An Article on Senate Bill 1003, the Relocation Legislation, Bahe Y. Katenay of Big Mountain

U.S. Senate Bill S.1003 may become an amendment to the 1974 Federal Law, so-called,
“Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act.” This new bill calls for relocation of all Dineh
residents of, mostly, the Big Mountain and Black Mesa areas by September 2008. It
also calls for: the federal commission responsible for pre/post-relocation to close
its program, and the BIA of the U.S. Department of the Interior to start
management-control of all tribal royalities earned from the Black Mesa coal mines.

The federal relocation commission sets forth its “official” number of 130 Dineh to
be relocated before 2008, but this figure is incorrect according to Dineh
residents of Big Mountain. More numbers of extended family members still claim Big
Mountain area as their homeland, and hundreds more have been displaced without any
compensation from this federal relocation agency. The “unofficial” numbers used by
resisters from Big Mountain, Black Mesa and Star Mountain is over 300 individuals
currently resisting. However, the colonialist, occupier’s relocation commission
decides who is a resident, and the “inferior” Indian still does not know who s/he
is.

This Bill has now entered the U.S. Senate Chambers for debate, however, Senator
John McCain of Arizona is urging that the Bill be made into law immediately and he
wants it labeled as a “non-controversial item.” Many of you have followed this
issue at Big Mountain and you must also realize again that the U.S. southwest
energy companies are secretly behind this Bill again. Instead Peabody coal company
and western energy companies continue to parade themselves as powerful lobbyist
for this new anti-Indian legislation.

The Hopi (progressive) tribal council are again more than willing to be used as
the anti-Navajo bait for Peabody Coal. The U.S. government with its claim of being
the human-rights-God of the world has yet to prove the alleged “century old Navajo
and Hopi land dispute.”

The Dineh of Big Mountain and those resisting this modern-day genocide are aware
of the threatening times and the uncertain future for Earth’s children. We will
only listen to the old ones whom have carried on the ancient wisdom and have
today, informed us of the prophecies. Shoshone, Hopi and Big Mountain Elders have
all shared the same prophecy even though they don’t have electricity or watch the
news of mass media. The animal kingdom are feeling the effects of the uncertain
future and they are crying out aloud. As a people, Dineh, we call out on behalf of
our relations, too. “We are sick of ‘relocation’ while our natural-ancestral
habitats are polluted!”

We will continue to fight to defend our homelands and hopeful, our endurance and
defiance will continue into the next couple of years. For now, I hope that
everyone will continue to pray and as the traditional Hopi elder stated, “we now
need to decide about our relationship to Mother Earth.”

Also, if you have not, send your comments to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on
Indian Affaris, go to www.supportblackmesa.org and submit your letter to your official
representative. Visit this website for any further updates.

Thank you for your time and continued support.

In the Spirit of Chief Barboncito,

Bahe