"Obama true to his words for American Indians"

By Jim Windle, WASHINGTON

In a story that no one in the mainstream media picked up on, on either side of the border, President Barak Obama signed into law the "Tribal Law and Order Act" in a ceremony held at the White House this past weekend.

He also declared that his administration with the help and consultation of American Indian leaders, is reviewing the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights, which his predecessor George W. Bush, along with Canada's Stephen Harper, Australia and New Zealand did not initially sign.

Since then, after changes in their federal governments, Australia and New Zealand have reconsidered and have signed on. Should Obama also sign, as most American Indians believe he will, that would leave Canada as the only nation still holding out against the declaration that would observe the rights of Indigenous people as well as their lands and resources.

Lisa Marie Lyotte of the Sicangu Lakota Ospaya Soux Nation of South Dakata, introduced the president at the media conference but was overcome with emotion. She stood for minutes, unable to speak until the president came from off camera, and put his arm around the fear stricken woman to comfort and encourage her.

"If this Tribal Law and Order Act existed 16 years ago, my story would be very different," she began once she found her voice.

She had a heart breaking story to tell of being raped in front of

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her children by a man from her community. She reported the incident to tribal police who would not prosecute the accused culprit for some reason. When she tried to report it to off reserve police she was told they would not go on reserve to investiage, since her community already had tribal police to look after the community.

The same man raped another Lakota woman a few months later, but this time he was arrested and charged, but not for the rape against Ms. Lyotte.

"This law will prevent cases like mine from falling through the cracks," she said fighting back tears. "I hope that it will keep our communities safe. We thank President Obama for his remarkable leadership."

She then introduced the president.

"It is for every survivor like Lisa, who has never gotten their day in court and for every family that feels like justice is beyond reach and every tribal community struggling to keep its people safe that I will be signing the Tribal Law and Order Act into law today," he began.

Obama is not new to American Indians. During his presidential campaign, he took valuable time to visit and spend time listening to Indian leaders. In fact, he was adopted into a Crow family and given a Lakota name - an event he is very proud of.

"I campaigned on this issue during our tribal conference last year," he said. "I pledged this administration's full support for this bill and today, I make good on my word."

He then quoted from an old Seneca proverb, saying "He who would do great things should not attempt them alone."

He made a point to tell the assembled media and tribal leaders that his administration has made it policy to consult with Indian leaders on many matters that concern them or their lands.

The bill responds to startling statistics which reveal the crime rate within tribal communities is anywhere from two to twenty per cent higher, per capita than and city of municipality within America.

"When one on three Native women will be raped in their lifetime, it is an assault on our national conscience," he said.

The bill, among other things, will dramatically increase the number of trained police investigators and Assistant Attorneys with better tribal knowledge and cultural appreciation and bring much needed assistance to existing tribal police services in the form of better training, equipment and access to data bases for investigative purposes.

It also extends to help deal with the counterfeit Indian crafts market which cuts deeply into the economy of many tribes.

"I know too often this community has heard grand promises from Washington which turns out to be little more than empty words," he said. "I pledge to you then, that if you give me a chance, this time it would be different."

The bill improves health coverage for tribes as well.

He announced that his administration, with consultation from tribal leaders from across America, is presently reviewing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

He proudly referred to himself as Barak Black Eagle, using the last name of the Crow Nation family that adopted him during his presidential campaign.

Sandra Isaacs, formerly Tekawennake News reporter Sandra Muse, is from the Cherokee Nation. She and her Six Nations husband, Kevin Isaacs, are busy packing for her return to her tribal community in South Carolina. She is very pleased that President Obama is keeping his word to American Indians.

"As a Native woman who has also been the victim of a violent sexual assault, I give three cheers for our president," she says. "I have relatives who are tribal police officers, and they are forced to operate under a different set of rules than off the rez and in so many cases, their hands are tied when it comes to justice. And IHS hospitals are known to be woefully inadequate for dealing with many things, such as sexual abuse victims. Other administrations before have ignored the many problems which Natives deal with on a daily basis, so I'm glad to head Obama is making big changes. Glad I cast my vote for him. He has been fulfilling many of his campaign promises regarding Native Americans, such as officially establishing a new policy that recognizes the unique sovereignty of the tribes. I fully expect that Barak Obama will sign the pending UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights. As a person of color and a man of strong conscience, I can see that his heart is good when it comes to such issues, and his comforting of the young Lakota woman who made the announcement was clearly sincere. Hats off to Mr. Obama."

The video of President Obama's speech and the signing of the Act speech is on YouTube as well the White House's web site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4K1UYCC0dQ