| We were demonstrating
in Stockholm yesterday, we met Bahe it was a lovely experience. I think we were almost 40
people, not that much of press..."sensetive operation"! Well we had a great
time, there were drumming and dancing and chanting with Bahe. There was lists of 3000
names delivered to the American Embassy. I hope that they will send this lists to USA. I
also hope that all the other countries will do their best to get eyes wide open, let the
poeple know what´s really going on.
Keep up the good spirit as I use to say.
" Mitakoye Oyasin"
Sincerely,
*Josefine, Sundance Sweden
Josefine Lindvall, Carina Gustafsson, Camilla Johansson, and others,
along with Sundance of Sweden, are Swedish advocates of Native American civil,
constitutional, and human rights and have played important and, in this case, leading
roles in advocating Native American rights and raising public awareness of violations of
those rights.
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| Greetings
Supporters,
This is Bahe, the long-lost name from the internet. I'm alive and well here
in Sweden, and preparing to return back to the States. This letter is just
to update everyone who is interested in the outcome of my visit here for the
U.S. Embassy Demostration in an effort to put more pressure upon the Federal
government to start addressing to the international community about the
issues of forcible relocation on Black Mesa. Also, this was an attempt by
the wishes of supporters and people in resistance for getting some media
attention that the U.S. has successfully suppressed in the last several
years....
Embassy Protest: Stockholm, October 1, 1999
In the midst of the bussling City Square of Stockholm, nearly 75 supporters
gathered for the march. I began with an introduction about the purpose for
gathering, there. Many passerbys stopped to hear what was being said about
the treatment of the Indigenous nations in America. "People in Sweden,
perhaps, see Indians as having the beautiful cultures and that, 'John Wayne'
still fights them. You, Swedish people, probably think that the United
States is a great country that saves people from war and starvations.
Perhaps, it is understood in this country that the U.S. enforces Human
Rights throughout the world. The true about what the U.S. government does is
that they are destroying all Indigenous cultures and now, they have set a
deadline for my people to give-up their ancestral lands by February 2000.
The U.S. still considers the Indians as "sub-humans" and that is why Human
Rights does not apply to the Indigenous nations in the Americas."
Additional speeches in Swedish got more attention from the hundreds of
people rushing by to and from the subways. Then the walk towards the Embassy
began at 1300 hrs. The Stockholm Police escorted the march out of the Square
and followed by two Swedish boys who are learning and studying the
Traditional-style Dancing of the Plains Tribe. The two Swedish boys dressed
in their full dancing regalia danced for about five city blocks as I sung
Northern Traditional Honor Songs, including the AIM Song. City inhabitants
paused to read the large banners that indicated the injustices perpetrated
by the U.S. These spectators seemed more amazed at the dancers, and the
sounds of the nearly 10 handheld drums and guords. The rest of the walk
continued with the dancers just walking as we all walked to the beat of, Nym
Mem Myo Ho Ren Gey Kyo. The 3.5 km walk took about 45 minutes from the
Central City Square to the Diplomatic Housing District.
I thought of the elders while I looked at the spotted-eagle feathers on one
of the Dancer's headdress roach. Though these dancers might be Swedish, I
felt that if the Elders were here marching they would have really
appreciated it and would have felt honored. His feathers on his roach was
our 'Human/Indigenous Nation' flag, and it was our Staff for doing this
march. When I noticed the aggressor's red, white and blue flag the Stockholm
Police stopped the march within one block of the U.S. Embassy gate. There we
stood in silence to remember those who have died because of relocation and
coal mining. We remembered that every step was for each elder resisting, for
the members of their extended families, grandchildren, and for those future
generation that might grow up without an identity. We remember the great
Chiefs and Spiritual leaders of the Indigenous nations who have died at the
hands of the U.S. Agency Police and Soldiers.
Two representatives from the Swedish Black Mesa Dineh/Hopi Supporters then
walk with a Police escort to the gate of the Embassy to deliver their
message. Outside the gate there was a handshake greetings with two Embassy
personnel and a brief dialogue as the packet of petitions and personal
letters were handed-over to the Americans. According to the two Swedish
support representatives, the American personnel stated no knowledge of the
situation in Arizona, but they will inform their Commander in Chief and the
BIA about this action taken upon their Embassy. Also, the American personnel
were informed of further actions as long as the U.S. neglects the issues and
fails to give answer to the International communities.
Then, the Traditional Dancers have wanted to conclude this action with a
dance to honor the Dineh Elders of the 'HPL' for their resistance. They
kneeled down into a Sneak Up Dance stance as they shook their bells, and
though to my surprise, I quickly began a Sneak Up Song for them. As the
dancers swung their eagle clawed staffs towards the Embassy, I thought to
myself, "Wow, a Sneak Up Dance before the Gates of Hell, the U.S.
Corporate-Capitalistic Embassy." After the walk was concluded, some of the
Swedish supporters noticed how this Embassy was different from all other
adjacent Embassys. "It just looks like a large bunker." The U.S. Embassy
covered nearly nine city blocks with all kinds of communications antennas
covering its roof top. Stockholm Police helicopter circled over us as we
rolled up the banners and began walking pass the Embassy to a nearby coffee
shop. This seemed to have surprised the ground and helicopter police because
we were continuing on pass and around the Embassy. The helicopter kept its
survelliance for another 45 minutes as we sat outside the coffee shop.
This action walk was primarily spearheaded by the Swedish Indian Association
that began in 1968, and in conjunction with the advisement from the Sa'pmi
(Saami) Nations. Much efforts was made to get media involvement, but to no
avail no one from any media outlet showed up for the demostration. It became
a mystery as to why the media refuse to cover this action. My experience was
that the U.S. has not only great economic power but political power, as
well. I've concluded that the U.S. Embassy, though they indicated being
unaware of the issues in northern Arizona, they had been busy with their own
PR campaign to intervene with any news coverage. This tells us that in order
for the international communities to fully show their alliance with the
Indigenous struggles of the Americas, the Parlimentary Representatives need
to acknowledge why their fears lie with the threat to their countries'
economic and political dependency on the U.S. Supporters abroad and in the
'States' must also break away from their dependency and trust for the
illusion of Democracy. There is four more months left, and we all have to
choose if we are going to allow this complete anniliation to the ancient
Dineh-Hopi coexistence to occur....
I have to also returned to the realities of struggle and support work. Just seeing the
spirit of the international supporters who have gathered at various U.S. Embassys around
the world, we began to seek better ways of strategies and how to provide support DIRECTLY
to the elders in resistance. This will continue to be part of our Global Dialogue as
February 2000 approaches much closer. It is lifting to hear further commitments by
supporters, internationally, that they will continue to keep vigils and pressures to the
"tips of the tentacles of the Empire of the industrialized monsters," the U.S.
Embassys.
The U.S. government and Peabody Western Coal Company have to make better justifications as
to why the cost must be human lives and a unique
bicultural existence in order to establish mining privileges through "Indian
land titles."
Thank you for all the vigils and protests. Special thanks to the organizers,
speakers, singers, dancers, participants, and those who sponsored the travel
endeavors. Lets keep the spirit going for a Global Conscience for Human
Rights and Balance. The BIA Agency at Keams Canyon will certain hear from
Embassys from abroad and from the major cities even though media coverage
wasn't there at the vigil events.
In the Spirit of Chief Barboncito, Bahe
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