The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-04-30

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Internal fighting at the Mpls Indian
Center
By Gary Blair
Rumors of internal fighting at the
Minneapolis American Indian Center
(MAIC) continue to be heard. The
PRESS has learned that on April 21,
1993, Ruto Demy, Editor oftheCenter's
newspaper, The Circle, and the
organization's accountant, Mostaffa
Zahidi, tangled at a board of director's
meeting that was held at the center. Ms.
Denny, it was reported, confronted Mr.
Zahidi because the Center's financial
reports for 1992, filed with the
Minnesota Attorney General's Office
and open to the public, show The Circle
has having created a $47,000 deficit last
year, an amount the editor said was not
true.
Earlier coverage by The Press gave
MAIC's overall deficit for that same
time period as $105,000. Last year the
center received nearly $1,280,000 in
federal financial assistance and almost
$352,000 in private foundation funds.
Over eight months ago The Press
requested a review of MAIC's financial
records after receiving numerous
complaints from the Minneapolis Native
American community that they receive
veryfew services from the Indian Center
related to the neighborhood's growing
social problems. As of today, MAIC's
Executive Director, Frances Fairbank,
and the Center's Board of Directors
have provided very little information
surrounding those records requested by
The Press. It's also been reported that
the Center's Accountant, Mr. Zahidi,
andExecutive Director, Ms. Fairbanks,
are both fearful of such records being
made public.
The Press has learned there are now
allegations that the Indian Center has
double books and that the Center's
Executive Director, Frances Fairbanks
received a loan of over $40,000 to cover
her creditcard debts related to gambling.
It has been reported that Ms. Fairbanks
received approval from the Center's
Board of Directors to make a trip to the
southwest to purchase jewelry for the
new craft store that was then operated
by the Indian center on the third floor.
The cost of that trip was over $7,000,
and included her brother, her sister and
a personal friend. Jewelry items that
they purchased came to $2,000, items
that they were never able to sell in the
craft store.
At the latest Indian Center Board of
Directors meeting the question was
raised as to why the Indian Center
doesn't open up their financial records.
Aquestion ThePress heard was quickly
dismissed byZahidi and Fairbanks.
Zahidi, it was said, became very angry
with Ms. Denny when she accused him
of manipulating the books to reflect the
newspaper as operating at a deficiency.
In fact, things became so hot, that at one
point, Fairbanks was over heard to say,
"I think I can get Ruth Denny on
insubordination." In the past, Ms.
Fairbanks has always claimed that she
doesn't censor the editorial content of
the Center's paper or its staff.
Recently, The Press had lunch with
Steve Perion,aNative American funeral
director, who provides services for the
Twin Cities Native American
community. WeweretoldbyMr. Perion
that since ThePress has inquired into
the Indian Center and the Peacemaker
Center'sfinancialmatters,both Frances
Fairbanks and Clyde Bellecourt,
DirectorofthePeacemakerCsnter.have
been showing up at all the Indian funeral
services with food, something they
hadn't done previously.
It appears that there is more to be
learned about the MAIC's operation.
Both the Indian Center's director and
their accountant have approved salaries
of over $60,000 per year and yet they
can't produce one financial statement
between the two that reflects the true
financial position of the Center. It's
time that the Indian Center's Board of
Directors take actiontoprotect the Indian
Colter for the community and stop people
from taking unfair advantage of their
positions If not, then it's time to call for
board resignations. Everyone knows by
now that the party is truly over.
Poolaw removed from Red School
House Board
By Delvin Cree
On Thursday, April 22, 1993, there
was a meeting ofthe Board ofDirectors
ofthe Red School House held at 471E.
Magnolia in St. Paul. The meeting was
called after complaints too numerous to
count had been made by both staff and
parents regarding administrative
problems at the school.
As The Press entered the building for
the meeting, Melvin Rautanen, principal
ofthe Red School House, informed this
reporter that he could not enter the
meeting because the board was in
executive session to discuss legal matters
and that there were several lawsuits
against the school which he could not
discuss further.
Shortly after Rautanen made this
statement, an attorney from the firm of
Fluegel, Moynihan & Miles, P.A.,
emerged from the meeting and stated
briefly that he did not represent the
school but was there to deal with other
issues that involved the school.
Principal Rautanen and the Board
Chairperson, Mike Poolaw, have
recently come under a lot of criticism
after thereleaseoftwo well-liked school
employees   and   allegations   of
mismanagement of funds.
The meeting started at 4:30 p.m. with
apipe ceremony performedby Sherwyn
Zephier and Chris Leith. As things got
underway both parents and students
hammered away at Rautanen who sat at
the table with the Board of Directors.
They questioned him as to why the
school was going in the direction that it
was and if he planned to do anything to
change it for the better. Several parents
said they were planning to pull their
kids out ofthe school and some have
already done so. They also wanted to
know where Mike Poolaw was. One
parent said, "Where is he? I want some
questions answered right now!" The
group was told that Poolaw was working
in Wisconsin.
Robert King, a senior at the school,
spoke on behalf of himself and other
secondary students. He said that because
ofthe seemingly endless field trips Mr.
Rautenan is always sending them on
very little class time is attended. This
has greatly contributed to the fact that
Robert and others are unable to graduate
this year for lack of credits. He also
stated fhat mostofthe secondary students
have dropped out or were pushed out of
the school by Rautanen.
The meeting, which lasted four hours,
gave everyone concerned anopportunity
to voice their complaints and offer
suggestions for improvement. In
addition, two new board members, who
had been previously nominated, were
voted in so that the board is now made
up entirely of parents of students who
attend the school. The new members
are Janet Solis and Martha Havican.
The first order of business for the new
board was to vote on a motion made by
Janet Solis for the removal of Mike
Poolaw not only from.his position as
board chair but from the board entirely.
The motion was carried by a vote of 5-
1. The one dissenting vote being from
Sue Kincaid. It is ironic to note that the
person who originally nominated Solis
and Havican was Mike Poolaw himself.
The second order of business for the
board was to begin discussing ways in
which to deal with the current problems
at the school. An agenda for the next
meeting was set to address these issues
further.
At the adjournment of the meeting
people got up and hugged each other in
relief and joy. One person was overhead
to say, "The school is headed in the
right direction now!"
The Green Bus Gasses up on Indian
Issues
By Mel Rasmussen
Wednesday, April 28, 1993 may
become a very important day in Native
American affairs within the United
States. According to Washington
politicos there will beanew sub-cabinet
seat called the Under Secretary for
Indian Lands coming into existence.
This new position was part of an
amendment to Senate File 171 which
will establish a new Cabinet Seat in the
Clinton Administration. The new
department will be called the
Department of Environment
The Department of Environment will
in essence upgrade the current
Environmental Protection Agency.
Under this agency would come the new
Under Secretary of Indian Lands. This
chair would encompass all Indian Lands
and work on their behalf.
amendment was initially sponsored by
Senators Wellstone, McCaine, and
Inouye. According to the staff the
amendment passed with a vote of 79 to
15. But the most interesting point that
came about during the discussion ofthe
amendment was that Senator Dan
Inouye, who chairs the Senate Select
Committee on Indian Affairs, withdrew
his name from the amendment. Inside
sources said that he did so because he
received numerous calls and
considerable pressure from the Bureau
of Indian Affairs. Their issue was that
this new position invaded their turf.
A spokesperson from the Senator
Wellstone's staff also indicated that there
has been another amendment being
brought to the floor of the Senate for
debate. Debate is not expected on this
new amendment until Thursday. The
Wellstone amendment which is gaining
Senate floor will set up a Office of
Environmental Justice. The thrust of
this new agency is to deal with such
issues as environmental racism and
protection of the rights of many
underprivileged classes that have
become the targetofvast environmental
dumping by Industry and the Federal
Government.
According to political sources a local
Native American, Tom Goldtooth, the
Environmental Officer for the Red Lake
Indian Reservation is in Washington,
D.C, lobbying for the tribe's rights and
protection under these two separate
amendments. Attempts to contact
Goldtooth in Washington have been
fruitless as the PRES S goes to print. But
it is a positive note to see that the Red
Lake Band of Chippewa has taken the
initiative to become active in working
for the protection of their and our
Infighting continues at Mpls Indian Center - Page 1
Inouye backs out of support for Indian Bill - page 1
Clyde may be padding his activities - Page 1
ALF invades Mille Lacs and may go back - Page 1
New Civil rights coalition comes to life - Page 1
TEAM MINNESOTA to hold tryouts -   O.N. page 1
The Largest Weekly Native Newspaper In North America
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2 Issue 51     April 30, IB93
Copyright, The Mrttivp
Photo by Clara Wu/Duluth News-Tribune
John Rain Bird (left) shakes hands with fellow spearer and supporter Gary Blair. Other spearers watch with approval
ALFexercises its treaty rightsandenjoys
their 1837 vintage walleye dinner
By John Rainbird
On Friday, April 24, 9113 the
Anishinabe Liberation Front (ALF)
began gathering at the Sandy Lake
Indian Reservation. Spearers and
supporters began to slowly drift in out of
the fog and rain to set up their camps
and attend the fire and its circle. Not to
be forgotten were the new media who
invaded Sandy Lake Reservation with
their monstrous up-down link electronic
dreadnoughts ofthe television industry.
Around the fire, the members of ALf
held discussions of spearing fish and
brought out the reasons for their need to
gather. Old friendships from past "Fish
Wars" were renewed and many new
friends were made in this circle. One
must tip their hats to those few news
media who stayed and braved the
elements so they could truly understand
and learn and hear the issues for the
upcoming spearing ofthe Lake called
Mille Lacs.
Speakers from within the group rose
in turn to provide insight and
information. They each in rum spoke to
all ofthe reasons that ranged from the
treatyrightsissuestothereligious aspect
of the Native Americans right for the
gathering of sustenance and food and
how it is seen as a religious freedom set
forth by their elders in the 1937- 54 - 55
Treaties. These treaties in essence state
thatthe 14memberbandswhooriginally
signed these treaties with the United
States and were from the areas now
called Minnesota and Wisconsin, had
not given up to any State their
fundamental rights to hunt, fish and
gather within the ceded territories..
Among the people who attended the
ALF/SeePage3
Native American Coalition for Civil
Rights to hold press conference
According to congressional staff the   a great amount of support from the  environment.
By Gary Blair
The People of Phillips (P.O.P.), an
organization that represents the
Phillips Neighborhood of South
Minneapolis, and the heart of the
Native American community, went
on record this week opposing the reopening ofthe Hennepin County Detox
Center that was closed late last fall
due to allegations of client abuse. In a
letter from POP dated April 22,1993,
to city councilman Jim Nyland, Debra
Brubaker, Chair of Distict 2 and Rand
Retterath of the groups Executive
Committee wrote, "We deplore the
re-opening of the Hennepin County
Detox facility. We condemn the
contribution ofthe Minneapolis City
Council towards that end." The letter
goes on to outline the reasons for the
groups decision.
"We base this opinion on the
following facts:  1.) The individuals
accused of perpetrating crimes against
residents continue to be involved in
direct patient care. Abuses continue
to occur as indicated by articles in the
local press and with continuing
allegations made by neighborhood
residents. 2.) There remains
unacceptable levels of investigation
into allegations of abuse 3.) Civil
rights continue to be violated.   4.)
Coalition/ See Page 5
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'Empowering Native Youth' Pow wow Bellecourt may be enhancing facts of
trunk stuffing case for personal gain
By Gary Blair
On Saturday, May 1, at 1:30 p.m.
there will be feast and pow wow held
at the Minneapolis American Indian
Center. The traditional affair is free
and open to the public. This is the
second time a pow wow of this type
will be held. The 1993 event is sponsored by the Fairview Riverside
Medical Center. The theme for the
pow wow is "Empowering the Native
Youth in Today's world."
According to Iris Heavy Runner and
Phil St. John, American Indians who
work in the Fairview Riverside chemically dependency treatment program
for Native youths, pow wows traditionally honor adults. Children may
attend those pow wows, but this event
will be different since its purpose will
be to honor youths, their achievement
and their future endeavors.
St. John said "This pow wow will
also be different in that all the proceeds earned will be going to the youth
who take part." He said that in the
past certain community groups have
held pow wows with very little ofthe
funds that are raised actually going to
those who perform.
He also told the PRESS, the Native
American youth who seek treatment
at the Fairview Riverside Medical
Center are referred from a program
located in Fort Frances, Ontario,
Canada, called Wee-Chit-A-Win and
members from that organization will
likewise be in attendance and will be
given special recognition.
The following are some ofthe additional activities the powwow will
include. There will be an award ceremony to recognize achievements of
youths for academics, athletics, culture and community service, Native
American dance competition, a feast
and entertainment. The date for the
pow wow was chosen for the beginning of "American Indian month."
Masters of ceremonies will be
Harlan Downwind and Ron Smith.
Host drums will be youth drum groups
Eyabay Singers of Red Lake and The
Boyz of St. Paul. Also performing will
be the Red Lake Singers and Iron-
wood Singers. Lakota George Estes
will entertain with the an Indian Flute
during the feast ofNative foods. All
are invited to attend this event.
By Delvin Cree
On Monday April 26,1993, at 1:00
PM, a press conference was held at the
Peacemaker Center, 2300 Cedar Avenue South in Minneapolis. The press
conference was called by Clyde
Bellecourt, Director ofthe American
Indian Movement (A.I.M.) and the
purpose was to present testimonies by
three Native American men who claim
that two of them were stuffed into the
trunk of a squad car by two Minneapolis Police officers and taken to the
hospital. The officers, Mike Lardy
and Marve Schmer, have been relieved of duty with pay while the
incident is being investigated.
Monday' s press conference had been
announced by Bellecourt on Sunday
during a previous one held at American Indian Services. During the
conference on Sunday, Charles Lone
Eagle made a few statements to the
media stating that he was one of the
men put into the trunk ofthe police
car. The incident occurred on Saturday, April 17. Although Lone Eagle
admits to have been drinking vodka
and beer since 1:00 PM that day, he
states that he was conscious at the time
ofthe incident [around 10:00 PM] and
remembers clearly being stuffed into
the trunk ofthe squad car by the two
policemen.
The police had been called by Laura
Ployhar and Jennifer Roder who found
the men passed out on the stairs of
their Minneapolis apartment at 10th
Street and Park Avenue South. According to Ployhar and Roder, the
officers called for a detox van and
when one was not available, proceeded
to put two ofthe men into the trunk of
their squad car.
Lone Eagle says that he remembers
the officers shutting the door of the
trunk and that inside it was very dark,
dusty, and smelled like gasoline. He
Clyde/See Page 5