US Senate Committee holds controversial hearing on UN Indigenous Declaration

UPDATE June 15, 2011:

Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council voices
opposition to bogus Senate hearing:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/06/black-hills-treaty-council-voices.html

Speacial Rapporteur James Anaya

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

WASHINGTON -- The US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs conducted a controversial hearing on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday. Few people in Indian country who were responsible for the creation, or who are pressing for implementation of the Declaration, were informed or invited to testify.

The hearing began with a controversial address by Sen. Al Franken of Minn. pointing to Indian country's natural resources and the need to develop energy. It indicates that some view the Declaration as a means to pursue the exploitation of natural resources, which includes power plants, mining and drilling in Indian country.

Sen. Franken said Indian country represents 5 percent of the land mass and has 10 percent of the nation's natural energy resources. Sen. Franken said there are opportunities for wind, solar and conventional resource development. He said tribal leaders tell him of hurdles in financing and regulatory hurdles in carrying out energy development.

The testimony comes as many American Indian councils continue to exploit natural resources, while grassroots Indian activists strive to protect Mother Earth. Indigenous grassroots groups point out how Indian coal-fired power plants are a cause of the melting of Arctic ice and global warming. They oppose the continued widespread damage from oil and gas drilling, coal mining and toxic dumping in Indian country.

Native grassroots groups are opposing tribal governments now selling water rights and allowing power plants to use excessive amounts of water, on the Navajo Nation and elsewhere. Further, they point to a century of poisoned water, air and soil and expose the scam of the carbon credit market. For the most part, their voices were not heard at the Senate hearing.

American Indian leaders did urge the implementation of the Declaration, protection of sacred places, hunting and fishing rights, protection of culture and language and the right to self governance. The hearing examined the need for new federal laws that are required to implement the Declaration.

An excellent video proclaiming that Geronimo was not killed in Pakistan was shown during the hearing. Referring to the code-name Geronimo used during the Osama bin Laden attack, the film included faces from throughout Indian country, including Ponca Casey Camp, Navajos and others. It was produced by filmmaker Ryan Red Corn, Osage from Oklahoma, and Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network.

During his testimony, Red Corn described how Indian women are being pressured to become sterilized. Describing land jurisdictions and crime which makes lives difficult, Red Corn said he wants to live during an era of human rights. He also described how film and media are increasingly beneficial to American Indians.

Red Corn offered hope for implementation of the Declaration. "I would like to see teeth put into it, so I can feel the effects of it at home."

Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, chair of the Senate Committee, began the hearing, with a reference to Red Corn’s film “Smiling Indians" and discussed images which portray Indigenous Peoples. “As Native people it is important to tell our own stories." He spoke of Indigenous rights and “holding ourselves and the world accountable.”

Quinault President Fawn urged funding to attend global climate conferences so that Native Americans can have an impact on the future of this planet. Fawn also urged using the Declaration to uphold hunting and fishing rights in the northwest and to ensure the right to free, prior and informed consent.

Frank Ettawageshik, executive director of the United Tribes of Michigan spoke on climate change, cultural teachings and inherent sovereignty. He said the forces of nature must be respected and the consequences of actions much be considered for the next seven generations.

Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission Chairperson Duane 'Chili' H. Yazzie called for the protection of sacred places in accordance with international law.

“There is a notion in the federal government that they know best for Native America. That is not the case.”

“The Declaration recognizes Native Americans possession of distinct rights to sacred sites since time immemorial, whereas the U.S. recognizes a few rights post-colonization.”

Yazzie spoke on the need to protect the sacred mountain, Dook’o’osliid, San Francisco Peaks in Arizona. Referring to snow making from sewage water for Snowbowl tourists, Yazzie described how polluted water would affect medicine plants on the mountain which medicine men gather for healing ceremonies.

“Western Science is not enough. We must be at the table. It is our earth and life too."

“We have something to say, we have something to offer, the key we have may not avert the impending demise of the Earth but we believe we can help to heal some of the hurt and give hope for a future," said Yazzie, describing himself as a grandfather and a farmer.

Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Melanie Knight spoke on self governance and self determination. “The domestic policy of the United States should support the ability of tribal nations to make the decisions that is best suited for their own specific needs."

Knight spoke on the specific needs to revitalize the language for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma of over 300,000 people. “The revitalization of culture and language is the primary purpose of several articles in the Declaration most prominently being in Article 13."

Knight described the Cherokee language immersion school, offering an education to students in their own language. She urged working together for self determination in Indian country.

"We ask this committee to ensure and protect our rights through facilitating the inclusion of Native language, history and culture throughout all programs and activities that effect Indian country. For instance, policy changes to enable both public and private school to further language preservation efforts."

During the hearing, land rights, self-governance and consultation between the US and Indian Nations were key issues.

Sen. Akaka said the hearing was held to determine if additional legislation is needed for implementation of the Declaration. He questioned if current federal law is adequate to ensure rights within the Declaration. Akaka said while the US strives to be a human rights leader globally, it is important to begin the human rights work here at home. "That leadership must start here at home."

The Senate Committee, in its announcement of the hearing, said the hearing viewed the Declaration as an “international policy goal.” However, this is far from the standard hoped for by Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration includes the rights to aboriginal territories and ensures the right to free, prior and informed consent. Natural resources and intellectual property rights would be guaranteed in federal courts if the Declaration is honored as a legal document.

The US and Canada, the last two countries in the world who voted against the Declaration at the UN, finally voiced support for it. However, the US and Canada included language designed to prevent the Declaration from being used as a legal document to ensure Indian rights.

During the hearing, Sen. Franken questioned the Obama administration's low level of funding for Indian school construction in the US. He also said there is a great deal of frustration by Indian leaders over the bureaucracy and red tape created by the BIA.

Robert T. Coulter, executive director of the Indian Law Resource Center described constitutional rights and the need to strengthen federal laws to protect Indian lands.

James Anaya, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said legislative bodies should view the Declaration as a guide for action and direction.

“Although the Declaration is not itself a treaty, it is a strongly authoritative statement that builds upon the provisions of multilateral human rights treaties to which the United States is bound as a party, within the broader obligation of the United States to advance human rights under the United Nations Charter.”

Anaya said the courts should take account of the Declaration in appropriate cases concerning indigenous peoples, just as federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have referred to other international sources to interpret statutes, constitutional norms, and legal doctrines in a number of cases.

Anaya said, "I believe that the United States' cooperation with the international system in this and other ways will not only help to advance the Declaration's objectives in this country, but will also contribute to greater cooperation within the United Nations and worldwide to advance the rights of indigenous peoples in keeping with the Declaration.

"The United States was a principal leader in the UN's adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has since been a leader in pursuing implementation of that Declaration. The United States can and should now play that leadership role again."

As with most government hearings, there was far too much self-congratulations, and praise of the US on the international level, and far too little serious criticism of the human rights record of the US.

Those testifying were given five minutes for oral testimony, and submitted written testimony. The written record will be open for written testimony for two weeks for comments.

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WIKI: Iceland's support of Indigenous Declaration an 'impediment' to US relations

Iceland's support of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was an 'impediment' to US/Iceland relations at the United Nations

Article copyright by Brenda Norrell
Censored News http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

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The United States scrutinized Iceland's support of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, according to new cables released by Wikileaks. The US cables reveal the behind-the-scenes maneuvers of the United States, the last country in the world to support the Declaration.

US Ambassador Ambassador Carol van Voorst said Iceland's support of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was an "impediment" to full cooperation between the US and Iceland at the United Nations.

Van Voorst said Iceland is the only country in the Nordic that does not have Indigenous Peoples. Iceland officials, however, said they would join other Nordic countries in support of the Declaration, Van Voorst wrote to the US State Dept.

"The Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples presents the main impediment to full Icelandic cooperation with the U.S. in Geneva," Van Voorst said. Van Voorst found support in Iceland to bolster the US position that the the text of the Declaration "was seriously flawed," in 2006.

Van Voorst, who served as US Ambassador to Iceland from 2006--2009, describes meetings with Iceland Embassy officials in 2006, stating that Icelandic officials indicated agreement on most key issues for the June 19-30, 2006, first session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC).

"The Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples may prove to be a sticking point, as Nordic solidarity dictates that Iceland should not openly oppose what has been a Norwegian priority," Van Voorst said in the cable on June 16, 2006.

Although Icelandic officials "expressed sympathy with US views," they also "outlined the potential problems," with the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The meeting included Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Political Department Human Rights Officer Ingibjorg Davidsdottir and Permanent Secretary Gunnar Snorri Gunnarsson.

Gunnarsson "emphasized establishing effective HRC processes and maintaining a lean agenda, and outlined the potential problems with the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples."

Iceland, according to the Van Voorst, wanted to avoid country-specific trouble at the UN Human Rights Council, like that of Arab countries and Israel. "Iceland MFA officials agree that the first session of the HRC must avoid the rancor of the organization's predecessor body by eschewing country-specific resolutions such as those that the Organization of the Islamic Conference may intend to raise against Israel."

Van Voorst called Iceland's support of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples an "impediment."

"The Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples presents the main impediment to full Icelandic cooperation with the U.S. in Geneva. While Davidsdottir personally shares our concern that the Declaration's text is seriously flawed, she and Gunnarsson asserted that Iceland's equities lie with following the Scandinavian lead in supporting the document. Iceland is the only Nordic country without an indigenous population," Van Voorst wrote.

Van Voorst also said new Foreign Minister Valgerdur Sverrisdottir is a "neophyte," and will follow others lead. "As Sverrisdottir, who comes from six years at Iceland's Ministry of Industry and Commerce, is a foreign affairs neophyte, we expect her to accept the MFA career officials' advice on what positions Iceland should take at the HRC.

"Unfortunately, that is likely to include going along with the other Nordics in their outreach to indigenous peoples."

In a second cable four months later, the US points out the "US-Australian-New Zealand position" in regards to the Declaration.

Ultimately, these three countries, and Canada, were the only countries in the world who voting against the UN General Assembly's adoption of the Declaration. The UN adopted the Declaration on Sept. 13, 2007. Since then, all four countries have issued statements of support, with the US and Canada issuing limitations on their support.

Before the UN vote, in a second cable from Iceland dated October 31, 2006, US Ambassador Van Voorst, again expressed concern over Iceland's support. This time, the concern was over procedural irregularities of the draft Declaration.

"Allowing that Iceland's lack of indigenous people left the GOI with few equities on the matter, Davidsdottir (protect) said that as a matter of human rights law she personally shared many of the USG's concerns regarding the draft declaration. She added that the procedural irregularities in the draft's progress through the UN system left her uneasy. However, the GOI was firm in its desire to stand with the other Nordic states, and would vote for the declaration's adoption when the matter came to the floor," Van Voorst said in the Oct. 31, 2006 cable.
Cable 6/16/2006
http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2006/06/06REYKJAVIK218.html
Cable 10/31/2006
http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2006/10/06REYKJAVIK405.html

Rivers: Border Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Photo: Shannon Rivers speaks with Angie Ramon at the Border Roundtable/Photo Brenda Norrell.
Watch this presentation: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10935828

TUCSON -- Shannon Rivers, O’odham from the Gila River Indian Community, discussed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, during the Southern Border Indigenous Peoples Roundtable Symposium.

“As of today, the United States has not endorsed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," said Rivers, who serves as Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus Co-chair on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Rivers pointed out that the US is now the only country in the world failing to act on the Declaration. The border panel, sponsored by the Indigenous Alliance without Borders on Nov. 18, is now available on the web at Earthcycles and Censored News.

Speaking on Indigenous Peoples border rights, Rivers pointed out that Article 36 of the UN Declaration states: “Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across borders.”

In 2007, the United Nations adopted the Declaration. However, four countries did not: the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand and Australia later moved to adopt the Declaration. Although Canada endorsed the Declaration in November, it was a provisional endorsement.

Rather than adopt the Declaration, Canada endorsed it. Rivers said Canada maintains that it has jurisdiction over Indigenous Peoples and they are subject to the laws of Canada.

“That brings into question the right of self determination, the rights of economic development, the rights of trade, right of free trade and the right of free and prior consent," Rivers said of Canada's conditional endorsement.

The US is currently reviewing the Declaration. Currently at issue is whether the United States and Canada will continue to dictate to Indigenous Nations, he said.

“The Declaration is a non-legal binding document. What that means is it has no legal teeth,” Rivers said. He said there are many policies, such as the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and others, that American Indians still are struggling to have the United States act upon and enforce.

Although NAGPRA was established, Native people still have funeral and sacred items, items of spiritual and cultural significance, that have not been returned. He said museums around the world took items from Indigenous communities and medicine people, at a time when no laws were in place to prevent this vandalism and theft.

“We need those items returned,” Rivers said.

Native Americans know the return of these items can bring about healing and assist people who are suffering because of the loss of these items. The return of human remains, and proper burial, is high on the priority of Indigenous Peoples.

Because NAGPRA has not been fully enforced, Native people have suffered.

Rivers said what is at stake is self-determination, cultural issues, economic development and border issues. Since 9/11, various laws have been created that waive tribal, state and federal laws, including laws to erect a wall that not only impacts Indigenous Peoples, but the environment.

The border wall impacts traditional ceremonies, because traditional people gather plants in the region for traditional ceremonies.

During the panel presentation, Rivers pointed out that Native people are asked to make cultural gestures, even "bless" fast food restaurants, but are not invited to the table by policy makers. Rivers said Indigenous Peoples are asked to "bless" fast food places such as MacDonalds which engage in practices that violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

"Too often Indigenous Peoples are sought out to conduct cultural gestures: Blessings of restaurants and casinos and photo ops at state, county and national events. But when it comes to making real changes and true and frank discussions about serious issues, Indigenous Peoples are rarely invited to the table," he said.

Rivers urged Indian people to halt the cultural gestures, which continue colonization and genocide.

Meanwhile, in Canada, the government released this statement when it endorsed the Declaration, minimizing the impact of the Declaration:
"The Declaration is an aspirational document which speaks to the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, taking into account their specific cultural, social and economic circumstances. Although the Declaration is a non-legally binding document that does not reflect customary international law nor change Canadian laws, our endorsement gives us the opportunity to reiterate our commitment to continue working in partnership with Aboriginal peoples in creating a better Canada."

Rivers pointed out that Border rights are among those stated in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Article 36
1. Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across borders.
2. States, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous peoples, shall take effective measures to facilitate the exercise and ensure the implementation of this right.
Read more:
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/drip.html
Indigenous Border Roundtable Panel reveals racism in Arizona, violations of Native rights
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2010/11/live-now-southern-border-indigenous.html
Also watch: Tohono O'odham Angie Ramon 'My son was killed by the US Border Patrol'
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2010/11/tohono-oodham-angie-ramon-my-son-was.html

Bolivia Peoples Climate Summit: Restoring the Balance

Evo Morales' Peoples Climate Summit: Restoring the Balance
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2010/02/bolivia-peoples-climate-summit.html
Narcosphere
By Brenda Norrell

Registration for conference: Agenda and registration http://pwccc.wordpress.com/

(Espanol) http://cmpcc.org/guia-informativa

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia -- Bolivian President Evo Morales, announcing the objectives of the upcoming Peoples Climate Summit, made it clear that the so-called developed countries of the world have usurped the bounties of Mother Earth at the expense of the poorest people in the world.

Cautioning mankind of the suffering and displacement which leads to forced migration, Morales called for The Peoples World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth's Rights, in Cochabamba, Bolivia, April 19-22 2010.

Stressing the need to reestablish harmony with nature and establish the rights of Mother Earth, Morales welcomed those willing to work for the good of all mankind, and those governments willing to work for the best interests of their people.

Morales said climate change represents a real threat to the existence of humanity, of living being and Mother Earth. The danger is serious for the islands, coastal areas, glaciers in the Himalayas, the Andes, mountains of the world, poles of the Earth, warm regions like Africa, water sources, populations affected by increasing natural disasters, plants, animals and ecosystems, he said.

"Those most affected by climate change will be the poorest in the world who will see their homes and their sources of survival destroyed, and who will be forced to migrate and seek refuge."

He pointed out that 75 percent of historical emissions of greenhouse gases originated in "the countries of the North that followed a path of irrational industrialization."

"Climate change is a product of the capitalist system," Morales said. While citing regret at the failure of the Copenhagen Climate Conference, he said the so-called developed countries failed to recognize their climate debt to developing countries, future generations and Mother Earth.

The purpose of the conference in Cochabamba is to discuss and agree on the Universal Declaration of Mother Earth Rights. It seeks an agreement on proposals for new commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and a COP Decision under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change.

Morales welcomed a broad range of people to the summit. "The Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia calls on the peoples of the world, social movements and Mother Earth's defenders, and invites scientists, academics, lawyers and governments that want to work with their citizens."

Earthcycles, http://www.earthcycles.net/, and Censored News, http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/, will be streaming live from the summit, with on-air Indigenous cohosts.

Meanwhile, the Parliamentarians of the European United Left, and the Nordic United Left proposed a Resolution, in relation to the outcome of the Copenhagen summit on Climate Change, that "welcomes the initiative" taken by President Evo Morales "to convoke the Peoples' World Conference on Climate change and Mother Earth's Rights from the 19th to the 22nd of April 2010 in the city of Cochabamba; urges the Commission, the Member states, the European Parliament and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly to send representatives to this important event."

Registration is free and available in Spanish and English: info@cmpcc.org
Updates will be available at Censored News http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
The objectives are:
1) To analyze the structural and systemic causes that drive climate change and to propose radical measures to ensure the well-being of all humanity in harmony with nature
2) To discuss and agree on the project of a Universal Declaration of Mother Earth Rights
3) To agree on proposals for new commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and projects for a COP Decision under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change that will guide future actions in those countries that are engaged with life during climate change negotiations and in all United Nations scenarios, related to:
- Climate debt
- Climate change migrants-refugees
- Emission reductions
- Adaptation
- Technology transfer
- Finance
- Forest and Climate Change
- Shared Vision
- Indigenous Peoples, and
- Others
4) To work on the organization of the Peoples' World Referendum on Climate Change
5) To analyze and develop an action plan to advance the establishment of a Climate Justice Tribunal
6) To define strategies for action and mobilization to defend life from Climate Change and to defend Mother Earth's Rights.
The statement was made by Evo Morales Ayma, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, on Jan. 5. info@cmpcc.org
Working Groups
1. Structural causes
2. Harmony with Nature
3. Mother Earth Rights
4. Referendum
5. Climate Justice Tribunal
6. Climate Migrants
7. Indigenous Peoples
8. Climate Debt
9. Shared Vision
10. Kyoto Protocol
11. Adaptation
12. Financing
13. Technology Transfer
14. Forest
15. Dangers of Carbon Market
16. Action Strategies
Objetivos
La Conferencia Mundial de los Pueblos sobre el Cambio Climático y los Derechos de la Madre Tierra tiene por objetivos:
1. Analizar las causas estructurales y sistémicas que provocan el cambio climático y proponer medidas de fondo que posibiliten el bienestar de toda la humanidad en armonía con la naturaleza. 2. Discutir y acordar el proyecto de Declaración Universal de Derechos de la Madre Tierra.
3. Acordar las propuestas de nuevos compromisos para el Protocolo de Kioto, y para proyectos de Decisiones de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre Cambio Climático que guiarán el accionar de los gobiernos comprometidos con la vida en las negociaciones de cambio climático y en todos los escenarios de Naciones Unidas.
4. Trabajar en la organización del Referéndum Mundial de los Pueblos sobre el cambio climático.
5. Analizar y trazar un plan de acción para avanzar en la constitución de un Tribunal de Justicia Climática;
6. Definir las estrategias de acción y movilización en defensa de la vida frente al Cambio Climático y por los Derechos de la Madre Tierra.

Obama Administration Approves Oil Drilling in Arctic

Arctic oil drilling plan approved
10 Dec 2009, 7:08 PM
Photo: Inuit/Red Oil

By Red OIL

COPENHAGEN -- Alaska Natives from the Chukchi Sea, in Copenhagen for the Climate Talks, are reeling today after an announcement that the Obama administration has approved Royal Dutch Shell Plc's (RDSa.L) plan to drill for oil off Alaska's northwest coast as early as next summer. In a move revealing of the US agenda at Copenhagen, the Department of the Interior has endorsed drilling for fossil fuels in the climate-effected ecosystems of the Arctic, where global warming already impacts Alaska Natives and entire villages are in danger of losing their lands and way of life.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar addressed the COP 15 conference on Thursday at 12:45 local time at the US Center Meeting Room in the Bella Center.
"Shell says 'the Chukchi Sea could be home to some of the most prolific, undiscovered hydrocarbon basins in North America,' but we're here to remind Salazar and Shell that it is our home and our lives that will be devastated by the drilling," said Faith Gemmill, Executive Director of REDOIL, who is attending the Copenhagen Climate Talks. "More fossil fuel drilling will only bring more pollution to the Chukchi Sea, and ultimately, more devastating climate change to the world. Salazar should know: We must leave those fossil fuels in the ground and invest in real renewable solutions that uphold Indigenous Peoples rights."
The effects of global warming in Alaska include thawing permafrost, melting sea ice, declining fish populations, migratory and habitat disruptions of key subsistence resources -- all direct, disruptive impacts that Alaska Natives are already experiencing. Alaska Native communities are struggling with forced relocation as coastlines no longer protected by sea ice erode, and are now, in essence, "climate refugees."
"As Alaska Natives, our ancestral ways of life and homelands are imperiled by devastating proposals for fossil fuel drilling and development," said Colleen Swan of Kivalina, a community located adjacent to the Chuckchi Sea who is in Copenhagen this week on her first international journey. "These fossil fuels are carbon that will compound climate change, and the ecological devastation we see is also compounded by the impacts of climate change, and so it is a lose-lose. That's why we are here in Copenhagen to tell the world our story, and demand real action by the Obama Administration."

REDOIL is a network and movement of Alaska Natives who are challenging the fossil fuel and mining industry and demanding our rights to a safe and healthy environment conducive to subsistence. The REDOIL network consists of grassroots Alaska Natives of the Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Tlingit, Gwich'in, Eyak and Denaiana Athabascan tribes. We aim to address the human and ecological health impacts brought on by the unsustainable development practices of the fossil fuel and mining industry. REDOIL strongly supports self-determination rights of tribes in Alaska, as well as a just transition from fossil fuel and mineral development to sustainable economies, and promotes the implementation of sustainable development on Alaska Native lands. Visit: http://www.ienearth.org/redoil


Related articles:
Arctic drilling approved without consideration for environment:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2009/12/arctic-drilling-approved-without.html
Shell wins oil drilling contract in Iraq:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8407274.stm
RETURN TO CENSORED NEWS HOMEPAGE:
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

Russell Means: Breaking the silence on Obama

Russell Means: Breaking the silence on Obama
By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

American Indian activist Russell Means said President-elect Obama was selected by the colonial powers as president to improve the US image globally in the aftermath of George Bush. Further, Means said Obama’s appointments show that he is a Zionist controlled by Israel. Speaking on Red Town Radio today, Means said what is happening now to Palestinians is what happened to American Indians.
“Every policy the Palestinians are now enduring was practiced on the American Indian,” Means said on the Blog Talk Radio show, hosted by Brenda Golden, Muskoke Creek. “What the American Indian Movement says is that the American Indians are the Palestinians of the United States, and the Palestinians are the American Indians of the Middle East,” Means said. Further, he points out that the Zionists who control Israel now control the United States. “The power of the US in world politics diminishes every day.”
“Now they have found a house servant by the name of Obama.” Means said Obama was selected as a “man in charge to take the heat,” because of the “bad cop” image that Bush put forth in the world. “Now, all of a sudden, it is, ‘We’re so great. We elected a black man to be president.’”
Means added that Obama is a black man who was raised by his white grandmother and has appointed Zionists to key positions and that the US is headed for a new era of menial jobs. On Indian lands, Means reminds us, the only people who get ahead are those who sell out to the colonial system. Now, there is massive and sophisticated propaganda by the Zionists and the U.S. Both countries, he said, are liars. In the US, American Indians have been shut out of history, philosophy and the arts, in a “total blackout.” The United States does not want to be reminded of the smallpox blankets, theft, colonialism and mistreatment of the American Indian, he said.
Means said most Americans do not realize that the financial collapse of this country is only beginning: “Americans cannot continue the lifestyles of consumers when there is no production. Low income jobs and menial jobs are the only ones left.” “Health care in the US reveals how the policies used in experimentations on American Indians became US policies. The US health care system is now stringent and calloused, with constant refusals of treatment. This has always been the case with the Indian Health Service. Now it is the policy of the HMOs. Family ranchers and family farmers are now in the way of progress, the same way the American Indian was once viewed. Now, family farmers and family ranchers are being gutted, because they function on massive credit. They are trying to pay back debts, which is not possible with manipulated agriculture prices. The family farmer and family rancher are now going to be extinct.”
Means points out that the federal government has also taken over and polluted the educational system; “Americans don’t even know their own history. Along with this federal control, came the passage of English-only laws in many states. However, for Indigenous Peoples it is positive to know many languages. If you speak two languages, you are speaking with two brains. That is the way it is to us. That’s how we look at life. In the mid-Twentieth Century, US schools listened to the communities and local governing boards.”
“However, now the US educational policy has taken away local control and mandated federal guidelines. So now education has become a matter of money. Meanwhile, the real history is silenced. While the United States attempts to portray itself as a peace loving nation, the fact is the United States is at war every year. The United States breaks a host of international laws every year, which has been the pattern since 1946. American Indians were aware of what the US was doing, because the US had already broken all treaties with American Indians; treaties guaranteed by the US Constitution,” he said.
About the American revolution to throw off the British, Means pointed out how “his-story” has been manipulated; “There is a great deal of propaganda about why the US broke away from England. But the fact is that George Washington, the largest landowner, along with the slave owners, broke with England so that the original treaties of England with American Indians in the west would not have to be honored. The US broke with England, to invade the west and take the land. ”
The US was created to break international laws,” Means said, adding that it is obvious today that this is the pattern of the U.S. Means said the United States was initiated as an outlaw and renegade nation and that “today, its imperial policies mean that Israel is a surrogate of the US, receiving aid from the U.S. With the combined US and international aid, Israeli receives $12 billion a year for its “military and the settlers in the West Bank.”
Means said 80 percent of the people in the West Bank are paid to stay there. “It is America who pays them to stay there. But even in Israel, where there is a free press and not everyone agrees with Israel waging war on Palestine. He said 20 to 30 percent of the people in Israel are against the war on Palestine. Like the United States, Israel has been at war every year of its existence.”
Means often refers to Israel as the 51st state, of warmongers and imperialists. “America and Israel are based on lies, resulting in the massive deaths in Iraq. Now, the US and Israel are focused on Iran because its oil reserves.” Means said Indian lands have become “open air concentration camps.” “If you chose to stay on the reservation, you are guaranteed to be poor, unless you are part of the colonial apparatus set up by the Bureau of Indian Affairs,” he said.
“On Indian lands, everyone fights to be part of the tribal governments because that is where the money is. Everyone fights to be part of the colonial system. The only way you can be part of the colonial system is to obey. Those returning home to Indian lands cannot ‘rock the boat,’ demand their treaty rights or their rights guaranteed by the US Constitution.”
Means said the American Indian Movement made people aware that the US Constitution was based upon that of the Iroquois Six Nations. “However, the US Constitution only includes one-third of the Great Law of Peace. If all of the Great Law of Peace had been adopted, this country would be much different and much wealthier.” However, it was turned into a country of consumers. He said what you get with a country of consumers is greed. “What is going on in Palestine is going on in America. The United States is taking away the homes of the people.” Now in the United States, there is “communism from the left” and “right-wing socialism.” He said the problem with socialism is that it is bereft of consensus and spirituality.
Means, now 70, said he has experienced the US when it reached its zenith in the world in the 1950s, “At that time, America was a productive country. In the years that followed, the ruling elite sold out the unions, as the labor movement was razor thin close to taking over politics in America. The most watershed event was Brown vs. Board of Education, the US Supreme Court ruling which desegregated schools. The white male started losing his power. Then, in the social revolution that followed, white males lost control of their women and their women’s vote, and lost control of the work place, Means said.
While civil rights was the chosen remedy of most social movements, American Indians remained dedicated to ‘sovereign rights,’ individual sovereign rights. We are the only ones that held on to the sovereign concept, he said. The other social movements were saying, “Please Mr. White Male let me be equal to you.”
Means said things will be different now, “Our grandmother the Mother Earth is tired of the human race. She is going to eliminate it and I champion her, Mother earth.” Means said matriarchy is what Indigenous people are all about. “We know that women are the givers of life and men are the takers of life. We have to follow the woman in order to gain balance.” He said in a matriarchal society, there is a balanced society, as each celebrates their strengths together. “True individual freedom has to be done by consensus, otherwise it is mob rule.” In the US, now there are fake elections. “The people are convinced they are actually electing a president. However, it is the Electoral College that actually selects the US president.”
The charade is now coming to a close, as the ‘Patriot Act’ means that Posse Comitatus is dead and buried. Means said everyone has the responsibility to be free. “You are free to be responsible. That is the essence of freedom.” He said everyone should know their rights. Otherwise, they are guaranteed slavery.
“Einstein said, ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome,’” “That’s America, that’s the Indian reservation. That’s pathetic and an injustice to human beings.” He said “human brains are doped up with all this ignorance and greed.”

Red Town Radio show host Brenda Golden, enrolled Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, grew up in Clearview, Oklahoma. Golden attended Sequoyah Indian School in Tahlequah before joining the Air Force. Later, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. She has worked in Indian Country as an educator, tribal liaison, grant writer, board member and volunteer since the early 1990's.
Golden said she is hosting Red Town Radio, on Blog Talk Radio, to offer a platform for Indigenous issues.
Listen to more of the show, including David Hill, who called in, and pointed out that while the US cut school funds and school lunches, the US increased aid to Israel.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RedTownRadio
Russell Means' column 'Welcome to the Rez'
More on Obama's appointees at Lakotah Republic
http://www.republicoflakotah.com/
U.S. seeks to ship hundreds of tons of arms to Israel
By Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE50875320090109
The United States is seeking to hire a merchant ship to deliver hundreds of tons of arms to Israel from Greece later this month, tender documents seen by Reuters show. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command said the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as "ammunition" on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January. "Shipping 3,000-odd tons of ammunition in one go is a lot," one broker said, on condition of anonymity. Israel is one of America's closest allies and both nations regularly sell arms to each other. In September, the U.S. Congress approved the sale of 1,000 bunker-buster missiles to Israel. The GPS-guided GBU-39 is said to be one of the most accurate bombs in the world. (Click link above for article)

U.S. Rejected Aid for Israeli Raid on Iranian Nuclear Site
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/washington/11iran.html?hp
New York Times
By DAVID E. SANGER
Published: January 10, 2009
WASHINGTON — President Bush deflected a secret request by Israel last year for specialized bunker-busting bombs it wanted for an attack on Iran’s main nuclear complex and told the Israelis that he had authorized new covert action intended to sabotage Iran’s suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons, according to senior American and foreign officials.
(Clink link above for article)

Indigenous Peoples Censored at UN Climate Conference

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Dec. 10, 2008

POZNAN, Poland -- Indigenous People trying to speak at the UN Climate Conference were slamdunked by proponents of the global carbon market scam, designed to enrich the World Bank and chosen corporations by way of the sale of fictitious carbon credits. The following video shows statements by two non-governmental organizations, before Indigenous Peoples were denied a voice. The Indigenous Peoples' censored statement, which was not read, follows the video.

Indigenous Peoples lands and forest are at risk in the carbon market schemes, which allows the world's polluters to continue polluting. In the censored statement, Indigenous Peoples point out that four countries -- the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand -- refused to vote in favor of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration, adopted by the UN, states that Indigenous Peoples have the right to "free, prior and informed consent," a right which is currently being denied to Indigenous Peoples in UN climate summits.

The censored statement points out that Indigenous Peoples denounce the "outdated colonial structures" of these four countries.

The carbon market scam is the latest corporate profiteering scheme, promoted by a duped media, which seeks to seize Indigenous Peoples land and forests around the world. The censorship of Indigenous Peoples at the previous UN Climate Summit in Bali in 2007 was one of Project Censored's most censored stories of the year.

The group of Indigenous Peoples are among the delegates attending the UN climate change gathering in Poznan. The forum is the half-way mark in the negotiating process leading up to Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009, where an a climate change deal will be finalizeed to follow on the first phase of the United Nation's Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Video from: Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries: Approaches to stimulate action, of the 29th Session of Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)
Watch video by Rebecca Sommer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brsqUgbBHu0

The following statement was NOT read:

Statement of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change
SBSTA
December 10, 2008
Chair,
We acknowledge the efforts of some Parties who have supported and worked with us to reflect our rights and our full and effective participation in this COP14. However, we DENOUNCE those Parties, including Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia who continue to exercise, outmoded, outdated colonial power structures that the rest of the world left behind decades ago.
We remind the parties that UNFCCC is NOT a consensus document AND perhaps a time has come for a simple majority vote that lets these four nations know how isolated their position is.
On the 60th Anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights IT IS APPALLING that any UNITED NATIONS BODY is still denies extending the Rights enshrined in this document to the Indigenous Peoples of the planet. It is a abrogation of BOTH the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Reference to the draft text ON SBSTA 29 agenda item 5, on REDD (Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries: approaches to stimulate action]. In the annex of this document, 1 (c ), we are profoundly disappointed that the Indigenous Peoples fundamental rights, INCLUDING the UNDRIP and other existing Human Rights instruments (Convention ILO169) are not included in the operative paragraphs of the latest document of SBSTA29 .
We, are just not ONE SINGLE indigenous people, as the document states. WE ARE a multitude of indigenous Peoples from multiple countries, with multiple languages, diverse cultures and background and experiences. TO REDUCE all this, to the concept of a singular unitary experience IS A DENIAL OF THE RICHNESS OF DIVERSITY THAT EXIST WITHIN, the framework of indigenous peoples as a collective of individual nations.
For this reason, WE, appeal to the UNFCCC and Parties take affirmative action to reaffirm the rights of Indigenous Peoples as codified in UNDRIP and other relevant Human Rights instruments (EG. Convention ILO 169). Any decision or measure that will be adopted at this COP, in particular the REDD process, must reaffirm the principle of free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples AND OUR RIGHT of the Indigenous Peoples TO SAY NO,. In that regard, Indigenous Peoples must be included as parties to official decisions, should be centrally involved in and benefit from, all climate change and forest programs and policies at all levels to ensure that they deliver justice and equity and contribute to sustainable development, biodiversity protection, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
We, demand an IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION of all REDD initiatives and carbon market schemes in Indigenous Peoples territories UNTIL Indigenous Peoples Rights are fully RECOGNIZED, PROTECTED AND PROMOTED.
Thank you.

Currently, the 14th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is underway in Poznan, December 1 - 12. It is the half-way mark in the negotiating process leading up to Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009, where an a climate change deal will be finalizeed to follow on the first phase of the United Nation's Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
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Impromptu protest by indigenous peoples to oppose draft REDD text

Over a 100 indigenous group leaders, including three members of the Papua New Guinea’s Eco-Forestry Forum, held placards outside the European Union pavilion

Wed, 10 Dec 2008
A PACNEWS SPECIAL REPORT
By Makereta Komai

POZNAN, POLAND --Local and international indigenous peoples groups staged an impromptu protest this evening (Tuesday), an hour before a contact group was to discuss the proposed new carbon trading mechanism, reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).

Over a 100 indigenous group leaders, including three members of the Papua New Guinea’s Eco-Forestry Forum, held placards outside the European Union pavilion to protest against four Annex 1 countries attempt to remove their rights from the legal text of REDD.

PNG’s Ken Mondiai said they are ‘outraged’ by the actions of United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand’s ‘opposition to including the recognition of indigenous people’s and local communities in a decision drafted today.’

The 45 minutes contact group session scheduled from 4.30pm was cancelled without an explanation.

Both Australian and New Zealand delegates refused to comment on the claims of the indigenous people’s groups.

“These four countries want to include REDD in the future climate change agreement, but they oppose protecting the rights of indigenous and forest peoples who will be directly affected by REDD measures, said Mr Mondiai.

The NGO’s claim that during discussions this morning, the four countries insisted that the word ‘rights’ and references to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples be struck from the text.

“This is totally unacceptable for indigenous peoples, local communities as the forests being targeted for REDD are those which have sustained and protected them for thousands of years.

“Any REDD mechanism that does not respect and protect the rights if indigenous people’s and local communities will fail.

“We, therefore demand that an unequivocal reference to rights and to the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People’s be reinserted into the draft COP14 decision text on REDD,” the group said.

---
**Ms Makereta Komai is part of the Pacific Communications Team covering this event in Poznan, Poland
This event is officially known as the "14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 01 – 12 December 2008 Poznan, Poland."
PACNEWS coverage is made possible with funding from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REDD may harm forest people
Rhett A. Butler, http://www.mongabay.com/
December 2, 2008
A new report finds that the World Bank is not doing enough to protect indigenous rights under its mechanism to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).
REDD is a proposed mechanism to compensate developing countries for protecting their forests. The report — titled "Cutting Corners: World Bank's forest and carbon fund fails forests and peoples" — was issued by the Forests and the European Union Resource Network (FERN) and the Forest Peoples Program (FPP) at the start of UN climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland. "Cutting Corners" alleges that the Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) — which provides seed funding for REDD projects — has rushed its review process and is failing to follow its own rules set to protect indigenous people and forest communities.
Such groups fear that without a proper framework, REDD could be used by governments and carbon traders to force forest people off their lands. "In this flawed process forest communities have not been properly consulted. As a result, donors could be complicit in a new global drive reinforcing old top-down policies that will only lead to more forest destruction," said Saskia Ozinga, Coordinator of FERN. "We have seen from the EU's FLEGT process, which aims to control illegal logging, that a proper consultation process will take years, but trying to shortcut consultations will just lead to long-term failure."
"If measures to respect the rights of forest peoples are at the heart of efforts to combat deforestation, then forest and climate policies could do some good," added Tom Griffiths, Coordinator of the Forest Peoples Program's Responsible Finance Program.
"It is alarming that the early government plans, approved by the World Bank, are simply business as usual. None of these REDD plans deal with the critical issues of governance, human rights, land tenure reforms and Free, Prior and Informed Consent. "To attain sustainable forest and climate initiatives, forest peoples must be fully consulted about their design. International donors must also ensure that human rights and forest sector reforms are guaranteed before any international funding is released to developing countries for their national actions on forest and climate issues."
"Cutting Corners" comes shortly after Friends of the Earth International (FOE), an environmental activist group, announced its opposition to REDD via a report titled "REDD Myths". At the UNFCCC talks in Poznan, FOE says it will oppose attempts to include forests in carbon markets. "During the climate talks, we will be demanding that forests are kept out of carbon markets, that plantations are entirely excluded and land rights are enforced as the basis of any forest policy," said Joseph Zacune, Climate and Energy Coordinator with FOE.
"If governments are serious about tackling climate change, deforestation must be stopped once and for all. To do this we need to tackle the consumption of agrofuels, meat and timber products which is driving deforestation and support good governance of forest resources."
Other analysts say REDD — in a form that recognizes rural peoples' rights — offers the best hope for preserving forests in the future while simultaneously fighting global warming. "REDD can benefit biodiversity conservation as well as indigenous and rural peoples," wrote Daniel Nepstad, Stephan Schwartzman, and Paulo Moutinho in a report published last year. "To succeed, national REDD programs must be consistent with UNFCCC and other UN principles, be transparent and have the active involvement of indigenous peoples and forest communities."
"Rejecting REDD will not defend indigenous rights. Substituting official aid from developed countries for carbon market funding will not be a better, less risky alternative for reducing deforestation. Indigenous rights abuses, often caused by the same activities that drive deforestation, must be addressed directly."
References
Kate Dooley, Tom Griffiths, Helen Leake, Saskia Ozinga. Cutting Corners - World Bank's forest and carbon fund fails forests and peoples. FERN. November 2008.
Kate Dooley. An overview of selected REDD proposals. FERN. November 2008.
Ronnie Hall. REDD myths: a critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries. Friends of the Earth. December 2008.
Stephan Schwartzman, Daniel Nepstad, and Paulo Moutinho. GETTING REDD RIGHT - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Environmental Defense / The Woods Hole Research Center / Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM). December 2007
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Breaking news
Repairing our reputation on human rights
ABC Online, Australia - By Elizabeth Evatt The language of the declaration is inspiring, starting with article 1: "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights". Australian gov't intends to endorse indigenous rights declaration
Xinhua, China - Dec 9, 2008 CANBERRA, Dec. (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has indicated it still intends to endorse a United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous ...
PMA: Indigenous Rights Petition to Parliament
Scoop.co.nz (press release), New Zealand - The first signatures on the national petition calling on the government to support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples will be presented ...
Canada's opposition to the human rights of Indigenous People at UN ...
Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada - OTTAWA, Dec. 10 /CNW Telbec/ - This International Day for Human Rights on December 10 marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of ...

Mohawk Nation News: Secret Military Exercises Report

PAINT BALL GAME GONE WILD!
SECRET MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR MOHAWK COMMUNITIES?
[In-depth Report]

Photo 1: Fort Bliss, Texas.

Photo 2 map: Northcom map removed from web shortly after being posted by the Pentagon.

Mohawk Nation News

Nov. 19, 2008. If Canada is such a peace loving country, why is it saber rattling and playing war games like "Vigilant Shield 09"? Huge military exercises are taking place on Turtle Island this month. These are being run by "NorthCom" and "NORAD" [North American AeroDefence Command]. NorthCom works with "Canada Command" and coordinates civil incidents through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security DHS. This has nothing to do with Afghanistan. It has to do with "civil" control, not democracy. The Canadian part is called "Determined Dragon, Trillium Response". [What bunch of jerks made this one up? Sounds like some kind of teenage fantasy video? These guys are scary!]

In the U.S. during a "disaster or emergency" JTF-CS operates within a Department of Defense chain of command that begins and ends with the President of the U.S. Canada is on this dog chain. In other words, it gave up its independence. Civilian agencies, including "State, local, territorial, and tribal [band] governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure," would be controlled by the military. They define the "disaster" that will lead to world domination.

What's going on here? Details are scarce, especially on the Trenton Air Force Base aspect which is near the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga. Another exercise is going on in Hamilton, near Six Nations. Another in Thunder Bay. Are there others? Is it a coincidence that these are mostly next to Ongwehonwe communities?

The main focus is "Communications Interoperability" to coordinate various agencies: the military, Joint Task Force JTF, army, navy and air force; all police agencies, RCMP, OPP, CBSA, "Aboriginal" police, municipal police; emergency responders, ambulances, fire trucks, rail security and select government bureaucrats; and the effected private sector such as nuclear reactors. "Interoperability" means coordinating all their goons and thugs to have "Joint War Games".

It looks more like an exercise designed to set up the infra structure needed to impose "martial law". Communications and radio frequencies will come under one command. The new device called the "Incident Commanders" Radio Interface looks like a cigar box, about 5" x 8" x 2". It can be held by one wired-up adolescent to receive and send messages to all these agencies during an emergency, natural or man-made disaster, including a "terrorist attack". But who and where are the terrorists? The only scary guys in the neighborhood is them!

NORAD is the North American AeroDefense Command, a U.S.-Canada control center based in Colorado, that is supposed to warn of an attack by aircraft or missiles. ProjectHAARP is the Pentagon-run "High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program" with plans to heat the earth's ionosphere, using high frequency radio waves. How do we know they haven't already been doing this? The military can send signals to nuclear subs and spy deeply underground [www.haarp.net]. This is based near Anchorage, Alaska where military exercises are going on too. E Systems which is owned by Raytheon has the defense contract to run this. [They're the biggest arms makers and dealers in the world.]

It's all scripted. The U.S. has a "Hollywood Style" National Training Center NTC in California and Joint Readiness Training Center JRTC in Louisiana. They're not teaching peace. They're teaching warfare against Iraq and Afghanistan and whoever else gets in their way. Hi fi simulations are created, complete with mock towns and actors portraying natives and insurgents. One actor even dresses like a "tribal sheik". Bombs are exploded and rockets stream in from the countryside. Civilians scream and scatter. The victims wear gory make up to simulate bloody wounds and morbid deaths. Injured civilians are left behind by the soldiers. The soldiers secure the town before going in to meet with the "regional governor", supposedly "to win over the locals" but actually to get information from him in exchange for money. The young natives are taken away to Abu Ghraib for questioning. [It has already been established that the methods used there include torture and death]. Observers judge and grade each performance. Our question is who are the "traitors" who help them set up these scenarios?[www.worldpoliticsreview.com] Are these same guys writing the script for Bin Laden and Al Qaida too? Meanwhile the Taliban will just have to keep on improvising!

In Canada in the 1990s, after the Mohawk-Oka Crisis, a mockup of the Mohawk community of Kahnawake was created at a New Brunswick army base to help soldiers practice warfare on us. Who played the Mohawks? Who played the cowardly treasonous band council? It gets worse! In Saskatchewan the target at the police shooting range was a stereotypical Indigenous woman.

Doing so many exercises in our communities is meant to desensitize us to the presence of armed soldiers over, around us and in our back yards. We forget the danger. We'll be close targets when the guns are turned on us.

Even more sinister is that these exercises can act as a cover for "real"/pretext events such as 911, the London bombings and the Oklahoma City bombing. It was hard to sort out what was real and what was an exercise. Cities where exercises have taken place such as Seattle are considered as being "prepped" for martial law.

These exercises involve hundreds of people, dozens of vehicles, boats, UAVs, helicopters and planes. Thunder Bay is the furthest inland port where large ships can load and unload and where rail and truck lines meet. Right now nuclear reactors are arriving here on their way to the Alberta oil sands. Rumors abound that these exercises will involve a simulated nuclear attack. At the same time US exercises are taking place in Alaska near the HAARP weather modification installation and in California where wild fires are now raging.

The Thunder Bay exercise will combine a severe weather event and emergency situations to create various scenarios. The first part will be an incident with a container ship along the federal port. Simulated will be collapsed buildings, human casualties, and toxic spills. The second will involve a rail incident. Simulated will be a response to a train fire/explosion and resulting toxic spill. Of course, they're trying to recruit Ongwehonwe for the military because they want "expendable" people to do their dangerous work.

For this, National "Defense" [offense?] will transport the Toronto Heavy Urban Search and Rescue group to Thunder Bay on a Globemaster aircraft: between 400 and 550 military personnel from the Immediate Response Unit (IRU) and 63 Domestic Response Company to arrive on 22 Nov. 2008 and leave by 25 Nov. 2008.

Involved may be the local civilian authorities such as "primary responders", provincial authorities, imbedded media, the Coast Guard (to provide fire fighting and power generation), the RCMP and Naval Reserve divers. Included are "personal development activities"! [Steve Carroll, National Defence, 416-633-6200 ext. 5808, Fax: 613-631-5349 Carroll.SL@forces.gc.carefer to CEAR 08-01-39685]

Our Haudenosaunee territory includes many "strategic infrastructures" such as nuclear reactors, nuclear waste stockpiles, chemical factories, rail hubs and harbors. The Great-Lakes St. Lawrence is a major industrial area. The military needs the nuclear stockpile. By the way, whatever happened to the 500 tons of yellowcake that was dumped off in Montreal harbor last July 2008? It was in the papers. Then we never heard about it again.

Government agencies and actors roped into this "war movie" include Public Safety, Health Canada and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Guess what? Indian Affairs is in there like a dirty shirt? Why? This is coming right out of our budget for desperately needed clean water, housing, education and medical care. The "chain of command" starts at the Pentagon. Peter "Flat-Foot" Fisher of the Aboriginal Policing Directorate at Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada is the link to the "aboriginal police" involved in the exercise [613-990-2666 fax: 613-991-0691].

The recent horrific crash that killed three non-natives at the Cornwall Ontario border checkpoint in Akwesasne last week was a similar multi-"service" operation, by the Canada Border Services Agency CBSA, the Ontario Provincial Police OPP, the RCMP and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police. The guys on steroids with guns and fast cars are obviously trying to take control.

The Mohawk Police were chasing and ramming the van driven by the 21 year old non-native youth that ended in a dramatic fiery fatal crash. The cops created the kind of catastrophe they say they are protecting the public from. Two days later, while military exercises were going on in Hamilton, there was another strangely similar high speed chase of a non-native into the 6 Nations community which ended up in a crash and shoot out. Is this coincidence or was it planned?

We're still waiting for answers at Akwesasne. Why didn't ambulances and nearby fire trucks take action immediately? Why did the Mohawk cops go straight for the load of cigarettes and not help the victims? Why were witnesses told to stop talking to the media about anything they saw? Was this staged to make an excuse to bring in the outside colonial agencies that don't have jurisdiction but we can't seem to get rid of? Watch out! They might be installing surveillance devices everywhere, like they did in Kanehsatake, or planting weapons to come in and raid us.

What's going on? Are these lunatics trying to bring martial law into our communities because the colonists are saying we can't handle the bedlam they're creating? The fascist method is to isolate and eliminate the source of greatest resistance to their plans. Let's face it, folks, right now one of the main resisters is the freedom loving Ongwehoneh. The military interest in us could have something to do with the fact that all the land and resources of Turtle Island belong to us. In the US militant groups are getting more scared and more armed. Frightened people with guns is a dangerous scenario! Nobody wants that.

Iako'ha:kowa & MNN Staff - Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com kittoh@storm.ca, Katenies20@yahoo.com, kahentinetha2@yahoo.com

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Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT STARTS NOV.18. EMAILS FOR MP'S:
VanLoan.P@parl.gc.ca, clabchuk@greenparty.ca, Baird.J@parl.gc.ca,
Clement.T@parl.gc.ca, leader@greenparty.ca, Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca,
Barbot.V@parl.gc.ca, Sorenson.K@parl.gc.ca, Dewar.P@parl.gc.ca, Khan.W@parl.gc.ca,
Patry.B@parl.gc.ca, ThibaLo@parl.gc.ca, ChongM@parl.gc.ca, TrostB@parl.gc.ca,
BigraB@parl.gc.ca, CardiS@parl.gc.ca, LafraM@parl.gc.ca, CulleN@parl.gc.ca,
GallaC@parl.gc.ca, HawnL@parl.gc.ca, McTeaD@parl.gc.ca, AlghaO@parl.gc.ca,
AnderDa@parl.gc.ca, BevinD@parl.gc.ca, DebelC@parl.gc.ca, OuellCh@parl.gc.ca,
CrowdJ@parl.gc.ca, ChowO@parl.gc.ca, LunnG@parl.gc.ca, BerniM@parl.gc.ca,
StrahC@parl.gc.ca, MilliP@parl.gc.ca, Hill.J@parl.gc.ca, MacKay.P@parl.gc.ca,
Bell.C@parl.gc.ca, Kramp.D@parl.gc.ca, Brown.G@parl.gc.ca, DelMastro.D@parl.gc.ca,
Dewar.P@parl.gc.ca, Coderre.D@parl.gc.ca, DionS@parl.gc.ca, Comartin.J@parl.gc.ca,
Oda.B@parl.gc.ca, OConnor.G@parl.gc.ca, Solberg.M@parl.gc.ca, Atamaa1@parl.gc.ca,
blackd@parl.gc.ca, Black.D@parl.gc.ca,
Ambrose.R@parl.gc.ca, Toews.V@parl.gc.ca, Emerson.D@parl.gc.ca,
Blackburn.J@parl.gc.ca, Hanger.A@parl.gc.ca, McDonough.A@parl.gc.ca,
Paradis.C@parl.gc.ca, Moore.J@parl.gc.ca, Mulcair.T@parl.gc.ca,
Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca, Barbot.V@parl.gc.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca,

Some contacts and provocateurs of our misery: Governor General GG Michaelle "Haitian-Against-the-Nation" Jean info@gg.ca;
Prime Minister Stephen "Corporate-Hatchet-Man" Harper, (613) 992-4211 Fax: (613) 941-6900, Harper.S@parl.gc.ca;
Peter "Electro-Magnetic-Slime-Bucket-Bully" MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, (613) 992-6022 Fax: (613) 992-2337, MacKay.P@parl.gc.ca, Constituency office (902) 863-7005 Fax: (902) 863-7006, (902) 752-0226 Fax: (902) 752-0284, (902) 885-3490 Fax: (902) 885-3179;
Peter "Pumpkin-Eater-and-Trough-Licker" Van Loan, Minister of Public Safety, Constituency Office T 905-898-1600 or 1-877-738-3748, F 905-898-4600, vanlop1@parl.gc.caor VanLoan.P@parl.gc.ca, Parliament Hill Office 613-996-7752 F 613-992-8351, vanloan.p@parl.gc.ca;
Mugger Chuckie "Wants-to-show-the-world-how-to-attack-Ongwehonwe-children-women-men" Strahl Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
StrahC@parl.gc.ca, 819-997-0002, Fax 819-953-4941; Telephone: (613) 992-2940 Fax:(613) 944-9376;

THE OTTAWA CABAL. Public Safety [Danger]: Minister Peter
"Pumpkin-Eater-and-Trough-Licker" Van Loan;
Suzanne "Hurts-to-be-Herself" Hurtubise DM 613- 991-2895;
Myles "Away-from-Reality" Kirvan ADM 613- 990-2633, 613-949-0322;
Chantal "Dirty-Fingers-in-Every-Pie" Bernier ADM Community Safety [Endangerment] and Partnerships (613) 993-4325;
Scott "ODB" Broughton Sr ADM Emergency [Mis] Management and National [In]Security(613) 991-2820;
Lynda "Useless-Forked-Tongued-Drone" Clairmont ADM, same as "ODB" (613) 990-4976;
Daniel "Pepsi-and-May-West" Lavoie DG Communications (613) 990-2743; Elisabeth "Botox-from-Head-to-Toe" Nadeau ADM, Corporate Theft (613) 990-2615;
Kristina "Fingers-Getting-Itchier-and-Itchier-to-push-the-Trigger" Namiesniowski ADM Strategic Policy (613) 949-6435;
Eva "Nosey-Nit-Picker" PlunkettInspector Field "General"of CSIS (613) 949-0675;
Richard "Diarrhea-Mouth" Wex ADM Policing, Law Enforcement & Interoperability(613) 990-2703.
The biggest safety risk for us Ongwehonwe is this ADM cabal of agents.

Health Canada, partners with the US through the Canada-US Joint Radiological Response Plan, under the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan;
(no current contact info available for Minister Leona Aglukkaq)
Foreign Affairs Lawrence "Chinese-Food-Glutton-at-Taxpyers-Expense" Cannon613-992-5516Fax 613-992-6802; 819-441-2510Fax: (819) 441-2680; (819) 281-2626Fax: (819) 281-2755 Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca;
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Stockwell Day Telephone: (613) 995-1702 Fax: (613) 995-1154
EMail: Day.S@parl.gc.ca


LINKS:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/410779.html
http://tinyurl.com/4x8o8p
http://www.topix.com/forum/source/eureka-times-standard/T3SKIPLLRMPUSTFAC
http://www.northcom.mil/News/2008/110508.html
Monday, November 10, 2008, US NORTHCOM Exercise Vigilant Shield 09
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/13-0
http://policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1162&issue_id=42007
CAP (Civil Assistance Plan) at www.canadacom.forces.gc.ca/docs/pdf/cap_e.pdf
Joint Task Force-Civil Support(JTF-CS) http://www.jtfcs.northcom.mil/
Exercise Trillium Response 08 http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/Viewer_e.cfm?CEAR_ID=39685
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Canada-to-Spend-C-500-Million-on-CFB-Trenton-05059/
http://www.reach.net/~bqac/ The Bay of QuinteAeromodellers
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/cat_training_and_sims.html
http://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/communications/interoperability/press-releases/240205-Army-National-Guards-Civil-Support-Teams-Gain-First-Response-Interoperability-with-Other-Agencies/
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/northern-edge-2007.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/ex.htm
US Military Exercises: The Mindset: The more you sweat in peace time, the less you bleed in combat.
National Response Plan; Civil Assistance Plan; Canada-U.S. Combined Defense Plan(CDP); C-AT's "Incident Commanders' Radio Interface" Equipment; Communication interoperability, IACP State and Provincial Police Division(S&P); Canada Command Direction for Domestic Operations;

ASK THE POLITICIAN ABOUT: rerouting 401 traffic in Toronto; evacuations; Lake Ontario ships, subs and planes, UAVs; dangers of fires and smoke; how many soldiers? how many US?; how many cops and others?; telecommunications: controlling the airwaves, radio "Incident Commanders"; Radio Interface from a "cigar box"; are the Mohawks a "trial run" or something bigger like martial law?; what are the
"terrorist" scenarios?; are they part of the weather, hurricane or earthquake scenario?; what are "Critical Infrastructure Protection", like nuclear reactors, oil refineries, etc.; What do drugs & cigarette busts have to do with it?; do exercises demonstrate US flexing, resolve and capability to protect U.S. military power & national interests?; how do they feel about complaints to try to prevent a "false flag"or "pretext" event like 911 or the London bombings?; "Exposure to live ammo so that the participants handle it with a fear and reverence..." http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/Viewer_e.cfm?CEAR_ID=39685

NCAI urges new means of protecting sacred places

By Brenda Norrell
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report

PHOENIX – The National Congress of American Indians urged the US Congress to create a statute that would protect Native American sacred places from the onslaught of development, intrusion and desecration and to strengthen existing laws to protect Native Americans' freedom of religion, in a resolution passed during its 65th annual convention.
The American Indian Religious Freedom Act was enacted into law 30 years ago in 1978 to protect the religious freedom of Native people. However, the Supreme Court ruled 20 years ago that neither the Act, nor the US Constitution, provided for a course of action to truly protect Native Americans right to worship in their traditional manner. The Supreme Court said Congress would need to enact a statute for that purpose. Congress has not done so.
The American Indian Religious Freedom Act states that "it shall be the policy of the United States to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise the traditional religions of the American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, and Native Hawaiians, including but not limited to access to sites, use and possession of sacred objects, and the freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites."
Native Americans say, however, there is no current mechanism to ensure protection of sacred places or religious rights in court. Further, they say there is too little prosecution of violators of sacred places, burial places and cultural items.
Recently, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act failed to protect two sacred places in court, San Francisco Peaks and Snoqualmie Falls. In the case of San Francisco Peaks, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its earlier decision and ruled that sewage water could be used for snowmaking on the mountain sacred to 13 American Indian Nations. On this sacred mountain, one of Four Sacred Mountains to the Navajo or Dine’, medicine people hold ceremonies and gather healing plants. Hualapai and Hopi spiritual leaders were among those speaking out against the desecration.

Klee Benally, Navajo, with the Save the Peaks Coalition in Arizona said, "The struggle to protect Sacred Places from corporate interests is a critical struggle for a livable planet and our cultural survival as Indigenous Peoples. There are hundreds of threatened Sacred Places located on lands held by Federal Agencies such as the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. We have no guarantees that these agencies will not allow desecration of Sacred Places because there are no laws that ensure their protection."

Benally saying there is an increasing hostility in the courts.
"Congressional action to protect Sacred Places is necessary because we have no religious freedom when it comes to Federal land management decisions. We keep ending up in courts that are historically hostile towards Indigenous Peoples rights. We have very little options, this is why we must also have a broad-based grassroots movement to take action and address this cultural and environmental crisis," Benally said.
NCAI said, “It is time for Congress to enact a right of action for tribes to defend sacred places. Unless tribes can sustain lawsuits, they will not have a seat at federal negotiation tables and agencies and developers will continue to disregard existing consultation requirements. Meaningful consultation and respectful negotiations can obviate the need for litigation. However, if negotiated accords cannot be reached, tribes must be able to protect their holy places in court.”
The NCAI resolution also pointed out that universities are violating Native American graves, in development and museum content.
The NCAI resolution said, “Burial places are also sacred places. At present, there are entities subverting existing laws designed to protect our burial places and our ancestors. These entities include, for example, prominent universities in the University of California system and other federal and federally-assisted educational institutions, museums and agencies.”
Although the resolution does not name the exact institutions, the resolution follows the action of the University of California-Berkeley which recently desecrated an Ohlone burial ground for development, destroying oaks that were hundreds of years old. UC-Berkeley has also been protested for callously storing thousands of Native American remains in a rodent-filled basement. The Smithsonian Institute is among the museums that have long housed thousands of human remains of Indian people, including Native American skulls collected by bounty hunters in racist studies of intelligence.
NCAI’s resolution fails to point out the recent violation of graves and US federal laws in construction of the US/Mexico border wall. On the western portion of Tohono O’odham land in Arizona, the graves of the ancestors of the Tohono O’odham were dug up by Homeland Security’s contractor Boeing, in secret. The remains were removed from O’odham land, before being returned and reburied. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff waived all federal laws to construct the border wall.
Across the United States, Native Americans, including the Paiutes struggling to rebury “Spirit Cave Man,” in Nevada, are engaged in lengthy court battles. The desecration at the University of California-Berkeley, the plight of Spirit Cave Man and the threat to sacred San Francisco Peaks were among hundreds of issues brought to the Longest Walk, as Native Americans walked across America in 2008, from Alcatraz to DC, for the protection of sacred places and Mother Earth.
As liquor bars and helicopter rides threaten sacred Bear Butte, Yankton Sioux are faced with a large scale hog farm in the middle of their community in South Dakota. A new wave of profiteering uranium mining threatens Lakotas and Navajos. With power plants, coal mining and oil and gas drilling increasing, and the Arctic ice melting, Native Americans walked across America for five months to signal the nation and the world of the danger, while offering prayers for protection.
While burial places are desecrated across the nation, Native Americans ask, “How would you like it if your grandmother was in a museum? How would you like it if your grandfather’s grave was dug up and robbed?”
On the national level, NCAI said that Native Americans must be involved in the federal consultation processes and serve on boards that govern land use.
Further, NCAI said the Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act must be strengthened in several ways. First, NAGPRA’s definition of Native American needs to be clarified and state that “Native American” means “of, or relating to, a tribe, people, or culture that is or was indigenous to any geographic area that is now located within the boundaries of the United States.”
NAGPRA needs increased penalties for violations of burials and burial grounds, human remains and cultural items. NAGPRA needs to be specifically strengthened with tools for improved law enforcement and prosecutions, NCAI said in the resolution.
In related resolutions, NCAI passed resolutions supporting a moratorium on exploration and oil and gas drilling in the Galisteo Basin of New Mexico; supporting protection of the Zuni Salt Lake in New Mexico and supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted Sept. 13, 2007, by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

In its resolution of support, NCAI said, "the declaration by the United Nations supports and reinforces the respect and protection of full self-determination rights by and on behalf of US Tribal Nations as well as the protection of tribal lands and treaties as a matter of international law and policy and is therefore in the vital interests of all US Tribal Nations."
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NCAI resolutions:
http://www.ncai.org/index.php?id=105&selectpro_resid=41

Photo: Snoqualmie Falls