I am including
the text of this e-mail I received from ISCO in
hopes
that there are those of you out there who may and will help
in
some way. The Dine'h deserve and need all the support they can
at this
particular time as February 1 looms on the horizon. This is
not
something which can be ignored.
In a
message dated 1/7/00 1:02:39 AM, bigmnt@efn.org writes:
><%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>
>Dine'h
Call for Help in 2000! Reply to : bigmnt@efn.org
>from
the Other Paper, Eugene OR ISCO (541) 683-2789
>
>
>In
January of 1999, several traditional Dine'h (Navajo) families were
>served
90-day notices that their names were reported to the United
>States
Attorney's Office in Phoenix, Arizona and face forced
>evictions
in 2000.
>
>Sometime
after February 1st in 2000, these Dine'h still living in an
>area
designated for Hopi by the United States Congress face
>possible
forced eviction by the United States Department
>of
Justice, the same agency now under investigation for their role
>in
the firey deaths of Branch Dividians n Waco, Texas. With the
>help
of? their supporters, Dine'h will challenge eviction hearings
>in
the United States District Court in Phoenix, Arizona.
>
>Dine'h
supporters are raising funds for eviction hearing costs and
>related
travel, room and board expenses for the extended families
>of
these Dine'h.
>
>In
separate litigation, the Hopi Tribe will be seeking to expel Dine'h
>Elder
Kee Shay and a non-Indian supporter off the Hopi Partition Lands
>through
action in the Hopi Tribal Court in January 2000 (the "Hopi
>Tribe"
is a federally certified tribal council under the United
>State's
1934 "Indian Reorganization Act" aka the Howard-
>Wheeler
Act of the United States Congress, rather than a
>traditional Hopi governing body).
>
>Also
at an unknown date in 2000 the class-action religious freedom
>lawsuit
"Manybeads V. United States et al" may return for an appeal
>hearing
in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
>Dine'h
plaintiffs have a First Amendment constitutional right to
>remain
on the Hopi Partition Lands and practice their land-based
>spirituality.
>
>Workers
who can herd sheep, help with chores and witness government
>harassment
and potential evictions are needed to stay at Dine'h
>homesites.
Background literature and orientation packets are available
>upon
request,and video presentations and protests are being planned
>throughout
Oregon.
>
>Groups
are organizing fundraisers, letter writing meetings, prayer vigils,
>petition
signature gathering, pampletting, and action alert phone trees.
>Dine'h
(Navajo) people have been living in the southwest on the Colorado
>Plateau
in the former Joint-Use Area (now known as the Navajo and Hopi
>Partition
Areas) and sharing the area with Hopi since before the Spanish
>invaded.
It is ironic the Dine'h are treated like squatters by the US
>government
who encircled and encroached upon both tribes over
>centuries.
>
>Indigenous
Support Coalition of Oregon (or "ISCO") has been asked by
>Dine'h
facing eviction to send out a call for help from supporters in
>Oregon
and across the country. There is a lot you can do to help and
>we
urge you to contact us and get involved. We need your help to
>make
our efforts count! Please call (541) 683-2789 or e-mail us at
>bigmnt@efn.org
or write: ISCO PO Box 11715 Eugene, OR 97440 and
>offer
your help? soon!
>
>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>X<%>
the wolf
is my messenger
For access to other pages at this site, please use the dropdown menu below.
"We will be known
by the tracks we leave behind."
Dakota proverb