 |
Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms |
|
|
|
Greetings Friends of Chi-whi-tsen and Allies:
Much has happened in the progression of the Chi-whi-tsen Village Protection Campaign. Please take a moment to read this and help with what you can. Please distribute this widely as there is much critical support and action yet to be taken to ensure that the Village is protected and the Lower Elwha provided the resources they need to take care of this ancient village and their community.
Today, December 10, 2004 the Lower Elwha Tribal Chairwoman Francis Charles formally notified Doug MacDonald, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Director that the Elwha tribe strongly urged the Graving Dock project of the Federal Highway Administration to find another location for the construction of replacement parts for the Hood Canal Bridge.
This formal notice also requested that WSDOT assist the Tribe in obtaining political and other support necessary for the site presently belonging to the Port of Port Angeles to be preserved for the archeological significance that this site is. Since construction began on the Graving Dock project over 288 complete human remains, 700 isolates, six longhouses, and over 10000 artifacts have been uncovered. Please email Senator Maria Cantwell and express your support to find a long term solution for the Lower Elwha and the Chi-whi-tsen Village Maria_Cantwell@Cantwell.Senate.Gov
Doug MacDonald, in numerous email communications and media comments has stated that the WSDOT would honor the request of the Tribe to cease operations at the site should the Tribal Council make that request. It is requested that you please email Doug MacDonald MacDonD@wsdot.wa.gov ; Federal Highway Administration sharon.love@fhwa.dot.gov daniel.mathis@fhwa.dot.gov ; and the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers David.G.Rice@NWS02.usace.army.mil Kathryn.J.Stenberg@nws02.usace.army.mil , urging these agencies to honor the request of the Lower Elwha Tribal Council and the signers of the Tze-whit-zen Protection Petitions (1000 signatures both electronic and hardcopy with more being gathered daily) to immediately cease the destruction of the village and move the construction site to another location. The electronic petition is at http://www.petitiononline.com/village/petition.html
Petition circulation continues in Port Angeles WA by the Friends of Chi-whi-tsen. This hardworking and dedicated community group made up of local area Native and non-Native residents is doing a tremendous job working to end the destruction of the village and to encourage the citizens and officials of Port Angeles to use this opporunity as a turning point nd defining moment in the Port Angeles and Lower Elwha Community relationship history. Their work on encouraging a visioning process for the Port Angeles community is a tremendous help. For information on hardcopy petition campaign in Port Angeles contact Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin at lindsey@wildcatcdc.org or at 360-457-3342
It is important to remember that included in the Petition is the support for the Lower Elwha community to receive all the resources and funding necessary that they will need to repair the damages done to their community, to the village site, cultural center, new cementray, intergenerational trauma, and other such needs as a result of this injustice perpetuated on their communty. Even if the WSDOT stops the project as we are asking this campain is not over until the necessary arrangements to secure site control by the Lower Elwha from the Port of Port Angeles and the funding needed to meet the needs created by this project that was based on a FONSI that never should have gotten this far past the regulatory controls of the Federal and State Agencies involved. Please send comments to support these needs to kyletlucas@goia.wa.gov
The Lower Elwha Tribe also launched their Tse-whit-zen Village News today at http://tse-whit-zen.elwha.nsn.us/index.html
Take a moment and read the article by Chairwoman Francis Charles that is address to all Tribal Nations. If you have a website please add this site to your links page.
Wildcat Community Development also launched a website in support of the Friends of Chi-whi-sten until a permanent domain is obtained. Please add a link to www.wildcatcdc.org where updates on the Campaign and other developments will also be posted.
Friends of Chi-whi-tsen also launched a news listserve for updates on actions in Port Angeles. To subscribe to this newlists (which will be kept to a minimum) send an email to chi-whitsen-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has helped with this. Even if the WSDOT ends the destruction immediately, which they have said all along they would honor the Tribe's position, there remains much work to be done to repair the damage done to the village site and to the Lower Elwha Community. We still have a lot of work to do to end this destruction and cannot assume the government will honor their committments. We have to continue on with what we have begun in order for justice to be accomplished.
Enough is Enough!!!
For our next seven generations,
Kii yaa tuk (Keith Hunter)
Executive Director
Wildcat Community Development
P. O. Box 482
Neah Bay, WA 98357
360-645-3161
Wildcat Community Development