Big Mountain, AZ—Supporters for the traditional Dineh resisting forced relocation have reported that BIA Hopi Agency Law Enforcement Rangers have been monitoring the resistance area intensely. On Sunday, October 31st, an elder woman was forced not to collect vegetation for ceremonial use. These supporters reported that it was unusual to see law enforcement personnel very active on a weekend. It is assumed that this is a campaign to stop "unpermitted wood cutting" in the areas but it goes further than that by keeping up the pressure of harassments and intimidations to remind the Dineh resisters to: "Give up. They lost the battle to keep their lands!"

The supporters monitored the area to see why there was an active surveillance and perhaps an impoundment of animals might be taking place. A BIA-Hopi Ranger vehicle was suspiciously driving very slowly on a back road as it spotted a fresh tire tracks leading into the woods. Moments before, a group of small children were noticed playing in a ravine and the supporters remembered the stories about wood cutters being confronted or charged. So, they waited just a short time when they saw the Ranger truck approaching a local resident's truck in the woods.

The little children had already summoned the grandma about the approaching police. The grandma tried to explain that she was just collecting a few sticks of willows but the Officer insisted that she was taking vegetation from "Hopi Land." The Officer then asked if she knew the supporters who were witnessing this encounter from a distance. The supporters were not able to get the complete exchanges between the Officer and the elder woman. It is presumed that the elder lady was fearful of being charged and decided to leave the area while her little grandchildren had also witnessed what just transpired.

[Addition to this Report] It is still suggested that support can still be generated by continuing to make calls to the BIA-Hopi Agencies, its courts, and to the US Department of Justice. They need to know that the world is watching this violation of Human Rights unfolding in the name of Peabody coal expansions. Demands should be made noting that the control over wood cutting endangers families to health risks by having cold homes. Also, 99 percent of the Black Mesa communities rely on wood to warm their homes. There are no gas lines or gas delivery service out there, or that there are no alternative means provided to the area residents to warm their homes. Nearly, 85 percent of the Black Mesa areas' full-time residents are elders over the age of 70 and most are traditional. This still constitutes as an act of genocide according to the Geneva Conventions on International Human Rights Policies.

Furthermore, demands should also be directed to the Navajo Nation and the BIA-Hopi Agency to provide alternatives like notifying residents about acquiring permits to cut wood or use other natural resources, and/or deliver permit-forms to these traditional elders to fill out. The 'Gestapo' tactic of the BIA and its tribal agencies needs to stop and it is only putting many traditional indigenous elders at a health risk.

[End Note] This report was delivered today by some supporters who were in the Big Mountain area visiting friends and delivery some food. Finally, this message is being forwarded via Unpopular Activist Page.

-Bahe

Bahe Y. Katenay

Dzil'ni't'saa de' Dineh (Dineh from Great Mountain)

Professional Sheep Herder, Dineh Pre/Historical Researcher, Cultural and Western Science Interpreter, and Deep Rooted Grassroot Activist.

REPLY TO: iindon49@hotmail.com & CC: byk@dana.ucc.nau.edu