Massive theft of Native land

John Gallagher

USA: The "Western Shoshone Distribution Bill" has passed both 
houses of Congress and is on its way to the Bush administration 
for signature. The bill would authorise a payout to the Western 
Shoshone Indian people of approximately 15 cents an acre for tens 
of millions of acres of disputed lands in Nevada, Idaho, Utah and 
California.

A majority of tribal councils, representing approximately 80 
percent of the population, and the Western Shoshone National 
Council, strongly oppose the measure. The National Congress of 
American Indians, Amnesty International, Oxfam America, and the 
Petra Foundation have also denounced the bill.

At stake are 60 million acres of Western Shoshone land recognised 
by the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. Competing with Western 
Shoshone interests are corporations seeking billions of dollars 
in profits from gold, energy production, nuclear waste storage 
and weapons industries. The land produces two-thirds of the gold 
in the US, making it the third largest gold-producing area in the 
world behind South Africa and Australia.

At a House Resources Committee hearing a year ago, Interior 
Department officials testified that "vast majority" of Western 
Shoshones favour distribution of the money. Democratic 
Representative Tom Udall of New Mexico responded to this 
testimony by requesting "for the record" whatever documentation 
Interior had used as the basis for its testimony.

Ten months later, Interior has still not honoured Udall's 
request. Such stonewalling leads to at least two questions. What 
is the Interior Department hiding? What did it base its testimony 
upon?

This push is being made at the same time that the Yucca Mountain 
Nuclear Waste repository is being pushed along, which would open 
up Shoshone lands to privatisation by multinational mining 
companies and massive geothermal energy development with no 
provision for Western Shoshone interests or concerns.

Additionally, notices of intent to impound livestock have been 
received by Western Shoshone grandmothers Mary and Carrie Dann 
and other Western Shoshone ranchers.

Dehumanised

Carrie Dann said it is domestic terrorism designed to steal the 
dignity of the people. "Economically we were a self-sustaining 
people. With these recent actions stealing our livelihood we are 
now facing economic starvation designed to remove us from our 
lands.

"To me, that is terrorism. Domestic terrorism. This behaviour is 
designed to steal our dignity, our honour, and to make us feel 
that we are less than or lower than human — we are treated like 
animals. We are being dehumanised."

Dann said the distribution bill is an unconstitutional, unjust 
and unwanted payment. "To take this land from us will be to lead 
us into a spiritual death."

Last year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in its 
final report on the case of Dann v US, found that with regard to 
the Western Shoshone, the US is currently in violation of rights 
to property, due process and equality under the law. It is the 
first judicial review of the United States law and policy 
regarding Indigenous peoples within its borders.

Julie Fishel, attorney for the Western Shoshone Defense Project, 
said the United States does not want American Indians to learn 
about the ruling.

In a November 2003 letter sent to Secretary of Interior Gale 
Norton, Congressman Raul Grijalva raised serious concerns about 
the real intent of the Distribution bill and the involvement of 
the federal government and mining, energy and nuclear industries 
in presenting a misleading picture of the issues to the public 
and to members of Congress.

In the letter he raises concerns that the bill may be contrary to 
federal policies with regard to treatment of Native Americans and 
may conflict with the Interior Department's position as trustee 
and its obligation to uphold the laws of the United States.

A copy of the letter and more information on the bill is 
available on the Western Shoshone Defense Project's
website at http://www.wsdp.org

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People's Weekly World