Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

October 6, 2009

Masayesva: Attorney crosses the line

Hopi Nation general counsel to tribe crosses line
by Vernon Masayesva

Scott Canty has crossed the ethical line when he call his clients, the Hopi people, who are saving water and preventing destructions of archaeological and burial sites within Peabody leaseholds, "shills" for outside conservationist groups ("Hopis say conservationists unwelcome on tribal land," Sept. 29).
All Hopi people, including members of the council who have pride in calling themselves Hopi, are conservationists and environmentalists. We have a covenant with Ma'sau to help steward the land.
Canty is the general counsel to the Hopi Tribe and should not be labeling H.O.P.I., Black Mesa Trust, Hopi farmers, traditional leaders, religious leaders and hundreds of individuals supporting Black Mesa Trust as decoys for outside organizations.
Canty seems to think we are incapable of thinking and making decisions on our own.
He has now insulted every Hopi and should be considered persona non grata. The Hopi Tribal Council should not be paying Canty over $100,000 plus generous benefits to insult us.
The unusual drought we are experiencing is caused by the way we are misbehaving. Our leaders no longer practice what Hopi means.
We are wasting water. We are allowing our coal to be burned and turned into toxic waste. This is a major cause of global warming that is causing drought and beginning to turn the world upside down, as our ancestors prophesized, if we abuse the land. -
Vernon Masayesva,
Kykotsmovi

Read more ...
A Dirty New Low for Peabody Coal
By BRENDA NORRELL
CounterPunch
http://www.counterpunch.org/


Former chairmen of the Hopi Nation have revealed that the Hopi Tribal Council has been taken over by a pro-Peabody Coal faction. Further, Hopi reveal that the tribe's attorney and the media are being used to carry out Peabody Coal's agenda.
Peabody Coal used the same tactic originally to seize Black Mesa for coal mining and bring about Navajo relocation for coal mining, by way of attorney John Boyden, who worked for Peabody and the Hopi Tribe. The media was also coopted in the original seizure of Black Mesa by Peabody Coal, with the media cheerleading and proclaiming the so-called Navajo Hopi land dispute.Read article:
http://www.counterpunch.org/norrell10052009.html

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

I cannot believe this stuff. These stories are so amazingly saturated with the undertones of diversionary, political facts that seem so self-intentional by 'environmental' groups to refresh their stagnant avenues of legalities. Puppet tribal governments are of course designed to facilitate "pro" rape of mother earth and exterminate ancient indigenous thought. If it so bad, join the traditional Hopi and Dineh elders at Big Mtn. and at the Independent Hotevilla Pueblo. What is happening now, the U.S. imperialistic oppression, is nothing new, come on. -Kat of Big Mtn.