From: Phin08@aol.com
Dear Friends,
Despite his claims of "straight talk" and finance
reform, John McCain is
using his influence and position in Washington to push through
legislation
that benefits his donors. This is especially apparent in the
situation in
Big Mountain where he sponsored public law 104-301 in 1996 (the
Accommodation
Agreement) that forced the Dineh (Navajo) people to sign leases
that deny
them property and civil rights or be forcibly relocated from their
homes onto
uranium contaminated land by Feb. 1, 2000. The reason these people
are being
relocated is that they live on coal rich land - our dear Senator
McCain has
received donations from power companies (Salt River Project &
others still to
be confirmed) that get their coal from the land on which the Dineh
live
through Peabody Coal! Coincidence?
HOWEVER - despite these actions, Nightline ran a program about
McCain on
Friday, January 14 that was nothing short of a campaign advertisement.
Please write, call and email Nightline and ask them why they didn't
address
McCain's donation influenced legislation - especially as it relates
to
kicking elderly Native Americans off of their land for the interest
of coal!!
address: Nightline • 1717 Desale St. • Washington DC
20036
fax: 202-222-7680
email: Tom Betag (producer) c/o <A HREF="Kate.G.Krauss@abc.com">Kate.G.Krauss@
abc.com</A>
For more information about Big Mountain and the struggles of
the Dineh
(Navajo), please see <A HREF="http://www.solcommunications.com/">Big
Mountain<
/A>
I am also working on a letter writing campaign to McCain -
for copies of
example letters and addresses, please email me at Phin08@aol.com
In solidarity,
Erica Hamilton
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LISTED BELOW:
- Nightline show synopsis
- McCain letter to Reno & BIA
- Vic Phelps 10/99 letter to McCain (McCain has not responded)
Straight Talk Express
On the Campaign Trail With John McCain
ABCNEWS.com
Friday, Jan. 14, 2000, 4:15 p.m. ET
His campaign bus is called Straight Talk Express, and that
is exactly what
Republican presidential candidate John McCain is doing. For the
past three
days, Arizona Sen. McCain has been rambling across the state of
New Hampshire
promoting his goals for the country in a direct, no-nonsense approach
that’s
working. With barely three weeks left before the New Hampshire
primary,
McCain is leading Republican opponent Texas Gov. George W. Bush
in the polls.
Thursday afternoon, delegates and state senators packed the New
Hampshire
capitol to hear him speak.
Although McCain does not have the campaign funds or massive
organization
of Bush, he does have the ears of the press corps. McCain has
granted the
media access to cover his campaign, and it is a ‘win-win
situation’ for all
parties involved. They need the stories; he needs the exposure,
and the
people want a better understanding of his agenda.
What makes McCain tick? And why have people been favoring
him over Bush?
On tonight’s Nightline, Ted Koppel talks with McCain on the
campaign trail
about his run for the presidential nomination.
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April 22, 1999
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
Constitution Avenue & 10th Street, N.W.
Washington. D.C. 20530
The Honorable Bruce Babbitt
Secretary
U.S. Department of Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240
Dear Attorney General Reno and Secretary Babbitt
I write to urge the Departments of Justice and Interior to proceed
carefully
in the coming months to settle the relocation of remaining Navajo
families in
a timely and orderly process. My paramount concern is to ensure
the
safety and well-being of these Navajo families and the fair resolution
to
outstanding issues following the enactment of the Settlement Agreement
for
the Navajo and Hopi people. I understand that the Office of Navajo
and Hopi
Indian Relocation sent 90-day notices on January 25, 1999 to the
remaining
Navajo families who
have not signed the Accommodation Agreement. The end of this 90-day
period is
quickly approaching and I have not received any further notice
that the
remaining families have agreed to sign onto the Settlement Agreement
or
applied for relocation benefits. I ask that you submit in writing
to me the
actions that the Department of Justice will take in the coming
months to
ensure compliance with P.L. 104 301.
Please keep my office apprised of further actions. Thank you for
your
immediate attention to this matter.
Sincerely
John McCain
United States Senator
cc: Christopher Bavasi, Executive Director, Office of Navajo
and Hopi Indian
Relocation
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U S. Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building October 1, 1999
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator McCain:
It was my privilege to be present at your September 16th book
signing in
Century City, Los Angeles, where you were kind enough to autograph
a copy of
your book for the grandmothers of the Sovereign Dineh Nation.
Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Victor Phelps
and I am a
volunteer with Sol Communications. Sol is a nonprofit organization
who for
the last three years has been providing humanitarian aid to the
traditional
Dineh residing at Black Mesa and at their request educating the
American
public in regard to their condition.
As a result of the Bennett Freeze and S1973 their ability to
sustain
themselves with food, clothing, and shelter has been severely
reduced. Their
livestock has been confiscated because they do not have permits
and cannot
obtain them unless they sign the Settlement Agreement, in essence
sign or
starve. As recently as three days ago half of Rina Babbits' sheep
were
"confiscated" as she is one of the more outspoken grandmothers
and as
retaliation for our September 18th food drop. It is illegal for
them to pick
up firewood off the ground, sign or freeze. It is illegal to make
repairs to
their homes Grandfather Grey Eyes was cited for building an outhouse
and
having a tent in his front yard, sign or live in the open without
even a
place to relieve yourself.
Senator McCain, in your April 22, 1999 letter to Attorney General
Janet Reno
and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior you stated, "
I write to
urge the Department of Justice and Interior to proceed carefully
in the coming
months to settle the relocation of the remaining Navajo families
in a timely
and orderly process. My paramount concern is to ensure the safety
and well
being of these Navajo families and the fair resolution to outstanding
issues
following the enactment of the Settlement Agreement for the Navajo
and the
Hopi people." You close this letter; " I ask that you
submit in writing to me
the actions that the Department of Justice will take in the coming
months to
ensure compliance with P.L. 104 301." Correct me if I am
wrong, but that
appears to be in direct contradiction to the statements you made
on two
occasions in Century City on September 16, 1999 where you stated
you "opposed
relocation." Are you aware of the fact that since it's inception
thousands of
Navajo have died as a direct result of their relocation?
Senator, I have grave concerns that a forcible relocation on
February 1st
2000 will not result in a peaceful conclusion. To the Dineh relocation
is
tantamount to death and there is every indication that out of
desperation
they may take action and these people will come to further harm.
I would ask
that you please meet with the Dineh Elders and hear their concerns
yourself.
This would do much to help diffuse a volatile situation that has
the
potential to rival Wounded Knee 1973.
Permit me to explain. The $25 million authorized by S1973 to
obtain Navajo
signatures has led to the horrific abuses of not only threats
of jail and
intimidation to the people, but physical abuse of tribal elders.
There is an
atmosphere of fear, anger, and outrage by both the Dineh and the
traditional
Hopi. As recently as July 16, 1999, law enforcement officers with
weapons
entered sacred grounds and attempted to prevent a religious ceremony
that has
been taking place at Black Mesa for sixteen years. By these peoples'
religious beliefs, Black Mesa is a holy place, the equivalent
of Jerusalem to
Christians and Jews. They believe it is the home of the earths'
liver and
that they must protect it or the earth will die. They have endured
the
desecration of strip mining, but a forced relocation will result
in only one
end. Many of the 3000 residents at Big Mountain are committed
to die there if
necessary. Of that 3000 more than 300 are over the age of 70 and
feel they
have nothing further to lose, gunfights have already broken out
among the
children on the reservation over this issue.
You may be being told that what is occurring up there is the
work of outside
agitators. It is not. We and other groups from all of the world
are there at
the request of the non-English speaking indigenous people who
have asked for
advocates to make their voices heard, because it appears to them
that no one
is listening. These people do not have telephones or even electricity
or
running water, most do not speak English. There is literally no
avenue for
them to communicate. Are you aware that when they sign leases,
Navajo
families also give up their right to participate in the government
that rules
them? Surely this is not something that you support.
In the past year there has been significant print and televised
media
coverage of what is occurring at Black Mesa and there will be
more to come.
Support for the Dineh is not only national, it is global and the
world is
watching. It is hard to believe that your sources have not brought
this to
your attention. The United Nations having investigated Human Rights
violations and religious intolerance at Black Mesa has recommended
that the
parties involved meet for mediation. In reviewing some of the
past
legislation you have sponsored regarding Native Americans it appears
you have
done a number of things that have resulted in positive outcomes
for Native
Americans, however S1973 and the Bennett Freeze are not one of
them.
Some feel that this is an issue you inherited, and were not
aware of the far
reaching consequences or the potential for abuse. As U.S. Senator
for the
state of Arizona, you are now the only one in the position to
correct it and
prevent a potential catastrophe. You stated in you April 22, 1999
letter that
your "paramount concern is to ensure the safety and well
being of these
Navajo families". Please come to Black Mesa and meet with
the Dineh Elders
and see and hear for yourself what their experience has been and
what they
have to tell you. Please seriously consider declaring a moratorium
on the
February 1, 2000 date and the Bennett Freeze and allow these issues
to be
resolved in the courts. If you would consider meeting with the
Dineh Elders I
can be reached by mail at the Sol Communications address on page
1 or by
telephone at (310) 837-0155.
Senator, particularly with your bid for the Republican Presidential
nomination I know that you are an extremely busy man and I want
to thank you
for taking the time to read this letter. As you make this bid
for the
Presidency please consider the world's view of a man who took
the time to
hear the plight of Native American Elders and single handedly
prevented what
surely would have been their total annihilation.
Sincerely
Victor Phelps
*there has been no response from McCain