Protesters demand NTUA boss be placed on leave without pay

FORT DEFIANCE

A few members of Diné Saani for Justice arrived Tuesday morning for a protest at the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority headquarters.

The protest was in response to NTUA General Manager Walter Haase allegedly committing sexual assault against NTUA Choice Wireless General Manager Velena Tsosie.

The allegations became public last Monday when Tsosie’s attorney held a press conference announcing the filing a lawsuit against NTUA, NTUA Wireless and Haase.

“We are here with some simple demands to ask NTUA management board to put Mr. Haase on administrative leave without pay until a proper investigation can be conducted,” Janene Yazzie, cofounder of Diné Saanii for Justice, said.

The group protested because they want to call for greater accountability from a Navajo Nation-owned enterprise and to set an example for all businesses, government entities, and enterprises within the Nation.

“We have zero tolerance for any type of violence or harassment of our women, children, two-spirit, non-binary relatives,” Yazzie said.

Yazzie said the group reviewed NTUA’s personnel policy and it contains a section on sexual harassment that is incomplete.

“It explains why the NTUA management board put out a public response that was not trauma informed and that bordered on victim shaming and on concern more for money rather than their responsibility to protect their Navajo employees and the general public from sexual predators at a time where we’re dealing with this epidemic of violence against women and children,” Yazzie said.

NTUA’s policy does not contain a clause for what a person should do if the person doing the harassing or assaulting is of higher authority, Yazzie said.

“For sexual harassment, as they have it in here (NTUA personnel policy manual), one of the people you have to report it to is the general manager,” she said. “So not having a clause like that or a process in mind that is more detailed about how to protect victims and their rights, as well as to ensure that they’re handling the investigation and working with proper authorities to handle the investigation.”

She believes that due to the epidemic of sexual assault and harassment that a more detailed protocol needs to be within the policy manual to ensure there is a safe working environment.

Yazzie said in other organizations the accused is put on leave so they are taken out of the work environment, which takes away the opportunity to use their power or privilege to harass or build support against the victim.

Yazzie said many organizations have created processes and models for safe working environments, however, the Navajo Nation in terms of laws is “sorely outdated.”

“A lot of our laws against sexual harassment, sexual violence haven’t been updated since the 90s,” she said, “and so since then we have had a lot of advancements in understanding what a trauma informed response is, what creating a safe work environment and a safe community needs to actually look like particularly in areas where we’re dealing with an epidemic of violence against women and children.

“We need our enterprises, especially our Navajo Nation-owned enterprises, to be able to adopt those types of measures,” she said.

Diné Saanii believes Haase should be put on administrative leave without pay until an investigation is conducted.

Yazzie said there is a difference between harassment and assault, assault meaning something physical was done.

“It (bodily harm caused by sexual assault) doesn’t matter the severity, that’s an extreme act of violence,” Yazzie said. “With this type of accusation (sexual assault) being put against one of the leaders of a very important entity on the Navajo Nation, NTUA’s response is also going to be reflective to our communities who have seen that response of how serious they’re taking this and they have shown that they would rather blame the victim or be upset about money and protecting their wallets than they are creating a culture of safety.”

She believes NTUA needs to issue a new public response that takes accountability for the way they initially responded which was not trauma informed and was not sensitive to the case.

She also said NTUA needs to take responsibility for the impact their response may have had on other survivors throughout the Nation.

“That type of response is what discourages people from coming forward,” Yazzie said. “One of the things they have in their personnel policy manual for their sexual harassment policy is that they’re committed to ensuring creating an environment where people aren’t afraid to come forward, but I think the NTUA board and their public response is actually negated that commitment.”

During the protest, Deenise Becenti, NTUA government and public affairs manager, and Durinda Skeets, executive assistant for the general manager’s office, met with the small group of protestors to listen to their concerns.

The protestors asked for a public meeting with the management board and said that they will not stop asking for the removal of Haase and an improvement of the sexual harassment policy.

Becenti said there is always room for improvement and there are sections currently in works of being amended.

The protestors also asked to meet with NTUA Deputy General Manager Rex Kontz, however, he did not come out to meet them at any time.

“The chief legislative counsel has advised the Navajo Nation Council should allow the legal process to proceed without interference, as this matter is now in litigation,” Communications Director Alray Nelson said, when asked for comment.

“All harassment complaints must follow set policies and procedures to ensure a fair process for all parties,” he said.

Diné Saanii is currently planning another march to push for Haase to be put on administrative leave without pay or to be removed within the next two weeks.

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