Kieran Suckling (Center for Biogical Diversity) speaks out for tribes
and bears
[This situation} is a microcosm of colonialism which is an ongoing process with its current face including the destruction, year-by-year, piece-by-piece, of sacred and culturally important places and species on federal land. Plants, animals, ecosystems and wilderness are also victims of the one global homogenization process wiping out cultures, languages, species and special places at a catastrophic rate.
Losinski and Talbot's assertions are not only completely wrong, they are sickeningly colonialist. I'm truly shocked and disgusted. Instead of apologizing to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe for disrespecting its sovereignty and culture, Wyoming and Idaho have ratcheted up the condescension by claiming that the tribe's intervention was "orchestrated" by environmental groups. Refusing to recognize that Native Americans are strong, autonomous people who make their own decisions is unacceptable behavior by state representatives. How much disrespect do they expect the tribes to tolerate? Are they unable to see how condescending and colonialist their attitudes are?
The Grizzly Bear Committee is run by the Department of Interior which has a sacred and legal duty to respect and uphold tribal interests. On two occasions now it has sat by and done nothing as Wyoming and Idaho publicly manhandled, censored and disrespected James Walks Along and the Northern Cheyenne. Its silence is complicity. Interior needs to immediately put the committee and the grizzly bear delisting on hold, meet with the tribes on their home ground, and ensure that Wyoming and Idaho are held accountable to the tribes' satisfaction.
Kieran Suckling
Executive Director
Center for Biological Diversity