US Apartheid of Indigenous Peoples documented in UN report

Environmental racism, treaty rights and border rights of Indigenous Peoples stated in new report to the United Nations on Apartheid in the US

By Brenda Norrell
Human rights editor
UN OBSERVER & International Report

Photo by Brenda Norrell

SAN FRANCISCO -- The systematic racism, forced assimilation and apartheid of Indigenous Peoples in the United States has been documented in the “Consolidated Indigenous Shadow Report,” to be presented by the International Indian Treaty Council to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Dedicated to Floyd Red Crow Westerman, who passed to the Spirit World on December 13, 2007, the report is compiled from the testimony of individuals and groups of Indigenous Peoples and includes data from a wide range of sources.
The data reveals “a system of Apartheid and forced assimilation,” where Indigenous Peoples are “warehoused in poverty and neglect” in the United States. The racism permeates Indian life, including life at its foundation, at American Indian sacred places.
Indian treaty rights, the abrogation of treaties and discrimination toward non-federally recognized Indian Nations are detailed. Statistics are included for unemployment, violence against women and sexual abuse in residential schools. The destruction of sacred places, environmental racism and border injustices are revealed. Further, the high rate of incarceration and disproportionate long prison sentences for American Indians are exposed in the 87-page report.

The exportation of banned pesticides by corporations in the United States to Sonora, Mexico, where Yaqui are suffering from death and toxic illnesses, and other Indigenous Peoples' territories, is also documented.
Alberto Saldamando, IITC general counsel, and board member Lenny Foster, Navajo, who reported on the freedom of religion for Indigenous prisoners in the US, will present the report to the UN Committee in Geneva in February. Western Shoshone and other organizations and Nations will join Saldamando and Foster.

"It is to inform the CERD Committee on United States compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination," Saldamando said.

The report exposing US Apartheid of Indigenous Peoples will be presented to the UN Committee on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 3 p.m. and again on Friday the 22nd at 10:00 a.m.
The data includes the overwhelming disparities in income, life expectancy, poverty and unemployment. The disproportionate number of Indians in prisons is revealed with statistics from Montana.

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http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2008/01/us-apartheid-of-indigenous-peoples.html

Longest Walk 2008, northern and southern routes

Longest Walk 2 – A SPIRITUAL WALK FOR Survival

FROM ALCATRAZ to D.C.

Longest Walk 2008 will journey on two routes, northern and southern routes

By Tashina Banks Moore

SAN FRANCISCO-- On February 11, 2008, Longest Walk 2 participants will embark on a five- month journey across America to Washington, D.C. arriving on July 11, 2008. In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the historic Longest Walk of 1978 that resulted in historic changes for Native America and for our environment, hundreds of communities are participating in the Longest Walk of 2008 to raise awareness about issues impacting our world environment, to protect Sacred Sites and to clean up Mother Earth. The original Longest Walk of 1978 was conducted in response to proposed legislation in Congress that would have abrogated Native Treaties that protected our Native American sovereignty. It defeated those 11 bills and in the following month, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) of 1978 was passed. As a result of The 1978 Longest Walk, Indigenous people were granted the federal legislative right to freedom of religion, a fundamental right guaranteed to all Americans under the U.S. Constitution.

"In 1978, our communities faced many hardships such as non-existing religious rights and criminalization of our people who fought for cultural survival, this is why the Longest Walk was necessary. As Indigenous Peoples in the United States, our environment and our cultural survival are directly correlated and are still imperiled today, this is why we must walk once again” states Jimbo Simmons of the International Indian Treaty Council.

The Longest Walk 2 is an extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth. The Longest Walk 2 intends to create educational awareness about the health and wellbeing of Our Mother Earth, The health and wellbeing of our people and communities and the protection and preservation of Sacred Sites. The message from the Longest Walk of 1978 will be carried and continued: “The Longest Walk is an Indian spiritual walk, a historical walk; and it is a walk for educational awareness to the American and the World communities about the concerns of American Indian people.”

American Indian Movement Co-founder Dennis J. Banks states “From Alcatraz Island to Washington, D.C., through the elements of the seasons, we shall walk; nothing shall deter us from completing our mission: All Life is Sacred, Protect Mother Earth.” Longest Walk 2 is part of many communities ongoing commitment to protect sacred sites, cultural preservation, and to create awareness about the environment. We are walking to promote positive change in our world. The Longest Walk 2 invites veteran walkers that participated in the 1978 Longest Walk and reach out the new generations of the future to join us.

The Longest Walk 2 will take two routes. The Northern route will travel the original route of 1978 across 11 states and 3,600 miles. The Southern route will follow the 2006 Sacred Run route across 13 states and 4,400 miles. Both routes will visit Sacred Sites across the Nation and promote educational awareness for Sacred Sites protection and preservation. The Southern route will be launching The Clean Up Mother Earth Campaign where Longest Walk participants will work together to clean up our country’s highways and roads by collecting debris found along the Longest Walk route.
For more information please visit: http://www.longestwalk.org/

Photo: Longest Walk 1978: Jimbo Simmons, Joe Bill and Tissychy

Homeland Security to Eagle Pass, Texas: Your property is condemned

Breaking news just in:
Federal court gives Homeland Security right to enter land:
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1536720920080116


By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogpot.com/

EAGLE PASS, Texas -- Homeland Security has asked a federal court to declare 233 acres of Maverick County and the City of Eagle Pass condemned.

In a civil suit filed in federal court, U.S. Attorney Harold Brown, Jr., has asked the court to condemn 233 acres for the purpose of seizure by eminent domain by Homeland Security to build the US/Mexico border wall. It is the first lawsuit aimed at seizure of lands of 102 landowners in Texas, Arizona and California.

The government is demanding immediate control of the land and has deposited $100 in an account for the 233 acres to begin surveying work, according to the court document. The lawsuit was filed in federal court, the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division.

This evening I was in Eagle Pass, Texas. There is nothing here to condemn. It is a busy city of hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. Unlike the Arizona border, Eagle Pass has not yet turned into a repressive network of harassment and bullying by US Border Patrol agents and National Guardsmen. It is a busy city of workers.

This may soon change, we'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, mayors and residents all along the Texas border are organizing resistance.

If you are a member of the media, or anyone else, and would like a copy of the complaint filed by Homeland Security, to condemn and seize Eagle Pass land, e-mail me and I'll e-mail the court document back to you: brendanorrell@gmail.com

Republic of Lakotah focuses on Black Hills

January 15, 2007

By Republic of Lakotah

A month after the Republic of Lakotah reasserted its sovereignty, the United States and its state and municipal governments are still present and operating in the Republic. These foreign governments are being invited to meet with the provisional government of the Republic of Lakotah.

In order to recognize Lakotah sovereignty, the United States might have to admit it breached its treaties with the Lakotah people. While the breaches are numerous and obvious, governments do not like to admit that they ever do anything wrong.

History has shown that colonizers withdraw from their colonized territories and return sovereignty to the indigenous people. Even the United States has done this. The Republic of the Philippines, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau were all colonized by United States but are now all sovereign nations.

The Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau obtained their sovereignty through a Compact of Free Association, The Republic of Lakotah see this Compact as a legitimate model for dialog with the United States.

The Republic of Lakotah is now putting special focus on the Black Hills, The Black Hills are Holy lands of the Lakotah people. In 1980, the United States Supreme Court awarded money damages to the Sioux Nation for the unlawful taking of the Black Hills which now total over $1.2 billion. The Lakotah people refuse to take the money.

Russell Means, Chief Facilitator for the Provisional Government of the Republic of Lakotah said, “Would Catholic people take money and give up the Vatican? Would Muslim people take money and give up Mecca? Lakotah people want our sovereignty of the Black Hills restored and recognized by the world.”

Means made it clear that the focus on the Black Hills does not mean that the Republic is waiving its claims to other traditional Lakotah lands.

For more information about the Republic of Lakotah, visit http://republicoflakotah.com.