BY: SHANNON BURNS

INDIAN TIME - Vol. 24 #11 - Ennisko:wa / March 23, 2006 Edition - Page 1 & 4

Leaders from throughout Indian country joined together with U.S. and Canadian officials last week to discuss the current issues surrounding border security, including the impending passport requirement and smuggling problems border communities face. The International Indigenous Cross Border Security Summit was the first meeting of its kind.

Held at NAV Canada in Cornwall, the event was hosted by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and co-hosted by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, National Congress of American Indians and the Assembly of First Nations. The two-day summit provided all parties the opportunity to identify their greatest border-related concerns.

"Over the past few years, specifically since September 11, 2001 and the threat of further terrorist acts, the Indigenous peoples of North America have begun to experience the impacts of increased security measures at Border Crossing sites," said MCA Grand Chief Angie Wahienhawi Barnes. "We view it as beginning to affect our mobility and the border crossing rights of Indigenous peoples of North America."

The summit was attended by representatives from various First Nations communities, the NCAI, AFN, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Border Patrol.

The summit's purpose was to bring issues to light in a cooperative and productive setting and to make each party aware of the various concerns surrounding each border issue.

There were two important issues addressed during the summit, according to SRMT Chief James W. Ransom.

"The first was the need to balance border security with the ability to exercise our rights to cross the border," he said "The second was the need for everyone to work together to address the smuggling of drugs across the border."

Cornwall was the ideal location for the first border summit, since Akwesasne has the burden of being most affected by border issues, although other Tribal communities face similar circumstances.

The issue of border identification was thoroughly discussed. The summit allowed U.S. representatives to further explain their need to secure the border, though they heard first hand the concerns of people living on the border who will be most deeply impacted.

There was discussion of alternatives to the passport I.D., including the possibility of a Native American identification card.

"It sounded like Canada is ahead of the United States in this area as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada is working on pilot projects with First Nations in this area," said Ransom.

However, U.S. officials were not closed off to the issue.

"There was a willingness on the part of the United States to discuss this topic," Ransom said. "There was a general discussion of important issues that need to be addressed related to identification cards. They included the need for institutional controls in regards to the issuance of the cards so that they cannot be forged or duplicated. There is already an International Standard regarding identification cards that can serve as a template."

U.S. Border Patrol representative Clifford Koenig recognized that the concerns of many of the First Nations people at the summit were related to their cultureand how it is affected by border security.

"Indian people are concerned about their ways of life [being impacted]" Koenig said. "Their biggest concern is maintaining their culture."

"I think [U.S. officials] learned that we want to work with them on border security," said Ransom. "They echoed our comments that one group or agency by itself cannot tackle the enormous responsibility of border security. Working together is a common interest of everyone who attended the Summit.

Policing Indian country was also a main concern brought forth in many capacities throughout the summit. There are concerns regarding the jurisdiction complexity involved in on-reservation policing and many Native communities with their own police force are under-funded. Akwesasne, for instance, receives little help from the federal government to police their border where the smuggling of drugs and other goods occurs.

"What the Tribes are dealing with, it's not a pretty picture," said NCAI representative Robert Holden. "One of the things we want to do is support and try to bring about the unmet needs that the Tribal law enforcement deserve and should have since they're on the front lines standing in harms way day in and day out and we owe them as much to have all the resources they need to do their jobs."

Holden said the summit provided a means for key people to get together and discuss what needs to be changed. The people who attended, he said, are the people capable of making change happen.

The summit allowed ideas and concerns to flow freely without the burden of making decisions on the spot. The idea was to bring the issues out into the open for all parties who hadn't yet had the opportunity to hear the concerns of others.

When the summit concluded, the consensus was that the meeting had been vastly productive in addressing the issues for the first time.

"I think we walked away with a strong indication that outside policing agencies want to work with Tribes and First Nations on border security issues and that they recognize we play an important role in this effort," said Ransom.

"I think generally people felt good about it," said Gordon Peters, the summit moderator. "This was a really good meeting...a very good start."