Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 29, 2020

A Time of Monsters: Coronavirus spreads through schools, as Navajo Vice President joins Trump regime of genocide and terror



A Time of Monsters: Coronavirus spreads through schools, as Navajo Vice President joins Trump regime of genocide and terror

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
French translation of Censored News by
Christine Prat Update Aug. 29, 2020

The Navajo Times reports that not one dime of the $714 million in federal CARES  Act virus relief funds, received 3 months ago by the Navajo Nation government, has been spent. It remains stalled in the tribal budget process.  On Friday, the Navajo Nation reported 500 Navajos have died from the coronavirus since March.  

A Time of Monsters: Coronavirus is spreading rapidly through schools after Trump forced schools to re-open with the threat of the loss of funding. Navajo Vice President Myron Lizer joined the Trump campaign in support of this regime of genocide and terror.

Navajo Vice President Myron Lizer expressed his support for President Donald Trump during his speech on the second night of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. Lizer said Trump delivered the $8 billion in CARES Act relief to Indian country. 

However, Lizer did not point out that Indian country had to go to court and sue to get the CARES Act funds released, which were approved by the U.S. Congress.


Lizer failed to reveal that the Navajo tribal government has stalled emergency relief to the most desperate Navajos, after receiving $714 million in federal CARES Act relief funds three months ago.

Across the nation, Florida confirmed almost 9,000 new COVID-19 cases among children within 15 days in August as schools reopen. In Mississippi, 720 schools report cases of coronavirus.

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly through schools in South Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and elsewhere. Children will take the virus home to vulnerable parents and grandparents. Children have died in Tampa, Florida, Tennessee and Iowa in the past two weeks.

Navajos desperate for help, $714 million received and not reaching Dine'

Censored News readers asked if the Navajo government is making money off of the interest of the $714 million in federal relief funds.

Very little of the relief received three months ago has reached the most desperate Navajos. There is no uniform emergency food and water home delivery to those in quarantine; no visiting home health care for the dying. Water sources are damaged, broken and expensive, said Navajos as they search for water. 

Censored News asked the Navajo President's Office and Navajo Nation Council for a response as to whether the tribe is making money on the interest, but has not yet received a response.

The pleas from Navajos continue for food and water.

"Please come to the center of Navajo Nation, Tselani-Cottonwood and Black Mtn community. We are forgotten even by our chapter leaders," reads one post. A sign on the Tohatchi, NM, chapter house said they would call the police if Navajos kept asking for help.

The Navajo government made casinos a priority, already giving its casinos $24 million of the $714 million in CARES Act federal funds that the tribal government received three months ago and was meant for emergency virus relief.

In Mexican Water, Navajos desperate and expose deceptive tribal press releases

Navajos in Mexican Water are just one of the 110 Navajo chapters where Dine' are desperate, Navajo Times reports. It is located in the region where many Navajos have died, along the Arizona and Utah border on the Navajo Nation.

Mexican Water Vice President David John said the Navajo president's office press releases are a "dog and pony show," and attempt to deceive the public into believing that all is well. The truth is the Navajo people are desperate for food and water.

“Right now there’s a drought and there’s a shortage of water,” John said.

Rancher and sheepherder Darlene Yazzie, 71, said because there has been no rain and no wind, windmills and vegetation have dried up, which means she has to buy hay for her livestock and haul water from Dennehotso, nine miles away from her home.

John said the president’s office and the Navajo Health Command Operations Center don’t respond to requests for help.

“I’ve left message after message, written letters,” he said. “They’re ignoring the chapters. Their staff is not even returning calls, which is really unprofessional. There’s zero customer service. It’s terrible how they operate.”

Mexican Water resident Melissa Todecheene said her family lives without running water or power, and she’s been asking for help for years, she said. “All we hear is ‘no funding, no money,’” said Todecheene.

In New Mexico, Navajo chapters have been closed or operating with reduced hours, and Dine' suffer

Navajo reporter Sunnie R Clahchischiligi reports that Navajo elders are alone, without food, and in despair in her article in The Guardian.

Clahchischiligi interviewed Dine' elderly in her homeland, south of Shiprock, New Mexico. She found an elderly grandmother in a wheelchair caring for her young granddaughter who had already lost her mother and had cancer at the age of 10. They had little food.

It was the first time in 20 years oif news reporting that she broke down and cried.

The Navajo President's office did not respond to Clahchischiligi, nor any of Censored News questions.

During the Republican National Convention, Trump bragged about approving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem thanked Trump for bringing fireworks to Mount Rushmore. The Arizona Delegation Chairman praised the border wall -- all at the Republican National Convention, and all opposed by Lakota, Dakota, Tohono O'odham and other Native Americans. Navajo Vice President Myron Lizer voiced his support for the Trump regime on Tuesday during the convention. https://www.indianz.com/News/2020/08/25/republicans-open-presidential-convention.asp

Navajo Times reports that the $714 million in CARES Act funds have not been spent and remain stalled in the tribal budget process:
 Navajo Times

Read more: Coronavirus spreads through U.S. schools after Trump forces re-opening

Florida reports 9,000 cases of coronavirus in children after 15 days of school:

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/513661-florida-confirmed-9000-new-covid-19-cases-among-children-within-15-days

Coronavirus in 720 schools in Mississippi
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/25/coronavirus-mississippi-720-schools-positive-cases/5632710002/

Coronavirus spreads through South Dakota schools:
19 school districts in South Dakota have at least one case of coronavirus:
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2020/08/20/coronavirus-south-dakota-daily-cases-covid-19/5616073002/
In Chadron, Nebraska, near the South Dakota border: Aug. 25, the number of positive COVID-19 in Chadron Public Schools remains steady at 10, with eight at Chadron High School, though all but one is recovered. There remains one active case at Chadron Middle School and one at Chadron Primary School. There are a total of 29 quarantined staff members and students in the district.

Coronavirus in dozens of New Mexico schools

Coronavirus spreads through Colorado schools:

Coronavirus in Arizona schools

KFOR News: Stillwater, Oklahoma moves to online school after an increase in cases

Coronavirus in Tucson, Arizona, elementary and high school
https://www.kgun9.com/news/coronavirus/covid-19-cases-force-changes-at-2-tusd-schools

Coronavirus spreads in Central Michigan University
https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/health-emergency-declared-covid-spreads-central-michigan-university

School bus driver in Peoria in Phoenix Valley, Arizona, test positive for coronavirus
https://www.abc15.com/news/region-west-valley/peoria/peoria-unified-school-district-confirms-bus-driver-has-tested-positive-for-covid-19

Coronavirus in 10 schools in Moore County, North Carolina
https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/at-least-10-coronavirus-cases-reported-at-moore-county-schools/19252254/

Virus spreads through North Texas schools
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/covid-19-coronavirus-cases-dallas-fort-worth-schools

Article copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Get out and vote for Biden. We have to get rid of Trump before he destroys the country.

Unknown said...

Truly an indictment of our government & our society. A continuation of our failure to respect the terms of our treaties with Native peoples, but also a failure of basic humanity. How can we pretend to be a leader of the world, much less the (mythological) "City on a Hill", bringing enlightenment to all nations of the earth.

Unknown said...

This is a sad commentary on our government & society's failure to respect treaties made with Native peoples, and considering today's crises a failure of basic humanity. It mocks our mythology of being a "Shining City on a Hill", a leader of the enlightened world. Etc.
B