Tribal membership denied due process
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Editor,
My fellow tribal members, The People’s Voice, Inc. Media Team has clearly advised you of the infractions made by the Tribal Secretary (in not counting all signatures on the referendum petition) and the review by ORM/Enrollment in finding 263 questionable signatures in the July 17 issue of the Valley Journal. I provided you with the erroneous information given to Council by their legal department in the July 31 issue.
Our tribal membership has been denied “due process of the law.” This means that the council stated in their June 20, 2013 letter to Sharon Rosenbaum that “the Council will not be taking any further action on the petition, and considers this matter closed.” Council did not allow us the due process of replying to the supposedly 263 infractions found in ORM/Enrollment, and the erroneous advice by their legal department in calling our petition an “initiative” instead of a “referendum.” Due process is the legal way to allow our response to the Council’s ultimate, negative findings.
The council et al has clearly violated the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, 1302, (a). This states, in part, that no Indian tribe exercising powers of self-government shall: 1. Make or enforce any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition for a redress of grievances. What does this mean? Redress: The setting right of what is wrong; relief from wrong; compensation for wrong; to set right, remedy; compensate. Grievances: A wrong considered as grounds for a complaint; complaint against an unjust act.
For eligible voters that kindly signed our petition, and feel strongly that the Salazar funds belong to us, the survivors of our ancestors who were wronged by BIA over monetary and trust responsibilities over 100 years ago, do not give up on us yet. We have a strategy that will soon become known to everyone. Believe me, justice will prevail. We strongly appreciate your support and the many calls received by so many of our members that you were still behind us. Lem lemts pe shey.
Geraldine A. Roullier
St. Ignatius
