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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 31, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Timbisha Shoshone tribal leaders won a small victory this week in a battle to preserve their sovereign government. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) called off a scheduled Nov. 4, 2013, Secretarial Election to vote on a new constitution for the Tribe. The proposed constitution would revoke the existing Constitution adopted by...

One of the largest tribes in the United States recently asked me how to get involved at the United Nations. Like many tribes, they are interested in taking their place in the World community and working to protect indigenous rights in this country and globally. Their question was: How do we get started? Here are some concrete steps: Pass a...

A massive wind farm project, partially funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is under investigation by the IDB’s Panel of Investigators for negatively impacting seven indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Center is providing legal assistance to the communities to ensure that there is an independent investigation of the project and that their concerns are properly addressed by the...

On October 9, the Center hosted a panel discussion to highlight Indigenous Peoples’ land rights and the impacts of development activities financed by the World Bank. The event, “Indigenous Peoples’ Lands and Development: World Bank Interventions and Lessons Learned”, was held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC. The panel brought together development and indigenous rights experts to identify...

2013, Issue 3 5 Steps to Help Tribes Engage with the United Nations President's Message Robert T. Coulter One of the largest tribes in the United States recently asked me how to get involved at the United Nations. This is an important question because Indian nations must be involved in UN activities to protect our rights and interests as nations...

Center staff were on hand today at the release of the Indian Law and Order Commission’s final report “A Roadmap for Making Native America Safer: Report to the President and Congress of the United States.” The Report makes 40 substantive recommendations to improve criminal justice systems serving Native American and Alaska Native communities. One of the Commissioners stated that locally...

Native love means respect for everything in Gwich’in language and tradition, according to Sarah James, a member of the board of directors of Gwich’in Council International, and a resident of Arctic Village, Alaska. “Love to us means sharing, giving, forgiving and teaching in a good way,” Sarah explains. “To have love, you have to work for it . ....

By Gale Courey Toensing 11/20/13 The Bureau of Indian Affairs in California has cancelled a vote on a proposed new Constitution for the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe that tribal leaders say would violate the existing Constitution and pave the way for individuals who are not eligible for tribal membership to vote, hold office and effectively take over the tribe. In the...

If one considers the worst that can happen to a Native woman, Evaline Smith might be Exhibit A. But despite years of abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, losing her children to “the system,” and incarceration, she has turned her life around and is reaching out to help others.” Now in her 14th year of sobriety, she is re-establishing relationships with...