MNNS, Kahnawake M.T April 2,1998, 4:00 EDT Said a reliable source, "The
First Nations International Court of Justice is a good idea, but it is only
as good as the credibility of the people involved".
What this person meant is that one of the issues before the Court is
unlawful seizure of resources and property through the imposition of laws,
unauthorized collection of taxes and other charges and levies from First
Nations and First Nations citizens. This court of justice is providing a
plaform for the very person, Oren Lyons of the Onondaga Nation of New York
State, who is doing this to his own people. Presently, New York State is
putting in place a regime to collect taxes from Indian-owned businesses
located on Indian territories, in violation of the sovereignty and economic
rights of these nations. In July 1996 New York State Governor Pataki will be
enforcing this regime and did not rule out the deployment of the National
Guard if the state found itself embroiled in a physical fight with the
Iroquois. This threat forced Oren Lyons to cut a deal with Pataki without
any consultation with the nations.
Other sources close to the issue, said that in a February 25th article
in the Syracuse Post Standard, Doug George, a Mohawk colleague of Oren
Lyons, said "the plan is individual businesses would obtain operating
licenses from their respective nations who would in turn collect royalties
to underrvrite various social services and administrative functions of the
Iroquois governments. A percentage of the nation's incomes would be given to
the Grand Council to finance confederate activities. No off-reservation
wholesaler would be allowed to bring products into Indian land without a
permit from the Haudenosaunsee Commission. The penalties and regulations
would be enforced by each Iroquois Council with New York State providing
policing assistance as deemed necessary by the Confederacy. In return for
assurances by New York that it would refrain from interfering in Iroquois
commerce, the Confederacy would set in place a parity formula." George went
on, "New York State Governor Pataki's tax collection plans will not work
unless the Iroquois Confederacy is in a position of administrative, fiscal
and policing control."
The Iroquois Confederacy he is referring to is a few hand-picked men
from across the Confederacy who are well-known oppressors of their own
people and have continually violated their human rights. Perhaps these men
should be prosecuted at the International Court of Justice. A
The First Nations Business League, made up of Iroquois and other Indian
Nations within New York State, vehemently oppose such an agreement because
if there is parity the Indians will go out of business and destroy their
economy. Informed sources say that Oren Lyons, Irving Powless, along with
representatives from the Six Nations, not necessarily chiefs, but
traditional people, met with Governor Pataki and Judith Hart on March 15th.
At that time, the New York State government indicated they would like
authority to regulate liquor sales in Mohawk territories. They set up a
meeting for April 11th to sign the agreement on the taxation compact. The
First Nations Business League states that, 'It is up to us the present
living generation to ensure that no present government official or officials
of any band council, tribal council, nation council or Confederacy Council
or any other person or persons claiming to be an official give any foreign
government the authority to tax us. To do so would invite extreme shame upon
our generation by all unborn generations to come".
Continued the source, "The Iroquois people want everyone to know that this
person, Oren Lyons, is not credible, not supported by the Iroquois people in
general. If we are talking about justice and law, he is the most unlawful
and unjust person that could be amongst his own people. He has already been
identified by the Mohawk Nation that he is treasonous. He has continuously
violated the human rights of the citizens of the Onondaga Nation many of
whom have had to leave their territory and formed a new one to get away from
his oppressive tactics." Contact the First Nations Business League
716/549-0090 Fax 549-0099; Write letters ofprotest to Governor Pataki and
get involved in the rally in Albany on April 30th.
David Goyette Co-director
First Nations Resource Network, Inc/Red Sticks Press
sfuwki@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us