Native Americans from the continental States are suing the people of Alaska.
One of the most vulnerable to the epidemic COVID-19 populations of the United States were representatives of indigenous peoples. The Federal government has decided to allocate an aid package of $8 billion For this piece offered by Washington financial pie turned serious struggle between the Indians of the continental States and corporations, bringing together representatives of the Northern peoples that live in Alaska. “Izvestia” versed in why indigenous people of the continent, whose ancestors from the time of colonization have been through many crises, and now were among the most vulnerable to viral threats to Americans.
the Efforts of the US authorities aimed at controlling the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, do not give the crucial results. The country remains the leader in the number of infections and deaths. In a number socio-economic and other reasons, some US citizens were at risk for morbidity. Among them the American Indians, which in the modern United States are called native Americans (Native Americans).
it is Indicative of the deplorable situation in Navajo nation , the largest Indian reservation, which is located on the territory of three States — Arizona, new Mexico and Utah. On the reservation area the size of Scotland lives about 175 thousand people. The first confirmed case of infection COVID-19 there have been identified 17 March, and a month and a half, the number of cases jumped to 1282. This is the highest infection rate per capita after the new York and new Jersey — States that experienced the biggest increase in the number of cases. The reservation from the coronavirus died 49 people, but experts expect that this figure will increase because many infected with the disease is difficult.
Experts call a number of reasons why native Americans were so vulnerable to the epidemic — from insufficient financing of the health system to a bad phone and Internet communication from that there are problems with information about COVID-19. There is another seemingly monstrous for the most powerful nation in the world in the twenty-first century problem — the lack of tap water.
According to him, people have to carry water, taken at public pumping stations, at a distance of 50 km for their needs and for cattle, which are bred on farms.
Like other Indian tribes, representatives of the Navajo refused to claim large plots of land where their ancestors lived, in exchange for free participation in the Federal�� programs in health and education, says Allison Barlow, Director of the Center for American Indian health at Johns Hopkins University. In fact, however, these projects due lack of funding are badly in Navajo-nation, for example, there are only 12 medical centers.
health Service for indigenous peoples, which provides medical care to indigenous peoples, is also experiencing serious budget problems. If the average cost per capita for this service is $3.3 thousand a year, the national health insurance seniors Medicare, this amount is almost $13 thousand., and the cost of medical care of veterans — more than $9 thousand per person, said Barlow.
New challenges appeared with enough food. For tribal members Oglala Sioux, living in South Dakota, a two hour trip for groceries in the store before it was commonplace. But now the shelves are often empty, and the state food assistance them as poor acts irregularly due disruptions in the supply network. As a result, people begin to remember the traditions of their ancestors and to store for future use what they can grow themselves in a greenhouse or in the garden — pumpkin or corn. due the lack of electricity the option of freezing vegetables is no longer, so you have to act the old fashioned way — canning them or drying, writes The New York Times.
to Solve the financial problems for its own account in the Country of the Indians (as in the U.S. officially called the territory inhabited by indigenous peoples) also does not work. The lion’s share of revenue reserves, which, in contrast to States or local governments do not have the right to collect taxes, account for gambling — at the time, the casino Indians is allowed to build in compensation for the extermination of their ancestors. However, the quarantine rules and regulations of social distancing gambling establishments remain closed and do not bring profits.
it is Logical to expect that this situation should come from the Federal government. Technically, what happened: the package of assistance totaling $2 trillion, which was approved by Congress in March, provided $10 billion for native Americans: $8 billion directly to more than 500 officially recognized tribes and another $2 billion to support through various Federal agencies, administer the Affairs of the Indians.
However, from the moment of the official allocation of the funds prior to their transfer to final recipients sometimes takes a lot of time. It happened here, but it’s not the fault of the bureaucratic machine. “In the current law there is no guidance on how it should be divided by $8 billion, which givesCWU for disagreement on the question of how much should get each tribe, says USA Today. — There are proposals to distribute the money in proportion to the size of the earth population or even the number of cases of coronavirus”.
On the way to obtaining funds arose another problem — the tribes that live in the so-called continental States (this contiguous 48 States and the district of Columbia, located between Canada and Mexico), went to court.
the reason for the claim, the Respondent which is held by the Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, was the unwillingness of the continental tribes to share the money with the Northern peoples (now their representatives are several hundreds of so-called regional corporations (Alaska Native Corporations ANC), each shareholder which owns part of the land ownership on the territory of the North American state). The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the 13 tribes who believe that corporations are the indigenous peoples of Alaska is, in fact, the commercial organization owned by the shareholders and annually receives income in the billions of dollars.
the Plaintiffs also allege that corporations are not “government tribes” and the Northern peoples themselves are not included in the list is recognized at the Federal level, Indian tribes, and entitled to appropriate assistance. The American Ministry of Finance, however, sided with corporations of Alaska, stating that following consultations with the Ministry of internal Affairs has deemed them eligible recipients of Federal assistance. Expected of the Corporation was supported by the Senator from Alaska, Republican Dan Sullivan: according to the legislator, ANC provide economic and social support to its members, writes The Hill. With the same position and performs the second Senator from Alaska Lisa Murkowski.
From claims the Northern peoples amount that will be received by continental tribes, may be reduced by half, points MarketWatch. “The shareholders of these corporations are Alaska natives, but the companies themselves operate on a commercial basis in accordance with the license state. They pay dividends, and their shares are in private hands, can be transferred to other persons,” — said the financial information service, adding that, for example, only a Corporation Arctic Slope in 2018, had revenues of $3 billion from oil refining and the provision of support services in the fields.
However, while the question of how to divide the money: April 27, a Federal judge in Washington Amit Meta ruled, according to which the distribution of the budget $8 billion among the natives of Alaska shall be suspended until the final decision or disposition that may produce a higher court. Until the Minister of Finance prescribed not PR��led the transfer of funds to applicants from the most Northern state in the United States, with transfers designed for Indians from the mainland, you can start.
dissatisfaction with the decision of Mety was expressed by the representatives of corporations, Alaska natives, and both the Republican Senator from that state. According to Dan Sullivan, quoted by the Alaska Daily News, if the current situation “lead to a delay in obtaining the necessary resources, some of our most far away located communities”, it would be “a real shame”.
