Spilyay tymoo., February 08, 1983, Image 7

S p e d a i N C A I Insert
SP,LY4¥T™“°
Nations Capitol
NCAI Executive Council meeting in Washington D.C.
The N.C.A.I. Executive
Council held a meeting in the
I n t e r n a t i o n a l H o te l in
Washington, D.C. January 25-
28. The purpose of the meeting
was to discuss tribal concerns
throughout Indian country to
be viewed and acted on by the
98 th Congress.
Interior Secretary James
Watt’s address to the Tribal
leaders on the 25th made a
mark of excellence to some and
to others it cut the wound a bit
deeper. Issues arising from all
the attention by brought Watt
through the news media and
TV interviews concerning
Indian reservation conditions
were of prime interest.
W a tt’s rem arks ab o u t
Indians, as reported by the
news media, caused frustration
and anger among Indian
leaders across the country. “If
you want an example of
failures of socialism, don’t go
to Russia; come to the United
States and go to the Indian
reservations.” (This was taken
out of context.)
Taking a statement up to
that point which was half of a
paragraph, could lead in any
direction and it did. In Watt’s
address to the Executive
Council on January 25, he said,
“I have worked" for two years
with this same message, and
because of unprofessional press
conduct it was blown out of
shape, lied about, but one thing
it did do—it got attention!”
In other issues the Tribal
Regional water prioritization
meeting was held Thursday the
27th. During the daylong
m eeting, co n cern s were
discussed on water issues facing
the Indians on regional bases as
well as at the national level.
On the same day some
members attended a meeting
with the Indian Health Service
which was held in Rockville,
Maryland. Delegates had the
opportunity to meet with the
Indian Health Service and the
D e p a rtm e n t o f H u m an
Services regarding current
issues with the I.H.S.
The Indian Policy Statement
attracted much attention
among the Tribal leaders who
were in attendance at the four
day meeting. (See next 2 pages
for full text.) Joe DeLaCruz,
the Chairman of the NCAI
said, “Some Indian leaders
from across the country are not
focusing their attention on the
m ain is s u e s o f I n d ia n
problems. They see only what’s
at the surface and are
overlooking the base from
which the problems stem.
The message was delivered
and the Indian leaders must
assert themselves and create a
better and more constructive
working relationship with
Congress, and overlook the
small problems they see today.
The Indian Policy statement
should be addressed by Indian
leaders as a working tool. They
should be focusing their
attention more to the root of
the problems and use the
working tool to solve all the
problems and also be looking
into the future.
The PHS is a branch of its
own just like the BI A, and it is
handled in the same manner
only they are not brought into
public view as the BIA. There
are several loops Indian people
have to face with PHS as things
tend to go from one desk to
another and right on down the
line.
There needs to be a change in
procedures and methods in
d ea lin g w ith C o n g ress.
Everything is there. All our
Indian leaders have to do is
pick it up and move foward in a
d ip lo m atic and a more
c o n s tr u c tiv e w a y .” he
concluded.
Local delegates had a very
constructive week presenting
issues to the top officials for
consideration in areas of
Education, Health, Employ­
ment, Natural Rescources and
other programs and all showed
favorable reaction from all
officials in each of these areas?
by Sid Miller