Dec 21, 2018 - The Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Push for Greater Protections of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida or Tribe), with more than 30,000 tribal citizens, has 21 community councils ranging from Southeast Alaska to large urban populations in Washington, San Francisco and Anchorage. Tlingit & Haida’s total enrolled tribal citizen population in the state of Washington is approximately 6,000.

At Tlingit & Haida’s 83rd Annual Tribal Assembly held in April of 2018, the Tribe’s governing body adopted three resolutions: TA 18-34, Proclamation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and Girls National Awareness Day; 18-37, Creation of a Violence Against Women (VAW) Task Force; and TA 18-05, Termination of Parental Rights, “Judylee’s Law”. Building upon the foundation of these resolutions, Tlingit & Haida’s Executive Council has been actively pursuing avenues to connect State, Tribal and Federal resources in order to solve the crisis facing Native American women in rural and urban communities.

Tlingit & Haida’s VAW Task Force Co-Chairs have also been diligent in pursuing these endeavors. Co-Chair Patricia Alexander of Sitka recently testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs stating, “The future of Indian Country depends on whether all of us work together to ensure Native women live in environments that are free of such rampant, unaccountable violence.”

At a recent meeting with the Office of Violence Against Women, Tlingit & Haida 6th Vice President and VAW Task Force Co-Chair Catherine Edwards said, “In our assemblies and gatherings we begin by having our Veterans carry in the flags that represent us. There should be a red flag included, much like the POW flag, because our women are lost in the battlefields and warzones of everyday life all too often and they ought not to be forgotten.”

Tlingit & Haida previously requested that the State of Alaska, State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) conduct studies to determine ways to increase criminal justice protection and investigative resources for Native American women residing in their states. These resources would include access to safe reporting and identification of individual MMIW. Washington State’s newly adopted House Bill 2951 (HB 2951) fits that criteria and scope of study exactly.

At a prior meeting with the Washington State Patrol (WSP) hosted by the Squaxin Island Tribe in October 2018, members of the Tlingit & Haida Washington Chapter became concerned after the State Patrol reported they had attempted to connect with multiple urban Indian organizations, but had not yet been successful in coordinating a meeting for feedback from these organizations. The WSP also informed the group that their deadline for gathering information for the report was fast approaching and wanted to ensure that it was as comprehensive and inclusive as possible.

Upon receiving this information, members of the Tlingit & Haida Washington Chapter organized an opportunity for urban Indian organizations to meet with the WSP on December 21, 2018 at the Day Break Star Indian Cultural Center. The meeting is intended to provide a space for urban Natives to voice their opinions and concerns regarding HB 2951 and to be a part of defining the next steps in creating a coordinated response to MMIW cases in Washington State.

“The meeting is a chance to remind Washington State that Tlingit & Haida has a large population residing in their state and that we deserve to have a voice in the justice system,” said VP Edwards.