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FINAL OPINION AND STATEMENT OF THE TRIBUNAL PANEL
AUTONOMOUS CHAPTERS OF AIM v.
VERNON AND CLYDE BELLECQURT
November 4, 1994 Rapid City, South Dakota
WE, THE INTERNATIONAL PANEL OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. HAVE
BEEN REQUESTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF AUTONOMOUS CHAPTERS OF THE
AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT TO REVIEW EVIDENCE, BOTH WRITTEN AND ORAL, AGAINST TWO
SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, VERNON AND CLYDE BELLECOURT.
AIM TRIBUNAL VERDICIT AND OPINION FOR VERNON BELLECOURT
Charge I. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of subverting the American Indian Movement (AIM), its
principles and activities.
Charge II. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of subverting the lnternational lndian Treaty Council, the
international diplomatic arm of AIM.
Charge III. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of collaborating with the United States government and with
other enemies of American Indian people.
Charge IV. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of espionage against the Miskito, Sumu, and Rama Nations, as
well as the Creole and Garifuno peoples of the Nicaragwan Atlantic Coast region.
Charge V. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, ~guilty of misuse/misappropriating American Indian Movement funds.
Charge VI. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of the use of alcohol and drugs at AIM functions - flagrantly
disregarding AIM's prohibitions against such substances at AIM functions.
Furthermore, Vernon Bellecourt supported Clyde Bellecourt's abuse of their
selfappointed AIM leadership positions in his arguing for their special
exemption from AIM prohibitions against alcohol and drugs at AIM functions -
that all AIM members were required to follow. Finally. Vernon Bellecourt
condoned the sale and distribution of drugs through his refusal to condemn or
remove Clyde Bellecourt from his alleged AIM leadership positions pursuant to
Clyde Bellecourt's conviction as a drug distributor.
Charge VII We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Vernon
Bellecourt, guilty of complicity in genocide through his refusal to condemn,
censure, or remove Clyde Bellecourt from his alleged AIM leadership positions
after Clyde Bellecourt's 1986 conviction as a drug distributor. Furthermore,
Vernon Bellecourt's endorsement of the "Native American Free Exercise of
Religion Act" compromises Native American spirituality since it does not
grant full authority to spiritual leaders in all Native American communities,
and thereby usurps American Indian sovereignty. Through his complicit
endorsement of the "Native American Free Exercise of Religion Act,"
Vernon Bellecourt agrees that the government of the United States can define the
identity and direct the participation of Native peoples in their spiritual
ceremonies. In addition, Vernon Bellecourt's open support of the 1990 "Act
for the Protection of Indian Arts and Crafts" erodes American Indian
sovereignty, since it supports the federal definition of Native American
identity rather than firmly placing the power to identify American Indian people
within the Native American nations.
Charge VIII. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant,
Vernon Bellecourt, guilty of high treason against the membership of the American
Indian Movement and American Indian people in general.
AIM TRIBUNAL VERDICT AND OPINION FOR CLVDE BELLECOURT
Charge I. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of subverting the American Indian Movement (AIM), its
principles and activities.
Charge II. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of engaging in subversive activities against the Miskito,
Sumu and Rama Indian Nations of Yapti Tasba and the Creole and Garafuno peoples
of the Nicaraguan Atlantic Coast region.
Charge III. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of collaboration with the United States government, and with
other enemies of American Indian people through his acceptance of federal funds
and funds from defense contractors. Furthermore, his support of the "Native
American Free Exercise of Religion Act," and his support for the 1990
"Act for the Protection of Indian Arts and Crafts" demonstrate his
inclination to empower the federal government to define who is an Indian and to
stipulate the conditions that Native American spirituality can be practiced. The
support of these federal laws erodes the sovereignty of Native American peoples.
Charge IV. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of espionage against the Miskito, Sumu and Rama Nations, as
well as the Creole and Garafuno peoples of the Nicaraguan Atlantic Coast region.
Charge V. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of the misuse/misappropriation of American Indian Movement
funds.
Charge VI. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of the use, sale and/or distribution of drugs and alcohol to
American Indian people.
Charge VII. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of complicity in genocide against American Indian people.
Clyde Bellecourt's selling of drugs in the American Indian community constitutes
genocide. Clyde Bellecourt's support of the "American Indian Free Exercise
of Religion Act" erodes the free practice of Native American spirituality
because it does not grant full authority in religious practices to traditional
people in Native American communities. Similarly, Clyde Bellecourt's open
support of the 1990 "Act for the Protection of Indian Arts and Crafts"
encourages the federal definition of Native American identity rather than firmly
vesting the power to identify American Indian people within the Native American
Nations.
Charge VIII. We, the Tribunal, find the defendant, Clyde
Bellecourt, guilty of high treason against the membership of the American Indian
Movement and American Indian people in general.
CONCLUDING OPINION AND STATEMENT OF AIM TRIBUNAL
Clearly, the evidence for these charges demonstrates a
long trail of insidious abuse by Vernon and Clyde Bellecourt in both the
Minneapolis Native community which has hosted them for these many years, and in
the American Indian Movement. They found in both, an environment which enabled
their conduct. Although there has always been the acceptance of differences of
opinion in AIM, Vernon and Clyde Bellecourt have frequently overstepped the
boundaries of tolerance. Repeatedly, the tribunal was confronted with
overwhelming evidence that the Bellecourts abused and subverted American Indian
people for their own personal gain. Some of the most vivid testimonies came from
the few members of the Minneapolis community who braved a climate of fear to
testify to Vernon and Clyde Bellecourt's abuses and so-called leadership in
their community. Truly both of these men, but Clyde Bellecourt in particular,
have become predators in their community while purporting to protect the
community with their AIM Patrol.
The compelling nature of the Tribunal documentation
gives us a clear look at a larger pattern and how the use, abuse, and reliance
on federal funds distorts any tendency towards liberation within a community, or
a movement. Rather than fostering a community with people who have the tools,
skills, and knowledge to free themselves, Minneapolis AIM is saddled with Vernon
and Clyde who have preyed on the young people, plying them with drugs, alcohol,
and illusions of a false concept of empowerment, through violence and
intimidation.
Moreover, the defendants did not stop these actions
within their homeland; they moved out with a vengeance across the national and
international scene, purporting to be leaders of a liberation movement. In
contrast to AIM's stated purpose, they defended the actions of the United States
government in undermining two key issues of sovereignty: American Indian
identity and spirituality. Both of these men have continuously advocated the
genocidal policies implemented in the "Native American Free Exercise of
Religion Act", and the 1990 " Act for the Protection of Indian Arts
and Crafts." Both pieces of legislation are designed to subvert Native
people's autonomy. By making Native American identity a U.S. government
prerogative and submitting Native American spirituality to a tightly woven
structure of governmental rules, restrictions and policies, these men purposely
worked against American Indian liberation.
They have engineered and carried out an extensive and
purposeful campaign to defame those who disagreed with them, creating an
atmosphere of distrust and factionalism that aids and abets the exploitation and
destruction of Native peoples. Without a doubt, the conscious, disruptive and
genocidal activities of the Bellecourts in the last twenty years is
unconscionable.
As if these actions were not enough, in the name of the
Indigenous peoples residing in North America, they traveled to other Indigenous
nations in our hemisphere abusing our sacred pipe by using it as a tool to gain
confidence among unsuspecting Indigenous people. Receiving them in good faith,
such peoples subsequently suffered arrests, destruction of their villages, and
the murder of their families.
While the Bellecourts have professed to serve Native
peoples, theirs is really a career of opportunism and deception since they
reasoned what was good for the community also best served Clyde and Vernon
Bellecourt's own interests in their pursuit of power.
Unfortunately, when the national movement was under
siege and later, as embattled communities struggled, it was our error in not
condemning these genocidal actions as they developed. However, we do not have to
cover up a legacy of abusive leadership to our children. Everyone deserves to
know that AIM is not about being a media star or a government dupe. It is about
freeing our minds and bodies from domination, both social and chemical, and
walking a good Red Road. One of the enduring standards of conduct for AIM has
been the support of sobriety and spirituality. Traditionally, our leaders
conducted their lives according to standards of conduct which served as models
for the community. They did not appoint themselves to leadership positions, and
were always subject to removal if they failed or disappointed their people. How
can we expect less today? How can we expect to unite in strength if we cannot
hold ourselves and our leadership accountable? We can and should remove leaders
who consistently use and abuse their communities, either through their use of
drugs and alcohol or by their predatory actions. We will not continue to ignore
this behavior. In the final analysis, each AIM chapter must be accountable to
their Native community, and AIM must always be first and foremost a spiritual
movement.
From the documentation provided by Clyde Bellecourt, it
is apparent that the goals of the Minneapolis based "National American
Indian Movement, Inc." (N-AIM, Inc.) are diametrically opposed to the
original intent, principles and objectives of Indigenous spirituality and
sovereignty which have guided the movement. The methods and objectives of N-AIM
INC. are, by their own statements, to integrate themselves into the framework of
the U.S. state in contravention of international legal principles dealing with
sovereignty. It is obvious that other Aim chapters-notably the plaintiff
Confederation in this case-do continue to hold to the Movement's guiding vision
of achieving Indigenous national liberation.
For these reasons, the Tribunal sentences Clyde and
Vernon Bellecourt to be banished from AIM for life. They are no longer to be
associated with AIM in any capacity whatsoever.
Furthermore, this Tribunal urges the Autonomous Chapters
of Confederated AIM to facilitate this punishment as they see fit in their
respective regions. The evidence, guilty verdicts and sentence of Tribunal with
regards to Clyde and Vernon Bellecourt shall be distributed freely to all AIM
chapters, to be used in accordance with their decisions.
We, the panel members, unanimously agree to these
verdicts, sentences and statements-directing them to all people concerned in
this matter.
Donald A. Grinde, Jr. Yamassee
George Martin Tlingit
Joe D. Locust, Sr. Cherokee
Dian Million Athabascan
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