NativeNet technical difficulties + recent article digest

(no name) ((no email))
Thu, 25 Mar 1993 15:55:08 EST


Dear NATIVE-L Subscribers,

This note is just to let you know that the reason you have received no
NATIVE-L mailing list articles for more than a week is that I am now
experiencing serious hardware problems on the computer which is used
as the hub of the message relay system. Unfortunately, I am not now
even aware of the real cause of the problem, but I do know it is not
as simple as I had thought at first.

I am currently preparing a message which represents something of an
"open letter" to the NativeNet community explaining the broader
implications of the fact that the current system is so vulnerable to
a single point of failure and indicating some ways we might think
about remedying that situation, to create something that is more
robust. I will also give some history, and indicate likely future
directions, to explain, especially for the benefit of newer subscribers,
and to try to put the current problems into a broader context.

I regret the inconvenience of this service interruption, especially
since it comes just as we had established the link with Usenet.

I would ask that everyone hold on to your articles for the time being,
since I have no convenient means to relay them to the mailing list.
However, here are several articles which were received recently, just
to attempt to deal with some important and timely matters.

I hope to send my "open letter" message before the weekend.

Best regards to all,

Gary

--
    Gary S. Trujillo                             gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us
Somerville, Massachusetts               {wjh12,bu.edu,spdcc,ima,cdp}!gnosys!gst

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

==> 930324-084509x <== From: CUBLDR.Colorado.EDU!leeson_k Date: 21 Mar 1993 09:42:27 -0700 (MST) Subject: HPSfAA INFORMATION Message-Id: <01GW2DDNQFNM8ZDZ5X@CUBLDR.Colorado.EDU>

Gary, I promise this is the last of this for awhile. They are so late in getting the informtion out. I've put alot of work into it. I hope they get a good response. I should ask Dr. Walker for Independent Study credit. Not a bad idea. Could you please post this to the network for me. thanks again, Karen

HIGH PLAINS SOCIETY FOR APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY PRELIMINARY PROGRAM 13TH ANNUAL MEETING APRIL 30, MAY 1 & 2, 1993

Friday, April 30 Workshops (pre-registration required) 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Rapid Rural Assessment: Susan Scott-Stevens 3:15 - 5:00 p.m. Native American Marketing Opportunities in Europe: Gordon Bronitsky

7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Opening Address: Westview Publishing, "Publishing Priorities for Applied Anthropologists in the 90's" 8:30 - 10 p.m. Wine and Cheese Reception in Dinosaur Hall

Saturday May 1 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Keynote Address: Dr. Muriel Crespi, US National Park Service

10:15 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1: Museum Anthropology 1993: Interfacing with Many Publics Chair: Joyce Herold, Curator of Ethnology, Denver Museum of Natural History

12:00 - 1:15 p.m. HPSfAA Annual Business Meeting (box lunch may be ordered)

1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Session 2: Environmental Policy: Ramifications for Applied Anthropology

3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Session 3: Moving from Action to Advocacy Chair: Carla Littlefield

6:30 p.m. Dinner (reservations required) Dinner Speaker: Dr. David Stephenson, Esq., "Legislation and Applied Anthropology" Omer Stewart Award

Sunday, May 2 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. Session 4: Education: Impact of Legislation and Policy Chair: Michael Higgins

10:30 - 11:45 a.m. Session 5: Roundtable Discussion: Summing Up and Recommendations to HPSfAA for Legislative Action Plan

1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Visit the Denver Museum of Natural History

Volunteer papers will be delivered through the planned sessions that include education, environment and action/advocacy.

HIGH PLAINS SOCIETY FOR APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY 13th Annual Meeting: April 30, May 1 & 2, 1993

Hotel Accommodations: Landmark Inn $45/night/room Contact: Joy Furlong, Sales 455 S. Colorado Boulevard 1-800-528-1234 (toll free) Denver, CO 80222 303-388-5561 (direct)

We have reserved private rooms and rooms with two beds for this special rate. Be sure to identify HPSfAA's Annual Meeting when you make your reservations. The Landmark Inn will provide transportation to the Denver Museum of Natural History for $1. each way. Vans run about every 20-30 minutes. They also have airport transportation through Airport Boulevard Company for $3. one way. Vans run every half hour from the Hotel Pickup Zone at Stapleton Airport. Look for the white van with red-white-blue circle ABC. Call 1-800-228-0668 for more information.

[ The registration form which followed was garbled. Please get in touch with Frances Dahlberg for registration information. --Gary ]

Please return to: Frances Dahlberg Taylor, Treasurer 875 Aurora Avenue Boulder, CO 80302

Deadline for reservations for the May 1st dinner is April 26.

-30-

==> 930324-084534x <== From: calshp.cals.wisc.edu!colemanj (John Coleman) Date: Sun, 21 Mar 93 12:52:21 CST Subject: Anti-Fishing Protests let by Minn. Vikings Message-Id: <9303211852.AA15663@calshp.cals.wisc.edu>

Posted by colemanj@calshp.cals.wisc.edu for the Midwest Treaty Network

TREATY RIGHTS STRUGGLE IN MINNESOTA Ever want to travel back in time Now is your opportunity to take a time warp back four or five years, by looking at our neighboring state of Minnesota.

The Mille Lacs Chippewa Reservation is located on four parcels of land near Mille Lacs Lake Minnesota, between Minneapolis and Duluth. Tribal members are to begin harvesting fish off the reservation this Spring, exercising their rights under the treaties of 1837 and 1855. In an agreement signed with the Minnesota DNR, the tribal government said spearers and gillnetters would take about three percent of the walleye in Mille Lacs Lake.

In a March 3 referendum, tribal voters approved the agreement, which included a state financial payment to limit the tribal harvest. The 'yes' vote came mainly from the main parcel of the reservation--the part with the tribal headquarters--which is located within territory cede by the 1855 treaty. Urban Mille Lacs members, and members within lands ceded by the 1837 treaty--opposed the agreement. Some said the agreement would not recognize the 1837 treaty. The new 37-55 Treaty Alliance is made up of Chippewa who oppose limitations on their exercise of treaty rights. They are taking the legal route to prove that the Mille Lacs government has no right to limit the harvests of other Chippewa who want to harvest in ceded territory.

But even the DNR-MIlle Lacs agreement is not enough of a limitation for anti-Indian sportsmen's groups. Led by former Vikings football coach Bud Grant, the Hunters and Anglers Club is casting out exactly the same arguments that PARR did in Wisconsin circa 1988-89. On March 27, the group is holding a rally in the Twin Cities to press their arguments of Chippewa fish depletion and anti- Caucasian discrimination. PARR leaders are among the speakers at the rally. The American Indian Movement is sponsoring a counterprotest.

The Twin Cities media is much more aware of treaty issues than the Wisconsin media was half a decade ago. It has had experience with a large Native community, AIM actions, and the Wisconsin spearing controversy. However, they tend not to give much coverage either to traditionalists who disagree with their tribal council, or to Minnesota whites who feel the sportsmen's groups do not represent them. Some of the local papers around Mille Lacs have been repeating the claims of those groups without checking their accuracy.

It is not clear what action the anti-Indian groups plan to take during the harvesting season. No boat landing protests have been announced, and Mille Lacs members have not formally invited Witnesses-for-Nonviolence. Contact: 37-55 Treaty Alliance, HCR3, Box 562-7, McGregor, MN 55760

==> 930324-084542x <== From: calshp.cals.wisc.edu!colemanj (John Coleman) Date: Sun, 21 Mar 93 12:54:18 CST Subject: Nuclear Waste on Mississippi Reservation Island Message-Id: <9303211854.AA15712@calshp.cals.wisc.edu> To: nn.general@gnosys.svle.ma.us (Native Net)

Posted by colemanj@calshp.cals.wisc.edu for the Midwest Treaty Network

PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR STORAGE In voting unanimously to grant Northern States Power Company a Certificate of Need to expand its spent nuclear fuel storage on the flood plain of the Mississippi River next to the Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota Indian Community, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ignored many hours of expert testimony that the power from the Prairie Island plant could be re-placed in a variety of ways. The PUC justified its decision by citing assurances from the Department of Energy that the spent fuel would be removed to its Yucca Mountain Repository in the next 20 years. Three days after the Commission made its decision Yucca Mountain suffered an earth-quake of intensity Richter 5.6 which caused $1 million damage.

The following paragraphs are excerpted from an article on page 1 of the Los Angeles Times, for Monday, December 28, 1992: "Northern States ran into a buzz saw of opposition to its plan to store more radioactive waste at its nuclear power plant on Prairie Island, about 50 miles southeast of Minneapolis on the Mississippi River...

"At Prairie Island, storage space was running out and Northern States sought permission in 1990 to build new facilities. The loudest objections came from the Mdewakanton Sioux Indians, who have a 600-acre reservation adjoining the plant.

"'Our main concern is that this will become permanent storage and this small group of Indians will be forced to live with it for generations,' said William J. Hardacker, a lawyer for the tribe...

"After an administrative law judge ruled that Minnesota law prohibited the storage of more waste at Prairie Island, it was now Department of Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary who helped craft a behind-the-scenes compromise to avoid shutting down the reactors, according to Sanda, the public service commissioner.

"As a result, Northern States received the OK from regulators in June to store 287 tons of additional radioactive waste on the island."

In the first week of November it was learned that Northern States Power Co had begun construction of the radioactive waste dump near the Mdewakanton Dakota Reservation on Prairie Island next to the Wisconsin border. Contact: The Prairie Island Coalition Against Nuclear Storage P O Box 174, Lake Elmo, MN 55042 Wisconsin State Group 715/792-2890 Diane Rother. Coalition Hotline: 920-5943.

==> 930324-084551x <== From: star1.boku.ac.at!h440t4 (Schwarzbauer Peter) Date: Mon, 22 Mar 93 16:22:49 MET Subject: Austrian TV interested in BC indigenous groups

Subject: Austrian TV tries to locate traditional Group in BC - A request

Background

In connection with the International Year on the Indigenous People of the World the national Austrian TV obviously also wants to con- tribute in one way or another. I was approached by a prominent Austrian TV-journalist, responsible for foreign affairs. What he wants is the following:

In order to demonstrate what could be lost if socalled "development" goes on in Canada, the Austrian TV wants to make a longer documentary on an indigenous group in BC, which still more or less maintains a subsistence way of life. One thing, which should come out from this documentary is to demonstrate that sub- sistence economy in terms of survival is not of purely economic nature, but a cultural question as well.

The person involved is not at all looking for Indians like the way white people would like to see them or which are living in way of the past century. He is looking for a group still living from the land, the water etc. (at least to a substantial degree), maybe si- milar to the situation of the Lubicon Cree 15 years ago.

Request:

I am not very familiar with indigenous groups in BC, so I would like to make that call in the Native-Net in order to find out, whether anyone can name such groups (if possible with adress, na- mes telephone-numbers, and fax-numbers). I will of course also write to Indian associations in BC and to the AFN and use other more informal avenues to find that information as well. But please, if someone has a good idea, send it to the following adress:

E-Mail: h440t4@mail.boku.ac.at

Mail: Peter Schwarzbauer, Weissgasse 9-13/2/1, A-1170 Vienna, Austria, Europe

phone: +43 (1) 45-33-51 (private), +43(1) 47-654/ext. 315 (office) Fax: +43(1) 310-51-75

Thanks a lot Peter Schwarzbauer

==> 930324-124504x <== From: <MEMSTVX1.bitnet!ADOBECKA> Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1993 11:00 CST Subject: Native Americans of the South

I am a graduate student at Memphis State University. I am searching for sources on the agenda of the Native Americans in the south. I am interested in what issues they see and feel are important for them to address, to spend their time and money on. Why are these issues important to them? What obstacles do they face in addressing them? Are the issues, political, economic, educational, etc.?

Any help would be appreciated.

Please respond to the address below.

Angela Dobecka

ADOBECKA@MEMSTVX1.MEMST.EDU ADOBECKA@MEMSTVX1.BITNET

==> 930324-164504x <== From: Jim Maupin <vma.smsu.edu!JRM748F> Date: Wed, 24 Mar 93 15:12:38 CST Subject: Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act To: nn.general@gnosys.svle.ma.us

Dear Subscribers:

I am working on a research project focusing on the Euroamerican social construction(s) of American Indians and the "Indian Problem" implicit in the formulation and ongoing implementation of the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act and its recently amended variation on the theme of self-governance. I would be most grateful for assistance in locating the following information:

1. the "official" legislative history of the committee hearings and debates that occurred during the formulation stage,

2. names of congressional personnel, congress people and staffers, who participated in those hearings and debates,

3. names of groups and individuals providing testimony at committee hearings,

4. information regarding contract proposals rejected by the BIA,

5. information regarding contract proposals accepted by the BIA,

6. information regarding contract proposals accepted by the BIA, but subsequently terminated.

7. information regarding the kinds of records within the BIA that might be available for analysis, and

8. any other information that you consider to be important or potentially useful.

Any assistance you are able to provide will be graciously appreciated.

Thanks!

Jim Maupin Political Science Department Southwest Missouri State University 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65804-0094 (417) 836-6955 (417)836-5630 JRM748F@SMSVMA

==> 930324-174504x <== From: Jim Maupin <SMSVMA.bitnet!JRM748F> Date: Wed, 24 Mar 93 15:38:16 CST

Dear Subscribers:

I am working on a research project focusing on the Euroamerican social construction(s) of American Indians and the "Indian Problem" implicit in the formulation and ongoing implementation of the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act and its recently amended variation on the theme of self-governance. I would be most grateful for assistance in locating the following information:

1. the "official" legislative history of the committee hearings and debates that occurred during the formulation stage,

2. names of congressional personnel, congress people and staffers, who participated in those hearings and debates,

3. names of groups and individuals providing testimony at committee hearings,

4. information regarding contract proposals rejected by the BIA,

5. information regarding contract proposals accepted by the BIA,

6. information regarding contract proposals accepted by the BIA, but subsequently terminated.

7. information regarding the kinds of records within the BIA that might be available for analysis, and

8. any other information that you consider to be important or potentially useful.

Any assistance you are able to provide will be graciously appreciated.

Thanks!

Jim Maupin Political Science Department Southwest Missouri State University 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65804-0094 (417) 836-6955 (417)836-5630 JRM748F@SMSVMA

==> 930325n034044x <== From: foesydney@peg.pegasus.oz.au Date: 24 Mar 93 19:51 PST Newsgroups: ran.ragforum Subject: Sydney Action - Sarawak Message-ID: <270200080@peg.pegasus.oz.au>

MEDIA RELEASE

24th March 1993

Trees at Tourist Commission

Venue: The Malaysian Tourist Commission 12.00 noon Wednesday 24th 1993

Australian and Malaysian international relations underwent further strain today when visitors entering the Malaysian tourist bureau were greeted by rainforest demonstrators dressed as trees. Members of the Network of Overseas Students Collective (NOSCA) and the Sydney Rainforest Action Group (SRAG) stated they were protesting human rights abuses against Malaysia's tribes people.

Spokesperson Alex Ryan said,

"We are responding to a call for help from the Dayak natives of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Australians planning to spend money in Malaysia should be aware that they could be financing the destruction of an indigenous people in this, the UN's year of indigenous peoples"

Ryan linked the Malaysian government's involvement with uncontrolled rainforest logging in the Dayak homelands. She said,

"Since 1987, 600 Dayaks have been arrested by a tainted government promoting indiscriminate logging. Malaysia had shown sensitivity in its relations with Australia in the past, but it can not expect the Australian public to display a great respect for a Malaysian administration when that administration promotes this destruction."

Ryan said that todays action was one of many similar events occurring overseas. She said,

"Well known rainforest activist and writer Bruno Manser is conducting a 23 day fast in Basel Switzerland. Bruno lived with the Dayaks for six years and is seen as an international spokesperson for them"

For further info contact

Alex Ryan 02 212-1132 SRAG 02 360-5640 after hours

==> 930325n041432x <== From: Lee.Rhiannon@f203.n612.z90.pegasus.oz.au Date: 25 Mar 93 12:28 PST Subject: SARAWAK BLOCKADE UPDATE Newsgroups: rainfor.general Message-ID: <3503.2BB26174@pegfido.pegasus.oz> Sender: Notesfile to Usenet Gateway <notes@igc.apc.org>

THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY MALAYSIAN ACTIVISTS WHO RECENTLY VISITED THE AREA OF THE BLOCKADES.

SARAWAK BLOCKADE UPDATE

On 23.02. 1993, there are about 1,000 Penans (including children and women) blockading against Samling Timber Company in the upper Selaan River area, Upper Baram which is near the former famous Long Ajeng blockade. This is the third time they have erected blockade on their ancestral land, the last remaining virgin forest for their survival. While manning the blockade on 24.02.'93, the company sent their agents and one Police man to check whether the blockade was on. Due to large number of the

Penans manning the blocakade, the Police and company agents went back to the base camp.

On 25.02.1993, four soldiers were brought by the Company to the site. They saw the Penans still manned the blockade. Then on 27.02.'93, the company brought in 17 soldiers, Police and argents and again they saw the Penans manned the blockade. On 28.02.'93, there were 20 soldiers, Police Officers and agents came to the blockade site. Without any warning, they dismantled the blockade but after 30 minutes, the Penans rebuilt the wooden blockade. On 1.03.'93, fifty soldiers and Police came to the site and threatened the Penans by pointed guns at them. The following day (2.03.'93) eight soldiers came and told them that if they didn't dismantle the blockade, one thousand soldiers will be coming tomorrow. The Penans told them they were ready to die for the sake of their land.

The Police are now trying to arrest four of the leaders who earlier escaped. So far, there was no Penans arrested until now. There are 21 Penans longhouses involved in this protest against logging intrusion into their ancestral land. The Penans are determined to continue their struggle to achieve their goal. Their problem is they are going to face shortage of food soon. Despite the harrassments by the soldiers, Police Officers, Forest Officers and company agents, the blockade is still manned by the Penans until today.

Since the blockade started last year in November until March this year, the mass media never published the events. A Japanese Student from Yokohama witnessed the events from 10.02. to 10.03. '93. According to him, the Soldiers were using binoculars focusing at both sides of the logging road to see whether they are foreigners watching the blockade or taking photographs.

Last year 24th November, they had erected blockade at the same place which lasted for a week. On 31.11.'92, the company brought in 10 trucks of soldiers, Police, Forest Officers and agents at the blockade site and dismantle the wooden blockade without due respect for negotiation.

2. The Berawan tribe staged a human barricade on their NCR land to stop the construction of Interbational hotel and building a road leading to the Famous caves at Mulu National Park last year. The Berawan people are demanding the authority to recognise and protect their NCR land. These demands were made before the Mulu was declared as National Park in 1980. Until to day the authority makes no attempt to give due recognition to their right over the land. The Berawan people people is suing the State government for trepassing and interferring with their customary right on the said land.

The Berawan people are planning to formulate actions against this company in order to slow down the work and and to create public attention. According to one of the leaders there are 2,000 acres of their ancestral land taken by the National Park.

3.On the 1st. november, 92 , forty one Iban tribe four longhouse in Balingian near Sibu, sarwak were detained and remanded 14 days because they defending their ancestral land from further damaging by the company. The area is about 3, 000 acres of forest which provides jungle produce and food resources for the community.

In fact on several occasions, the people have been trying to get the company to meet their demands such as compensation on land already and to provide social services to the communities affected by logging. While their case is still pending for hearing, the people continue to defend their the last area of their forest land. Now the company is temporarily stop entering the area to log timber.

4. Early March this year, one Kenyah age 28 from Long Geng was detained and remanded for a week on charge of criminal intimidation. He was with a group of people who chased away the company surveyors from entering their ancestral land. He is now waiting for his case for hearing.

Long Live The Indigenous People Year '93 is yours To Act.

BACKGROUND

Sarawak is the biggest State in Malaysia situated on the Northwestern part of the Island of Borneo. In the South and Southeast is bordered by Kalimantan and to the Northeast, the State Brunei and Sabah. Sarawak is separated from West Malaysia by a 650 Km wide stretch of South China Sea. Geograhically it is 124,449 sq. Km. or 38% of the total land area of the Country. The population is approximately 1.7 million in 1990. There are more than three-quarters of the population (82%) live in the rural areas. Th Dayak people has 37 ethnic groups, with the majority living in the rural areas.

The Dayak people still practice shifting cultivation and carry out hunting-garthering activities in the forests and fishing in the rivers for their basic food and other essential needs. Although most of them they have planted cash crops such as rubber, pepper, cocoa and coffee to supplement their economic needs but quite often the price is fluctuating in the markets.

Sarawak is one of the richest States in Malaysia for its mineral wealth such as Oil, Gas, Coal and timber. However, the major Industries are controlled by a few. While the oil, the major wealth of Sarawak, 5% of the revenue goes to Sarawak, the rest goes to Shell and the Federal government. Generally , Sarawak's wealth are only in the hand of few elites and politicians while the rest of the population especially the Dayak remains poor and marginalised. Sarawak is still backward compared to West Malaysia.

For three decades since the annexation of Sarawak to Malaysia, the Dayak NCR land rigths are no match to "Modern Land Law". Thousands of native land have been declared as State land, National Parks, reserved forests and for the purpose of "Modern Development Projects". These include large plantation schemes, hydro-electric power dam, commercial logging and other projects which economically and culturaly dislocated the Dayak people. These development, particularly the indiscriminate logging activities have also deprived them of their livelihood and at the same time destroy their environment.

The majority of the Dayak people do not know their rights, thus they are cowed into submission. They are made to believe that to question the government policy and authority is an act of anti-government and is subject to arrest under ISA or Emergency Act detain indefinitely without trial. These draconian laws restrict the people activities and always ready to be used at the discretion of the government to supress people's actions against unjust policies.

---
 * Origin: Lee (90:612/203)
--