Photos: World Indigenous Peoples Day Tucson

Indigenous Peoples 2010 in Tucson, Arizona

Article and photos by the Indigenous Alliance without Borders/Alianza Indigena sin Fronteras

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on Monday, August 9th, 2010 hosted at the YWCA Frances McClelland Leadership Center in Tucson, Arizona was a profound success. Thank You to each and every one of you for marking this day of celebration for indigenous peoples!
The celebratory gala brought together speakers, panelists, activists/youth activists, and a wonderful crowd of supporters from the southwest region of the United States and northern Mexico. The day is marked by the United Nations resolution 49/214, and subsequent resolution 59/174, to promote the heritages of the world’s indigenous peoples. The focus of the event in Tucson shadowed the U.N. resolution “to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.”
The event kicked off with a lovely drum circle performed by the Panther Creek Singers. Jose Matus, Program Director of Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras/Indigenous Alliance Without Borders and Yaqui Ceremonial leader, gave a gracious welcome followed by an opening prayer led by Tupac Enrique of Tonatierra.
Beloved poet and writer, Simon Ortiz of Acoma Pueblo heritage, addressed the audience with an insightful keynote speech. Six different speakers/panelists illuminated the event with their sage perspectives on indigenous rights, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, indigenous women’s rights, Arizona state laws SB1070 and HB2281, and civil rights conflicts occurring at a localized level. This was followed up with a Q & A session where audience members were able to ask speaker/panelist a question.
The following is a list of speakers/panelists:
Shannon Rivers – Akimel O’odham Activist
Wenona Benally – Diné/Navajo Attorney
Professor James Anaya – United Nations Special Rapporteur, University of Arizona Law Professor
Attorney Antonio Bustamente – Civil Rights lawyer
Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez – University of Arizona Chican@ Studies Professor and Indigenous/Chican@ Activist
Leilani Clark – Coalicion dé Derechos Humanos and Youth Indigenous Chican@ Activist

Indigenous Women’s rights conflicts became a focus of conversation amongst the panelists. Following the incredible reporting from international NGO’s such as Amnesty International’s “Stolen Sisters” reporting and the Native Women’s Association of Canada’s “Sisters in Spirit” continuing initiative, it is clear that indigenous women’s rights needs to be brought to the forefront of further discussion.
The highlight of the celebration was the short interlude between speakers. The YWCA Nuestra Voz Youth group enlightened the audience with a beautiful interpretation on the negative impact of racism and stereotyping. Other youth from the southern Arizona community joined the event and regaled their humanistic experience with United States immigration policies. Their undaunted courage and resolve to overcome any obstacle did not go unnoticed. They are, indeed, the future leaders of our global community.
The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples engagement was sponsored by Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras/Indigenous Alliance Without Borders, Coalicion dé Derechos Humanos, Indigenous Environmental Network, the International Indian Treaty Council, The Seventh Generation Fund, Inc., Tonatierra, the Yoeme Commission on Human Rights, and the YWCA in Tucson.
We give a heartfelt thank you to each speaker for sharing their experience with us. Thank You Simon Ortiz for your beautiful address. We offer sincere gratitude to the YWCA Frances McClelland Leadership Center for allowing us to host this event in their beautiful facility and for the fine performance from their youth group.

Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, a non-profit organization based out of Tucson, Arizona, is a grassroots indigenous organization promoting rights for indigenous peoples along the southern United States and Mexico border region. We promote respect for Indigenous peoples’ human, civil, and sovereignty rights; promote self determination, rights of mobility and passage in crossing the United States and Mexico border, and environmental protection of native lands and sacred sites.

Canada Jails Refugees

Canada Jails Refugees
By No One is Illegal Vancouver
Friday August 13, 2010, Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories– No One Is Illegal dropped a large banner which read: “Canada Jails Refugees” above Highway 1 in Vancouver/Burnaby this morning during rush-hour traffic. The banner drop was in response to the ongoing stigmatization and public hysteria around the MV Sun Sea, carrying 490 Tamil asylum seekers to BC. Now that the ship has been boarded by the Navy, Armed Forces, Canadian Border Services Agency, and RCMP, it is expected that these migrants will be incarcerated in prisons within the week. Canada’s immigration legislation permits immigration officials to hold the Tamil refugee claimants in a state of indefinite detention without charge based only on a mere suspicion of inadmissibility on so-called security grounds. This form of arbitrary and indefinite immigration detention has previously been condemned internationally as a breach of fundamental human rights. More: http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=2160

Militarizing the Border and Keeping Afghan Secrets

The Wikileaks secret that the US doesn't want leaked: The US pays the Taliban

By Brenda Norrell
Narcosphere
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/08/militarizing-border-and-hiding-afghan-secrets

Obama signed the $600 million border security bill into law, so now there will be more US military on the border to run drugs and terrorize border residents, including Indigenous Peoples and other people of color.

In case you missed it, the FBI had to halt the sting operation Operation Lively Green, because so many of US soldiers wanted to smuggle cocaine from Nogales to Phoenix.

Meanwhile, organizations rush to chastise Wikileaks for the release of information. However, few have the courage to blame President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, for continuing the war in Afghanistan.

Few people are holding the US responsible for war crimes: US assassinations, torture and kidnapping, in violation of the Geneva Conventions, and the widespread killing of civilians with remote-controlled drones and the reckless, out-of-control US military.

One of the facts that the US would like to keep secret is that the US has been paying the Taliban and resistance forces. Wikileaks documents confirm that the United States is funding both sides of the war through bribes paid to the Taliban and other resistance forces.

If you're unfamiliar with how the US funds the enemy, including guerrillas, to keep wars going and destabilize governments, the US Army black ops has posted their manual online for you, "A Leader's Handbook to Unconventional Warfare:" http://www.soc.mil/swcs/swmag/Assets/SWCS%20Publications/Leaders%20Guide%20Final.pdf

The US Army Special Operations handbook describes how the US develops and works with guerrillas and resistance forces (otherwise known as terrorists.) The US handbook says it uses them to carry out acts of violence, including "Acts of sabotage (in urban centers.)"

What few are discussing is the fact that the US contracts to private security contractors alone are enough incentive for the US and its corporate warmonger partners to keep the war going. This includes Blackwater (which is now XE and still receiving US contracts in Afghanistan) CACI, DynCorp and all the others.

One DynCorp International document on Wikileaks shows that DynCorp employees were hired by the US as assassins in Iraq. DynCorp mercenaries were told to shoot to kill and that warning shots are not permitted. DynCorp was told to "Use deadly force; shoot at vehicles; stop, detain and search civilians.”

Now, the media spin doctors controlling Congress and the White House are proving to be an economic boom for the private security contractors, other war profiteers and private prison contractors.

Private prison contractors like GEO and Corrections Corporations of America (CCA) are salivating at the border over new contracts to imprison migrants and people of color for dollars.

Boeing and the Israeli Apartheid border wall builder Elbit Systems have already made their fortunes on the Arizona border, building a piece here and there of a border wall, and a string of spy towers on the Arizona border that don't work. While stuffing their pockets with dollars from US contracts, Boeing violated federal law by digging up O'odham ancestors on O'odham land and violated most federal environmental laws which now endangers the jaguar and other wildlife.

In the swing of things, the Arizona state government is happy to create new laws such as SB 1070 to fill private prisons with people of color. After all, prisons are one of the top employers in southern Arizona.

The Arizona state government is also proud to have a racist sheriff for Maricopa County. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and sanctified hate groups are an image of the new racist Arizona that the state government would like to project.

But as long as CNN and the other media are marching to the orders of the spin doctors, you won't find the truth there.

Also see:
Increase in border militarization means more deaths and human rights abuses:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2010/08/obama-and-congress-increase-border.html

IEN: Fort McMurray Healing Walk and Climate Camp UK

Healing Walk, Fort McMurray, Aug. 14, 2010
http://www.ienearth.org/
On Saturday, August 14th the Keepers of the Athabasca, a network of First Nation, Metis and settler community members along the Athabasca river will host a ‘healing walk’ through the tar sands. Local First Nation and Metis elders from communities directly affected by tar sands operations are leading the walk and will be joined by other local residents and hundreds of supporters for the 3-4 hour walk along HWY 63 winding through the long road that passes the tar sands operations exposing the dark clouds of emissions and the vast toxic tailing ponds. The walk will be interspersed with speakers and filled with ceremony as local First Nation elders will offer prayers to help heal the earth.
Who: First Nation and Metis elders, spiritual leaders and residents from communities directly affected by tar sands operations, local residents, and allies from Western Canada.
Where: Fort McMurray, Alberta. Starting with a sunrise ceremony at Lion’s Park on Tolen Drive.
When: 8:00 am, Sunrise Ceremony. Walk to begin at 10:00 am with feast to follow.
Why: Because Mother Earth needs our help in the protection and healing of the land and water. Indigenous people are caretakers of the earth and we need to work together for the health and safety for the next generations. Others are welcome to join as we walk through the tar sands area and give strength and prayer to the earth and the people who have felt the devastation of tar sands development.
For more information please contact:
George Poitras - 780 264 1269
Cleo Reece - 780 381 8799
Camp for Climate Action
The Indigenous Environmental Network sending two delegates to the UK Climate Camp for Action 2010, titled “Break the bank”. Climate Camp 2009 was a catalyst event IEN participated in last year, which resulted in a massive surge of anti tar sands work in the UK led by
Indigenous front line communities.
At this year’s climate camp our delegates will be:
Jasmine Thomas is a member of the frog clan from Saik’uz, which is a part of the Carrier Nation. She has inherited the ancient practice of traditional medicines from her late great-grandmother, Sophie Thomas. She is completing her Environmental Planning degree at the University of Northern British Columbia. She also participated in the Bolivia Climate Convergence that took place in Cochabamba to speak on issues related to the destructive tar sand developments and the Enbridge Pipeline Project that proposes to cross her traditional territories. Jasmine believes that the most power lies at the grassroots level and advocates on behalf of the Defenders of the Land and fully supports the efforts on behalf of the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Riannon Ball is a member of the crow clan from the Tahltan Nation. She inherited her Tahltan name Cowunshowit from her Grandma, which means “the time when the leaves turn yellow”. She recently graduated from UNBC with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Geomorphology. Riannon has grown up in the Stikine Headwaters and this has shaped and influenced her career and academic goals and she is currently preparing to write the LSAT to pursue Environmental Law. She has been involved with the Defenders of the Land initiatives, as well as committing to her nation’s Tahltan Land Stewardship Committee.
Both of these women have been a part of IEN initiatives and are prepared to go to Scotland, UK to work with our UK based allies Platform Climate Camp for Action, Rising Tide UK and our own IEN funded UK Tar Sands Network.