In the following letter, Dean Cycon describes the need and
potential for forming a coordinated development group for Indian
nations in North America along the lines of similar groups
working with indigenous communities on other continents. Dean
issues a call to people who have professional or academic experi-
ence and an interest in creating such a group.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone whose interests or exper-
tise are relevant to such a project. You may contact me at the
addresses below, or may contact Dean directly at the address or
phone / fax listed in his letter.
By way of introducing Dean, let me note that he has been working
independently since 1984 as an attorney and management consultant
in natural resource development and protection, environmental
planning, and international and maritime trade, representing
indigenous peoples in these contexts and in treaty rights,
legislative and administrative design, and economic development.
He is also teaching at the University of Rhode Island, focusing
on law, policy, and global environmental change.
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_Dean E. Cycon, Esq._
Hop Brook Farm
New Salem, MA 01355
Tel / Fax: 508-544-3008
7 November 1991
Department of Legal Studies
UMass, Amherst
Dear Peter:
As you are aware, the political, economic and environmental
situations on many Indian reservations throughout the United
States are desperate. Massive structural changes must occur in
the relationship between the United States government and the
Indian nations in all of these areas. To date, many well inten-
tioned and effective advocates have worked with Indian peoples to
fight for treaty rights and against continued exploitation of
native resources. Largely, these efforts have been reactive,
organized in an ad hoc fashion in response to particular threats.
We have both experienced these situations, which call for rapid
response and mobilization of resources and people generally in
excess of what's available. The result is often a frustrating and
unintended exercise in legitimation of existing oppression.
Organized, strategic efforts for systemic change have been
infrequent, especially since most of us have other jobs or are
located at such a distance from the fray.
I would like to put out a call to the community of people who
have professional or academic experience and an interest in
creating a more coordinated effort to promote independence,
appropriate development and social justice for Indian nations in
North America. I was thinking along the lines of creating a
development group such as exist for overseas work. I have been
involved with several such groups working in Asia and Latin
America, and I believe that coordinated development strategies
such as are utilized by such groups can prove very effective for
indigenous work here at home. There has been a tremendous evolu-
tion in the strategies and practices of overseas development
groups, and there are many lessons to be learned and applied
here. I am aware of funding possibilities for organizing such
efforts and for specific projects.
I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts, and please feel free to
pass this letter along to similarly inclined persons.
Regards,
Dean Cycon
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-- Peter d'Errico phone: 413-545-2003 Legal Studies Department fax: 413-545-1640 University of Massachusetts/Amherst 01003 dErrico@titan.ucc.umass.edu