September 2006 Archive

September 28, 2006 Listen to the Show

Skull Valley Goshute Tribal Member Blasts New Election Process; Indigenous Nations Hold Summit on U.S.- Mexico Border; The Amistad 2006 Sets Sail: A Commemoration of Slavery and Broken Treaties; Author of “Native New Yorkers” on Algonquin History

Skull Valley Goshute Tribal Member Blasts New Election Process
The Skull Valley Goshute Tribe in Utah recently got the unexpected news that the nuclear waste dump proposal for their reservation had been rejected by the Interior Department. Tribal Chairman Leon Bear reportedly said he felt betrayed by the abrupt change in plans. But other tribal member are celebrating the decision, especially those like Margene Bullcreek who has been speaking out against nuclear waste dump projects for the last 15 years. But now the tribe is dealing with a new controversy – their upcoming tribal elections. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is going to oversee the elections and has made significant changes to the election process. Some tribal members are afraid their votes won’t count.
Margene Bullcreek, a member of the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes.

Indigenous Nations Hold Summit on U.S.- Mexico Border Policies
The militarization of the U.S. – Mexico border has had many tragic outcomes – one example is the more than doubling of the number of people dying in the harsh Arizona desert who were trying to cross the border. And a number of U.S. citizens have had their civil and human rights violated by the conduct of the Border Patrol and vigilante groups along the border. Eight Indian nations are directly impacted by border policies, and they say their political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights are being continuously violated. Tohono O’odham communities are now gathering together in southern Arizona along with Derechos Humanos Coalition, American Indian Movement, International Indian Treaty Council and others for an urgent Border Summit of the Americas.
Tony Gonzales, with the International Indian Treaty Council.
You can listen to the live web cast of the summit at www.earthcycles.net

The Amistad 2006 Sets Sail: A Commemoration of Slavery and Broken Treaties.
Wayne Bartow, racial and social justice worker for the Coalition for Undoing Racism in Rockland, NY, and Fredrica Gray, Vice Chair of Amistad America.

Author of “Native New Yorkers” on Algonquin History in Manhattan.
Evan Pritchard, author of “Native New Yorkers” and “No Word For Time: The Way of the Algonquin People.”

September 21, 2006 Listen to the Show

Global Warming Takes a Toll in Alaska, Faith Gemmill Describes the Indigenous Fight Against Big Oil; Taking on the Doctrine of Discovery: Tonya Gonnella Frichner Sets the Record Straight

Indigenous News Roundup

Traditional and tribal activists are organizing a Border Summit of the Americas in Tucson, Arizona for the end of the month. Derechos Humanos Coalition, the American Indian Movement and the International Indian Treaty Council are making the urgent call for the summit. They plan to develop recommendations for border tribal governments to communicate with local, state, national and international governing bodies. They say it’s being held in response to the Bush administration’s immigration policies and ever-increasing militarization of the border. There are currently at least eight tribes/nations on the U.S./Mexico border directly affected by migrations across their reservation lands; these are the Kumeyaay, Cocopah, Tohono O”odham, Yaqui, Gila River, Pima, Yavapai, Ysleta del Sur (Tigua) and Kickapoo nations.

Courts across Canada are reviewing the $1.9 billion settlement for Native victims of residential school abuse. The government of Canada, churches and former students reached the deal last November. It applies to roughly 80,000 people who attended the residential schools. Judges in several provinces must approve the deal before it is finalized. They are holding public hearings to determine whether the payout is fair. Over the past two decades, there have been thousands of lawsuits against the government and churches alleging sexual, physical and other kinds of abuse. Under the proposed deal, claimants will receive $10,000 for the first year they attended a school, plus $3,000 for subsequent years. People who were sexually or physically abused or suffered psychological damage can receive additional settlements of between $5,000 and $275,000. Other funds are set aside for a healing fund, a truth and reconciliation process and commemorative projects.

A District court in Illinois ruled 2-1 on Tuesday that dances performed by the University of Illinois' controversial mascot do not violate the state's discrimination law. The mascot is Chief Illiniwek, a barefoot student in a buckskin costume and a feather headdress who performs at athletic events. The Illinois Native American Bar Association said the mascot's performances humiliate Native students and create a hostile environment. But the court cited a state law that recognized the chief as an "honored symbol." The NCAA still considers the mascot to be hostile and abusive. The school is said to be dropping the use of the chief in order to continue hosting post-season tournaments.

In Navajo country, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit last week charging the Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado, Arizona with discrimination in its pay to doctors. The lawsuit claims the hospital paid white doctors more than it paid seven non-white doctors. This includes individuals of Native American, Asian, African and Hispanic heritage, and East Indian, Pakistani, Nigerian and Puerto Rican national origins. The lawsuit also claims that when the seven complainants and the former medical director complained about the wage difference and filed discrimination charges with the EEOC, hospital officials threatened them with termination and changes to the terms and conditions of their contracts. The hospital’s attorney said the Hospital and the Navajo Health Foundation, which oversees its operations, deny all charges. The hospital is fighting the charges on jurisdiction grounds since it is technically a tribal organization. While federal law prohibits employers from engaging in discriminatory practices, Congress exempted Indian tribes to enable them to give preferential hiring to Native Americans. But the EEOC said the hospital is not exempt from their regulations. One EEOC attorney said, “All American employers must abide by federal civil rights law.”

And in Australia, A federal judge surprised the nation by recognizing Native title to the entire metropolitan area of Perth. It’s the first decision in which a large metropolitan area in Australia has been determined to belong to the indigenous people who lived there before white settlers arrived. It sent lawyers, homeowners and officials scurrying to assess the impact. Lawyer Christine Lovitt, who is a specialist in native land titles, said the ruling could lead to similar claims over other cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Prime Minister John Howard told reporters on Wednesday that the federal government would consider joining an appeal against the ruling. The judge's decision does not turn over any land to Aborigines. But it would require the government to ensure the Noongar people have access to the land and can continue to hunt, fish and maintain sacred sites.

Neets’aii Gwich’in Describes Global Warming’s Impact in Alaska
We look at the interrelated issues of big oil and climate change and how Native people are rallying to combat these things…Faith Gemmill is a Pit River/Wintu and Neets’aii Gwich’in Athabascan from Arctic Village, Alaska. She is also the outreach coordinator of the organization REDOIL – Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands. Faith Gemmill was a part of a national speaking tour on Oil and Global Warming that visited New York City this week. Tuesday night she spoke at the Judson Memorial Church in Washington Square Park.
Faith Gemmill, (Pit River/Wintu, Neets’aii Gwich’in Athabascan), she is outreach coordinator for REDOIL – Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands.

Taking on the Doctrine of Discovery: Tonya Gonnella Frichner Sets the Record Straight
We play a speech by Tonya Gonnella Frichner, who was at the United Nations for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2006
Tonya Gonnella Frichner, Esq. (Snipe Clan, Onondaga Nation, Haudenosaunee) is President and founder of the American Indian Law Alliance, a lawyer and activist, whose academic and professional life has been devoted to the pursuit of human rights for Indigenous peoples.

September 14, 2006 Listen to the Show

Grassy Narrows: Home of the Longest-Standing Indigenous Blockade in Canadian History; Former Prisoner Splitting the Sky on 32nd Anniversary of Attica Prison Rebellion

Indigenous News Roundup

Pombo's Gaming Bill Struck Down
A bill that prohibits tribes from establishing off-reservation casinos was struck down in the House on Wednesday by a wide margin. House leaders wanted to vote on the bill without considering amendments and it had to be passed by a two-thirds majority. Several tribes nationwide and the National Indian Gaming Association voiced opposition to H.R. 4893, which bars tribes from opening casinos on land not contiguous to existing reservations. The bill divided tribes in California and Wisconsin. Executive Director of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association wrote to Congress, "This legislation threatens to allow local governments to intrude on the federal-tribal relationship and hold tribes hostage for increased demands of portions of tribal gaming revenues." Republican Richard Pombo of California said he authored the bill because he wants to close a "loophole" that invites a surge of Indian casinos into urban areas. But only three tribes nationwide have set up casinos outside their reservations.

No Nuclear Waste in Goshute
In Utah, opponents of the proposed high-level nuclear waste dump planned for the Goshute Reservation in Skull Valley have reason to celebrate. The Interior Department blocked the project last week, which was negotiated 10 years ago for temporary waste storage. The Interior Dept questioned whether the waste site would truly be temporary because of the uncertainty surrounding plans to build a permanent repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Margene Bullcreek, resident of the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation, is one of many tribal members opposed to the Nuclear waste proposal. Last year she said, "Besides the dangers of shipping this waste to our reservation, this is an issue of environmental racism. PFS (Private Fuel Storage) is targeting Native Americans to dump their poisonous waste."

Tribal Opposition to Federal Nominee
In Michigan, seven tribes are asking Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin to block the judicial nomination of Robert Jonker. He was nominated in June for one of three vacancies on the US District Court for Michigan's Western District. Tribal leadership opposed to the nomination include the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Hannahville Indian Community and the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians. They wrote letters protesting Jonker's work as "indicate[ing] a bias against Indian tribes." Jonker's clients have included the groups Taxpayers of Michigan Against Casinos, Citizens Exposing the Truth About Casinos, and Michigan Gambling Opposition.

Native Americans Removed from Jury Pool
A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that Native Americans were wrongly excluded from a jury pool in California. In the case, a Native American man was convicted of murder. By a 6-5 vote, the Appeals court said Humboldt Country Deputy District Attorney Worth Dikeman singled out Native American, and what he considered Native American-looking, jurors. Dikeman struck potential juror Debra Rindels, the only Native American on the regular panel because she worked for a tribe and he feared she was inclined to favor American Indian culture and institutions over "the mainstream system." The federal court opinion wrote, "The prosecutor's obvious fixation with Native Americans was not limited to Rindels. After he struck Rindels, he used two more challenges to strike the remaining Native Americans...and to remove the only minority ...whom he describes as "brown-skinned but of unknown heritage...No one from the pool of at least four Native Americans served on what ultimately became an all-white jury." Humboldt county is 5.7% Native American and home to Yurok, Hoopa, Wiyot and other tribes.

Grassy Narrows Ojibwe Maintain Blockade to Halt Logging on Indigenous Land
The Grassy Narrows Ojibwe community in Ontario, Canada is composed of survivors and resistors. The people have withstood the traumas of boarding schools, forced relocation, mercury contamination and the desecration of sacred sites. What they are now actively resisting is the clear cut logging of their forests. Grassy Narrows community members have maintained a blockade on a logging road in their territory since 2002. It is the longest-standing indigenous blockade in Canadian history. Yet despite their efforts, multinational corporations continue to log on the more remote sections of Grassy Narrows’ territory. Outside support for the community’s resistance is growing. Rainforest Action Network has allied with the resistors, visiting the community and helping to spread the word.
Brant Olson, Old Growth Campaign Manager for Rainforest Action Network

Former Prisoner Splitting the Sky on 32nd Anniversary of Attica Prison Rebellion
On September 9th, 1971 over 1,300 prisoners took over a portion of Attica state prison, held over thirty hostages, and attempted to gain certain civil liberties over the course of five days. They had tried to protest oppressive conditions in all other ways but to no avail. During the occupation they brought in the media to see the degradation, and outside observers to negotiate their demands. On September 13th they were massacred: 39 dead; 150 shot; and 1,289 tortured. John Dacajeweiah Hill, or Splitting the Sky (translation of his Mohawk name), was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Eventually Dacajeweiah would become the only man convicted as a ring leader arising out of the Attica State Prison rebellion. Former UN Ambassador Andrew Young of the Carter administration named Dacajeweiah as the number one political prisoner in the U.S. in 1975.
John Dacajeweiah Hill, or Splitting the Sky, former Eastern Regional Director of the American Indian Movement. Founder of an organization to unite all Indigenous Peoples into a great confederation called the League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations (LISN). Splitting the Sky is available for talks upon request. For further contact visit his web site at www.splittingthesky.com or write him at his email address splitting_the_sky@yahoo.com or call him at 250-679-7743 or 250-371-0562.

September 7, 2006 Listen to the Show

The Indigenous Politics of Border Security

Today we take a look at the ongoing battle over border crossings at the US Mexico border. Indigenous leaders speaking recently at a press conference in Arizona voiced their outrage over migrant deaths in the desert, and human rights violations their people face at a militarized border. Professor Yolanda Broyles Gonzalez said more than 4,000 people have died crossing the border. Others described how border agents violated ceremonial items and disturbed burial grounds. And some said the border was to blame for the severing of cultural and ceremonial ties within nations. Tonatierra coordinator Tupac Enrique Acosta said about the border policies, “The issue is colonization. We have to call for the decolonization of this hemisphere.”
Jose Matus, Yaqui ceremonial leader and director of Indigenous Alliance Without Borders.