[antiwar-van] indigenous activists pull out of NWSF

[noii-van at resist.ca]

Athur Manuel, other indigneous soverigntists and non-indigenous
supporters, including Naomi Klein, have withdrawn from the conference.


INDIGENOUS PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
STATEMENT ON THE
NORTHWEST SOCIAL FORUM

After consultation with local Northwest Coast Native elders and leaders,
the Indigenous Programming Committee (IPC) members have decided to
dissolve our participation on the planning committee for the Northwest
Social Forum (NWSF) and withdraw our participation at the NWSF.  The
Indigenous Programming Committee is comprised of Native grassroots leaders
from the Northwest, organizers from the Indigenous Environmental Network,
Native Movement, and allies.  We recognize that a tremendous amount of
work has gone into the organizing of this event and as such has made this
a very difficult decision.

During the NWSF Planning Retreat (April 15-18, 2004) a gathering of over
40 Northwest grassroots organizers and community leaders from diverse
backgrounds, including three Native representatives, came together to meet
each other and developed a vision for the NWSF.  Here are a few core
values that were presented during the retreat and initial planning
meetings:

•	Working from the ground up with grassroots workers, organizers and
activists taking the lead.
•	Recognition of traditional wisdom, traditional knowledge and protocol
for working together with Native elders and leaders.
•	As people of color and Indigenous peoples, we speak for ourselves and we
set our own priorities.
•	Affirming the youth as full members and committing resources support and
sustain their work.
•	Shared and equal leadership, respect, cooperation, open and honest
communication and decision-making based on consensus.
•	Appropriate funding resources and adequate support to organizing
grassroots involvement at the NWSF.

These values also uphold the Second National People of Color Environmental
Leadership Summit, “Principles of Working Together” (see attachment). 
This document was shared with key organizers during the second planning
committee meeting.

The advice and concerns that we received after our consultation with local
Native elders and leaders indicate that the overall vision and core values
were not upheld by the planning committee and by the overall planning
process.  Issues regarding protocol, outreach and community involvement
raised by our Indigenous representatives and some grassroots
representatives to the planning committee were not heard, trivialized and
not taken into consideration.  Thus, full consensus was never achieved at
every level of decision-making resulting in our Indigenous Programming
Committee representatives and other grassroots representatives to the
planning committee feeling marginalized.   Additionally, minimal funds,
time constraints, internal organizing demands, and lack of accountability
greatly impaired the ability to do effective outreach and accommodate
Indigenous participation at the NWSF at this point in time.  The NWSF
planning committee should not take for granted the leadership and
expertise in the grassroots communities and be able to demonstrate a
commitment to take the lead from grassroots people.

Numerous attempts to address these concerns and ensure accountability
among all parties involved on the planning committee were presented by
Indigenous representatives, but unfortunately failed.  We feel these core
values mentioned above have been violated with unprincipled actions taken
with regard to the planning of the NWSF.  Therefore, IPC has chosen to
dissolve its participation with the NWSF planning committee and withdraw
our participation at the NWSF.  Although we are not participating we
remain committed to building meaningful and respectful relationships with
those who uphold the vision and principles of the Northwest Social Forum.