www.senaawest.org
A Division of: SENAA International
RECONFIRMING OUR
COMMITMENT
A Note
from SENAA International |
The
opening statements of SENAA West councilman and
former director Matt Davison, and that of
present-day director Sara Hayes have been
included in this series for a reason
other than redundancy.
In
Matt's case, his words were written in 1999
before the BIA-Peabody planned "final
solution" deadline of February 2000, when
the BIA and BIA-Peabody-owned Hopi Tribal
Council (aka "Hopi Tribe") vowed that
Dine'h still residing within the Bennett Freeze
area would be forcibly removed from their homes
"by any means necessary...." Though
written in 1999, Matt's words are as fitting
today as the day they were written.
When
Matt's work with homeless and incarcerated
Vietnam Veterans became so demanding that he
felt unable to properly perform the duties of
SENAA West, and since his work with Veterans is
his livelihood and passion, Matt wisely chose Sara Hayes to
replace him as director of the SENAA West
Division. Matt is still active in SENAA West,
serving an honored place as Councilman, advisor,
and warrior.
In
Sara's case, her opening statement not only
conveys her dedication and sincerity, it
reflects also the dedication and sincerity of
every member of SENAA International. Her
statement, like Matt's, is one that is as timely
today as it was when it was written. Sara is a
teacher in Southern California, a mother, and is
as dedicated to her child and the children in
her classroom as she is to the causes to which
SENAA International is dedicated.
These
statements and the resources of SENAA
International we now rededicate to the memory of
Roberta Blackgoat and the Dine'h resistance that
inspired them. It has been with Roberta
Blackgoat's guidance and
with no less determination that SENAA
International has entered into this battle
against the Beast In America for the
preservation of all Indigenous American
cultures, life ways, human rights, and spiritual
freedom.
The
battle of the Dine'h resistance is the battle of
every Indigenous American and First Nation. The
outcome will potentially affect everyone within
U.S. borders. For that reason, we cannot allow
the Beast In America and the Destroyer Of the
Indigenous to prevail against the Dineh
resistance.
Al
Swilling, Founder
SENAA International
18 MAY 2004
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SENAA West
is the Western Door of
SENAA International
The philosophy of SENAA West reflects
that of SENAA International,
SENAA Europe,
SENAA
Sweden
and all SENAA Divisions
and Chapters.
For those wishing to monitor a "subversive"
site, you are barking up the wrong tree.
I suggest you type in "Military Industrial
Complex" and hit the search button.
SENAA West is dedicated to those who have
no voice, especially the First People
of this nation, who are still under attack
by the culture of fear and greed.
We are here to support and defend the human
rights of indigenous peoples, such as
the Dine'h of Black Mesa, Arizona. We
are here to help bring an end to the genocide
against these mostly elder women, by agents
of the U.S. government (Bureau of Indian
Affairs), by big mining interests (Peabody
Coal), and by puppet tribal councils (Hopi
Tribal Council). We are here to stop the
confiscation of livestock, the capping
of water wells, the bulldozing of Ceremonial
Hogans, the stressful low flyovers of
military aircraft, the physical abuse
against grandmothers, the bands of heavily
armed goons swarming over these sacred
grounds and terrorizing innocent sheepherders.
We will speak out against the genocide of Dine'h
elders. We will bring and distribute food
to these elders. And with the government's
"final solution" comes in February
of 2000, we will stand with the Dine'h
against "The Beast." We are
not afraid. The Creator stands with us.
Those who believe as we do...as the signers
of the Constitution did, that there must
be justice, freedom and human rights for
ALL Americans, are welcome to stand with
us and with those who are denied these
basic
standards. Last month, SENAA International
held a two-day Prayer Vigil around the
world, on behalf of our Dine'h relatives.
A photo diary of this event is on this
site. We will continue bringing awareness
to an uninformed nation, taking the place
of a muzzled press that lies in bed with
big business. We will pray, demonstrate,
march, witness and tell the story that
the system does not want told. We will
be everywhere at once, on the streets;
on the web; on the land; in front of embassy's;
in Parliament; on alternative media sources;
and in the face of those who look away
from genocide with a nod and a wink.
Those Dine'h who remain upon their ancestral
land, will not be shipped with the others
to Chambers, Arizona, site of the State's
largest nuclear waste spill. They will
not be dragged into that toxic soup to
suffer the disease and illness suffered
by their predecessors. SENAA and its alliances
will see to it. There is much to be done
and not a lot of time to do it in. If
you want to help us in our struggle to
provide justice, freedom and human rights
to the Dine'h elders and other First Americans,
let us know. Pilamaya yelo waste'
Mitakuye Oyasin!
Matt Davison,
Division Director
(retired)
SENAA West
November 1999
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SARA
HAYES' STATEMENT
Over the past several months I have thought about what I could add to the words of my partner, Matt Davison, and found that there is little else which can be. After much consternation, it became exceedingly obvious that not much has changed.
With the passage into the new millennium the problems facing the Dine’h and other indigenous peoples still continue in the guise of progress as the shadow of the Beast continues to hover. The “final solution” threatened by the Hopi Tribal Council did not come to pass as of yet. But their workings continue with such unconscionable actions as the arrest of the Grandmothers at Sun Dance, the total destruction of the sacred Sun Dance grounds at Camp Anna Mae, and the arrest of a youth whose only crime was recording this desecration on film, if that is indeed a crime. So, we continue to stand strong along side them as always. A threat toward them is a threat towards all of us.
The Dine’h have the right to remain on their ancestral lands in Arizona as well as the right to be treated justly as everyone else. The tie to the land is strong. No government or politician has the right to tell anyone what is and what is not their land. For those who do not understand this, let me try to make it a little clearer. The land becomes a part of a person and who that person is, for it courses through the blood. The two are inseparable. Such is the case for the Dine’h.
Now, in 2002, this Web site is a portal to current information related to the Dine’h and other indigenous peoples whose human rights are constantly threatened. It is a site for learning, and it is, as my partner has said so eloquently, a site for those with a like mindset as ours. We are here so that the best-kept secret is no secret anymore.
Walk in beauty!
Sara Hayes
Co-Director, SENAA West
06 January 2002
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