VOLUME XV, NO. 1 -- Spring, 2004

ON-GOING ACTIVITIES
Steve Sachs

Activities in the U.S.

The National Congress of American Indians
State of Indian Nations Address
BIA head Dave Anderson
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. and NCAI President Tex Hall
The Ambassadors Alliance
The National Urban Indian Family Coalition
The Alaska Federation of Natives
Awakening of the Sovereign Spirit of the Great Lakota Nation
Rock the Native Vote
California and local officials asked to stop the digging
Native Americans in South Dakota focus attention on racism
Eagle & Condor Indigenous Peoples' Alliance
Citizens Equal Rights Foundation and Mascots
Resist
The Chiapas Media Project

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is concerned that a proposed $46 million increase in federal spending on Native American health care does not begin to keep pace with increasing medical costs. Annual federal medical spending nationwide has fallen to about $1,500 per Indian, less than the government spends on federal prisoners. .NCAI spokesperson Lillian Spark commented in late February, "It's almost a cut because budget increases have not been keeping up with inflation. It is definitely not enough to take care of the health disparities or the basic services that our tribal community needs," For more information go to: http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/8031044.htm. In February, NCAI President Tex Hall, who was reelected to that position in November, stated that tribal leaders were asking the white House to restore funding cut from BIA law enforcement, saying the reductions would cause a 25% loss of tribal police officers, nation wide, at a time when 1500 additional tribal officers are needed just to keep pace with growing needs. In April, the NCAI strongly opposed President Bush appointing former Interior department attorney William G. Meyers III to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, with Hall saying that Myers is "the worst possible choice," having shown disrespect for Indian lands and rights. BACK TO TOP

In the State of Indian Nations Address, in January, NCAI President Tex Hall said that, over the past decade, the U.S, "Supreme Court has wrongfully eroded our inherent sovereign rights within this nation in decisions that reverse hundreds of years of understanding in federal Indian law by limiting tribal jurisdiction on our lands." At the same time, "Congress and the administration have demonstrated a reluctance to address the urgent needs of tribes nationwide - needs which the U.S. is committed to fulfill in treaties and agreements with tribes that remain in force today." "Recently, the bipartisan U.S. Civil rights commission issued a report calling the shortfalls in federal funding for unmet needs in Indian Country a "quiet crisis." "The federal responsibility to tribes is being grossly disregarded" (see budget figures below). Hall called on the President and Congress to increase annual spending to adequate levels as follows: a 50% increase in funding for tribal law enforcement to supply the number officers needed for just basic public safety; $15 million for tribal courts; More than double education money just to reach the national average public school child spending rates, plus additional funding to meet the special needs of many Indian students and cut the 50% Native American student drop out rate; Fully fund the Indian Health Service with a $2.3 billion increase, which currently receives less than one-third the per capita money allotted for Medicaid patients and even less than that provided for federal prisoners; and Increase infrastructure funding to make up for the fact that while Indian nations have 2.5% of the nations roads they receive only .5% of federal road funding and do not have the resources that states do to contribute to infrastructure development and maintenance. Over all, Hall found that "Under-funding of federal trust responsibilities has reached new heights of negligence." (At its Winter 2004 Executive Council Winter Session, NCAI called for a 10% increase in the FY2005 budget, over FY2004, for the top 5 priorities identified by the BIA Tribal Budget Advisory Council), On the issue of Trust reform, Hall called upon the Department the Interior to stop its ill-conceived, top heavy, reorganization, that takes funds from pressing needs, and "work with tribes to insure a reorganization that will be more responsive to local needs." He asked Congress to "pursue a full and fair settlement of the Cobell law suit, which addresses the federal government's mismanagement of billions of dollars in Indian trust accounts." BACK TO TOP

After BIA head Dave Anderson spoke to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in February, in addition to fielding the usual questions about the budget, land-into-trust and the way the federal government works with tribes, he was strongly pressed on taking action to improve and speedup the federal tribal recognition process. Tribes are concerned about opposition from state and local governments, lack of resources and the slowness of the process. The one recent change is that the Bush administration has elevated the office handling federal recognition petitions to report directly to the assistant secretary for Indian affairs. A major issue is funding. Before retiring as BIA head in December 2002, Neal McCaleb sent a plan to Congress to triple the staff and funding for recognition. Currently, the Office of Federal Acknowledgment has about a dozen researchers, anthropologists and genealogists with a budget of around $1 million. The staff completes work on only one to three petitions a year, while over 300 groups are waiting for decisions. The Bush administration did not include the additional funding in its fiscal year 2005 budget. However, it does include a request for $560,000 to help newly recognized tribes to begin functioning, as several new tribes do not have a base budget to operate under, according to Aurene Martin, the principal deputy assistant secretary. BACK TO TOP

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. and National Congress of American Indians President Tex Hall, in March, accused the Bush administration of siphoning millions of dollars out of Native American programs in its fiscal 2005 budget in order to fund a massive Bureau of Indian Affairs reorganization and expansion. BACK TO TOP

The Ambassadors Alliance was formed, in November, by the graduates of the Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) Ambassadors leadership enhancement program. The launching of the alliance institutionalizes the network of Ambassador alumni, after eleven years numbering 120, who have remained in a network discussing American Indian and international indigenous issues, while assisting AIO in its national and transnational efforts. The Alliance now constitutes a think tank for Indian country, with Ambassadors involved in every major national Indian organization and every federal agency with a significant relationship with Native Americans. Some Ambassadors are active on the state and local governmental level as well. For example, Ivan Posey (Eastern Shoshone and a 1993 Ambassador) was recently appointed Wyoming's first tribal Liaison between the state's Indian nations and state government. Meanwhile, AIO has continued to facilitate discussions and decision making following traditional inclusive participatory values with its Twenty-First Century Indigenous Leaders Interactive System (ILIS), including a series of lecture-discussions on tribal governments and Indian affairs for 18 International Fulbright scholars at AIO's offices at Santa Ana Pueblo, in New Mexico, in collaboration with Lafayette College. For more information about all of AIO's work, contact Americans for Indian Opportunity, 681 Juniper Hill Rd., Bernalillo, NM 87004 (505)867-0278, ladonna@aio.org, www.aio.org. BACK TO TOP

The National Urban Indian Family Coalition was launched over two consultation meetings on urban Indian children and families, in Seattle, last May, and in Albuquerque, of 12 of the most comprehensive urban Indian organizations representing more than 550,000 urban Indians, with participants including 19 urban Indian center staff members, national organizations, foundations and the federal government. The meetings, initiated by the United Indians of all Tribes Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, were facilitated by Laura Harris and Ron Martinez Looking Elk of Americans for Indian Opportunity in an AIO Indigenous Leaders Interactive Systems session. The National Urban Indian Family Coalition chose Janeen Comenote (Quinault/Hesquiaht/Oglala and a 1999 AIO Ambassador) as Coordinator, The coalition began a national dialogue on urban Indian issues with presentations to committee meetings at NCAI in November, while beginning a collaboration with the Indian Child Welfare Association to address th needs of of reservation children. For more information, contact Janeen Comenote, (206)325-0070, jcomenote@uiaf.org. BACK TO TOP

The Alaska Federation of Natives approved a resolution, in October, to create a commission to develop a plan to improve government relations, delivery of services and efforts to reduce poverty and increase economic opportunity in native communities. A preliminary report to Congress is due by June 30, and a final report by the end of September. BACK TO TOP

In November, the "Awakening of the Sovereign Spirit of the Great Lakota Nation" meeting brought together leaders of all the Lakota nations, in Rapid city, SD, to establish a united front in fighting for treaty rights. A follow up meeting was held in December at Bear Butte Lodge in South Dakota. For information, contact Harvey White Woman (605)867-5821 or Shirley Marvin (605)845-5787/5786. The Eagle and Condor Indigenous Peoples' Alliance has held a series of gatherings in Oklahoma protesting the anti Indian sovereignty group One Nation, beginning with a rally at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, a One Nation supporter, in October. BACK TO TOP

As part of an effort in to register thousands of Native American young adults to vote, on Saturday, June 5, The Rock the Native Vote (RNV) concert will take place at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds. It is a non-partisan event to educate and encourage Indian Country to vote. The primary sponsor of this event is the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church. The OIMC is made up of 89 Native American United Methodist Churches across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Among the many aims of its ministry is to promote the goal of social justice. There will be informational booths and a concert featuring award-winning Native American performers of contemporary music. "The belief is that through becoming politically active, positive social change will occur," said RNV Concert Chairman Rev. David Wilson, and the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church. For information visit: http//www.rockthenativevote.com, or contact Linda Hughes, (405) 632-2006.BACK TO TOP

Archaeologists, religious & environmental leaders joined Indigenous People, in February, in asking California and local officials to stop the digging at a recently discovered major indigenous cemetery at the Ballona Wetlands of the Ballona Valley created by the estuary of the Los Angeles River mouth, in California. Since early December, the remains of at least 71 bodies have been dug up in the Tongva cemetery. For information, contact: Jordan David - Native American monitor & Gabrielino/Tongva tribal member (310)562-0223; Rhonda Robles - California Cultural Resource Preservation Alliance member 562-633-9014; Marcia Hanscom, Wetlands Action Network (818)222-7456, Marcia Hanscom Legal & Strategy Officer Sierra Club Ballona Wetlands Task Force & Executive Director Wetlands Action Network protecting & restoring wetlands along the Pacific Migratory Pathway,s P.O. Box 1145, Malibu, CA 90265 (818)222-7456 fax: (818)222-7897. Navajo Nation leaders joined Dine medicine men, in April, in supporting the Save the Peaks Coalition opposing the U.S, Forest Service allowing reclaimed water to be used to make snow and the related expansion of the Snow Bowl Ski Resort on the sacred site of Dook'Osliid (the San Francisco Peaks). BACK TO TOP

On April 22 Native Americans held a spiritual gathering outside the South Dakota capitol building to focus attention on allegations of racism and a dual standard of justice for Indians and whites in the state. Complaints include charges that state and local police target American Indians, making them more likely to arrest and conviction for crimes and that they receive much longer sentences, on average for the same crime. Objection was also expressed to the BIA's collaboration with city, county and state police, allowing them access to tribal lands to arrest tribal members. On December 1, South Dakota Peace and Justice sponsored a rally in Rapid City, SC of Native and non-Native people, calling for the establishment of a civilian review board for the city's police department, in order to end alleged police violence, including unnecessary deaths. BACK TO TOP

A Rally to Protect Citizen Rights and Indian Sovereignty by the Eagle & Condor Indigenous Peoples' Alliance, Ponca Tribe, PACE union, and a coalition of concerned citizens took place at the Oklahoma Capitol Building, on March 26, protesting the Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality asking a federal district court to throw out a civil complaint filed by the Ponca Tribe, PACE Union, and other Ponca City area citizens complaining that Continental Carbon is polluting tribal and private lands near Ponca city, OK. For more information call JK Dowell, ECIPA, (918)457-5542 Todd Carlson, PACE Union, (580)763-2160. BACK TO TOP

The Citizens Equal Rights Foundation (CERF) is an educational and legal advocacy organization dedicated to promoting equal protection of the law for all citizens of the United States. (CERF is a sister organization to Citizens Equal Rights Alliance (CERA). CERF finds that, "Federal Indian policy is unaccountable, destructive, racist and unconstitutional. It is therefore CERA and CERF's mission to ensure 'the equal protection of the law' so that this nation of many cultures may be one people living under one constitutional system of laws. The CERA Annual Conference is in Washington DC. May 9 - 13. For more information contact: CERF/CERA, P.O. Box 93, Ronan, MT 59864, (605)374-5836, http://www.citizensalliance.org/CERARegistrationFlier.doc. BACK TO TOP

Suzan Shown Harjo told a meeting of the National Indian Education association, March 23, that since 1970 nearly two-thirds of the 3000 schools with Native American mascots have dropped them. Meanwhile, she and other activists have been working on getting the Washington Redskins to change their name, but pro football has been "dragging out the process." The Indigenous community of Cleveland, Ohio, and supporters, held its 6th Annual Conference on Racist Imagery in the Popular Culture, in April, followed by an opening-day march and demonstration at Jacob's Field, protesting the Cleveland's Indians name and mascot. BACK TO TOP

Resist, which funds groups that engage in multi-issue organizing and see themselves as part of a broad struggle for social change, has recently given grants to groups working on Native issues, including: Action for Social and Economic Justice in Burlington, VT to support working class and indigenous communities in the Northeast to organize in response to global trade pacts; Alaska women's Environmental Network in Anchorage, AK to promote rural, Native and urban women's leadership in the environmental movement; and WEPAC Foundation in White Plains, NY for groups that work on issues involving criminal justice reform, fair trade, indigenous peoples rights and examination of structural racism in the peace movement. For more information, contact Resist, 259 Elm St., Suite 201, Somerville, MA 02144 (617)623-5110, resistinc@igc.org, www.restinc.org. BACK TO TOP

The Chiapas Media Project (CMP) undertook its eighth annual U.S. tour, in April and May, screening new videos produced by indigenous video makers from the states of Chiapas and Guerrero, Mexico. Dates are The Chiapas Media Project is a bi-national partnership that provides video equipment, computers and training enabling marginalized indigenous and campesino communities in Southern Mexico to create their own media. The CMP is currently distributing 19 indigenous produced videos worldwide. For information, contact Alex at: 773-583-7728, cmp@chiapasmediaproject.org, www.chiapasmediaproject.org. BACK TO TOP

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