Alianza Indígena Sin Fronteras
Post Office Box 826
Tucson, Arizona  85702
(520) 979- 2125

*** A D V I S O R Y *** A D V I S O R Y *** A D V I S O R Y ***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2008

Indigenous Alliance Without Borders Leader to Address First Nations Caucus, Voting Delegates Attending Democratic National Convention

Alianza Indigena representative also to speak at We Are America DNC march for immigrants rights regarding indigenous border rights issues.

Denver, CO – Jose Matus, Executive Director of Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras/Indigenous Alliance Without Borders, Yaqui spiritual elder, and First Nations and immigrant rights activist from southern Arizona, will be speaking to First Nations Caucus delegates at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado to underscore the importance of protecting border rights of mobility and passage, cultural and sacred lands, indigenous rights, and self-determination of tribal groups living along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Matus will also speak to immigrant rights activists from across the country and Hispanic Caucus delegates at the We Are America Alliance DNC march on Thursday, August 28.

“It is important that First Nations Caucus and Hispanic Caucus members hear and learn about the impact that failed immigration policies – and the U.S.-Mexico border militarization – have on indigenous communities on both sides of the border,” said Ricardo Martinez, Co-Director of Padres y Jóvenes Unidos and We Are America Alliance DNC march organizer.  “Delegates need to respect and better understand the connections between immigrant rights and indigenous rights.” Read more »

Alianza Indígena Sin Fronteras
and the Coalición de Derechos Humanos
invite you to the

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People Celebration

Sunday, August 10, 2008
6:00pm
Armory Park Center Ballroom
220 S. 5th Avenue

Read more »

Please SUPPORT THE ALIANZA INDIGENA SIN FRONTERAS & JOIN THE SOUTHERN INDIGENOUS BORDER RIGHTS & JUSTICE MOVEMENT

The Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras is seeking donations to attend the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Rights on April 18 through April 25, 2008. Read more »

Here are links and descriptions of YouTube videos about the land struggle in Texas:

Tamez fights DHS border wall plan: Eloisa Tamez of El Calaboz in Cameron County is one of many in the area trying to keep the Department of Homeland Security off her land in the face of an impending border wall. Eloisa Garcia Tamez (Lipan Apache & Basque) of El Calaboz rancheria Seeks Justice for her elders of the Mexico-U.S. International Boundary region under threat of forced relocation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security…

Rio Grande City protests border wall: The Department of Homeland Security held its third and final “open house” meeting on Dec. 13 in Rio Grande City. Property owners and leaders in Starr County expressed their concerns. Read more »

Here is the full text of the reply to our statement:

Dear Jose:

On behalf of my mother, Eloisa Garcia Tamez, and the elders of El Calaboz, El Ranchito and La Paloma, of the San Pedro de Carricitos Land Grant of the Place Where the Lipan Pray, I want to thank you for your stand in support of the indigenous families of the Lower Rio Grande valley whose lands, cultures and way of life is threatened by the Department of Homeland Security and the settler nation of the United States government. Read more »

Brenda Norrell has published an article on the Alianza’s statement of solidarity and the response from Margo Tamez:

Indigenous Alliance supports Lipan Apache at Texas border

Southern Indigenous Peoples continuously face abuse of authority and violation of human and civil rights by current and proposed U.S. Anti-immigrant legislation and border enforcement policies and practice.

“The way and the only way, to stop the evil is for all Red People to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land, as it was at first, and should be yet; for it was never divided, but belongs to all for the use of each.” Tecumsch (Shawnee Chief, 1768)

The Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, in solidarity with other human rights, immigrant rights and community organizations of the southwest region, strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the seizure of Lipan Apache peoples land along the U.S. - Mexico Border.

Since 1990, Indigenous peoples on both sides of the U.S. Mexico Border have been profoundly affected by the U.S. on-going domestic “wars:” The War on the Poor, The War on undocumented immigration, The War on Drugs and now the Terrorism. For the past 17 years, nationalism, xenophobia, and anti-immigrant hysteria have been on the rise. These attitudes promote and support built-in institutional racism, abuse of authority, and violation of rights. This militarization border zone, with its institutional racism and deep disrespect for Indigenous human and civil rights, has been imposed on the Southern Indigenous peoples and communities. Our Indigenous ways, quality of life, culture, sacred cultural lands and borderlands have been disrupted. Read more »

Indigenous Community Statement:

Indigenous Community Comments on Proposed Rules: Documents Required for Travelers Departing From or Arriving in the United States at Sea and Land Port-of-Entry from within the Western Hemisphere—Proposed Rule DK# USCBP - 2007 – 0061 on Indigenous Land Border Crossings. Read more »

Local Indigenous Environmental and Sacred Sites Issues
PUBLIC FORUM
Saturday, November 17
1-3:30 pm
University of Arizona College of Law, Room 140

The Alianza Indígena Sin Fronteras (Indigenous Alliance Without Borders) invites the UA community and general public to a free public forum on local indigenous environmental and sacred sites issues to be held at the University of Arizona College of Law on November 17. Invited speakers include representatives of the Chiracahua Apache Alliance and Western Mining Action Network addressing mining issues in the San Carlos Apache community, the Gila River Alliance for a Clean Environment (GRACE), the Baboquivari Defense Project, and the Indigenous Environmental Network. Read more »

KXCI community radio aired our press conference for International Indigenous Day, and mp3 excerpts are available at at this site (click here).

Just click on the “mp3″ button to the left of the press conference picture to listen! (it may take a couple of minutes to download)