Below, an URGENT request for assistance from Silvia Burley, Chairperson of the California Valley Miwok Tribe (CVMT). The Tribal community has lost their land to foreclosure and an eviction notice was issued for their removal. The eviction was scheduled to take place yesterday, June 17, 2009.
In response to the eviction, Silvia Burley and others from the community have barricaded themselves in the Tribal Office building.
The eviction has not been carried out as yet, however, the community is deeply concerned because they have nowhere else to go.
If you can help, please contact Silvia Burley at 209 931 4567. A Petition has also been set up in support of the CVMT. You can sign it at: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/cvmtUCSD/
June 17, 2009 at 9:00pm – I just got off the phone with Silvia Burley. Everybody’s safe at the moment, but the situation is still very much uncertain. She said they barricaded themselves in the tribal office, placing file cabinets against the doors and anything else they could use to secure the building.
They’re now waiting to hear from lawyers to get a TRO (temporary restraining order), but it’s unclear if it’s going to happen. They do not have any dedicated legal advice
And the BIA is refusing to speak with her. She said they literally hung up on her after saying “she waited too long” even though she’s been doing everything in her power for the past five years to have this situation addressed. They’ve consistently brushed her and her people off since day one.
At this point, she said they have nowhere to go if the eviction is carried out – and that they are doing what they can to defend their Sovereignty and their Rights as a Federally Recognized Tribe.
I’ve asked Silvia to send me updates by email. I will post them as they come in. If you can help, please do not hesitate calling Silvia Burley, Chairperson of the California Valley Miwok Tribal Council, at 209 931 4567.
To All:
We need immediate assistance, this is the outcome from Troy Burdick’s (Superintendent at the Central California Agency/BIA, located in Sacramento Calif.) continued efforts to illegally interfere into our Tribal Governmental Affairs (and the effects of our rightful Tribal members pleas for assistance, being ignored by the Bureau). We are a federally recognized Tribe, listed in the Federal Register and in the Dept. of the Interior/Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tribal Leaders Directory, Winter 2009.
Because our pleas for help have been constantly ignored, we now have lost our only piece of tribal property to foreclosure and will be removed by force on June 17th, 2009 (Elders and children included). We are asking for your assistance…. if anyone of you that I am contacting have a way to contact Mr. Salazar or Mr. Echohawk to make them aware of our crisis…. please do so!!!!!
PLEASE HELP!!! PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION ON TO ALL WHO CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE.
We need to get the attention of Mr. Echohawk or Mr. Salazar, IMMEDIATELY!!!!
The Tribe has no money and nowhere to go…. we will be forced to barricade ourselves at the property for local and international news crews to hear what is happening to our Tribe and how the BIA is allowing this to happen.
Our Tribe will not go willing on the 17th (we have no where to go) and we will not allow our Tribal Governmental “Confidential” documents to be given to INDYMAC BANK. We are asking that someone help us get this important information to the attention of Mr. Salazar and/or Mr. Echohawk. The Tribe has been located at this property for over 7 years. The “TRIBE” and its legitimate members have vowed to not leave this property until we have a place to move to. That means we need Mr. Salazar, Secretary of the Interior and/or Mr. Larry Echohawk to CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY to help resolve this URGENT MATTER/CRISIS.
Again, PLEASE HELP!!!!
/s/
Silvia Burley
Chairperson
California Valley Miwok Tribe
http://www.californiavalleymiwoktribe-nsn.gov
Tribal Office 209.931.4567 or 209.487.9519
Action Alert originally posted by Tamra Brennan, blogs.myspace.com/savethesacredsites.
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