Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 25, 2007

Berkeley Musuem: Police respond with riot gear to NAGPRA pressure

BERKELEY -- "We came out to pray and offer medicine," said Morning Star Gali ofthe Pit River Tribe and part of the Native American NAGPRA Coalition."The cops responded with riot gear and violence. This exhibits the ongoing Human Rights abuses committed by the University (University California Berkeley).
They refuse to comply with NAGPRA by holding 13,000 of our ancestors remains and now they assault us while we pray at our burial grounds."
Could the Native Community Lobby Congress to pass an amendment to NAGPRA that would state that any institution receiving federal funds has to be compliant with NAGPRA or federal funding will be cut until NAGPRA compliance is achieved? Compliance would be determined by a coalition of Tribal Leaders from across Indian Country. The gaming Tribes could also refuse to fund state and local governments until NAGPRA compliance is achieved. We have a responsibility to our relatives to bring them home.
Ezra McCampbell

1 comment:

Peter N. Jones said...

That is a great idea, if the institution is found to not be in compliance, they lose their funding. However, who would be the gatekeepers of "compliance"? On a more positive note, there is a post on the Indigenous Issues Today blog that highlights how NAGPRA has helped bring Native Americans and researchers together and into communication. It might be of interest to readers.