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Message to Tribal leaders from Susan Masten, former chair of the Yurok Tribe and chair of the Indian Law Resource Center's Board of Directors. _________________________________________________________________

Dear Tribal Leaders,

                As a former Chairperson of the Yurok Tribe and a former President of the National Congress of American Indians, I am very excited about the upcoming Tribal Nations Conference on November 5th.  There are serious issues in Indian country that need to be addressed- economic development, law enforcement, health care, violence in our communities, and so on- and I am hopeful that the Obama Administration will begin the hard work necessary to resolve these issues.  But first, the Administration needs to commit to respecting and promoting our fundamental rights as Indian nations and individuals, including our treaty rights, right of self-determination, and rights to our lands and resources- something that the United States has refused to do up to now by refusing to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and refusing to participate in negotiations on the draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

                Adoption of the UN Declaration by the United States would be a formal commitment to respect the most basic rights to fairness, equality before the law, respect for treaty commitments, and self-determination for Indian peoples.  Sadly, the struggles that we deal with on a daily basis as tribal leaders will never be fully resolved if the United States continues its failure to acknowledge our fundamental rights.  Without recognition of these rights, any federal programs or funding will merely be temporary measures that keep us dependent upon the federal government.  I hope that each of you will take advantage of the opportunity on November 5th to ask President Obama to support the UN Declaration and commit to the negotiation of a strong American Declaration.                                                           

Sincerely,

Susan Masten
Chairperson, Board of Directors

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Read Robert T. Coulter's Op-Ed
When President Obama meets with Indian and Alaska Native leaders on November 5^th, he should announce that he will embrace the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and work to adopt an American Declaration on the human rights of Native nations. 

	Armstrong Wiggins, director of the Center's Washington, D.C. office and a Miskito Indian, says tribal leaders' meeting with Barack Obama on Nov. 5 should address the U.S. position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which, among many rights, details indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination and protects them from being forcibly removed from their lands.
	gaiashkibos, board member of the Indian Law Resource Center, says tribal leaders should hold the Obama administration to the campaign promises made to Indian communities.
	Susan Masten, chair of the Indian Law Resource Center and member of the Yurok Tribe, says tribal leaders should ask the administration to address the U.S. position on the United Nations Declaration, which the U.S. and Canada have refused to support.
	Jefferson Keel, the newly elected president to the National Congress of American Indians,  says he hopes the November 5th meeting between President Barack Obama and tribal leaders will result in future partnerships.