Selling out their tribal members for an additional $450 per month! Add San Pascual to the list of tribes that should be avoided.
In a move that sadly and despicably follow the digusting lead of the Pechanga Band, the San Pascual Tribe has OUSTED 17% of their tribal members, cutting off monthly per capita payments of $4,000.
Curiously, James Fletcher, BIA Superintendent in S. Cal and Pechanga Member, had this to say:
Because the bureau hasn't had a chance to rule on this latest move, the tribe can't cut off monthly checks, fire people or kick them out of their houses while asserting that they're not tribal members, Fletcher said.
“They're members until such time as the BIA changes its mind,” he said.
And that won't be easy, because the head of the agency ruled 13 years ago that the ancestor in question was a full-blooded Indian.
“It will take something substantial to change that,” Fletcher said.
Curious, because Fletcher did not stand up when member of his OWN tribe did the same thing to 25% of the tribe. Could it be because he stood to gain financially? The FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ruled that Paulina Hunter was Pechanga when they allotted her 20 acres on the reservation.
The Union Tribune has the full story here
UPDATE: Equally Curious, this made Pechanga.nets's QUOTE of the Day:
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"You grow up with that identity and then all of a sudden, when they say, 'No, you're not a part of us,' boy, that's harsh," Gamboa said."
Exactly what Rocha's cousin did to 25% of Pechanga Tribal Members.
Did the BIA ever rule that we weren't Pechanga?
ReplyDeleteAll we were told is that the BIA couldn't get involved in a tribe's internal affairs, especially regarding membership.
We never got anything from the BIA as we only got the Record of Decision from the Pechanga tribe itself, that said, wrongly I believe, that we aren't Pechanga.
Does that mean that since the BIA didn't rule on our case, that we shouldn't have been cut off of our per capita?
San Paqual's adopted members where true indians per quote from the BIA, SO therefore the tribe cannot kick them out. Quoted by James Fletcher a Pechanga Tribal Member and the head of the regional BIA. HE WILL DECIDE THEIR FATE AFTER HE INVESTIGATES. O.K. he didn't investigate the criminal actions by the Pechanga Tribal Council or by the Enrollment Committee, when they decided to RECLASSIFY the Hunter's and the Apish families AS NON PECHANGA and why did'nt he? Could it be that there was a chance to increase his pocketbook? Mr.Fletcher you should investigate your own Tribe. The Non- bloods and Adopted are calling the shots and running the show in your Tribe, why are they still in charge, why have they not been investigated. I would very much like to see their family tree. CAN YOU PLEASE POSTED ON THIS BLOG FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. We can show you our heritage, can they do the same? I doubt it, in fact i know they cant.
ReplyDeleteApparently San Pasqual has an agreement with the BIA regarding membership, according to the article, which I wasn't able to access through the posted link here.
ReplyDeleteThis link to the article should work:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080628-9999-1n28pasqual.html
Still, Fletcher's reaction is odd considering his own tribe has kicked out 25 percent of the tribe in the last four years and other California tribe have disenrolled 3000 and counting since gaming came to California reservations.
The BIA should either refuse to recognize unlawfull dis-enrollments done by any tribe or refuse to recognize the tribe that commits the unlawful dis-enrollment. As far as judgement about rightful citizenship, the BIA already has the criteria for determination. Much of the criteria is mandatory for the recognition of the tribe. If the tribe reneges on it then their recognition should be re-evaluated.
ReplyDeleteAllen
I think that any tribe that refuses to comply with the ICRA should immediately be put on notice that they will lose their recognition as a tribe and lose their sovereignty. The BIA's selective enforcement's need to be investigated by Congress.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome for the fact that I made the San Pasqual quote the Quote of the Day. Again, this disproves the assertions of you and your supporters that PECHANGA.net censors the news. Better luck next time proving your false charge.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Rob for putting another tribe's terminations of members on the Quote of the Day. It's interesting how hard you are now working to over-compensate for your censoring of the Pechanga disenrollments when they happened.
ReplyDeleteRemember, the assertion was that you didn't publish all the news from the PECHANGA disenrollments and we proved that right away AND gave you a quote from Victor admitting that he does it. So, the charge was valid, and the evidence presented to support that fact.
Now, we are happy to see that you are getting the word out about what is happening at San Pacual. We hope when the indictments come down, you will have a QUOTE of the Day from the Feds.