President Bush -- responsible for the kidnapping and imprisonment of people without trials at foreign secret prisons, massive torture in violation of the Geneva Conventions at Abu-Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, false flag operations to continue the war in Iraq, imprisoning infant and children migrants in Hutto prison in Texas, and far-reaching spying on peace groups and the wiretapping of US citizens -- will host and honor the Dalai Lama for his spiritual wisdom.

New Zealand police raided Maori sovereign, environmental and peace groups and arrested 17 Maori on Oct. 15. Three-hundred riot police raided groups and some Maori were jailed without bail. The mainstream media's coverage is extremely one-sided. Courts have been closed to the media and observers, as police attempt to brand Maori as "terrorists." The government and police action follows the "No" vote of New Zealand to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which guarantees Indigenous Peoples' rights to ancestral lands. New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada voted "No" to the United Nations Declaration, which was adopted. Marois arrested are seeking rights to their ancestral lands. Updates at:
Censored Blog
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

SAN XAVIER, Ariz. -- Indigenous Peoples from the Americas are invited to the Indigenous Peoples' Border Summit of the Americas II, from November 7 - 10.
The San Xavier District of the Tohono O'odham Nation is hosting the border summit, at the San Xavier Community Center, 2018 W. San Xavier Rd, Tohono O'odham Nation.
The summit last year focused on militarization of the borders with Mexico and Canada, Indigenous solidarity and opposition to the border wall along the US/Mexico border.
At the border summit in November 2007, Indigenous Peoples will attend workshops on Indigenous rights, as stated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and workshops concerning the rights of Indigenous women and other border issues.

Professor Julian Kunnie speaks on deconstruction in New Orleans and Iraq, while former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney calls for impeachment and 911 Truth

By Brenda Norrell
October 3, 2007

TUCSON, Ariz. -- "Why are Iraqis still dying?" Africana Studies Director Julian Kunnie asks at the University of Arizona. Wasn't the United States' goal in Iraq to rid the country of Saddam Hussein? So, why is the United States continuing to kill women and children in Iraq?

"Now that Saddam Hussein is dead, why are Iraqis still dying?" Kunnie asks, telling the story of a 13-year-old Iraqi boy who loved soccer. Then, tending sheep, he was killed by a US missile. "Most of his head was torn off."

In his lecture, "The Construction of Destruction: From New Orleans to Iraq," Kunnie asks who has been profiting from the destruction of the floods in New Orleans since the levees broke; who is profiting from the reconstruction taking place after the U.S. bombing of Iraq?

Two hours after Kunnie's lecture, a few blocks down the street in Tucson, former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney calls for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. McKinney calls for the truth of what happened on September 11, 2001.

With trillions spent to maintain the defense of the United States, why was it that the United States' defense system failed four times on September 11, 2001? she asks.

Sipakapa is not for sale, Mayan community turned down corporate mining cash

TUCSON, Ariz. – Gold and silver mining in the Mayan homelands in northern Guatemala, near the border with Chiapas, Mexico, is poisoning the water and explosives are destroying the homes in the rural farming community of Sipakapa, Guatemala.

“While the gold mine is there and operating, there is no solution. The only solution is to stop the mining,” said Mario Tema, Mayan from Sipakapa, during an interview at the Western Mining Action Network Conference in Tucson on Sept. 29.

Goldcorp (formerly Glamis Gold) is mining silver and gold at the open-pit Marlin Mine, between two Mayan communities, Sipakapa and San Miguel Ixtahuacan in the San Marcos highlands.

Speaking through a translator, Tema said, “There is a new mine in Guatemala. It is the first of its kind. It has created many problems in our community, especially social problems.

“The government is supporting the mine politically. It makes our organizing very difficult, because it means people are speaking out not just against the mine, but against the government.”

Andean Indigenous Peoples organize in defense of land, prepare for mobilization on 'Day of Genocide,' October 12

TUCSON, Ariz. – Indigenous Peoples from Peru say that while their country’s leaders have endorsed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the international level, at home the federal government is preparing to forcibly claim Indigenous lands for mining.

Indigenous Peoples are now struggling to protect their territories from a proposed law that would claim the right to appropriate Indigenous territories based on the Peruvian government’s claim that it is a matter of “national interest.”

Speaking out against mining, Quechua leader Miguel Palacin of Lima, Peru, said Andean Peoples from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina have organized to protect Indigenous territories in this region. Palacin is coordinator of the Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indigenas (Andean Federation of Indigenous Organizations.)

“This group is working to protect Indigenous Peoples' rights,” Palacin said, speaking through a translator, at the Western Mining Action Network Conference 2007, held in Tucson on Sept. 28 – 29.

Palacin said the concept of Indigenous territories does not only refer to the lands of Indigenous Peoples, but also to Indigenous' languages, cultures, values and clothing. Indigenous territories include the right to autonomy and self-governance based on Indigenous Peoples’ own legal systems and principles.

American Indians in Venezuela create bonds of solidarity and encourage spiritual values for world governments

By Brenda Norrell

CARACAS, Venezuela – American Indians from the north joined with Indigenous from around the world in Venezuela to unite in the struggle for Indigenous rights and opposition to colonial oppression.

The delegations included members of the International Indian Treaty Council, American Indian Movement and tribal members from the Tohono O’odham and Mohawk Nations in the United States and Canada.

Robert Free Galvan, Native activist from Seattle, said it was a rare opportunity to sit with Indigenous Venezuelan leaders as the country passed a new law recognizing Indigenous languages.

During international gatherings, both formal and informal, the delegations from the north urged their Venezuelan allies to vote “Yes” to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Galvan, who earlier spearheaded the delivery of low cost oil from Venezuela’s CITGO to Indian communities in North America, said the latest American Indian delegation to Venezuela, which follows several delegations, continues the commitment to create strong bonds between Indigenous in the north and south.

“Indians met with the Venezuelan people, government and communities to build awareness, solidarity and strong bonds to help each other with their struggles."

After 25 years of struggle for Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations has passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

However, four countries -- Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand -- voted against it.

While Indigenous Peoples around the world are celebrating this victory, they are also examining what the Declaration means for the future. Especially in Canada, Indigenous Peoples are voicing reactions to the governments who voted against Indigenous rights.

Official comments from Indian leaders, and links to news articles, are posted at:
Censored Blog
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

By Brenda Norrell

The "Project Censored 2007" awards are out and most of what was censored in Indian country was ignored. American Indian readers of the Censored blog say these topics were the most censored during the past year:

--Silencing of traditional and grassroots' voices by those in power
--Nuclear, uranium and coal genocide of Indigenous
--Border deaths and abuse of Indigenous; racism in border news reporting
--American Indian delegations in Venezuela
--Zapatistas' meetings at US/Mexico border
--Leonard Peltier

The silencing of traditional and grassroots' voices by those in power includes tribal leaders and councils who have silenced the voices of spiritual leaders and other people in their communities. Those in power continue censoring these voices in the tribally-owned news media; by court actions; local political oppression and access to tribal services.

Explaining the role of "puppet tribal governments in the United States," Hopi traditional elder Dan Evehema said it best, when he was 104 years old, before his death. Speaking through a translator, Evehema said the elected Hopi government was a "puppet government of the United States."

Evehema said the elected tribal government was never recognized or endorsed by the traditional Hopi elders, who maintained constant support for Navajos at Big Mountain and elsewhere on Black Mesa in Arizona, and the Navajos' right to remain on the coal-rich land that the United States government attempts to forcibly relocate Navajos from.

The Indigenous Border Summit of the Americas will be held at San Xavier District on the Tohono O'odham Nation near Tucson, November 7 -- 10, 2007, Wednesday through Saturday.

Opposition to the militarization of the borders in Indigenous territories, including the US/Mexico border wall and the United States spying on private citizens, is a focus of the summit.

The foundation of the discussion will be the sacred duty to protect Mother Earth.

Indigenous rights of passage, Indigenous deaths in the borderzone and the universal rights of Indigenous Peoples will be discussed.

The United States' new border crossing requirements will be on the agenda, with Indigenous pressing for the recognition of tribal identification cards, as opposed to U.S. passports, for American Indian tribal members.

Land and water rights and human rights in the Americas will be the focus of sessions.

Special invitations are extended to the spiritual leaders, chiefs, tribal leaders and other Indigenous Peoples from Alaska, Canada, Central America and South America.

The first planning session for this year's summit was held on Friday, August 31, with Tohono O'odham from Arizona, O'odham from Mexico, Salt River Pima, Navajo and Hopi/Pueblo tribal members attending.

Tohono O’odham Mike Flores is organizing the summit.

The San Xavier District of the Tohono O'odham Nation passed a resolution on July 10, 2007 to host the summit again this year.
Watch for updates:
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com