Human Rights Law

"Prevent Hate Crimes, Destruction and Desecration On The Schaghticoke Reservation"

By winter rabbit

Prevent Hate Crimes, Destruction and Desecration On The Schaghticoke Reservation in Kent, CT

We, the undersigned, call upon the Connecticut State Governor Jodi Rell to investigate and order an immediate halt to the hate crimes, destruction, desecration of sacred lands and encroachment that started after Federal Recognition and allowed to occur on the Schaghticoke Reservation in Kent, CT from 2004, to date.

Crossposted at Native American Netroots

A man by the name of Michael Rost has been encroaching on Tribal Lands by bulldozing roads, tearing down trees, disturbing burial grounds, and stealing sacred objects off Schaghticoke land,

Russell Means participating in Schaghticoke Tribal Nation rally

"...That the state is allowing the destruction of our reservation by someone who is not even a tribal member is a disgrace. To have the remains of our ancestors and our relations disturbed is unheard of. To allow someone to disturb our artifacts and take them off our land and sold along with our timber and our rocks is unprecedented, and there's no stopping this in sight," Velky said.

and what does the state of Connecticut do about it?

The state claims it cannot act because of a leadership conflict, but Velky said - and state documents confirm - there has been no legitimate challenge to his leadership.

Here's their petition again.

Prevent Hate Crimes, Destruction and Desecration On The Schaghticoke Reservation in Kent, CT

We, the undersigned, call upon the Connecticut State Governor Jodi Rell to investigate and order an immediate halt to the hate crimes, destruction, desecration of sacred lands and encroachment that started after Federal Recognition and allowed to occur on the Schaghticoke Reservation in Kent, CT from 2004, to date.

I've said before, "Sad indeed, is this need to protest for the most basic human rights of "self-determination and land ownership." Sadder, is that Americans overall support protesters there, and ignore what goes on here. But then again, it's always about the land, isn't it?" The only difference is, this time it's Michael Rost and Connecticut; and, it's part of the web of land theft that stretches from Alaska to the Hawaiian coast. Please sign their petition, and I hope that Obama makes the five minutes to sign the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Full post as published by Never In Our Names on January 26, 2009 (boomark / email).