BIA ADMITS ECONOMIC WARFARE
Last week, Kevin Gover and Paul Alexander, attorneys for the
Navajo Nation met with attorneys from the U.S. Department of
Interior Solicitor's Office in Washington. They were informed, on
the record, that the current livestock impoundment is INTENDED as
a means of pressuring the Dine' families living on Hopi-partitioned
Lands into signing the 75-year lease proposed by the Hopi Tribe as
a settlement and accommodation to them.
This is astounding. When the impoundments began in earnest,
at the end of October 1993, President Zah wrote Assistant Secretary
of Interior Ada Deer of his concerns that "government threats and
coercion will not help achieve the fair and permanent resolution
that is our objective."
It took until Dec. 27 for Secretary Deer to reply. In her
letter, obviously written by an attorney, she states "This is not
a change in Bureau policy concerning the grazing of livestock on
the HPL, rather it is a continuation of existing established
policy." She goes on to say that the six- to ten-fold increase in
impoundment fees is not directed at the Dine' families
specifically. "A similar policy for assessing livestock
impoundment fees is followed throughout Indian country by the
Bureau."
The letter was obviously written by an attorney, and reads
like a brief from an adversary, not a communication from a national
leader who has a trust responsibility for Native people, including
the Dine'. Secretary Deer may not even have bothered to read it;
it is signed by Carol A. Bacon.
The best thing you can say about the Secretary's letter is
that it is misleading and misstates the facts. It is apparent that
the U.S. has intended all along to use coercion to get the Dine'
families to come to terms. This is the sort of tactic you use
against a hated enemy, not a citizen of your country. It shows, I
think that the U.S. has been acting in bad faith all along. If the
goal had been to negotiate a just and consensual settlement, why is
it necessary to bring so much force to bear against the party in
the negotiations which has already lost the most?
New Hopi Chairman Calls for Removal of Navajos
At their Wednesday inauguration, Hopi Chairman Ferrell
Secakuku and Vice-Chairman Wayne Taylor promised to complete the
removal of the Dine' within their four-year terms. They also
stated their intent to obtain Colorado River water for Hopi by
building a 250-million dollar pipeline across the western Navajo
Reservation. This is not a surprise, as both candidates have taken
this line throughout their campaigns. Unless something changes
their minds, this means that the Hopi Tribe will kill the mediation
on March 26, they day they must tell Judge McCue whether they will
reconvene their negotiating team.
Sitting on the podium, grinning all the time, was Secretary of
Interior Bruce Babbitt. Navajo Vice President Marshall Plummer,
Roman Bitsuie and Patterson Joe, plus a couple of Plummer's staff,
left the inauguration as soon as the Hopi leaders had done
speaking. It doesn't look good for Navajo-Hopi cooperation on any
front. The Hopi Tribe is campaigning for the Lake Powell pipeline,
but they seem to think they can both evict the Dine' and get water
from their relatives. It's like Hitler asking for favors from the
state of Israel. Good luck, guys.
Mae Tso's Ultimatum
Friday, Betty Tso brought in letters for Roman, Patterson Joe
and President Zah. She wrote that she had acted in good faith,
and against her inclinations when she allowed her hogan to be taken
down. It is now almost 3 years since this was done, and the Navajo
Nation never provided the alternate housing which the President
agreed to do. In the letter she gave the Navajo Nation until April
1, 1994 to fulfill its part of the agreement, after which she and
her sons would rebuild the hogan.
As it happens, the papers have been ready since last summer
but the Division of Finance has always come up with an excuse not
to process them. Last time, they said they wanted a Navajo-Hopi
Land Commission resolution approving the purchase. So we put one
together and the Land Commission tabled it. That was last meeting.
When I told Betty about it she was furious and almost crying, I
could tell over the phone. She said her family would get together
and decide what to do.
So Friday, the resolution came back up, everyone read Mae
Tso's letter, then they approved the resolution. That doesn't mean
anything will happen, as those bureaucrats at Finance have a
tendency to throw one objection after another in your way. It's
like a religion with them.
jon norstog