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February 26 The short documentary film "Pirates of the Navajo Nation"The short documentary film "Pirates of the Navajo Nation"
February 24 Buffalohair Ibrahim Gambari, the contemporary Nevil ChamberlandIbrahim Gambari, the contemporary Nevil Chamberland Inadvertently the United Nations has qualified the criminal junta that has enslaved the nation of Burma. Liken to Nevil Chamberland and his association with Adolf Hitler Gambari and the military junta have become bedfellows. This new so called “Constitution” is nothing more than criminality on paper and will one day be part an parcel evidence whence the criminals of “Crimes Against Humanity” come to trial. Apparently Gambari was swayed by the lavish accommodations provided by the band of thugs who have enslaved Burma. The track record of some of the leadership at the UN has dubious honors to say the very least. What are you thinking Gambari? Does the wholesale murder of monks and innocent protesters stir any interest what so ever? How can you justify any dialog from a rouge regime who has arrested all opposition and their leadership? Like Nevil Chamberland who simply ignored the cries of human beings being exterminated to purport peace from Hitlers Germany, he said nothing or simply ignored the cries from the Burmese people. How many monks must die? How many innocent people must be arrested and tortured? What exactly needs to be done or said before this inert organization makes a stand for Human Rights? How far beyond stupid has the United Nations become? For all the billions this organization has received over the years, their response is simply a letter of condemnation. Hmm, that's about fifty cents for the piece of paper, the envelope and a stamp. Should I include the price of ink from the pen? Obviously all the nations of the world have followed suit to some degree since criminals still kill and torture those who oppose the iron fisted rule of the Burmese government. “Lets write Mayanmar a nasty letter”, oh boy that will show them. And now, Japanese industrialist, of all people, have taken the bait and decided China is way to expensive. They plan to move their textile industry to Burma to take advantage of the slave labor. Maybe the sleeping giant (China) will finally realize the military junta of Burma would stab them in the back as well. I know the honorable Japanese people who would be appalled by this reality since they've already suffered corruption from industry leaders in the past. So lets tell them. It is time for the human spirit to unite in a global effort to quell totalitarianism on a grand scale. Chevron and Total Oil are only the tip of the ice berg as far as “free world” enterprises who glean a profit from human suffering. And I'll wager there are thousands of other “free world” industries who are invested in the Burmese criminal government. Who is invested in Burma? Well lets find out and I know you will be surprised. With an army of journalists reading this article it is time to dig for facts boys and girls. It is time to expose the greedy who have capitalized on the bones of the innocent and fueled their cars with human blood. The pen is mightier than the sword as they say. Time for the sleeping dragon to awaken. Humanity has declared war on you Snr-Gen Than Shwe and one day there will be another Nuremberg Trial. Along with thugs, Tay Za, Chevron Execs, Total Execs, Execs from Japan, Switzerland and the USA who dishonor their nations, others will be added to the list of human rights violators. Like they say in America, you can run but you can't hide and now it's time for every human being from all nations to expose these culprits. Let their industries be known world wide, let their corporations be known, let their cronies be known and let them hang in the gallows of shame. The human beings of the world are armed with the most powerful weapon of all. It is the dollar, yen and other forms of currency. We can make a difference if we unite and stop buying from these supporters of hatred and greed. It is time for humanity to stand up and be heard. We will simply stop buying from them and cripple them in the pocket book. Like rats abandoning a sinking ship they will begin to crumble and point fingers at one another as the world looks on. Those with no honor will betray their own. We can bring tyranny to it's knees within a year if we all band together and assault them financially. It's all about the money for the corporations of the world who secretly side with the criminal Burmese government. No money, no corporation, how simple is that eh? Remember the saying, “Fight Fire with Fire”? It is time to go on the offensive and hit them where it counts, in the wallet, the stock markets, the gas pumps and the stores where we shop. Money is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction and now it's time for the mouse to roar. WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD, if we try. Your Devil's Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind February 21 Buffalohair SURVIVING THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCESURVIVING THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE From the jungles of Burma to the concrete jungle of modern America has become a challenge for the new arrivals to say the very least. I spoke with a Karen refugee woman, through my interpretor, and I was saddened by what she told me. Though she survived the ethnic cleansing of the military junta in Burma and managed to survive 10 years of hardships in a refugee camp on the Thai border, she was hard pressed to survive in modern America. Given three months from the time she arrived in America she was supposed to learn English, find a job and then pursue the America Dream. For immigrants from Europe this would not be much of a problem. Granted there is always the language barrier that must be conquered as well. But imagine, if you will, the refugee who lived in the jungles of Burma then dropped into modern American society. It's a culture shock to say the least. Three months truly was not enough time to assimilate with our complex culture for her and the multitude of refugees who've come to America with hopes and dreams. She told me of how she used to dream of this place of freedom called America. She and other Burmese who lived their entire lives in the jungles never ventured to any urban areas even in their own country. They were jungle people who lived their lives hunting and gathering as well as farm their land. Never did they want nor have the desire to go to any city. Free from the complexities of modern life they lived with nature for the most part. Their lives where likened to living in a Garden of Eden where the jungle provided all their needs. They were children of the jungle who lived in paradise until a military junta decided to gather them up and place them in bondage and forced labor camps or simply raped and murdered. What a sad and horrific introduction to the 21st Century to be hunted down and in many cases murdered in cold blood by rockets, bullets and bombs. Their crime, being a simple and peaceful people who had no need for modern ways or ideologies. Quickly they learned the harsh realities of this modern era of greed as soldiers came to their villages, burned down their homes, raped their women and killed anyone who opposed this new iron fisted rule. Their only salvation was to find sanctuary in one of the many refugee camps along the Thai border. Naïve to the ways of modern society they fell pray to unscrupulous and fast talking people. Stripped of their innocence their only hope was to find a host country who would offer them salvation from the horrors of living as a refugee in this ambivalent world. Their dream, to live in America the land of the free. Eagerly they drank up all that was American. They heard stories about this land of “Milk and Honey”. Oh how they dreamed of living in such a free place, America. Hmmmmmmmmm... It's been eight months since she and her family left Thailand and only 5 months since the US government stopped giving them assistance. With 10 people living in this household sharing a two bedroom apartment, life has not been quite the American Dream from legends told in the refugee camps. Totally ill prepared to deal with modern American society has made them targets again to say the very least. In this household there is only one person who managed to find work, her husband. He found work but it has fallen short of the hopes and dreams they once conjured. They were given three months to assimilate and enter American society, gads. Now he works out of town for minimum wage and lives with other refugees in an effort to support his family. Others tell me of how relations have been maimed and injured by lawn mowers, hedge cutters and other common garden tools. Many who have been injured are fearful of reprisal and never report these events. Some work for far less than minimum wage and are not aware of laws that protect workers in the work place. Thankful they are not being hunted down and killed they press forward though almost impossible odds. “We thought this land was free but you have to pay money just to sit” one tribesman told me. Sadly rape still follows the women of the jungle like so many other ethnic minority women. One woman told me of how she was held captive and raped repeatedly for days until she was made to go to the bank and withdraw all her funds by the perpetrator. Undaunted she went into the bank and immediately notified authorities. The culprit was quickly dispatched and eventually placed in prison, you go girl. But this is not always the case and rape is still a very real reality for minority woman. This has been the case for Native women as well. Statistically speaking 7 out of 10 assaults on Native women were perpetrated by non Native men. This horrific statistic is shared by Canada as well. Social issues ranging from alcohol abuse to spousal abuse have been largely ignored. Despair and sorrow also haunt these people since this new world is so foreign to them. Funny, I find this to be the case with my people living on the reservation. Many live in poverty on the rez rather than endure racism and hatred from non Natives. My brother was a roofer but quit when his employer refused to give him more than half his promised wage. I can imagine how much worse it is for a refugee who does not know the language or the labor laws. Unscrupulous business owners have taken full advantage of the ignorance of these innocent people and have literally placed some of them in indentured servitude. They work 20 hour days for less than minimum wage and are kept is squalor. Ironically some of these ruthless businessmen are educated Burmese. Again another mirror reflection from the Native American world fore it's been my observation the cruelest people I've encountered was our very own. We expect others to be cruel to us but when it's one of our own people it is the ultimate betrayal. From the Maori, Aborigines, Native American's, Mayan, Cambodians, Nigerians and other ethnic minorities, assimilation has been quite a disaster from the onset. Tribal people in general have had to struggle with a society that was not groomed for life but groomed for material gain. It has become a crime of sorts not to have this material lusting and desire to have “stuff” like this modern age seems to require. Why is it such a crime to be truly free? How come everything has a price tag in modern society? What has this world become when you can't simply sit by a stream and enjoy the day? Civilization? Show me where it is and I'll find the contradiction fore there is nothing civil about this modern culture, nothing. When I was a child assimilation was a very real issue for my mom and I. We just did not understand this strange new world. The fact my ma and I were from an ethnic group other than the status quo placed us in such a negative light I still suffer the emotional consequences (PTSD) from the hatred we endured. I remember men coming up to my mother and propositioning her in my presence. I can still remember this line, “Do you want a new pa pa little boy?”, and we were US citizens. The feel of warm spittle on my face from non Native people who used to spit on us still haunts me to this day. I will never forget how we were treated. I can just imagine how these little chubby cheek Burmese kids feel when their mothers are accosted and asked for sexual favors simply because they are minorities. Guess it is only apparent that I've taken a personal vested interest in the plight of these human beings. I've allied myself with Kachin, Karen, Burmese officials and ex political prisoners who are true champions of their people. I am honored to call them my friends. They are a wealth of knowledge and are my key to the secret world of the refugee communities they serve both nationally and internationally. We all agree there is a serious lacking in educating and preparing people from the jungle to face the challenges of this modern and complex society. Many refugees never had an electric appliance in their lives let alone electricity. And for some refugees this has become a living nightmare from which they will never awaken from. Sadly they ponder if death from the military junta would have been a more humane way to die. Your Devil's Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind February 20 Buffalohair THE SECRETS OF THE BURMESE REFUGEEBuffalohair THE SECRETS OF THE BURMESE REFUGEETHE SECRETS OF THE BURMESE REFUGEE What started out as a vacation from my journalistic pursuits became a journey into a world many people never see. Their struggle, their stories and their plight, truly a walk through hell. I have become privy to the secrets from the jungles of Burma and Thailand. With the help of Burmese, Kachin and Karen friends plus refugee officials and missionaries I have become a welcome guest within the teaming refugee community here in America. And within this matrix I have become a trusted messenger for these voiceless humble human beings. This is an honor I don't hold lightly. The stories are most compelling. And this is just the beginning. With the exotic smell of shrimp paste intermingled with other interesting fragrances I found myself deep within the Burmese culture. It was with great pleasure I embraced this kind and loving people. Hospitality rarely seen outside of my reservation greeted me as well as a plate of Burmese cuisine. Though I can't begin to pronounce the different dishes I enjoyed, I can attest it was a wonderful experience for my pallet indeed. But as I ate, these beautiful people began to tell their stories to me. While drinking my tea and enjoying some brown sugar candy I could not help but listen as they began to tell their tales of unseen hardship and horrors not mentioned in the main stream media. Myanmar (Burma), wracked with violence, wholesale murder and ethnic cleansing from the military junta forced many people to flee for their lives or faced death and imprisonment. My beautiful Burmese hostess and interpreter, (Madam Butterfly), gained political asylum 11 years ago and has worked to help her people ever since. Her story alone would take volumes to tell since she had to flee into the jungle or be executed like so many other Burmese people have. Truly her life would compare to a James Bond thriller filled with intrigue, rape, survival and death. As I found out later she was not an isolated case fore all these people fled with nothing more than the cloths on their backs or face labor camps and extinction. The stories I heard were horrific to say the least. Imagine going to school and having to step over human body parts with the stench of decomposing flesh in the air. Or watching as children die from poisoned candy laced with heroin distributed by the government intentionally. Ideological differences gave warrant for imprisonment and torture. In many cases people were simply murdered. As I wrote this piece I was cautioned not to make to many direct references or mention names. The totalitarian government monitors the Internet and would rain death on relations and tribal people still in Burma. You'd think all is well whence these suffering people finally arrived at one of the refugee centers. But alas this was truly not the case for some refugees. Many have been living in exile from their homeland for 10 years or more. Ethnic tribal people have been classified as terrorists since the advent of 9-11. For example the Karen have taken up arms to resistance the military junta that has not recognized the vote of the people and imprisoned the elected president, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Karen have become untouchable in many cases and no countries would adopt them for fear of terrorism. It's a Catch 22 for people who've survived so much. Ironically, the fight for freedom has become a terrorist activity. Further I learned that some people who've claimed to be political refugees were in fact pro government from the onset but bought their way to America through some corrupt refugee camp officials. Please note this is an isolated case and not all officials are corrupt but corruption is always present. But as an American this strikes at my core since we suffered greatly from the destruction of the Twin Towers. 5, 10 and 20 thousand dollars would secure political refugee status for those who could pay. They would pay their fee, stay in a refugee camp for a week or so then spend the remainder of the time in a Thai motel in Bangkok. In no time flat they would be whisked to America or other host nations. This was a deep dark secret until now. Fact is, there are many deep dark secrets I've learned while investigating the plight of the Burmese people. Unscrupulous businessmen managed to come over to the USA and enslaved the ethnically diverse refugees naïve to our ways again. More on this issue later. Imagine, here we sit after 9-11, shoring up our borders and over in Thailand people can buy their way to America and other ports of call under the guise of humanitarian need. Then there are the truly displaced refugees who've been living in camps for many years in squaller. Their refugee status tainted with the word “terrorist” on their documents. With the assassination of 65 year old Padoh Mahn Sha, secretary general of the Karen National Union, the fight for freedom has been thrust into yet more pandemonium. Though it is believed the killing was ordered by the military junta of Burma there are other possibilities. It is suspected the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, (DKBA) and pro Junta, were involved but other splinter groups are suspect such as Brigade 7 or better known as the KNU/KNLA Peace Counsel. Feudal differences between the Thais and Burmese have festered causing yet more turmoil for these struggling people. One Karen refugee told me what she observed while in detention in a Thai prison. Thai criminals would buy their way out of prison then Burmese refugees held in detention would simply be used to replace this thug and serve out a sentence for a crime they did not commit. Along the Thai border womens bodies would appear after the rains, obviously raped and beaten to death. Fact is, according to Burmese Junta officials, the value of life was a mean $6. Women in general have been under assault as it is. Rape has become common place and sexual slavery has become a booming business for the brothels in Bangkok. One school teacher and her husband living and working at a refugee center took it upon themselves to rescue women held in bondage at Thai brothels. From jumping from balconies to physically removing these sex slaves, this couple are truly heroes in their own right and I will tell of their adventures in another article. I listened in horror as a Karen woman told my interpreter a grizzly story about how some Thai restaurateurs used Burmese children to feed leaches. After the leaches were fattened up by the human blood of Burmese babies they would be served up at various restaurants in Thailand as a delicacy. Sadly as both Thai and western dinners ate this treat they would not be aware for the fact these leaches were filled with human blood. If a child got ill during the leaches feeding frenzy they would be nursed back to health then dumped back in a vat filled with hungry leaches. If they died, they simply were thrown away deep in th jungle. With little to no accountability the Thai governments efforts have been thwarted while investigating these human rights issues. The plush green mat of the jungle keeps many dark secrets from the western world. The stories of human suffering are beyond imagination. Another Karen woman told me of how unscrupulous men would come to villagers promising a new and wonderful life, marry a Burmese woman, impregnate her, take her to Thailand then sell her into prostitution. The new born child would then be sold into slavery. Sadly this is not an isolated case fore many young and desperate women have been literally taken from their villages and refugee camps and sold into prostitution. Lawlessness has become the order of the day for survivors of ethnic cleansing. Their pleads for help have not been heard or ignored, until now eh. It should be know that it is not the Thai government per se' who are perpetrating these acts on the refugees. It is ruthless individuals who've taken full advantage of the plight of these suffering people. With a dense jungle to mask any improprieties, criminal behavior is rampant. Burmese forces continually bomb and mortar refugee camps along the border regardless of international boundaries. And it is believed they also send troops within the Thai borders to rape and murder the defenseless less refugees. The innocent and the meek are under siege as their lives and dignity are extinguished and erased from memory. I was informed the BBC, the UN and the United States have continually given humanitarian aid to these refugee camps. Of course the Thai government as a whole has offered much humanitarian assistance over the years. It was a wonderful surprise to learn that an entity such as the British Broadcasting Corporation has been involved in this epic humanitarian effort. And it's nice to know that good ole Uncle Sam has been in the trenches as well. And if it were not for Thailand the refugees would not have a place to go in the first place. Currently Japan has offered to open their doors to refugees and this is most commendable. I salute you Japan. The latest news from Burma is that tycoon, Tay Za personal friend of junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe, has simply confiscated a complete village, Tayor Gone, near Phakant, Kachin State. Htoo Trading Co Ltd, his company, plans to open a jade mine to further his riches at the expense of over 300 Kachin villagers with no compensation. He claims the land is his. Other exploits by the Burmese government are to allow a Russian mining company to explore for gold in Kachin land at the expense ofthe Kachin people. Sources say it's a thinly veiled attempt to find uranium in this region. In any event it's the humble and the innocent people who will suffer and most likely be booted from their tribal land whence gold or uranium are discovered. Of course there would be no compensation what so ever. With all this human suffering perpetrated by the Burmese military junta you'd think it was a no brainer for free world enterprises to boycott this place place filled with human rights violations. Ah but such is life and it was learned that Chevron, a multi-national oil company, is invested in the Yadana gas pipeline to the tune of 28% interest but they are not alone. Total of France is also invested at 31%, Thailand's PTTP has a 25% interest while the Burmese junta has only vested 15% in their own pipeline. So here we go again since now it boils down to this. As we all know, when it comes to indigenous people, their sacred land and natural resources, humans always get the short end of the stick. It's all about the money Paisan. The Burmese refugee community are sending out petitions urging Congress to get Chevron to end it's partnership with the military junta. Both the House of Representatives and Congress have bills before them that are related directly to investments in Burma. And you the voting public can make a difference if you try. The plight of the Burmese people has taken center stage with me and I'm going to tell you why. As I talked to Karen refugees I was taken back by the commonalities both my people and their people share. The stories, though grim and horrific are a reflection of the human suffering my people endured from the conquering people. They are the stories historians managed to keep out of the books but our oral tradition has kept them alive, like the Karen and other Burmese people. When listening to these wonderfully humble and kind people I was taken aback by their innocence and it reminded me of my elders as they told of similar horrors in years past. Government sponsored ethnic cleansing by the US Cavalry, the raising of villages, the rape and murder of innocent people as the whole world looked on has struck at my core. Sand Creek and Washita come to mind from as I hear their stories. If only our people had access to the media back then. Maybe we would have had a chance to retain our homeland and more of our culture. If only more people of the world knew the true reality of out plight maybe we would not be relegated to reservations and forced to live in third world conditions to this day. Our people of the First Nation were innocent and trusting. And for this we were betrayed, raped and murdered for our land and natural resources. The funny yellow metal that makes the white man crazy was at the core of much of this. Living by water was another reason our tribes were decimated and or completely killed off with such religions terms like “Manifest Destiny”. The struggle to find sanctuary by Chief Joseph was an epic drama similar to the Karen people as they made their way towards Canada. The only difference was they never found sanctuary or ever found refuge and were thrust into bondage in a land that once had no owners. The refugees from Burma are my brothers and sisters and now their struggle is mine as well. After all, I am the voice of the voiceless and this is only the beginning eh. According to Kachin oral tradition I am Shan Htoi Gam Your Devil's Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind February 09 Buffalohair THE THAILAND ODYSSEYTHE THAILAND ODYSSEY Burmese refugees fill refugee centers along the Burma/Thai border. Tired and hungry, they soon discover there is no food or supplies according to Karen Relief officials. The injured, though lucky to be alive, ponder their fate while the lack of medical attention takes its human toll. With a new Thai government taking control the refugees as well as migrant workers, approximately 1 million or so, fear for an unknown future. Animosities between Burma and Thailand as well as cultural differences have widened the gap that separates them. All aspects of life are affected as Burmese are grossly underpaid. Registered migrants have equal rights under Thai Law. This is largely ignored since Burmese are systematically denied educational opportunities, health care and other basic societal comforts. Many provinces have also imposed curfews. Some provinces have forbidden immigrants from owning cell phones. Unregistered workers are the majority of the workforce though. Working long hours with no protection from the law, sweat shops team with nothing short of slave labor. They are paid a third of the minimum wage at best while lining the pockets of unscrupulous businessmen. Two and three families will live in dwellings designed for 2 people in an effort to survive in this new and foreign world. Life is very trying for these immigrants at best. But they are thankful for the safety Thailand offers them. So they live and work in squalid conditions, treated like second class citizens and endure more ethnic hatred and distain. At least they were not returned to Burma to face death or imprisonment. Sadly corrupt Thai officials have hampered the registration process for refugee applicants in an effort to keep wages low for industries sake. With the appointment of Noppadon Pattama as Thailands new foreign minister the Burmese refugee’s fears are not so unfounded since he seems to cater to Junta officials. The possibility of a Burma Friendly policy is very real and is the subject of many conversations. Their only hope is that Pattama’s actions are a sign of diplomatic prowess and not an early sign of bias. Their fate is in the balance and time will only tell. Thailand’s newly elected government has postured themselves to honor and respect Burma’s sovereignty. The issues of democracy, human rights and wholesale murder of human beings were relegated to “Domestic Issues”. Foreign Minister Noppadon was quoted as saying; “We are not a headmaster who can tell Burma to do this or that” From the jungle refugee camps to the slums of Bangkok, Burmese refugees are fearful of their future. With the new government flexing it’s new wings and making plans for the countries future. The place once thought to be a new beginning may very well become the beginning of the end. Your Devil’s Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind February 08 Buffalohair THE HORRIFIC REFLECTIONS FROM BURMATHE HORRIFIC REFLECTIONS FROM BURMA
As we languish over our plight, high oil prices and the political circus that is unfolding. It is hard to imagine people are running through the jungles of Burma trying to escape relocation and enslavement. Karen tribal refugees are making their way to the Burma/Thai border to find sanctuary through a barrage of gun fire and bursting bombs from government forces. Villages are being burned to the ground. Their traditional tribal lands are being destroyed as innocent men, women and children flee into the dense jungles of South Asia. According to Free Burma Rangers (FRB), “shoot on site” is standard operating procedure for Burmese Army Patrols. Human beings, men women, children and the elderly are being killed at random in this secret blood letting by government forces. Whole villages are nothing more then cinders and ash. Innocent tribal people lay in a sea of blood, slaughtered. It is an epic drama entwined in human suffering and death. The shear brutality of the Burmese Army is a horrific reflection of the Schutz Staffle and the Jew and the US Cavalry and American Indian’s. It’s wholesale genocide at its best as government troops target the ethnic people of Burma. A Bamboo Curtain has once again been drawn to hide the atrocities that are unfolding as this story is being written. The secret war against the Karen and other tribes of Burma can no longer be kept a secret anymore. They literally are living in the jungles trying to find safety while government forces with modern fire power and equipment strafe and bomb the country side. It’s a race for the Thai/Burma border. Men, women and children with nothing more than the cloths on their backs walk in a dazed yet wary grace. The magnitude of death, carnage and shear cruelty they had to endure is reflected in the coldness of their eyes. Their only hope for survival is Thailand and the refugee camps. If they fail, imprisonment, torture and death are their reward. If they live, they will be tossed into forced labor and worked to death. Behind the Bamboo Curtain ethnic cleansing is being perpetrated against the ethnic peoples of Northern Karen State, Eastern Burma. The military junta has pulled all the stops. Though government officials deny this activity, children are forced into military service. Two Burmese Army Child Soldiers defected to Karenni operatives. One boy was 15 yrs old, the other 16 yrs old. When interviewed they told of transporting munitions of all kinds including these boxes decorated with skull and cross bone emblems. The children were trained in the handling of toxicity chemical and biological ordinance and warned of the deadly consequences if they did not follow protocol. This sheds yet another darker shadow on this military junta as more atrocities come to light. The total disregard for human life by government forces is all to apparent. There is no limit to what form of death they rain on innocent ethnic people. The Karen and other diverse tribes that once thrived with abundance by the sea, jungle and highlands are under siege behind the Bamboo Curtain, out of sight, out of mind. The Karen villagers are struggling to save their very existence as death squads comb the jungles for stragglers. Maung Ga Shwey, chief of Na Shwe Mo village, Dooplaya District, Central Karen State was arrested then executed by troops from the Burma Army Battalion 231 late last month according to an (FRB) source. Humanity has no presents in this world of pure hatred as innocent men, women and children are tortured and executed by government forces. They have few voices to speak for their cause or barter for their existence and are left to die on the jungle floor. The government has placed yet more restrictions on Rangoon and Pegu. People are being “detained” as the vice of totalitarianism squeezes the life out of a once prosperous and flourishing nation. This is a human tragedy of epic proportions, The Killing Fields of Burma. Their only hope is the Thai border. Their only wish is to survive. A message from the Free Burma Rangers; “If the Burmese army is not stopped or we do not get help, in the future when you come to Karen State, there will no longer be any Karen people. Please tell the rest of the world to help us.” Your Devil’s Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind February 03 Buffalohair CLASSICAL, JAZZ, R&B AND SMOOTH MUSIC WANTEDBuffalohair Smooth Showwww.pheonixradio.net
Buffalohair Friday, Saturday and
Sunday 9:00 - 12:00 midnight EST and 2:00AM GMT Buffalohair CLASSICAL, JAZZ, R&B AND SMOOTH MUSIC WANTED Sunday, February 03, 2008 February 01 Buffalohair TPMS, A WALK INTO THE TECHNOLOGICAL TOILET
January 16 Native American Indian Web Cast TV, Hear Our Voices!Native American Indian Web Cast TV AIM Live Web TV Channel 2 on QuickTime A Look into a Nations Life Today KANU TV (or is that Video?) January 14 Thank You's from Flood Victims & NATIVE BEATZ
January 11 Buffalohair ARM CHAIR FASCIST 101.
ARM CHAIR FASCIST 101.
Funny how the “Rights of Man” has become the “Rights of the Select” these days. And this axiom seems to have trickled down to the news media at large I might add. It is quite striking to me the very vanguard of Freedom of Speech has turned into a part of the Double Speak Machine. When personal opinions outweigh news worthy stories the news simply does not get out. In effect, the news is censored before it hits the press. So yea don’t like the schmuck in a story. Does mean you don’t do the story. Everyone has an opinion and we are predisposed to some prejudices and dislikes regardless of how much incense we burn or whatever…lol. Some call it the new wave of advocate reporting. I call it censorship. In any event it’s the so called little people who never seem to get an equal playing field in the media. It sickens me, all these arm chair journalists who determine what is news and what is not, all based on their personal opinions. Let’s take a look at how the media at large has dealt with a band of Lakota People making a run for freedom. Or should I say, how the media ignored this event. So yea don’t like Russell, big frigging deal. What about the hundreds possibly thousands of people who are desperate for change on the rez? The very people who will most likely be brutalized by BIA Gestapo while the public rants about the ills of Russell. Then there are the talking heads and opinionated louts who are eager to see the BIA crack down on these “Renegade Injuns”. Why? Because they don’t like Russell. What kills me is the fact most of these nay sayers are not even Native. But they are eager to pick a side totally unaware that there are more than just two sides within the Native world. If only they knew of the hardships Indigenous people truly have to endure then maybe they would have a clue as the desperation that exists. Russell does not control the minds of the millions of poor Indigenous people who live within the America’s. But it sure is funny that when someone does make mention of these third world inhabitants and conditions absolutely everything this person said or did since birth comes under the scrutiny of the media. By no means do I condone poor behavior from Russell or anyone for that matter. I’m no Boy Scout by any stretch of the imagination. Been there, done that as they say. Take a long hard look at the world around you. We are living in a world of shadows. Corrupt political officials, corporations and governments at large have managed to perfect organized crime. But I guess that’s acceptable in this case. Paleeeze! The big difference between the Native world and the Non Native world is our people still get shot by military rifles while you get hit with a Taser. There is no oversight committee that assures Native’s will not get brutalized by BIA or FBI forces. Whether or not a person agrees with the politics of the Native Movement or the many factions should not be an issue. Rather, what extreme measures will the federal agents use to “quell” some renegade Injuns? There is a growing list of violations the BIA and FBI are guilty of with regard to Human Rights. Not in the publics eye is the harsh and brutal treatment Natives receive from federal authorities. Custer rides again it seems when the feds decide to roll on in. I can hear Gary Owen now. I’m not so inclined to simply toss any Native’s to the wolves whether I like their leader or not. And there you sit sucking down a Latte’ and reading a tiny blurb from Reuters or BBC. “Umm, I wonder if I should do a story on these Lakota’s”, you ask. “Isn’t that a Russell Means deal?”, queries your editor. “Wow, now that’s a controversial story. Maybe I’ll do a story on Brittany Spears instead”, you say. LOL, B.S. as usual? In the meantime while people are home sleeping BIA and FBI’s storm homes likened to the Schutz Staffle of Hitler’s fame. They drag men, women and children out of their homes then ransack and destroy their possessions, and this is our reality. Sadly someone will get hurt or killed by an overzealous agent or two. Coincidentally, the person injured or killed will be an outspoken activist. It is funny how this happens across the Americas. And now, a former FBI, (Joseph H. Trimbach) has a tell all book about AIM and the TRUE nature of this organization, (American Indian Mafia). The same FBI who is wracked with corruption agents, graft, sold secrets and can’t pay their surveillance phone bill. Dare we mention the CIA’s drug running to finance the Contra’s? Is this a pot calling the kettle black? This book will be fodder for all those nay sayers for sure. Of course the Arm Chair Fascists can pick and select who is the naughty Injun and who they consider a good Injun. Well it does not matter what these arm chair Fascists think anyway. They don’t live as a conquered people. They don’t live in constant fear of reprisal whenever they mention equality. And I know they don’t get phone calls from family relations in need of food or help paying the utilities. I love how people are saying, “These Lakota’s are breaking a long standing treaty”, excuse me while I barf. The US is the trend setter for broken treaties and promises and this fact should be the rallying point, not a group of people “run for the fence” in a desperate attempt to find freedom. Just remember what Martin Luther King said, “Everything Hitler did was legal”. Well the struggle of the Indigenous People world wide marches on. Did you catch the story about a judge in Australia who released 10 adult men with little penalty if any for raping a 10 year old girl? Yup, the reasoning behind the judges light sentences, “The girl must have given permission”, gads. Then the Aborigine’s from down under won a shallow victory in courts for the Australian governments removal of children from Aboriginal families by force to “re-educate” them. It’s the same ole same ole, the conquering people decided to relocate and educate Aboriginal children. Canada had a landmark billion dollar law suite for just the same exact thing. Only difference in the outcome was, the Australian government decided monetary reparations was not necessary and a simple apology was all that was required to mend decades of human rights violations. Sadly, food shortages are circulating around the world but it’s the Indigenous people who feel the wrath. War torn Afghanistan is appealing to the world for help since they were not able to produce enough food to feed their own. According to Pakistani officials there is an abundance of wheat flour in South Asia but the prices are fixed at the mills these days. They must have learned this trick from the oil companies who have taken to raising prices do to speculation. It’s all about the money Paisan. Yea well whatever. So much for literary turrets, ah the life of a Devil’s Advocate eh. Your Devil’s Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind January 04 Buffalohair : RUSSELL MEANSWorried
Hearing Right now FBI is releasing book about 1973 attack on Lakota? Wounded Knee, Leonard Peltier, AIM RUSSELL MEANS Well I’ve heard enough commentaries about Russell to last a lifetime. Seems the arm chair observers had their say, Russell is this, and Russell is that. So what, Russell is this and that and I could give a flying crappola. People seem to forget all the good Russell did in his day. People seem to forget he was involved in the Native movement before it was chic’. Russell made his bones and did time in the joint for his participation in the Native movement. Who was on Alcatraz Island back in the day? Russell. Who participated in the take over of Mount Rushmore and the BIA in Washington DC? Russell. And we all can’t forget the infamous stand off and political railroading of Wounded Knee back in 1973, or did we all forget that part. Yup there are sour grapes over some of Russell’s antics. But that’s our bitch or snivel, not some outside observers who don’t have a clue. What I find patently offensive are some of the lame reasons, “He’s just an actor, He is just looking for the money, He does not represent the whole nation” or whatever else most of these boneheads toss in. So what, apparently there are several thousand people, not just Russell, who want change even in the face of all adversity. Are we going to ignore these human beings simply because we don’t like the messenger or the tip of the spear? Does this become a non news story? Within the Native world that I reside we are a people of many opinions and we don’t simply follow the beat of one mans drum. We are as diverse as Europe as far as nations are concerned. Russell is not an isolated enigma within the Native World fore he has many followers and support multi tribally just in case you did not know boys and girls. So he is no cherry, who is eh? I know I’m far from cherry so get over yourself. Cheyenne way is to “Go On” after we take a hit or spill in life. That is, we always move forward but remembering the lesson we just learned. We don’t dwell on the past or drag skeletons around for all to gawk at for the most part. We are not like the non Native world of mud slinging and dragging up the past fore everyone has a past if you look hard enough. Funny how all the organized religions preach, “Let Yee Who Hath Not Sin Toss the First Stone”, what a crock of Moose Droppings eh. Excuse me while I barf. So as this band of Lakota People (Republic of Lakota) struggle in the face of all adversity, turn your head and pretend people are not risking their lives to make a statement. If the feds deal with these men women and children with the iron fisted tactics they usually use, are you going to say, “Ah that was Russell’s deal anyway”? Are you going to ignore the fact human beings who are desperate for change dared to buck the status quo? According to BIA spokesman Gary Garrison; “They, (Lakota Republic) are going to end up like all the rest of the groups who have declared themselves independent-they end up arrested and put in jail”. The stage is being set for a showdown in any event. I’ll bet if this move towards independence gathers steam everyone and their uncle will want to join their ranks. Everyone will want some of the pie and enrich themselves with the fruits of glory. They will have forgotten their negative words, the lacking of empathy or support they once showed. And by the same token, when the going gets tough, all the rats will abandon ship……lol. I don’t buy into many things, but I honor courage. This band of Lakota People (Republic of Lakota) are making history though the mainstream media does not make recognition. When the BIA moves in there will not be a sound from the mainstream, it will be a non event except to the Lakota who get imprisonment. Course the media was in part responsible for the rampant hatred and wholesale murder of our people back in the day. Or do you remember that part of our history? Seems Bolivia is taking this declaration of independents seriously as well as other nations of the world though. In Indian Country Today Russell was quoted as saying; ''I maintained from the get-go I do not represent, nor do the free-thinking, free-seeking Lakota want to have anything to do with, the 'hang around the fort' Indians, those collaborators with the government who perpetuate our poverty, misery and our sickness - in other words, our genocide. They are part and parcel of that genocide. I couldn't care less what the bought-and-paid-for, 'hang around the fort' Indians represent or what they say. End of conversation,'' Means said. “Hang around the Fort Indians” now that’s a tonguetwister. We call them “Fort Scroungers” where I come from and there are many. I have a personal rub with Fort Scroungers since they are the brown nosers who suck up all the cream before anything ever gets distributed to the rest of people. I know what Russell is talking about eh. I have a group of seniors who have not seen a hot meal in months because Fort Scroungers squandered allotments simply to enrich themselves. I have family members who have to travel for water just to flush their toilets. If there is one position Russell and I agree on it’s the Fort Scrounger issue fore they are worse then the conquering people. Happy Frigging New Year! Your Devil’s Advocate Buffalohair _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind December 28 Buffalohair THE SACRED RIDE TO WOUNDED KNEETHE SACRED RIDE TO WOUNDED KNEE As modern day travelers are stuck at airports and bus depots do to blizzards across the US a band of Lakota People ride into history. Following in the footsteps of Chief Big Foot 44 Lakota’s retraced the 287 mile ride from Standing Rock to Wounded Knee. The contingent of riders has grown to over 100 as they faced conditions their ancestors did before being murdered in cold blood by US Troops in the now infamous Wounded Knee Massacre. The ride began on December the 15th, the anniversary of Sitting Bulls assignation and will conclude on December the 29th. The ride began while the Lakota Nation was still indentured and living as a conquered people. Upon their arrival they will be a free people. Hopefully with the eyes of the world on these brave people the end of the ride will be a new beginning for this impoverished nation. It is my contention that with enough world wide attention this ride or their bid for freedom will not end in a blood bath like it did 127 years ago. Included is the press release I just received. Your Devil’s Advocate Buffalohair Dec 27, 2007 CHIEF BIG FOOT RIDERS RETURN TO WOUNDED KNEE, "WE WANT TO BE FREE" 13 Day Ride Began Under Bonds of U.S. Treaty, Ends on December 29th with Free Nation 21st Annual Ride and returns Life to a Free Lakota People at Wounded Knee, Lakota (formerly South Dakota). Thirteen days and 287 miles ago, 44 people mounted horses and began the Memorial Chief Big Foot Ride in honor of Si Tanka (Chief Big Foot) and his unarmed band of Mniconjou and Hunkpapa refuges that were slaughtered by U.S. Calvary in 1890 at Wounded Knee. But while these 44 riders began their journey under the shadow of U.S. Treaty, their numbers swelled to over 100 and will end under the protection of a free and sovereign Lakota Nation. The ride began on December 15th in Standing Rock, the anniversary of Sitting Bull's death, and has traveled through fierce snowstorm and cold, the same conditions faced by the 357 mostly women, children and elder men at Wounded Knee Creek 127 years ago. "The purpose of the ride is to ride the spirit trail of Chief Big Foot," said Tegihya Kte also known as Garry Rowland, leader of the riders and recent delegate of the Lakota Freedom effort in Washington D.C.. "The Tree of Life died in Wounded Knee in 1890, and the ride was begun to mend the Sacred Hoop." Riders ranging in age from 10 to 65 travel the footsteps of their Ancestors, along the way offering prayer for the women, children, the Elders, and the conditions the Lakota people are forced to live under today. For the children, the ride is also a powerful introduction to the sacred relationship between the Lakota and the horse and the courage their Ancestors took during their 13 day walk from the site of Sitting Bull's assassination to Wounded Knee. "My sons and now my grandsons have participated in the ride," shared Tegihya Kte. "They ride for our future and the self-determination of our people." The self-determination of the Lakota now takes on powerful meeting as the Lakota Freedom Delegation traveled to Washington D.C. and withdrew the Lakota from their treaties with the United States Government. The ride becomes an outward expression of sovereign Lakota rights and spirituality. Tegihya Kte said, "We don't want the government telling us what to do, we want to be free." Lakota Freedom delegate and Cante Tenza leader Canupa Gluha Mani (Duane Martin Sr.) agreed, "The Lakota withdrawal in Washington D.C. brings real protection for our people today, exactly the real protection Big Foot sought for his people then." We are the freedom loving Lakota from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have withdrawn from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law. For more information, please visit our new website at; www.lakotafreedom.com. Media queries; Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders; (865) 242-2199 or (605) 867-2852 growland2000@yahoo.com Lakota Freedom Inquires, contact; Naomi Archer, Lakota Freedom Liaison; (828) 230-1404 www.lakotafreedom.com. _________________ Creativity is the byproduct of a fertile mind December 22 Buffalohair HUMANITY HAS NO DISABILITIESBlog / Buffalohair HUMANITY HAS NO DISABILITIES
55 seconds ago HUMANITY HAS NO DISABILITIES December 13 PHEONIXRADIO.NET THE INTERNATIONAL ONLINE RADIO STATION Seeking Independent, Unsigned, and Unlabeled, Jazz, R&B, Classical, Folk, Rock Entertainers as well as Cultural/Aboriginal and other genres of music. Also Comedians and Stand up Comics for comedy shows for world wide online radio shows that rock. All Nations, All Artists get exposure on a grand scale in an upscale show with affiliates world wide. From Lithuania to Long Island send us your tunes and get your work in the public's eye. There are no cultural barriers at Pheonixradio.net. The world will be at your fingertips. Hear our show and sign up for a world wide experience and get the exposure and free promotion you deserve. Let our team of experienced professionals broadcast your works on a grand scale never before thought possible, till now. WORLD WIDE EXPOSURE WAY COOL! http://www.pheonixradio.net/ http://www.pheonixradio.net/ http://www.pheonixradio.net/ ROCK ON! December 11 Buffalohair Pheonixradio Rising
Pheonixradio Rising I managed to get myself involved in an independent online radio station called Pheonixradio. With pocket change, robbed piggy banks, rolls of Duct Tape and people with a vision on two continents we managed to create Pheonixradio. The sole purpose of this station is to air and promote unsigned, unlabeled, indie and unknown artists. From the Maori to the Macedonians and from the Celtic to the Cheyenne, we are on the air worldwide. It's always been my contention that Native artists should not be place in some small restrictive corner. Our people should be mainstream and playing alone side other talented artists. How could we possibly hope to hit the big time and have a wide audience when we place ourselves in this artificially restrictive position? Why settle for less when there is a world filled with potential fans who would love to hear your tunes if only they heard you perform. We have literally thousands of artists world wide including Native artists from all genres. From blues, rock, classical, Hip Hop and a myriad of different beats and of course traditional music as well. With affiliates around the world we give exposure on a grand scale that is sure to develop a fan base never before thought possible. No more do we have to settle for less since the world is at our finger tips. I thought it was bitchen since so many talented artists of all races never seem to have an equal playing field against the all powerful established recording companies. Artists don't have the freedom to follow their art since their contracts are very restrictive. I've talked with many entertainers who share this common complaint. For my sins I have a show now. It airs on Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 12midnight (EST) I play smooth music from jazz to classical with a rich mix of Native and Non Native unsigned artists that surely are world class entertainers. And now I have the privilege of playing and promoting these fine entertainers on a grand scale, world wide. So drop on by and take a listen to or sign up for a world wide experience and expand your horizons. Let the world have a chance to hear your music, tell your jokes or do your thing since all genres are welcome. Buffalohair Buffalohair: BENEFIT FUND RAISER FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN NORTHWEST USA
December 10 Pheonix Radio.net
March 06 Spirit In The Wind
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