APARTHEID as described by the dictionary is:
a•part•heid
2. any system or practice that separates people according to race, caste, etc.
Pechanga is doing just that, determining that families with historical ties to the origins of the reservation are ‘no longer pure’ in their eyes. They may be Temecula Indian, but “they aren’t Pechanga.” Even though the expert hired BY Pechanga proved that we were
Here is what Pechanga members who have been stripped of their citizenship in the tribe have lost:
Pechanga now has a group living on the reservation that have:
• Lost the right to vote
• Lost their rights to healthcare provided by the government.
• Their children can no longer attend tribal schools
• They can no longer be buried in the reservation cemetery with their relatives.
• Have no access to tribal health center
• Are not protected by the Tribal Rangers. Or in some cases FROM the tribal Rangers
Here is a copy of the letter that was presented to those people living on the reservation who are called "non-members" even though most are living on land that was given to their ancestor when the reservation began, roughly 90 years before council member Russell "Butch" Murphy was adopted into the tribe.
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| Threatening letter by Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro and the Tribal Council including Adopted Member Russell "Butch" Murphy Click on photo to enlarge |
The threat is very clear: Fine of $5,000 and exclusion from their own property. THAT is APARTHEID, pure and simple. The tribe is trying to force residents who own property OFF the reservation. Remember when they tried to Steal allottee’s water rights?
Mark Macarro, have you NO shame
This is absolutely disgusting, I am so sorry for what they have done to you. I cannot fathom the cruelty that one must have in order to put restrictions on their own people. This council is preparing their own destiny of pain and sorrow and it will reflect in their children and their children's children. It is so sad to demean another human being in this way for nothing more than greed, especially when you did no wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you fight in court ? Why just take it ? It seems other disenrolled people are fighting in court ?
ReplyDeleteBe careful they will use any excuse they can to get you off the Rez. Just like Robert Smith of Pala trying to call treason on members to disenroll and banish them from the tribe. These corrupt councils make up any new law they can to suit their needs and hurt the people they want to shut up. When there is this much money and power at stake these chairman will do ANYTHING to hold on to power.
ReplyDeleteThe Pechanga reservation was created and set aside for the Indians of the Temecula Indian village by an executive order signed by President Chestor A Arthur in 1882. Also, the allotments were made to Indians residing on the Pechanga (Temecula) Indians reservation in 1897 and direct descendants of original allottee Paulina Hunter, regardless of their current tribal membership status, have a right to the use of any facilities on said reservation.
ReplyDeleteThe current Pechanga Band have hijacked, taken all for themselves, something that doesn't exclusively belong to them.
In the Record of Decision informing us, the descendants of Paulina Hunter, that we were no longer members of the Pechanga tribe in 2006, ROD made no judgment on our status as Native Americans just, wrongly, we maintain, that we are not Pechanga Indians.
So we still have a legal claim on any of the facilities of our reservation and by saying we cannot go anywhere on the reservation except to and from our homes or our properties, Pechanga is violating the spirit of the law and the law itself of the executive order signed by President Arthur in 1882 and the allotment that was given to us in 1897.
They are threatening to remove access to your homes and allotments also, they are not saying you can go even to your homes or properties. They have stated that use of the roads to and from your homes can be withdrawn at anytime. So I guess if you were at home when this happened, you would become imprisoned, making it against the law to use the roads to effect your escape to safety. Or if you were away from home, you could no longer go home.
ReplyDelete