Mohawk Women Condemn Fascist Arizona Law

MOHAWK WOMEN CONDEMN FASCIST ARIZONA LAW
Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com

MNN. May 14, 2010. On November 7, 2007 the Women Title Holders presented the Mohawk position to the Indigenous ‘Border’ Summit held at the Tohono O’Odham Territory. A wall is being built through the middle by Mexico and the US. Arizona’s new illegal laws on racial profiling and censoring truth in Arizona is trying to declare war on Indigenous and international law. They are destined to lose.

TO: The invaders of Great Turtle Island, all their criminal agencies and their international terrorist allies.

RE: Rotino’shonni:onwe freedom to traverse Onowaregeh, Great Turtle Island, and beyond without hindrance from the invading aliens and their agents; and to conduct trade and commerce without interference.

PREAMBLE: Only we, the original peoples, have sovereign authority on Onowaregeh, Great Turtle Island. We cannot forfeit our natural birthright. We survived mass murder, chemical and biological warfare, starvation, physical and mental torture, lies, ignorance and genocide.

Fabricated colonial nations of Canada, US and Mexico and other corporate ‘franchises’ of Europe are squatting on Indigenous lands that leech off our peoples and resources.

WAMPUM 44 Kaianereh’kowa [our constitution]. We the Kohtihon’tia:kwenio – Women Title Holders – are the caretakers of the land, water and air of “Onowaregeh”; we have the duty to preserve and protect the land for the future generations.

a.WHEREAS the Two Row Wampum Agreement and Wampum 58 of the Kaianereh’kowa, the Great Law, stipulate that no one shall restrict our freedom of passage on our lands and beyond; these imaginary lines [borders] were created by foreign capitalist corporations named “Canada”, “US” and “Mexico”. They illegally usurped and divided up our lands and resources, without our knowledge or consent; and we will continue to assert our sovereignty and alliances among our nations as we have done since time immemorial.

b.WHEREAS respect for our rights to our land are acknowledged in the “constitutions” of Canada and the US; they are not sovereign because they can never have our land.

c.WHEREAS the Charter of the United Nations requires respect by all members for equal rights and self-determination of all peoples; and to resolve differences peacefully.

d.WHEREAS these three colonies must respect our political rights as set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other international legal instruments.

e.WHEREAS General Assembly Resolution 1541 [XV] requires the informed consent of the people before they are included in another state, as affirmed by the international Court of Justice in the Western Sahara case. Sovereignty rests only with the people. We cannot become part of the colonial states that are squatting on our land. Canada, US and Mexico cannot force us to become citizens without our knowledge and consent.

f.WHEREAS according to article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Sections 1 and 2, every nation has a right to its nationality; and no nation can change another nation’s identity by imposing restrictions to travel, trade and commerce throughout all of the Americas.

g.WHEREAS these immigrants to our lands are committed to uphold equality of all peoples.

h.WHEREAS Canada, US, Mexico and all other colonial states cannot legally encroach on the true Indigenous people; and our perspectives on us, our land, resources, air and water cannot be ignored.

i.WHEREAS foreign invaders cannot force us to carry alien passports and other identity; we have agreements and identification to travel the lands of our Indigenous allies. The “Haudenosaunee Passport” is for travel outside of Onowaregeh.

j.WHEREAS the Two Row Wampum Agreement provides we are free to pass and re-pass by land or inland navigation or by air onto our territories; to carry on trade and commerce with each other; we may hunt and fish anywhere on our territory; foreigners cannot extort taxes, duties or fees from us; and we shall have free passage over all toll roads and bridges that have been built on Onowaregeh.

k.WHEREAS human life is sacred to us; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides that every human being has the inherent right to life and fundamental freedom; these three colonies must stop murdering and detaining our people for crossing their illegally imposed economic borders.

l.WHEREAS the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has been adopted by a majority of 144 states; we claim as collectives and as individuals all the human rights and fundamental freedoms provided in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law, without forced assimilation, destruction of our culture and undermining of our nations.

m.WHEREAS torture is intentional, premeditated, systemic and scientific; it is designed to break down our dignity, social fabric and foment terror within our Peoples.

WE, THE KOHTIHON’TIA:WENIO, GIVE FULL NOTICE THAT:

Canada, US, Mexico and other colonial franchises must cease and desist their attempts to violate our authority; they must deal with us on a nation-to-nation basis as required by our inherent rights and international law; these foreign entities must go through proper diplomatic channels, which are the Governor General of Canada and the Presidents of the US and Mexico.

WE, THE KOHTIHON’TIA:KWENIO, AS MEMBERS OF THE ROTINO’SHONNI:ONWE, DEMAND THAT THE COLONIES OF CANADA, US, MEXICO OR ANY OF THEIR FRANCHISES, CORPORATIONS AND AGENTS:

1.Respect our inherent rights, laws, ancient customs, traditions and agreements.

2.Be held responsible for murder, torture and theft, which are violations of the Great Law, Two Row Wampum, the first laws of the Americas and international law; disarm, stop detaining, murdering, torturing, raping and robbing us; and stop imposing their illegal judicial harassment and prison system on us.

3.Put away their guns and corporate by-laws so we can resolve our differences peacefully by rediscovering the spirit of the Two Row Wampum and the Covenant Chain that affirmed our international relationship centuries ago.

4.Disband their puppet band and tribal councils; restore proper diplomatic relations with our inherent traditional governments; and respect their agreements with us and their obligations under international law.

5.Abuse of people on any basis, especially race, religion, nationality, belief or membership in any social group in unacceptable; colonizers must become partners with us to end the cycle of abuse, criminalization of our people, and to extend dignity, equality and a voice to all.

6.We extend our message to all peoples oppressed by colonizing forces.

KOHTIHON’TIA:KWENIO OF THE KANION’KE:HAKA OF THE ROTINO’SHONNI:ONWE:

Kahentinetha, MNN Mohawk Nation News
Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com For more news, books, to donate and to sign up for MNN newsletters and to go to www.mohawknationnews.com MNN Category “border”.
Store: Indigenous author – Kahnawake books – Mohawk Warriors Three – Warriors Hand Book – Rebuilding the Iroquois Confederacy.
Category: Border – Central/South America - World – Colonialism - Indian holocaust/genocide – Great Turtle Island – History – New World Order – courts/police Economics/trade/commerce – Land/environment – military/industrial complex.
Tags: North American Indians – Turtle Island – Indian holocaust/genocide – Canada/US/Mexico – NAU North American Union – History Canada/US – United Nations.
NOTE: This this matter was brought to the attention of Canada in an action in the Supreme Court of Canada – Kanion’ke:haka Kaianereh’ko:wa Kanon’ses”neh v. Attorney General of Canada and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario, Court File: 05-CV-030785.
The constitutional jurisdiction issue went before the U.S. Supreme Court. See No. 05-165: 2005. In re: Kanion’ke:haka Kaianereh’ko:wa Kanon’ses:ne, Non-party, Petitioner/Movant/Appellant, The Canadian St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians, Plaintiffs, Respondents v. The State of New York, Defendants, Respondents, Petition for Writs of Certiorari and Quo Warranto with Prohibition and Mandamus in Aid to Prevent Genocide. Rules 17.1 and 20.1.

Mike Wilson: Tohono O'odham Chairman lacks moral authority to speak against SB 1070

Photo copyright Brenda Norrell

Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham who puts out water for migrants, says Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris has no moral authority to speak on behalf of migrants, since Chairman Norris and other elected O'odham officials encourage the deaths of migrants on a daily basis.

By Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Photo: Mike Wilson at one of his water stations on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Photo by Brenda Norrell

TUCSON -- U.S. Congressman Raul Grijalva, Dist. 7, had a protest rally in Tucson against SB 1070 at one of his campaign offices on Saturday morning, April the 24th.

Guess who was the first speaker? Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr.!

I'm insulted and angry that the Chairman was invited to speak, given the Tohono O'odham Nation's fatal anti-immigrant history. The Tohono O'odham Nation has a 10 year demonstrated record of allowing hundreds of Indigenous and Latino migrant men, women and children to die by dehydration on tribal lands.

The Tohono O'odham Legislative Council, the Executive Branch, and specifically Baboquivari District, not only do nothing to prevent inevitable migrant deaths, but worse, continue to confiscate and/or destroy my 4 water stations in the Baboquivari District, the deadliest migrant trail in the U.S.

To destroy or remove life-saving water in the Sonora Desert is a deliberate, universal crime against humanity for which the Tohono O'odham Government and its leaders must be held accountable.

I'm curious as to why Congressman Grijalva invited Chairman Norris to speak. Was the invitation an exercise of political favoritism that shows Congressman Grijalva chooses to conveniently ignore the fact that the Tohono O'odham Nation has migrant blood on its hands?

But now, speaking as a Tohono O'odham AND as a registered Democrat, I'm more suspicious than curious as to how much the Tohono O'odham Nation and/or Desert Diamond Casino has or does contribute directly or indirectly to the Democratic Party of Arizona, the Pima County Democratic Party and to Congressman Raul Grijalva's political campaigns.

I don't understand why Congressman Grijalva would share the podium and attempt to present Chairman Norris as a friend of immigration, as a champion of human rights and as a distinguished Native spokesperson of the oppressed.

Chairman Norris has no moral authority to speak against SB1070.
.
Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham, is a human rights activist and maintains water stations for migrants on the Tohono O'odham Nation, against the wishes of the Tohono O'odham Nation.

Ben Powless Photos World Climate Conference Bolivia

Photos copyright Ben Powless, Mohawk. World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Photo 1: Bolivian President Evo Morales with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at conference. Photo 2: Chairs of the working group on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, included (L)Manny Pino, Acoma Pueblo, and (R) Ofelia Rivas, O'odham.
(To repost or use photos, contact Ben Powless: powless@gmail.com )
Read the latest news and final declarations from the World Climate Conference:
http://pwccc.wordpress.com

White Racists Take Over Arizona Lawmaking

Photo: Gov. Jan Brewer after signing SB 1070.
With UN Statement, Backlash to Arizona Goes International
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement Monday in Geneva calling out Arizona for a "disturbing pattern of legislative activity hostile to ethnic minorities and immigrants." Read more ...
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2010/05/with-un-statement-backlash-against.html
Arizona Republicans Ban Ethnic Studies in Arizona Schools:
http://hispanic.cc/arizona_republicans_take_another_whack_at_arizona_hispanics.htm
From Roberto Rodriguez:
Fifteen of us got arrested yesterday so that the children will learn their history and culture, both at home and in the classroom. The battle is not yet over and I do firmly believe we will triumph. You would have been proud of the hundreds
of middle and high school students, wave after wave that laid siege to first the TUSD headquarters -- to keep Tom Horne out -- and then the state bldg. Our first court date is june 7.
Thanks, Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez
DEMOCRACY NOW! 15 Arrested in Tucson Protesting Arizona Law Banning Ethnic Studies
In other news from Arizona, fifteen people, including several students, were arrested at the state offices of education in Tucson Wednesday. The group was protesting Arizona Governor Brewer’s decision to sign a law banning the teaching of ethnic studies in public schools. Meanwhile, Judy Burns, president of the Tucson Unified School District’s governing board, says she will not comply with the law. This is Isabel Garcia, co-chair of the Tuscon-based Coalition for Human Rights and legal defender of Pima County, Arizona.

Isabel Garcia: “These students here are here because they’ve got to fight. They can’t legalized discrimination. They cannot legalize racism. They cannot legalize the elimination of knowledge and classes that they feel are important to them. And they’re very clear about what’s going on in the state of Arizona. So they’re clearly fighting this entire police state and toxic racist environment that we’re subjecting them to as the state of Arizona. So these students are really clear. They’re not going to go back.” (Video: Courtesy of Pan Left Productions)


How Senators Voted on SB 1070:
Here is how senators voted on the final version of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, created by Sen. Russell Pearce, Republican senator from Mesa, Arizona.
Why did it pass? Check out the votes. Navajo Senator Albert Hale did not vote. White supremacists rely on non-voting legislators and 'no shows' to get bills like this passed.
Northern Arizona senators voted for the racist legislation. Northern Arizona is home to Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, Paiute, Apache, Yavapai and other Native Americans. From northern Arizona, Senators Sylvia Allen, Jack Harper, Steve Pierce and Ron Gould voted 'Yes' to the racist law.
Y = Yes/N = No/NV = Not Voting/EXC = Excused/V = Vacant Member
SENATORS VOTES:
Paula Aboud N
Amanda Aguirre NV
Carolyn S. Allen N
Sylvia Allen Yes
Manuel V. "Manny" Alvarez N
Frank Antenori Yes
David Braswell Yes
Ed Bunch Yes
Meg Burton Cahill N
Ken Cheuvront N
Jorge Luis Garcia N
Ron Gould Yes
Chuck Gray Yes
Linda Gray Yes
Albert Hale NV
Jack W. Harper Yes
John Huppenthal Yes
Leah Landrum Taylor N
Barbara Leff Yes
Linda Lopez N
Debbie McCune Davis N
Al Melvin Yes
Richard Miranda N
John Nelson Yes
Russell Pearce Yes
Steve Pierce Yes
Rebecca Rios N
Jay Tibshraeny Yes
Thayer Verschoor Yes
Robert "Bob" Burns Yes
AYES: 17 NAYS: 11 NOT VOTING: 2 EXCUSED: 0 VACANT: 0
E-mail addresses of Senators:
http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=S

BILL SPONSORS SB1070: PEARCE R P; GRAY C P; GRAY L P; ANTENORI P; BARNES P; GOWAN P; HENDRIX P; KAVANAGH P; SEEL P; ALLEN S C ; BURNS C; GORMAN C; HARPER C; HUPPENTHAL C; LEFF C; MELVIN C; NELSON C; PIERCE S C; TIBSHRAENY C VERSCHOOR C; WARING C; ASH C; BIGGS C ;BURGES C; COURT C; CRUMP C; LESKO C; MASON C; MCLAIN C; MONTENEGRO C; MURPHY C; NICHOLS C; REAGAN C; STEVENS C; WEIERS J C; WEIERS JP C and YARBROUGH C
ARIZONA IMPRISONS PEOPLE OF COLOR FOR PROFIT
The new law will mean more profits for private prison contractors. Arizona State Legislators are in collusion with the private prison profiteers GEO (formerly Wackenhut) and CCA. These corporations are already profiteering from imprisoning people of color in Arizona private prisons. For white supremacist legislators, imprisoning people of color means jobs for Arizona. CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) is Pinal County's largest non-governmental employer.

Also see:
Tom Horne, the racist behind the anti-ethnic studies law:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/man_behind_arizonas_no_ethnic_studies_law.php?ref=mp