The United States of America has continually violated the independent
Native Peoples of this continent by Executive action, Legislative fiat
and Judicial decision. By its actions, the U.S. has denied all Native
people their International Treaty rights, Treaty lands and basic human
rights of freedom and sovereignty. This same U.S. Government, which
fought to throw off the yoke of oppression and gain its own
independence, has now reversed its role and become the oppressor of
sovereign Native people.
Might does not make right. Sovereign people of varying cultures have
the absolute right to live in harmony with Mother Earth so long as they
do not infringe upon this same right of other peoples. The denial of
this right to any sovereign people, such as the Native American Indian
Nations, must be challenged by truth and action. World concern must
focus on all colonial governments to the end that sovereign people
everywhere shall live as they choose; in peace with dignity and freedom.
The International Indian Treaty Conference hereby adopts this
Declaration of Continuing Independence of the Sovereign Native American
Indian Nations. In the course of these human events, we call upon the
people of the world to support this struggle for our sovereign rights
and our treaty rights. We pledge our assistance to all other sovereign
people who seek their own independence.
. . . We, the sovereign Native Peoples recognize that all lands
belonging to the various Native Nations now situated within the
boundaries of the U.S. are clearly defined by the sacred treaties
solemnly entered into between the Native Nations and the government of
the United States of America.
We, the sovereign Native Peoples, charge the United States of gross
violations of our International Treaties. Two of the thousands of
violations that can be cited are the "wrongfully taking" of
the Black Hills from the Great Sioux Nation in 1877, this sacred land
belonging to the Great Sioux Nation under the Fort Laramie Treaty of
1868. The second violation was the forced march of the Cherokee people
from their ancestral lands in the state of Georgia to the then "Indian
Territory" of Oklahoma after the Supreme Court of the United States
ruled the Cherokee treaty rights inviolate. The treaty violation, known
as the "Trail of Tears," brought death to two-thirds of the Cherokee
Nation during the forced march.
. . . The United State Government in its Constitution, Article VI,
recognizes treaties as part of the Supreme Law of the United States. We
will peacefully pursue all legal and political avenues to demand United
States recognition of its own Constitution in this regard, and thus to
honor its own treaties with Native Nations.
We will seek the support of all world communities in the struggle for
the continuing independence of Native Nations.
. . . All treaties between the Sovereign Native Nations and the United
States Government must be interpreted according to the traditional and
spiritual ways of the signatory Native Nations.
. . . We reject all executive orders, legislative acts and judicial
decisions of the United States related to Native Nations since 1871,
when the United States unilaterally suspended treaty- making relations
with the Native Nations. This includes, but is not limited to, the Major
Crimes Act, the General Allotment Act, the Citizenship Act of 1924, the
Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the Indian Claims Commission Act,
Public Law 280 and the Termination Act. All treaties made between Native
Nations and the United States made prior to 1871 shall be recognized
without further need of interpretation.
. . . We recognize that there is only one color of Mankind in the world
who are not represented in the United Nations; that is the indigenous
Redman of the Western Hemisphere. We recognize this lack of
representation in the United Nations comes from the genocidal policies
of the colonial power of the United States. The International Indian
Treaty Council established by this conference is directed to make the
application to the United Nations for recognition and membership of the
sovereign Native Nations. We pledge our support to any similar
application by an aboriginal people.
. . . We, the People of the International Indian Treaty Council,
following the guidance of our elders through instructions from the Great
Spirit, and out of respect for our sacred Mother Earth, all her
children, and those yet unborn, offer our lives for our International
Treaty Rights.
