Council ‘disrespected’ in Bears Ears proclamation

WINDOW ROCK

President Joe Biden on Friday signed a proclamation resizing Bears Ears National Monument to 1.36 million acres, nearly 27% of San Juan County, Utah.

The monument was previously downsized by 85% due to an executive order made by President Donald Trump in December 2017.

Bears Ears is in southeastern Utah and was the first monument that was created with input from surrounding Native nations. The tribes were the Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe (of the Uintah and Ouray), Ute Mountain Ute, Hopi Tribe, and Zuni of Pueblo.

The goal was to protect this area from development, vandalism and to keep it accessible for traditional and cultural practices of the tribes.

President Jonathan Nez was present at the signing of the proclamation along with other federal, state, and tribal leaders. Nez said that this proclamation was a victory for the Navajo people in a press release.

“On behalf of the Navajo Nation, we thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Haaland, all of the tribal nations that stood together and never gave up.” Nez said in a statement.

Nez also said the restoration of Bears Ears shows the commitment that the Biden-Harris administration has toward Native people.

The Navajo Nation Council released its own press release on Friday thanking Biden for his actions toward protecting Bears Ears.

“The proclamation restores and heals the land that is sacred to the Navajo people and many tribal nations,” Speaker Seth Damon said. “The Navajo Nation Council commends Secretary Deb Haaland for her leadership as we continue to wok with President Biden to protect our land, water, and sacred sites.”

Delegate Herman Daniels Jr. who represents the northwest chapters (Navajo Mountain, Oljato-Monument Valley, Shonto, and Ts’ahbiikin) also praised the action made by Biden and said Bears Ears is a sacred place to the Navajo people because of the cultural use of the land that has been happening for hundreds of years.

Speaker office: Resistance

The speaker’s office issued another press release on Saturday stating Damon and the Council continue to encounter resistance from both the president’s office and the Navajo Nation Washington office.

The release stated there is a cause for concern from the lack of recognition from Nez for the laws created by the legislative branch.

“President Nez and the Washington Office closed the lines of communication with the Council which directly impacts our Navajo people,” Damon said in the release.

“Without a unified voice on national issues – the land, water, and livelihood of our people are left unprotected,” he said.

The release stated that, as the governing body, the Council drafts and approves legislation on behalf of the 110 chapter governments and the Navajo people.

“The actions taken on the Council floor allows the OPVP to publicly advocate for historic moments such as the restorative protection for Bears Ears National Monument,” it stated.

Delegate Eugenia Charles-Newton said in the release that the Washington office works for all three branches of the Navajo government and the Nation should have one voice that advocates for the people to Congress and the White House.

She said the Council feels disrespected when the NNWO and Nez blocks them from important moments.

“There must be respect for the government-to-government relationship bestowed to the Council by the people,” Charles-Newton said.

The release also criticized the lack of leadership from the OPVP and how it highlights the inability of the executive branch to collaborate with the legislative branch.

Delegate Daniel Tso, in the release, said this historic day should have been shared with the Council because of its involvement in protecting Bears Ears from the beginning.

He said Nez being the only one appearing at this event signifies a lack of shared governance for the Navajo Nation.

The Navajo Times reached out to Nez for a comment about the concerns brought up by Damon and the Council.

Jared Touchin, spokesman for the president’s office, said Nez thanks the Council for their advocacy and support of Bears Ears and has publicly acknowledged the integral work they have done on this issue.

He also said Nez as a former Council delegate and vice president worked and supported the Bears Ears designation.

“White House events happen rather suddenly and understandably they must work efficiently to have a primary point of contact for tribal leadership for each tribal nation,” Touchin said. “The office of the president represents the Navajo Nation with the federal government in accordance with Title 2, Section 1005.”

He also said if the event were hosted by the Nez-Lizer administration then they would have happily invited the members of the Council. However, the White House hosted the event.

“We thank the White House and the Biden administration for this historic win for the Navajo people and all Indigenous people who fought for the protection of Bears Ears,” Touchin said.

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