Gabe Galanda appeared on Native American Calling today for the show, “Disenrollment—on the rise?”
Joined by Dr. David Wilkins, Gabe explained the very latest rise in disenrollment, observing: “We are basically in a termination era much like we were in the 1950s. We’re in a tribal self-termination era.”
In response to a question about what Indian Country can do to prevent further self-determination, Gabe called for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) to end its silence on disenrollment:
The national Indian organizations absolutely must begin to tackle this issue. They have sat silent for too long and they are complicit in this mode of self-termination.
Thy say ‘oh it’s an internal matter, it’s a sensitive matter’ and candidly that’s hypocritical.
They say the United States shouldn’t be involved because it’s ‘internal’ or ‘sensitive’ and that’s hypocritical.
When our children are at risk under the Indian Child Welfare Act, we ask the United States to write a rule to protect the children, which the Obama Administration did.
When our women are being abused by non-Indian domestic violence offenders in Indian Country, we ask the United States Congress [to] restore our inherent tribal jurisdiction under the Violence Against Women Act.
Now our women are being murdered and going missing at epidemic rates and we have asked the Trump Administration to do something about it.
Those are also ‘internal matters.’ Those are also ‘sensitive matters.’
Indian Country is on the same page on those issues. They’re asking for the United States’ help. They’re talking to each other about a solution at forums like NCAI.
But on disenrollment it is a cop out to suggest it is ‘internal’ or ‘sensitive’ and look away. And for as long as NCAI or other groups look away and sit silent, they are complicit.
Gabriel S. Galanda is the Managing Lawyer at Galanda Broadman, PLLC, an Indigenous rights law firm. Gabe belongs to the Round Valley Indian Tribes, descending from the Nomlaki and Concow Peoples.
