Denver's Ultimate Persecution of Columbus Day Resisters to Begin Today

Vindictive Trial of the Elderly and Disabled Shows City's True Colors

Denver (Colorado AIM) - On Wednesday morning, May 28, at 8:30am, in Courtroom 117M in the City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street, Denver, the City of Denver is scheduled to begin its final round of prosecutions of the 83 Columbus Day protesters, who were arrested on October 6, 2007.

In the final drama of arrests and trials, that Colorado AIM estimates have cost the city over $1 million, the City will embark on its most mean-spirited and cynical prosecutions to date.

Wednesday's case involves the persecution of:

- a 67-year-old American Indian elder, who is a diabetic amputee, and was arrested in her wheelchair the day of the protest (Irma Little)

- a 60-year-old European-American man, who was former Controller for the State of Colorado, and is a retired lawyer, professor and minister (Dan Whittemore)

- a 32-year-old, blind, Italian-American man who stood in solidarity with American Indians against the racism of the Columbus Day parade (Nicholas Delmonico)

- a 63-year-old, European-American teacher who has protested the Columbus Day holiday, in an attempt to educate the Colorado public, for the past fifteen years (Katherine "Kate" Goodspeed)

The prosecution of this group of social justice advocates is more evidence that the administration of Mayor John Hickenlooper, and the office of City Attorney David Fine, are not interested in the pursuit of justice, and are not interested in a principled resolution of the annual Columbus Day conflict in the streets of Denver. They are interested in the vindictive assertion of their power, through arbitrary arrests and prosecutions of peaceful dissenters. The City has admitted in these trials that it intends to set an example for future protests, including this summer's Democratic National Convention.

The defense will be led by noted Denver attorneys Lonn Heymann of the law firm of Rosenthal and Heymann, and Qusair Mohamedbhai of the law firm of Killmer, Lane & Newman.

UN Special Rapporteur Investigating Racism in the U.S.

UCTP Taino News - At the invitation of the U.S. government, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racisim, Doudou Diène is visiting the U.S. until June 6 to examine issues of racism and racial discrimination in the country. Diène's visit includes stops in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Omaha, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico where he will study incidents of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the governmental measures in place to address them.

Diène is scheduled to meet with federal and local government officials as well as members of diverse communities across the United States and representatives of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

On Thursday, May 22, 2008, a representative of the United Confederation of Taino People, Roberto Mukaro Borrero met with Mr. Diène in New York to highlight ongoing discrimination against indigenous Taino People in Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Borrero provided the Special Rapporteur with documentation based on the Shadow Report submitted by the UCTP, the Caney Quinto Mundo (CQM), and the Consejo General de Tainos Borincanos (CGTB) to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racism (CERD) in March 2008. The UCTP, CQM, and the CGTB also contributed Taino related information to the Shadow Report submitted by the International Indian Treaty Council to the CERD.

Following the recent CERD session, the Committee issued a critique of the United States' record on racial discrimination urging the government to make sweeping reforms to policies affecting racial and ethnic minorities, women, immigrants and indigenous peoples.

"The visit of the Special Rapporteur presents a unique opportunity to follow up on the information we provided to the CERD and will assist in bringing Taino concerns to the forefront of the U.N. system and its enforcement mechanisms," stated Borrero.

The mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance was established in 1993 by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and further extended by the U.N. Human Rights Council. Mr. Diène will submit a final report on the visit to the Human Rights Council in the spring of 2009.

UCTPTN 05.27.2008

Professor Shepherd Calls For Expansion of Heritage Calendar

by Jamaica Information Service

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA (JIS) - Chairman of the Jamaica National Bicentenary Committee, Professor Verene Shepherd, has called for an expansion of the national heritage calendar to embrace all the critical moments in the country's history that have helped to shape the nation.

Professor Shepherd, who was delivering the main address at a ceremony held at the Frome Sugar Estate in Westmoreland on May 22, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Frome labour riots, said that while the existing calendar was commendable, there were still critical gaps in the country's history not accounted for.

"While I laud all those who helped to create the existing calendar so that we mark Reggae and Black History in February, Labour Day in May, Emancipation Day in August, and the Morant Bay Rebellion and the struggles of our heroes and heroine in October, I believe that there are critical gaps," she argued.

"I urge the cultural agencies to get together and collaborate on a more realistic national heritage calendar that will be more representative of the contributions and experiences of our people; all of our people," she stated.

Professor Shepherd clarified that she was not lobbying for all significant dates in the country's history to be declared as public holidays, but that some form of recognition should be given to these dates, no matter how small.

"Where all the commemorative events cannot be funded by the Government of Jamaica and the cultural agencies, they should be made the responsibility of parish councils and the Ministry of Education should insist that these commemorative moments are marked in all of our schools," she advocated.

Professor Shepherd said a more accurate calendar, would incorporate some of the dates recognized by the Jamaica National Bicentenary Committee, in addition to other significant dates.

These include the commemoration of the last ship with African slaves to arrive at the Kingston on February 17; the passage of the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Africans (TTA) Abolition Act on March 25; the anniversary of the outbreak Tacky's war on April 8; the trial of Sam Sharpe on April 19; and Frome massacre day on May 2.

She also cited Taino remembrance day, May 5; Indians arrival day, May 9; Sam Sharpe execution day, May 23; remembrance day for the victims of the TTA on August 23; hanging of Paul Bogle on October 25; and eruption of emancipation war on December 27.

The function was staged through the collaborative efforts of the Institute of Jamaica and the Frome Sugar Estate to mark the 1938 riots, which changed Jamaica's social and political history. A monument was laid to mark the spot where the labour unrest, which led to the riots, began.

Caribbean Tops New 7 Natural Wonders Nominees

El Yunque Rainforest, a site of cultural and spirtual significance to the

Taino People is one of the Caribbean nominees for the "New 7 Natural Wonders of the World.

UCTP Taino News – The New7Wonders Foundation has announced the organization's next project: The New7Wonders of Nature. The natural heritage nominations for this category include 10 sites in the Caribbean. The nominated sites include El Yunque Nature Conservancy (Puerto Rico), Pink Sand Beach (Bahamas), Vinales Vally (Cuba), Twin Pitons Moutain Peak (Saint Lucia), La Brea Pitch Lake (Trinidad and Tobago), Dunn’s River Waterfall (Jamaica), and Boiling Lake (Dominica). Belize was nominated for 3 sites Blue Hole Underwater Sink Hole, Deans Blue Hole, and the Belize Barrier Reef.

Amir Dossal, executive director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, recognized the New7Wonders Foundation's ongoing efforts to promote the UN's Millennium Development Goals. The organization’s previous campaign, The New 7 Wonders of the World announced its results during the Official Declaration ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007. The “New Wonders” included two sites of significance to Indigenous Peoples - Chichén Itzá (Yucatan, Mexico) and Machu Picchu (Peru).

Nominations can be submitted for the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign until December 31, 2008. A New 7 Wonders Panel of Experts will then select the 21 finalists, from which voters worldwide will elect the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Nominations must be for a clearly defined natural site or natural monument that was not created or significantly altered by humans for aesthetic reasons. For more information on the campaign, to suggest a site or to vote on your top seven sites visit the New 7 Wonders website at http://www.new7wonders.com/

UCTPTN 05.21.2008

Taino to Present Cultural Program at Pequot Museum

UCTP Taino News – Members of the Cacibajagua Taino Cultural Society will present a Taino cultural program at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. The program takes place from 1-3pm and is open to the public. The group will present Taino music and dance as well as discuss the meaning of the various songs and how the Taino instruments are played and made. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum offers engaging experiences for all ages, from life-size walk-through dioramas that transport visitors into the past, to changing exhibits and live performances of contemporary arts and cultures. For more information on the Taino presentation check out the Museum’s website at http://www.pequotmuseum.org/.

UCTPTN 05.20.2008