MEDIA ALERT!!!
A PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 22 - 1997
TIME: 2 P.M.
PLACE: TONAWANDA SENECA TERRITORY, 383 Bloomingdale Road, Basom NY
CONTACT: Denise ph./fax. 716/298-8671
We wish to inform the world of the actions being taken by the Women ofthe Confederacy.
As a result of Governor Pataki's recent imposition of New York Statejurisdiction upon SOVERIGN HAUDENOSAUNEE TERRITORIES, our people nowface an economic crisis. New York State has imposed an illegal economicembargo on our territories. Fuel, tobacco, staples of the economy, andeven heating fuel cannot be sold to Indians unless a totally absurdagreement is signed by them. This agreement is likened to what theearly colonizer coerced our ancestors to sign. We now know it was forthe sole purpose of theft of our lands and resources. Times have notchanged. History is repeating itself. This time round it will be thetotal demise and destruction of our people. THE WOMEN OF THECONFEDERACY were not informed nor did they participate in any of thenegotiations that took place, nor was there any sanction by the womenfor this interim agreement. This action by a few, perhaps four men, isin total violation of the Iroquois Confederacy Constitution. Theagreement is therefore ILLEGAL and must be deemed NULL AND VOID. Asprogenitors of future generations of Haudenosaunee Nations, we mustimplement Haudenosaunee Law on the land. Women carry the responsibilityof supervising domestic, as well as, foreign policies. It is we whobring the children inot this world and we must protect their futures.
Background: See letter to Bill Clinton dated Feb. 3, 1997.
February 3, 1997
Ranatakiias Bill Clinton
President of the United States
White House
Washington, DC 20350
Brother:
Greetings from the women of the Haudenosaunee. Haudenosaunee means the"People of the Longhouse" or in your language, Iroquois people. We arecomprised of Six Nations, Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga andTuscarora. As women of the Haudenosaunee we have been entrusted withthe responsibility of the survival of our people. Any issues dealingwith our way of life and anything concerning our children and futuregenerations rests with us.
The women of the Haudenosaunee have been meeting to discuss issuesconcerning the imposition of taxation by New York State on ourterritories. We write to you today to request that you instruct theUnited States Congress and the Secretary of the U.S. Department ofInterior to abide by the Treaties and agreements that have been madebetween our Nations and to address these concerns.
The women of the Haudenosaunee are instructing you of the procedures andlaws that we abide by. The Haudenosaunee are governed by theKaianerekowa, the Great Law of Peace. Our forefathers, yours and ours,devised the Two Row Wampum and the treaties between the United Statesgovernment and the Haudenosaunee. The United States Federal Governmentand New York State have violated and ignored many of the treaties andobligations that were made with our ancestors. Always remember that ourforefathers did not offer to come and make these treaties and wampumswith you; your forefathers came and made them with us because theyrecognized the power and authority of the Haudenosuanee here in NorthAmerica.
The United Sates Federal Government and New York State Government havespecifically violated Wampum #93 and Wampum #95 of the Great Law ofPeace, which reads as follows:
"Wampum #93...The ReferendumNew York State has imposed a gag order on these secret negotiations,negotiations which have been taking place behind locked doors. Theyhave tried to force agreements for the taxation without the knowledge ofthe Haudenosaunee. Some of our People were escorted out of a meetingsite on December 18 and 19, 1996, in Syracuse, New York. These meetingswere attended by a U.S. federal mediator. According to our way of life,the leaders of the Haudenosaunee carry the word of the People to anynegotiations. The People meet in Clans, they are informed of the issueat hand by the Clan Mother and the selected representatives of eachClan. The Haudenosaunee way would be to have many meetings to informthe People of the issues to be decided, never to impose a gag order. The People would then empower their leaders with specific instructionsto safeguard the Haudenosaunee and the Great Law of Peace.
The People decide on the Most Important Matters: Whenever an especially important matter or a great emergency ispresented before our League Council and the nature of the matter affectsthe entire body of Five Nations, threatening their utter ruin, then theChiefs of the League must submit the matter to the decision of theirPeople and the decision of the People shall affect the decision of theLeague Council. This decision shall be a confirmation of the voice ofthe People.""Wampum #95...
The Council Fires of The Women of Every Clan have the Same Rights as TheCouncils of the Men: The Women of every Clan of the Five Nations shall have a Council Fireever burning in readiness for a Council of the Clan. When in theiropinion it seems necessary for the interest of the People, they shallhold a Council, and their decision and recommendation shall beintroduced before the Council of Chiefs of the War Chief for itsconsideration."
You have also violated the Two Row Wampum which, in its essence, speaksof our People living on our land together and agreeing not to interferein each others ways, laws and customs. That "interference" is exactlywhat is being done now. We will discuss with you and your delegatesthese violations and other issues at hand.
Many of the People currently recognized by the United StatesGovernment/Bureau of Indian Affairs are those who have alienatedthemselves from the Haudenosaunee way of life and not sanctioned by theWomen's Council and the People of the Haudenosaunee. If the UnitedStates federal government and New York State negotiate with any of thesepeople, without the consent of the Women's Council and the People of theHaudenosaunee, the negotiations will be invalid, illegal and will beopposed to any length necessary. These People have lost their way andcannot speak for all the Haudenosaunee.
Haudenosaunee People are non-taxable People. It is our People who willguide you to proper channels to resolve problems between our twoparties; the United States of America and the Haudenosaunee.
We are informing you that your Supreme Court decisions do not apply toour People. The Two Row Wampum Agreement provides that this cannot be; we must discuss the interpretation of our agreements.
We are prepared to meet with you and your people to try to peacefullyresolve some of the violations and the issues at hand. We expect animmediate response because of the urgency of this issue. We areproviding you with a list of our People to contact.
Skennengowa,
Women's Council of the Haudenosaunee
signed - Giennohgohs
Mariann May Smith Doctor
signed - Shirley Snyder
cc: Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Governor George Pataki, Josephy Heath, Esq.
SUNDAY APRIL 20TH AT NOON
WE HAVE A GREAT VOICE IN NUMBERS
WELCOMING NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE TOGETHER AS NEIGHBORS WE CAN SHOW OUR SUPPORT
NO VIOLENCE, ALCOHOL OR DRUGS
THIS IS A PEACFUL DEMONSTRATION
BRING YOUR SIGNS BANNERS, SHIRTS TO SHOW SUPPORT OF THE GROSS INJUSTICETAKING PLACE ON NATIVE TERRITORIES TODAY!
WHERE: THRUWAY 90 EXIT 58, TO ROUTE 5 AND 20
IRVING NY, CATTARAGUS BRIDGE
PLENTY OF PARKING AVAILABLE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 1-800-439-6899 OR 1-800-336-4220
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 15:30:33
From: Mohawk Nation Office - Kahnawake Branch
To: SISIS
Subject: Iroquois Anti-Tax Summit
SENECA NATION OF INDIANS PRESS RELEASE
IROQUOIS ANTI-TAX SUMMIT
"PROTECT INDIAN SOVEREIGNTY"
Sponsored by the SENECA NATION
Saturday April 26, 1997
9 a.m. (sharp) - 4:30 p.m.
Lunch will be provided
CATTARAGUS INDIAN RESERVATION FIREHALL, ROUTE 438
An invitation to all leaders and members of the New York State Tribes tounite and oppose the intrusion of NYS jurisdiction and taxation on NYSReservations. Guest speakers and honorable legislators will be inattendance. At 5 p.m. there will be a PEACEFUL RALLY.
For further information contact the Public Relations Office
SENECA NATION OF INDIANS
(716) 532-4900