Spilyay tymoo., July 08, 1981, Page 5, Image 5

July 8,1981 Page 5
Spilyay Tymoo $
Indian News Notes
Computers will speed BIA services
A newly developed auto­
matic data processing system
for the Bureau of Indian
Affairs’ social services
programs will be implemented
October 1 in all areas exept
Alaska, Interior Assistant
Secretary for Indian Affairs
Ken Smith announced June 10.
With the new system in
place, the processing of
a request forgeneral assistance,
which in the present manual
system takes 3-6 weeks before
delivery of the first check, will
be completed in 2-3 days.
Smith said the new system
will eliminate some emergen­
cies now created by the time lag
in delivery of services; will give
social workers more time for
clients by cutting down
paperwork time; will give
management immediate data
needed for anaylsis and
planning; and will provide
accurate, timely audit and
program reports required for
budgeting and reports to
Congress. The system will also
work in conjunction with other
existing and planned local
operating level systems.
Smith said that he was
especially pleased with the
development of the Bureau’s
social services automation
program because it “came from
the users... It didn’t start with
the planners.”
Ray Butler, director of the
Bureau’s Social Services
programs, said the laborious
manual system has not been
able to keep up with the growth
of the programs. He noted that
the social services budget grew
frim $1.5 million in 1981. The
number of people receiving
general assistance grew in this
time from 12,000 to 58,000.
Butler said the Bureau’s
Phoenix area office played a
leading role in the development
of the new ADP system
through pioneering a
conversion to the system in
October 1979. The system has
been thoroughly tested in the
Phoenix office which serves 46
by
reservations in Arizona, Utah
Vince Lovett
and Nevada. Operation of the
system will be delayed in
Alaska past October 1 because
of some special telecommuni­ NORTHWEST INDIAN YOUTH BLAME ADULT
cations problems, but will be INDIFFERENCE FOR HIGH DROPOUT RATE:
At a recent Northwest Indian Youth Conference, atteneded by
operation in all other areas by some 950 Indian youth from the Pacific Northwest, the
October 1.
Southwest, Alaska and Canada, the young people discussed the
problem of the very high dropout rate for Indian students.
According to the QuinaultQDNR&ED newsletter, the
The Bureau’s general “students agreed their curriculi are not problems; they all felt they
assistance and child welfare had as much intelligence and ability as their non-Indian peers.
programs are for eligible Only a handful of the students said they were contemplating
Indian people living on or near dropping-out of high school. The students unanimously agreed
a reservation who are not able the most disturbing and most effective means of ‘putting-out’ a
to receive such assistance student was through lack of support from indifferent families,
through state or local oublic teachers and counselors. The result is inevitably a T don’t give a
welfare agencies. The Bureau’s damn’ attitude of defeatism.”
social services program also
includes providing assistance
“WINDWALKER” FILM IS AVAILABLE FOR FUND
to Indian communities through RAISERS BY INDIAN GROUPS:
The highyl-acclaimed film, Windwalker, is now available in 16
tribal work projects (similar to
so-called “workfare” projects); mm copies for fund raising events by american Indian community
gourps. Pacific International Enterprises, Inc., will provide the
child welfare services; film, posters nd tickets to groups inexchange for half of the film,
assistance to Indian communi­ posters and tickets to groups in exchange for half of the proceeds.
ties through tribal work' Sponsoring groups must provide their own projector and
projects (similar to so-called' auditorium.
“workfare” projects); child
Windwalker has beed described as “one of a kind, the most
welfare services; assistance to: authentic look at American Indian culture ever presented on
Indians to enable them to get1 film.” For further information write Jerry Thompson, P.O. Box
needed services and assistance 1727, Medford, OR 97501 (503-779-0990).
from state and local agencies;
Defeat of “Sagebrush Rebellion” bill urged
WHEREAS a “Sagebrush
Rebellion” bill, HB 2982, has
been introduced in the Oregon
state legislature, the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission presents the
following:
This proposed legislation
seeks the transfer of
unappropiated public lands,
owned and administered by the
United States, to the state of
Oregon. If enacted, the
legislation would further the
attempts of certain other
western states to accomplish a
nationwide transfer of federal
lands into state ownership.
This transfer would gravely
affect the lives on portions of
the Columbia River treaty
tribes—the Nez Perce of Idaho,
Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Reservation, The
Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of
Oregon, and Confederated
Tribes and Bands of the
Yakima Indian Nation —
member tribes of the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission. The commission
therefore opposes HB 2982.
The Columbia River treaty
tribes reserved certain rights in
treaties by which vast amounts
of land in the Columbia River
Basin were ceded to the United
States. The tribes reserved the
right of taking fish at all usual
and accustomed stations, as
well as the right to hunt, gather
roots and beries, and pasture
Stock on unano.o.ropria-
ted public lands. The tribes
exercise these treaty rights on
national forests, public domain
lands, and other lands owned
by the people of this nation and
administered by the federal
government. ______
Federal land management
agencies owe a trust duty to the
TOE NESS
There was this big game hunter who had bored his audience
for an hour, but he was only beginning to warm up to his
subject. “Once when I was sitting down resting in the jungle, a
tiger came so close to me that I could feel his moist breath on
the back of my neck. Do you know what I did?”
“Let us guess,” came a tired voice from the rear. “You turned
up your collar, I betcha” YIKES!!!
SS SS SS
Customer: “Just look at this chicken you served! One leg is
longer than the other.”
WAITER: “Were you planning to eat the chicken or dance with
it.”YIKES!!!
SS SS SS
Newspaper editor “What did the two candidates have to say
today?”
Reporter: “Nothing.”
Editor. Good—keep the story down to a couple of columns.”
YIKES!!! SS SS SS
A reporter was interviewing an old codger who was celebrating
his 100th birthday. “What are you most proud of?” he asked.
“Well,” said the man. “I’ve lived 100 years and haven’t an i
ememy in the world.
Reporter “Gee, thats amazing.”
“Yep,” added the centenarian, “Out lived every last one of them! ”
YIKES!!!
SS SS SS
expenditures of money. Should
tribes and can be held to the
highest judiciary standards in the proposed transfer of federal
the administration of public lands to the states become a
lands. This trust responsibility reality, Oregon would be
is uniquely federal. States have burdened with the cost of
no comparable obligations, greatly expanded state agencies
and their powers and potential at a time when the state faces a
financial crisis. Oregon’s status
actions as trustees are at best
as a trustee, however uncertain,
uncertain, a clearly defined and
would also entail significant
enforceable trust responsibil­
immediated and long-term
ity, to Indians and to the land
costs.
and resources they share with
Another important issue ii
all other United States citizen,
is vital to the future of the would also entail _ significant
Columbia River treaty tribes. lands to the states: these lands
Public lands are adminstered are now accessible to everyone,
under federal statutes that and the resources upon them
direct management for many benefit all citizens, including
public uses and that mandate the Columbia River treaty
resource conservation, tribes who depend upon them
including protection of fish and for livelihood and for
perpetuation of their culture.
wildlife and their habitat.
- History has shown that if
Other statutes require that
federal agencies take federal lands go into state
environmental and social costs ownership, there is great
into account in making danger that these lands will
resource decision. And still thereafter be conveyed to
other federal laws give citizens private interests. Of nearly
the opportunity to participate seven million acres that the
United States granted to
in the decision-making process.
The state of Oregon does not Oregon when it became a state,
over six million are now
have equivalent laws, and thus
privately owned. What once
the framewrk for public land
management in the public were public lands andresources
are now unavailable to the
interest is wholly lacking.
Further, proper administration public.
of public lands demands large
lands and resources are now
unavailable to the public.
Therefore Be it Resolved
that for all the above reasons
the Columbia River Inter­
Tribal Fish Commission
strongly urges the Oregon
legislature to reject any attempt
to transfer public lands to the
state. The resolution expresses
the commission’s certainty that
defeat of HB 2982 will be in the
best interests of the people of
Oregon and of the Nation.
Be It Further Resolved that
the commisssion urge the
Oregon state legislature to
defeat HB 3185, a bill
equivalent to HB 2982 except
that national forest lands are
exempted from transfer to the
state, and to defeat HB 2987,
accessory legislation to HB
2982 that would appoint a
study commission to research
the public land transfer.
Certification
The foregoing resolution was
adopted by the Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
meeting in session May 21,
1981, a quorum being present
and voting.
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