March 10, 1997
NAVAJO NATION NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Annette Brown, Press Officer (520) 871-7919
George Joe (520) 871-7289, Navajo-Hopi Land Commission Office
HOPI TRIBAL COUNCIL VOTES DOWN PLEAS TO EXTEND DEADLINE
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - For the third time in the past month, the Hopi
Tribe has again denied a request by the Navajo Nation to address
outstanding Navajo-Hopi land dispute issues.
On Feb. 11, Navajo President Albert Hale sent a letter to Hopi Chairman
Ferrell Secakuku requesting for an extension of the Mar. 31 deadline for
HPL Navajo families to sign an Accommodation Agreement with the Hopi
Tribe.
Hale wrote in early February: "I hereby request of you and the Hopi
Tribal Council an extension of the March 31, 1997 deadline for Navajo
HPL residents to sign the Accommodation Agreement. I believe this is
reasonable, given the fact that the original concept was to allow a year
long 'test period' before signing. The concept was lost in the mediation
process."
Today, after learning that the Hopi Tribal Council refused the request
Hale said, "I must ask, how are we to peacefully resolve a long-standing
dispute between our Nations that has consumed millions of our people's
dollars, if the Hopi Tribe continues to deny our pleas? For five years,
grassroots Navajo people from HPL have sat face-to-face with Hopi
government officials to negotiate an agreement to remain on HPL. The
very least that can be done by the Hopi Tribe, to show good faith, is
extend the March 31st deadline."
The Hopi Tribal Council voted 12 to 6 on Monday Mar. 10 to deny the Mar.
31, 1997 extension for Navajo families to sign the Accommodation
Agreement or face eviction proceedings.
On Feb. 14, on the last day of a Fairness hearing in Phoenix, Ariz., U.S.
District Court Judge Earl Carroll asked the Hopi Tribe to consider the
Navajo Nation's request for an extension of the Accommodation Agreement
sign-up for HPL Navajo residents.
Carroll's request was also supported by U.S. Attorney General, Janet
Reno, who also sent a letter to the Hopi Tribe on asking them to grant
a sixty day extension. Lee Phillips, attorney for HPL Navajo families,
also had follow-up his verbal request for an extension to the Hopi Tribe
with a letter on Mar. 6.
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Comments from NativeNet listowner, Gary Trujillo (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us):
One of the purposes of this press release, according to the poster, with
whom I have been in contact via personal e-mail, is to dispel the rumors
that have been circulating that there is a danger of actual evictions
beginning on the first of April. As the text above makes clear, the only
immediate danger is for the initiation of *eviction proceedings,* which
is a legal matter. If such eviction proceedings are begun, we can expect
that there will be court hearings prior to any actual evictions taking place.
In order to avoid circulating unfounded rumors, I have ceased accepting
bulletins from persons and organizations which have in the past posted
bulletins that involve exaggerated claims on this subject and that make
charges against the Hopi tribal government that are unsupported by any
objectively verifiable evidence. I am also attempting to solicit state-
ments on this matter from representatives of the Hopi tribal government
in order that readers can form their opinions based on an understanding
of what is being said on both sides of the matter. I will relay any
such statements from duly elected / appointed representatives of the
Navajo or Hopi people as they become available. Statements from other
parties on this matter are subject to review and may not be relayed if
they are felt to contain unsubstantiated and/or unsubstantiable claims.
The poster of this article identifies himself as speaking on behalf of
Navajo President Albert Hale. He states that the specific purpose of this
press release is to short-circuit untrue claims that there is a threat of
immediate evictions, since the Navajo tribal government offices have been
deluged with calls on this subject.
I regret that this press release has been delayed and I take personal
responsibility for the delay. I felt it necessary to do some checking
before relaying this article in order to avoid further misunderstanding.