What you can do to help the Oneida Nation
Hey,
I'm still here at the Oneida Nation Territory and we're trying to do everything we can to help the community here, so we've drafted a sample letter that you can send to your elected representatives, state officials (especially those of you who are residents of New York State), media contacts, and human and civil rights groups. The best thing to do is FAX these letters, it's the most immediate form of communication (congress people don't read emails and letters are treated with caution -what with the anthrax and all). So please take this letter, alter it however you want to suit you, and GET IT OUT EVERYWHERE! We want to flood the lines with this fax, let's break some people's fax machines!

Here yah go.

Love,
Schmeel.


ALERT! Need for immediate attention & action

Dear _____________________

As a United States citizen I have become very concerned over a present situtation on the Oneida Indian Territory, in Oneida, New York. A dictator is using an all non-native paramillitant force to perform genocide, cruel and inhumane treatment upon indigenous peoples of this territory. The all native community consisting of only women, elders and children have been living in a state of fear and apprehension for the past eight years by Arthur Ray Halbritter, CEO of the Oneida Nation of New York Incorporated. Under the direct control & orders of Halbritter the "Oneida Nation Police" an all non-native paramillitant force carries out physical and mental oppression upon the Territory community on a daily basis. Under the guise of health and safety, Nation police officers ( U.S. citizens) perform forced armed entries and inspections, condemnations, and demolitions of Territory residents homes (13 families to date). These homes are privately owned and passed New York State safety housing codes. Mothers upon the territory face having no home for their children, and resisters face incarciration for peacefully protecting their enherited birth right to live in peace upon their land.
The traditional Oneida leaders and the leaders of the Six Nation Iroquois Haudenosaunee Confederacy have exauhsted all tribal remidies to no avail although the federal government has been made well aware of these well documented atrocities. Halbritter is untouchable, his position has brought him extreme wealth and power enabling him intimidate and harass Oneida Nation members and non-native people who oppose his dictatorship. Halbritters illegal federal recognition allows him to retain control over the Oneida Nation, while he hides behind Native soveriegnty to avoid any interference of the Federal and State government.
The United States Department of the Interiors, Bureau of Indian Affairs continues to recognise Halbritter as the Oneidas representative despite the fact that the traditional Six Nations Iroquois Grand Council (The Iroquois governing representatives Chiefs and Clan Mothers ) has notified the BIA that Halbritter does not represent the Oneida people. The BIA's actions and interference are in direct violation of the "Two Row Wampum Treaty", made & to be upheld between the United States and the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy that clearly states: to never interfere in one anothers government; and the "1974 Treaty of Canandaigua" that the people are to live in PEACE upon their land with their neighbors, none of these binding treaties/contracts with the U.S. are being upheld by the U.S. federal agencies. The remaining residents have invited concerned people and legal observers to the Oneida Indian Territory for the "Prayer & peace camp"at Danielle Schenandoah Patterson's home. Halbritter has promised that Patterson and her three small children will be evicted and their home will forcibly demolished no later than September 16, 2002. The entire all native community faces the same fate. This situation of other Native American Indian stand-offs is similar to wounded knee, alcatraz, all of which has ended in the blood shed of the Native people by the hands of our Federal agencies. I do not wish for history to repeat itself as the territory residents remain to keep a peaceful presence upon their ancestral land. All legal observers, supporters and the residents of this native community do fear this heavily armed paramillitant force and their illegal actions. The U.S. is so heavily concerned with fighting "terrorism in other countries" , but is not upholding their own responsibilities in this country, this is completely unacceptable. All civil, human, constitutional, religious rights organizations, media and elected officials nationally and internationally are being contacted. Your acknowledgment and involvement is needed to rectify the crimes our government is committing, the crimes being committed by these hired U.S. citizens, and the crimes our government chooses to ignore. Many people are becoming increasingly aware of the present Oneida struggle. I feel this treatment is unacceptable of any human, and the world is watching. Immediate action and intervention is needed NOW.


Sincerely,

__________________________________________________
__________________
(Name) (date) (address)