indians,
represents 250 member tribes. He says indigenous people around the
world are looking to North American First Nations, because they're all
engaged in the same struggle. "We have brothers and sisters around the
world," says Allen, "indigenous nations fighting for their sovereignty
and rights, protection of their land bases, and cultural ways of life.
And as we join forces together, then that message becomes a common
message that is heard both in the capitals of Canada and the U.S. as
well as in international forums of the United Nations."
Allen says many American Indians may have more political
sophistication than their Canadian cousins, but the more isolated
Canadian First Nations haven't been bombarded by the media and they've
kept their languages, so they provide the Americans with cultural
renewal. "Strengthening and sharing goes both ways: one in technique,
being more effective in the political system, the other in restoring
and rejuvenating who you are, what's important to you as opposed to
what the world is saying or what the media is saying who you are,"
said Allen.
Allen and Fontaine both say indigenous people concentrated so much on
domestic survival they've overlooked the possibility of alliances.
They say this will begin to change after the July meeting.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
