SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 36

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Tsosie

FOR THE INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT CONGRESS INCREASE FUNDING TO THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS FOR ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ENFORCE CURRENT REPATRIATION STATUTES.

     WHEREAS, Native American sacred places are being desecrated or threatened by development, pollution, poisons, recreation, looting and vandalism and by federal or federally authorized undertakings; and

     WHEREAS, numerous laws intended to protect Native American sacred places and additional laws that could be used to do so are in existence, but most of these laws are being ignored; and

     WHEREAS, unscrupulous dealers, looters and collectors affiliated with New Mexico's galleries are trafficking Native American ancestral remains and sacred objects; and

     WHEREAS, numerous internet sites sell and auction Native American ancestral remains and sacred objects; and

     WHEREAS, a lack of federal staff exists to enforce current statutes, with only one bureau of Indian affairs officer having responsibility for monitoring the theft and sale of Native American sacred objects throughout the entire country;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that congress be requested to increase funding to the bureau of Indian affairs for additional enforcement officers to enforce current repatriation statutes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, the bureau of Indian affairs, the New Mexico office of Indian affairs, the museum of Indian arts and culture, the institute of American Indian arts and the New Mexico historic preservation division.

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