Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

April 22, 2008

More Arrests at Yankton Protest

Arrests Made At Protest
Keloland TV
Law officers say 15 to 20 people were arrested for disorderly conduct this morning because they blocked traffic en route to the construction site of a large-scale hog farm west of Wagner.A big truck carrying construction materials approached the site late this morning, and some protesters refused to get off the asphalt road leading to the site. Seven law enforcement cars from the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Charles Mix County Sheriff's Office arrived and made the arrests. Sheriff Ray Westendorf says the arrests were made because the people were blocking traffic. After the arrests, some Yankton Sioux tribal members protesting the hog farm asked law officers why they had to make arrests. One state trooper told them he didn't want to arrest anyone and only cited those who refused when they were asked to leave the road. The vice chairman of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, John Stone, is blaming county and state law officers for escalating tension at the site. Stone says tribal members will continue a peaceful protest. He says the arrests happened when some people got caught up in the moment. A blockade of the road lasted only about a half hour. Protesters let local traffic through but wanted to stop construction vehicles. The arrests happened south of the hog farm site after protesters heard that a construction truck was coming. The original blockade was on the north end of the road. Stone says the tribe is considering several legal strategies. We have a news crew at the site and will bring you a full report later today on KELOLAND News.

UN: Cultural Survival, Saving Native Languages

Ellen Lutz, Executive Directorelutz@cs.org 617.441.5400 x16

Cultural Survival Takes the Fight to Save Native Languages to the UN

Indigenous Languages Hold Keys to Global Warming Solutions and Preserving Biodiversity; New York, NY

April 22, 2008 – Cultural Survival, a global leader in the fight to protect indigenous languages, lands and cultures around the world, this week takes the fight to save native languages to the United Nations. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based organization will bring issues relating to American Indian/Native Hawaiian language revitalization to an international audience at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The United Nations has declared 2008 the "International Year of Languages" and the leadership of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recognizes biological, linguistic and cultural diversity as "inseparable and mutually reinforcing – when an indigenous language is lost, so too is traditional knowledge on how to maintain the world's biological diversity and address climate change and other environmental challenges."
This year's Seventh Session is expected to draw indigenous delegates and NGOs from around the world to investigate "Climate change, bio-cultural diversity and livelihoods: the stewardship role of indigenous peoples and new challenges." Among them will be Cultural Survival board members Dr. Richard A. Grounds and Ryan Wilson, founder of the National Alliance to Save Native Languages, who will present their efforts to revitalize disappearing Native American languages. "Indigenous languages contain priceless repositories of human knowledge developed over millennia of interconnections to local environments," said Cultural Survival Executive Director Ellen Lutz. "Future generations of all peoples will need to rely on the worldviews contained within Native Hawaiian, Native Alaskan, Native American and other indigenous peoples' languages to adequately address threats to the global environment, including climate change and critical reductions in biodiversity. These fragile languages are part of our common human heritage and Cultural Survival is taking urgent action to bolster support to tribal language programs and their speaker communities while there is still time," said Lutz.Cultural Survival's Campaign to Revitalize Native Languages, in partnership with Native Hawaiian and tribal language programs will host a roundtable discussion at the Permanent Forum entitled "American Indian/Native Hawaiian Language Revitalization: BRINGING OUR LANGUAGES HOME AGAIN" from 1:15-2:45 pm at UN Headquarters, 2 UN Plaza - DC2 23rd floor Conference Room, followed at 3:00 pm by the Permanent Forum session on indigenous languages, and Dr. Grounds' presentation as part of a report by an international expert group on indigenous languages. About Cultural Survival: Cultural Survival is a global leader in the fight to protect indigenous lands, languages, and cultures around the world. In partnership with indigenous peoples, we advocate for native communities whose rights, cultures, and dignities threatened. Based in Cambridge, MA, we are a membership organization whose board of directors includes some of the world's preeminent indigenous leaders, as well as lawyers, anthropologists, business leaders, and philanthropists. For additional information visit: http://www.cs.org/

Citizens Walk for Human Dignity, Tucson to Phoenix

NATIONAL COALITION TO HOLD “CITIZENS WALK FOR HUMAN DIGNITY”

A national coalition of over 50 local, state and national organizations are participating in walk from Tucson to Phoenix beginning May 2 to call for an end to racially fomented hate crimes. The ten-day peaceful walk will end with a rally in downtown Phoenix on Mother’s Day, May 11, honoring mothers for teaching children to treat all human beings with equal dignity.
“We walk in support of Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and join them in seeking the indictment and prosecution of any who willfully abuse the constitutional rights of citizens,” states organizer Jay Johnson-Castro. “American values and the future of our country are at stake when people live in fear and are terrorized.
Among the more than 50 organizations endorsing the event are:
LULAC National; Cesar Chavez March for Justice; National Indian Treaty Council;
Border Angels; Freedom Ambassadors; National Network for Immigration and Refugee Rights; Veterans for Peace; Derechos Humanos; Humane Borders; Gente Unida;
American Indian Movement; International Indian Treaty Council; Texas Indigenous Council; Border Ambassadors; Border Network for Human Rights; Southwest Workers Union; No Mas Muertes; LUPE; Somos America, the 42 member Phoenix coalition;
IUE-CWA/AFL-CIO; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement AFL-CIO;
Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Dallas Peace Center and MADRES.
Groups as well as individuals are invited to participate in the walk for an hour, a mile, a day or whatever circumstances allow. The walk will begin immediately after a 10 a.m. rally on Friday, May 2 in downtown Tucson at the Plaza on South 6th Avenue, between 12th and 13th Streets.
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For further information contact
Rick Romero Citizens Walk, Coordinator (602) 515-9844 Annette Sexton-Ruiz Citizens Walk, Assistant Coordinator (602) 505-4147

Ontario Police Invade Mohawks at Tyendinaga

URGENT! ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE INVADE PEACEFUL MOHAWKS AT TYENDINAGA. ANOTHER CALEDONIA –STYLE DEVELOPER “CASH-OUT” SCAM

Mohawk Nation News
Mon. April 21, 2008. Attacks on Indigenous people continue. Canada isn’t satisfied to waste billions of dollars a year on war missions overseas. It’s using the same armored fist at home. Today the town of Deseronto on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory was surrounded by the armed forces of the Ontario Provincial Police. Deseronto is an illegal non-native enclave. With eyes wide open, Emile and his father Theodore Nibourg of Napanee Ontario , who own the “Smiling Wilderness Restaurant” on the Trans-Canada Highway , decided they wanted to build a $35 million condominium on Mohawk land in Deseronto overlooking the Bay of Quinte . Never mind that they don’t own the land, Canada refuses to acknowledge Indigenous property rights. The Nibourgs are real estate developers of commercial and residential properties out of Kingston Ontario . They are fully aware of the Culbertson Land dispute which has been the focus of negotiations between the federal government and the Mohawks since 1995. [Nibourgs at cell 613-561-0984 fax 613-544-7868 enibourg@sutton.com. Last year the Thurlow Aggregates Quarry Site run by Tim Letch of Intergrorup Finance of Kingston was shut down by the Rotiskenekete. There was evidence of extensive illegal dumping including large amounts of asphalt. Not only was the dumping illegal it also violated environmental protection laws by contaminating ground water with toxic waste. Tim Letch was involved in some way in the condo development. The Nibourgs appeared to have pushed Tim Letch out of the picture. In a press release from the Sadie’s Lane Longhouse at Tyendinaga supporting the occupation, according to the Two Row Wampum agreement, they said that, “It’s our land and we are prepared to help defend it”. [Contact Jan Hill 613-396-6742 janh@fnti.net]. A Rotiskenekete said, “We are prepared to stay as long as necessary to defend our land. Mr. Nibourg or anyone else trying to develop our land in Deseronto better think again”. The peaceful encampment is on a large grassyknoll, overlooking the Bay, surrounding a large tipi. The full moon was glistening off the water. There was drumming, singing and good humor. Flashing Rotiskenekete patrol cars ringed the encampment. According to the OPP budget plan, they need to find some Mohawk fall guys to arrest to illegally enforce their foreign laws. Everybody except us cashes in – police doing overtime, justice system, Indian Affairs, bureaucrats, media, the town, and maybe the developer. All because they know we will do what we are supposed to do, defend our land! This morning at 5:00 am an overwhelming force of armed OPP are “just monitoring” the situation. The Mohawks of Tyendinaga camped on the property last night. This morning they set up blockades on highway 2 just east of Deseronto. “They’ve got East and West bound roads blocked”, said Constable Jackie Perry of Napanee provincial police. He said vehicles can go north on Deseronto Road at the T-intersection. On April 11th the Nibourgs had started cutting trees on the property. The Rotiskenekete appeared on the scene, stopped them and told them to leave. Nibourgs seem to think that the OPP is their private army. Ignoring the legal rights of the Mohawks at Tyendinaga, they declared, “If you Mohawks don’t leave, we are going to call the OPP and have you kicked out”. He appeared to be setting up a confrontation. A few days later Nibourg decided to apologize and asked for a meeting with the Rotiskenekete. Obviously, he had his eye on the lucrative pay out received by Henco Inc. for their illegal development at Six Nations Caledonia . He was quite blunt about it. He offered to use them as pawns to extort money from the Ontario Government. He asked the Rotiskenekete to occupy the said land and block the roads in order to escalate the situation. Then he would ask the government to pay him for the land, his expenses and his forecasted profits. Then he would agree to stop the construction. We understand he doesn’t even need the money to build this because he’s planning to be bought off. Regarding Deseronto, the government violated our lands rights by fraudulently giving out permits for non-native people to build on our land also referred to as the Culbertson Tract of 1873. The Rotiskenekete told Nibourg, “No. There will never be a development on our land”. We want our land that Deseronto sits on returned to us. We demand that the government deal with the non-native residents of Deseronto by compensating them and paying for their relocation. They told Nibourg, “You will be the last to be dealt with”. The Rotiskenekete added, “We don’t want to be used as a tool for extorting money from any foreign governments, including the governments of Canada and Ontario ”. Then Nibourg said that he would be back with a construction crew on Monday, April 21st, to start building. The Mohawks have stopped construction, are occupying our land and have blocked the roads to keep him and any of his co-conspirators away from creating another “ Caledonia ” so they can cash in big! Supporters of the Mohawks are welcome. Residents may pass through the occupation without hindrance. We are anxious that everybody understand this issue from the Mohawk perspective. The Rotiskenekete will carry out the peace and the tenets of the Kaianereh’ko:wa [Great Law of Peace]. Contact: Rotiskenekete: 613-849-1314; 613-827-4991; email - davidrmaracle@aol.com Kahentinetha HornMNN Mohawk Nation News See Category: “ Tyendinaga “