taken that you had to read or write English to vote. This disqualified most of the Native inhabitants from voting for or against statehood and left only federal placements: government workers, military personnel and colonists, and very few other non-natives to vote. This violated the sacred trust, but still left the question of Jurisdiction in limbo. Public Law 280 was supposed to have conferred simultaneous jurisdiction. It was then amended by Public Law 284 in 1968 for mandatory consent of Tribes, and also lay down strict rules how to get that consent which was never followed. If the State did not amend their constitution, retrocession of Jurisdiction would give back anything conferred by PL 280 to the Tribes. Neither has been done. In 1970 the State of Alaska amended the law to read or write English as a prerequisite to voting. Lo and behold, in 1971 just a year after, the Native Land Claims Act was passed, which was also a violation of the sacred trust of self-determination, also without the Tribal consent necessary. Not only was the Act very lengthy and hard to read, but court battles are still being fought over what it said. It said that it's for the Native people. people it is to help are now poorer than before. Federal Government knew they had to come up with a solution in 1978, when the Central Intelligence Agency report showed a Sovereignty Problem in Alaska. The The The United States again confirmed that Natives have another course of action than Statehood when it passed the Compact of Free Association in 1986 with the Marshall Islands. Hawaii and Alaska are mentioned in this Compact also because of the trust territory relationship in Title 72 of Treaty with the United Nations. Although the Compact of Free Association is as complicated as the Land Claims Act, it recognizes that Alaska's original inhabitants still have rights that have been violated; and just compensation has not been taken into account. Presidents like Reagan and Bush have been giving speeches on self-government. The state has abused the trust responsibility. The Federal Government has abused their trust responsibility. The Genocide Treaty has been signed and made into law. All the abuses which your committee has in their records, believe it or not, proof or not, these Human Rights violations and others will not go unnoticed in the world's eyes. The information is out and headlines you see on Sovereignty will continue until the United States and the State of Alaska change this revolting situation. There are already Villages ready for a more dignified government to government relationship to make the rhetoric and lip service into a reality. May 26, 1939 Select Committee US Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dimede First Responders General Delivery Little Diomede, Alaska 99762 Dear Select Committee I was not able to get to go to Anchorage for the hearing that would be held Saturday as Mike Owens said that I should go to. Therefore, I am sending a letter for you to use on the hearings. I hope that all this will be taken seriously and in get detail. This funding is badly needed for Alaska for our region. I am the driving force behind the First Responders here in Diomede and I am the one who started it out here since we are mostly on our own here and we have to wait for someone to come from Nome for Medivacs. Early this last fall, I have submitted a letter to all governments about our medivac system for Diomede since it is a hard place to get to and cost alot to come here. In an critical emergency, we have to wait for someone to come from Nome, weather permitting, to pick up the patient(s). That is why I have asked the State Dept. to help us set up a medivac system with the Russians here. They can be here in a few minutes rather than few hours from Nome. And in return, we can help them out in medical emergencies. This is what I have beeen working on for so long. One patient had to wait 12 hours before he got to Nome from here, he was critical. Now what I am writing to you all about is that if we can get the EMS System funding for 1989 and in the future years, we can make a difference in saving lives and getting the proper medical transportation that they need. When we had Mike Owens come out here to hold classes, it costs us over 600.00 to have him come out here. He stayed for a total of 3 to 4 weeks. This year he cannot come out here yet because of lack of funds. He has told me when he went to Savoonga, it cost him and EMS over 500.00 to go there having first aid classes at the school. Other villages have tried to get him to go to their villages to have classes, but, funding is not available. Not only that, if other villages have formed a first responder medical team like we did, they will need medical equipment also. The point is-are we going to let time and money cost someones life if we can save it? As far as the villages go, maybe they can get three or four educated in first aid or ETT level to help the health aids, maybe we can make a difference in saving lives. All the equipment that we have here for the first responders is what I have bought with my own money out of my own pocket,I have set aside things and clothes that I could use to buy this equipment that can save a life. Even we use that up quick. So, in order for EMS to help others- they need the funding to do so. It is crucial that they can get an extra boost this year. So, please concider them for funding of at least $150,000.00 to help others and thier exspenses. Sincerely, Clyde Piscoya DVFD Member Ass't Fire Chief Diomede First responder 1 Thank you for this opportunity to express our comments and some of the concerns and problems affecting particularly the Native people of Alaska. As you well know, the problems of economic and social survival lay paramount directly in the laps of the Natives themselves. The sad history of external efforts at solving Native problems is best laid to fading memory. Ultimately, the most effective way to contribute to the most significant part of the solution to native problems is to have the Natives themselves strive for the solution. Lacking key components such as funding poses another obstacle to overcome, and in this situation we seek your assistance. As you know, the structure to administer BIA funding is of great concern to those of us at the receiving end of the system, and whether or not the system in place is an asset or detriment to Natives overwhelmingly points in a negative direction. The function of Area Office, for instance, may have been state of the art for the horse and buggy and dogteam era, and that this obsolete function has outlived its usefulness. The reason for bringing this up is that in the State of Alaska, for instance, millions of dollars pours into the Juneau office area office, and the administration of this fund is the single largest cost and subtracts also from rural potential to an urban industry. Given the situation as it exists, coupled with the fact of life that we as Native People find it increasingly difficult to maintain our identity and culture, contend that the State of The Honorable Senator Inouye Page 2 May 24, 1989 Alaska and the Federal Government either knowingly or not has increased the pressure to take the concept of assimilation and have begun to force their mandate down our throats. As an example, it is odd that for the most part, the native people composed of the remnants of a hunting culture are regulated out of what they do best, and that this logically potentially rural industry of whom there are no equal as hunters find it extremely difficult to take part in this most truly of rural economic opportunities, mostly due to state regulatory regimes and lack of federal intervention. In light of the increased need to plan for short and long term, we have enclosed a draft outline of a 5 year plan, of which is still in the planning and discussion stage, pending the funding of the project. This outline could potentially serve other IRA's in the state as a guide to effective management for those who choose to use it. Included, also, is the Juneau Area Office budget for FY 89-90, of which you can make your own conclusions. As far as the 5 year plan is concerned, it is painfully obvious that a strategy is needed not only to provide services with stability, but also to provide reasonable services to the native people themselves by themselves. This reflects our interpretation of Indian Self Determination. Without the key components the entire program cannot work. Hopefully, this appeal to you will serve notice of our perception of the problem, along with our perception of the answer. Thank you for your consideration. We remain respectfully yours, Рабы Pete Schaeffer, Chairman Cheryl Edenshaw Cheryl Edenshaw, Vice-Chairman Helen Bolen, Secretary |