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May 1999

Ya'a'tee

1999 has been a busy year so far.

On January 25th, 90-day eviction notices were given to the 5 last resisting homesites. Though many people signed the so-called Accomodation Agreement, many were coerced, and others had a member of their family sign for them, so there are many more people resisting than these five. However, these 5 are under immediate threat of physical removal.

In the eviction notice it was stated that after the 90 day period their names will be passed on to the the Hopi Tribe, the Arizona Attorny General, and the U.S Justice department "for further action".

                An ex chairman of the Hopi Tribe has publicly stated that evictions will take place.

                The new Navajo President has said no evictions will take place.

                The U.S. Governement isn't saying anything.

                The 90 days have passed.

The U.S. Government is funding the Navajo-Hopi Relocation Commission till February 1st, 2000, and has stated that the "final solution" will take place before then.

In the meantime the Hopi-B.I.A. have spent the last couple of months running around "counting" the peoples livestock. The people were asked to have their animals in the corrals on specific days to be counted. Sometimes the BIA turned up, sometimes they didn't. Sometimes they turned up without notice. In the letters that were sent out the people were told that if they had any animals over their permitted number ( a ridiculously low number that bears no relationship to the carrying capacity of the land, but is gauged to be well below the number people need to survive) they would be impounded on the spot. A few animals have been taken and then returned. The whole effect of the operation is to keep the people worried and stressed that their animals may be taken at any time. The cost of this whole operation is enormous, especially considering the number of cops they bring with them. One supporter was arrested for politely asking why they needed to be doing this. The whole thing is absurd in the first place as the BIA always know how many animals the people have as their "monitors" are constantly photographing the flocks.

Pauline Whitesinger has just received an official livestock impoundment notice for her cattle and horses.

In the past, whenever the authorities are "cracking down" on the people here there is a marked increase in low-altitude military aircraft flyovers. This spring is no exception. Early in the year a U.S. Army spotter plane (it was dark green with ARMY in huge white letters on its sides.) flew just above the tree tops and took a zig-zag course directly over the homesites. "out there" you may be more used to this kind of invasion of your space, but here its effect is to frighten these people. More threatening, later in the spring, 2 huge U.S.A.F C140's ( the type they push tanks and paratroopers out the back of) flew a low altitude pass in view of most of the resisters homesites.

The Navajo Nation has started erecting houses for the families that signed the Accomodation Agreement. For some reason the Relocation Commission tried to block it, but were ruled against.  The Commissions raison-d'etre is to get ALL the people of this land obviously.

A few months ago the Hopi Tribal Chairman made a big splash in the local papers, invoking Tribal sovereignty to demand that the 2 power plants that are fed by Black Mesa coal be allowed to stay operating even though they are breaking Federal EPA laws (they are polluting Big Time). His logic was that basically his wages were being paid by the sale of the coal.

Last month the owners of the power plants gave a huge "Bonus royalty" to the tribe.

Could these two facts be connected?

The last possibility of legal redress for these people, the "Manybeads suit" will soon come to a conclusion. For years it has bounced back and forth in the legal system. Some believe that the physical evictions won't happen till the case is concluded.

At this moment a delegation of resisters is in Geneva, Switzerland testifying before a variety of International and Global organisations. The number of International statutes and conventions (as well as U.S. Federal laws) that are being broken here is staggering. It seems that International Law only means something to America when it complies with its own aims,

Back in the real world, it was an unusually warm and dry winter and spring. Very pleasant weather to herd sheep in, but worrisome as the spring dries up, no grass was growing for the flock, and without snowmelt there would be nothing to grow the corn in. However we recently had a couple of snowstorms, and though its still way below normal, the spring has recharged, grass has grown.

The Mesa is bursting with life,.... flowers are appearing, .... there's lots of birds around.

The sheep are being sheared.

The cornfields are being prepared.

Rugs are being woven.

Ceremonies are being held.

The largest Coal strip mine in the U.S. continues to expand.

The coal slurry line continues to suck 3 million gallons of pristine, ancient aquifer water per day.

"Those who resist find peace"

Your prayers, support, and correspondence are invited.

For all my Relations

Bo Peep.