Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

February 20, 2011

Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council: Never Surrender

Summary and Update
Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council Meeting of the Great Sioux Nation held on January 28, 29, 30, 2011, Pine Ridge Territory of the Lakota Oyate
Photo Chief Oliver Red Cloud
From Kent Lebsock
The Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council (“BHSNTC”) is the traditional governing body of the Lakota Oyate (Lakota Nation) and has always been responsible for preserving the ancient ways of Lakota governance, culture and spirituality. The protocols surrounding governance of the Lakota Oyate have never been surrendered or sacrificed since our peoples first had contact despite the ongoing attempts to do so by the colonizers and invaders from the United States of America. Unlike other Indigenous nations of North America, our only foreign conflict in modern history has been the government, military, people and corporations of the U.S.A.
Sovereignty is an inherent right of the land and territories of the Lakota Oyate and we are responsible to future generations for the Nation of our ancestors. In acknowledging this truth, internationally recognized treaties were signed by our grandfathers in 1851 and 1868 with the invented nation of “Americans” whose ancestry heralds from other places. Despite the often bloody and always deceitful attempts by the invented nation to hide the truth of its past and to twist and distort both international and domestic laws to serve its needs for ever-more lands and resources, the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council has never surrendered its responsibility to our land and its many inhabitants.
The responsibilities have not changed and continue uninterrupted.
FOR THE REST OF THE STATEMENT AND THE RESOLUTIONS PLEASE REFER TO THE DOCUMENTS.
Keeper of the Sacred Pipe
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49218618
Lakota Language Education Resolution
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49218695
Release of Leonard Peliter
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49218751
Owe Aku Water Resolution
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49218882
Protection of Sacred Ceremonies
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49219363
Sacred Eagle Resolution
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49219460
Press statement Black Hills Sioux Treaty Council 2011
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49219126
Ride Resolution
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49319636
Rejection of the US statement on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49319799
.
Kent Lebsock, Coordinator
Owe Aku International Justice Project
for Lakota Treaty Justice & Advocacy
oweakuinternational@me.com
646-233-4406 on the web at
http://www.oweakuinternational.org/

February 19, 2011

Truck load of safe drinking water for Navajos drinking uranium poisoned water




Photos by Forgotten People
Forgotten People, Navajo Nation, Arizona: Friday, February 18, 2011, Pastor Jimmy Bowling and Operation Compassion delivered a semi with 80,000 lbs. of safe drinking water, produce, winter coats, blankets to Forgotten People in Box Springs, Black Falls, Grand Falls, who are drinking uranium and arsenic contaminated water. Next delivery of safe drinking water in early March by Native American Support Mission.
Greetings! Thank you Operation Compassion, Native American Support Mission and Vision Ministries of America for demonstrating your commitment to Forgotten People. With your help, we delivered 17 pallets, 80,000 lbs. of safe drinking water into pick up trucks and flat beds to bring it to Box Springs. We also got pallets of fresh produce, juice, brand new winter coats, clothing. It was an incredibly beautiful day!

Rolanda Tohannie. Box Springs said: "Water is a blessing. I love what Forgotten People and Operation Compassion did for us! Thank you God for answering my prayers. Now, for a while, we can drink good water, my grandkids Aden and Ariel can visit me here and I can play with them. With Leupp Station water point and Black Falls watering point broken, everyone is back to drinking contaminated water. My health is gone and my body is worthless, it is no good to me anymore. I have thyroid cancer and seven operations in the last year. On March 7, 2011 at 2:15 PM, I will undergo another operation at Flagstaff Medical Center for cancer they found on my tonsils. It is super what happened here today. hope this safe drinking water will help me live a little longer.

FloraBelle Paddock, Black Falls said: "I was getting safe drinking water from US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund program. When that stopped it caused me great hardship. I am thankful for Forgotten People and Operation Compassion. This water will help us survive for a little while longer."

Alice Tso, Box Springs said: "I have cancer and am very thankful and appreciative of the help of Forgotten People and Operation Compassion for delivering safe drinking water so we can stop drinking contaminated water for a little while. There is no help from other sources. With you help, I will be in good health. Thank you!"

Ronald Tohannie, Forgotten People's Black Falls Project Manager and Benson Willie of Black Falls said, "The Black Falls watering point has been broken for 2 months. Now Leupp Station watering point is broken. We know how to conduct repairs but we are told we cannot do the repairs because we are not certified. We want to know, why isn't someone coming out from Window Rock to fix the Black Falls watering point? Don't they know the only water sources we have are contaminated and everyone is back to using Box Springs, Paddock Springs, Badger Springs when we know it will kill us? The situation is critical and we appreciate your help!

Rolanda Tohannie is currently sorting clothes and coats by ages and local residents are distributing the water and fresh produce in their communities.

Thank you,
Forgotten People
Navajo Nation, Arizona
www.forgottennavajopeople.org
info@forgottennavajopeople.org

Photos: Long Walk 3 Oregon walking into the sunshine


Photos copyright by Christina Akaquiqui, published with permission.
The Longest Walk 3 northern route for the reversal of diabetes, walked and ran through the snow in the mountains of Oregon this week, and into the sunshine. They'll be walking and running into Lapwai, Idaho, in another week.
Schedule:
Feb. 19, 2011, SAT: Mt Vernon Hwy 26 Beech Creek Rte 395
SUN Long Creek Rte 395 Dale Rte 395
MON Pilot Rock Rte 395
TUES Spring Creek Rd., left on Shaw Rd., right on Holmes Rd., left on South Market to Rest Camp Pendleton INT 84
Complete Schedule:
http://www.earthbornproductions.com/LWNR3_P9IO.html
Contacts: Longest Walk Northern Route cell contacts: Contacts: Chris Francisco at (503) 515-6239 or Christina 'qui-qui' at (360) 241-6562

Censored News top stories Feb. 19, 2011

In the news:
Native American Youth walkers, Mohawk Nation News, Subcomandante Marcos, Wikileaks and Native Music
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Photo by Christina Akaquiqui/Long Walk 3 in Oregon
This week Censored News celebrates Native American youths walking and running through the snow-packed mountains of Oregon, as they begin the Longest Walk 3 northern route across America, for the reversal of diabetes. Censored News also welcomes the return of the voices of Kahentinetha Horn of Mohawk Nation News, and the Zapatistas Subcomandante Marcos.
Censored News welcomes readers in Madagascar. Censored News readers have been from 195 countries, in the past six months.
Here's this week's top stories, most accessed, at Censored News:
Three Native Youths Read to Walk Across America
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/02/three-native-youths-ready-to-walk.html
American Indian Music Celebrated during Grammy Week
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/02/three-native-youths-ready-to-walk.html
New at Censored News:
Mohawk Nation News: Imperial Fangs and Claws: International Bankers Monetize our Assets
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/02/mohawk-nation-news-imperial-fangs-claws.html
Videos, photos and interviews from the Longest Walk 3 northern route youths, and photos from the southern route at Censored News.