Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 28, 2008

'We Are America' Migrant March Denver




By Brenda Norrell
DENVER -- The march for migrants in Denver, "We Are America," sent a message Thursday morning to both presidential candidates to pass immigration reform laws and halt the ICE raids that are violating human rights and dividing families. The most recent ICE raids have been in Mississippi.
Jose Matus (second photo) is founder and director of the Indigenous Alliance Without Borders. Matus is also a Yaqui ceremonial leader who brings Yaqui ceremonial leaders across the US/Mexico border for temporary visits to carry out ceremonies. Indigenous living along the border, from the Kumeyaay in California to the Tigua and Lipan Apache in Texas have battled the oppression, seizures of land and violations of sacred areas due to Homeland Security waving all federal laws to build the border wall. In addition, Tohono O'odham ancestors have been dug up for border wall construction and an ancient ceremonial route dissected. Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris said in a congressional hearing that human bone fragments have been found in border wall machinery tracks.
During today's march near the Democratic National Convention, marchers demanded a halt to the "Gestapo-style ICE raids" that are "promoting bigotry at the highest levels of government," according to World Can't Wait (www.worldcantwait.org)
ICE swept through Laurel, Mississippi and seized 595 workers. Four hundred and seventy-five workers are being held in Jena, Louisiana, a town notorious for racism and attacks on people of color. (Photos Brenda Norrell)

Listen to Earthcycles Producer Govinda Dalton, with Brenda Norrell in Denver:

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