September 2007 Archive

September 13, 2007

From the Pacifica Radio Network this is First Voices Indigenous Radio here at the center of your radio dial and streams on WBAI New York 99.5 FM. I'm Tiokasin Ghosthorse.

First Voices Indigenous Radio and the energies you will hear are real, different, always powerful but not in the habitual paradigms of colonization.The voices come from experiences not seen, not heard and sometimes not wanted, and there are a few of you who will listen, a few of you who come from the limited supply of human beings.

Please visit our new website at FirstVoicesIndigenousRadio.org and welcome to those listeners of KILI in Pine Ridge SD and KLND in Little Eagle SD. To you in Alaska, Florida, New Mexico and last but not least, the people in the country of Sweden.

Song: If 60's Were 90's, Beautiful People, If 60's Were 90'
Tony Pasquariello Esq. 973-784-4515, Chief Metallic at 603-598-4834, Chief Capilano at 604-879-4699, Professor Kly at 250-483-7369

PRESS RELEASE
The much touted United Nations' Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the "UN Declaration") is to be voted on by the United Nations' General Assembly on September 13, 2007. This document, however, is not the true Declaration. Indeed, this document does nothing strategic to advance the plight of Indigenous Sovereign Nations around the world.

Dozens of Indigenous Nations throughout Canada and the United States have now agreed to move forward with their own Declaration, to band together to re-assert their inherent sovereignty, inviting all Indigenous Sovereign Nations from all around the world to join. This newly con-federated Nation is appropriately named "The Turtle Island Confederation." Those who know will understand that "Turtle Island" is another traditional name for "the World." This is truly a universal Declaration. The Hereditary Chiefs of these Indigenous Sovereign Nations will gather at a signing ceremony to take place at a central location in Michigan on November 24, 2007, at which time The Turtle Island Confederacy will be born.

Again, those who know will understand that the traditional governing systems and the traditional cultures of these Indigenous Sovereign Nations were and continue to be decimated by laws enacted by their "host" countries, including Canada and the United States, which laws, among other things, impose false (proxy)(foreign) governments on our people. Unlike the UN Declaration, this true Declaration of true Sovereignty has the blessing of the Creator and International Law. The Hereditary Chiefs sincerely acknowledge the hard work of the Indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that have participated in the negotiation and drafting of the UN Declaration over the course of the past 20 years. However, it must be said in fairness that this process was undertaken without the full consent of the indigenous peoples whom the NGOs purported to represent. That is to say, the vast majority of indigenous peoples had (and still have) no idea either that this process was ongoing or, if they did, how it might affect them or whether and how they could make comments known. How many people understand exactly how the people involved with these NGOs were appointed or precisely what their mandates were when negotiating the terms of the UN Declaration? What is clear is that, at the last minute, these NGOs were excluded by the UN Member States and that the UN Member States incorporated 9 self-serving Amendments without first consulting with either the powerless NGOs or the Indigenous Sovereign Nations. Finally, the UN Declaration has no enforcement mechanism drafted into it such that no Member State is bound to abide by the terms of this document in any event. What rights can this document assure?

In stark contrast to the limited utility of the UN Declaration, the creation of The Turtle Island Confederacy on November 24 will immediately free the Indigenous Sovereign Nations to re-assert their sovereignty, an inherent sovereignty that was never surrendered and never could have been surrendered. It has taken the Indigenous Sovereign Nations over 200 years to regroup and arrive at this crucial point in history to commence performing their sacred duties to care for Mother Earth and, hence, all people. It is no accident and no coincidence that the Creator has chosen this time to arrange the rebirth of this ancient Nation. The air, the water, the land and all living things are in danger now as never before. The Turtle Island Confederation is born from all things positive, not from anger for past oppression and atrocities undeniably committed. These things are forgiven. When the colonizers arrived, we welcomed them and cared for them when they could not care for themselves. They were like children sitting at our feet in need of sustenance, which we gladly provided. The children grew up steadily over the course of several hundred years, only to rebel against their caregivers, reacting with greed and forgetfulness of all we did for them and all we tried to teach them. For this they are also forgiven. The time has come, however, when these now young adults must realize and admit the innocent error of their youthful and frivolous ways and submit once again to the wisdom and care of those who raised them. Unwittingly, they developed along the way the technological and linguistic means for all Indigenous Sovereign Nations to now join together with one good mind and one pure heart for the good of all humans.

In conclusion, The Turtle Island Confederacy extends an open invitation to all Indigenous Sovereign Nations to join us on this historic and epic peaceful path into the future and also to convey this all-important message to all colonizing states: "The Turtle Island Confederation extends, once again, its open hand in friendship and in good faith as our gesture of our desire to continue to coexist for the benefit and respect of all people and our one true Mother ",Turtle Island."

DECLARATION OF SOVEREIGNTY OF THE CONFEDERATED NATIONS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS AND DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION OF NATION-STATE STATUS

And now, the Indigenous Peoples desiring to re-assert their Creator- given rights to live, prosper and care for their ancestral lands, said rights arising from time immemorial; the Indigenous Peoples desiring to re-assert such Creator-given rights through their ancestral Nations; It appearing that such Creator-given rights were never surrendered and could never be surrendered, voluntarily or otherwise; It further appearing that such Creator-given Sovereignty may co-exist with the sovereignty asserted by other non-indigenous Nations, such mutual sovereignty able to exist in the same space and at the same time;

Therefore, The Indigenous Peoples hereby demand immediate recognition of such Creator-given Sovereignty and collectively and unanimously agree to take all steps deemed by all to be necessary and appropriate to obtain such recognition from all affected non-indigenous Nations, including the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, and any other Nation whose sovereignty currently infringes upon the Sovereignty of the Confederated Nations of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, said Sovereignty, Rights, Demand and Steps arising under the following principles, hereby deemed to be immutable as having derived directly from the Creator:

• FIRST, each and every Indigenous Person of the Confederated Nations of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, regardless of which Indigenous Nation that Indigenous Person was born into, is born endowed with Sovereign status because such Sovereignty is Creator-given and may not be modified, amended, taken away or destroyed by any human or any institution created by any human or any combination of humans, whether by force or by Treaty;
• SECOND, each and every Indigenous Person of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, by and through their respective Nations, neither ceded, nor was ever able to cede, as set forth FIRST above, their Creator-given Sovereignty, either through Treaty or any other such document or device, whether Ordered by any Court of any Nation or otherwise;
• THIRD, the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, by and through their respective Nations, are entitled to all accoutrements of Sovereignty, including the right to be recognized as nation-states by all other nation-states, whether existing or to be created, the right to enact laws for the benefit of their Peoples and to regulate commerce, from the determination of who shall constitute the Peoples, maintaining the status of the Peoples, from birth to passing, to the right to impose taxes, if any; that is, the Confederated Nations of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas shall have all the rights and accoutrements of any internationally recognized nation-state under international law; and
• FOURTH, each and every Indigenous Person of the Confederated Nations of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas is an individually Sovereign Human Being, having arisen from and being part of Mother Earth, born with inherent Sovereignty that may co-exist in the same space and at the same time with the sovereignty of other nation-states whose sovereignty currently infringes upon the Sovereignty of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, such that each and every Indigenous Person has the inherent right to reside, be gainfully employed, travel, hunt, gather, or engage in any other activity enjoyed by Human Beings as such, anywhere in the Americas, without any interference or impediments from the infringing nation-states.

KAREN SUSSMAN - INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROECTIONS OF WILD HORSES

Sitting on the hillside last week watching the beauty of this very historic herd galloping across the prairie, tears came to my eyes to know that soon these horses may face the last days of their lives unless WE CAN HELP.

This herd, known as Wild Horse Annie's horses, will be removed within next week. If ISPMB cannot take these horses, they will be sold at auction and will head to the thriving Canadian Slaughter Market. Can you help us save these extraordinary horses?

THE STORY: These wild horses, originating near Virginia City, Nevada, are one of the most historic herds in the U.S. gaining notoriety in 1952 when Wild Horse Annie pushed through the first law in Storey County to protect these wild horses. By 1971 when Annie and ISPMB were successful in getting federal legislation to protect wild horses and burros, these horses were not covered because they resided on state land. Human encroachment from residential development now threatens the Virginia Range herd.

In 2001, ISPMB took steps to save Annie's horses and placed 82 of them on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in SD. Today the herd has grown to 300 animals and the Tribe may soon lose their 22,000 acre ranch where the horses roamed.

We have only a week to seek funding so we can keep these horses from going to slaughter. ISPMB has no financial reserves since we paid two times the normal price for hay this past year trucking it in hundreds of miles enduring the worst drought in our history.

Our goal is to find upwards to 200 qualified homes for the younger horses and then keep the base herd of 100 animals.

We will need to raise enough money to purchase $50,000 of hay for them for several months until homes are found for the majority of animals.

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Can you help us find qualified homes for the younger horses?
• Can you contribute? or ISPMB- BOX 55- LANTRY SD-57636. If everyone on our E-mail list would contribute a minimum of $25 - we could raise enough funds to save these horses!
• Can you do a fundraiser in your area to save "Annie's Virginia Range Horses"?
• Can you pass our information on to all of your friends?
• Can you Sponsor the Virginia Range Herd ($5,000) and spend a wonderful three day weekend with us and our herds?

ONLY WITH YOUR HELP CAN WE DO THIS! LET'S KEEP THEM RUNNING WILD AND FREE.

Karen A. Sussman
President, ISPMB
PO Box 55 Lantry, SD 57636-0055
Tel: 605.964.6866 Cell: 605.430.2088

Saving America's Wild Horses and Burros since 1960