Dear Big Mountain Supporters,

This letter from Kee Z. Begay was sent certified, return receipt requested.

As you will notice, Kee never received a five-day notice prior to
impoundment. Please mention this when you call the BIA.

Thanks,
Yours sincerely,
Marsha

Kee Z. Begay
P.O. Box 869
Pinon, AZ 86510

 

To: Ms. Heather Sibbison
Counsel to the Secretary
US Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW Mail Stop 4140
Washington, DC 20240

To: Ms. Hilda Manuel
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
US Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW Mail stop 4140
Washington, DC 20240

My whiteface Hereford cow-NI/MH was impounded on April 20, 1999. I never
received a five-day notice of intent to impound, not prior to the
confiscation or at anytime thereafter.

On May 3, 1999, was the first time that I heard that my animal was impounded.
I first found out about this when one of my family members saw a Notice
of
Intent to sell my impounded cow in the Navajo Times. This notice said
that
my cow would be sold at the Valley Livestock Auction in Holbrook, a public
auction on May 5, 1999. Publishing notices in the Navajo Times is also
of no
use since we do not read English and since I have no transportation I was
unable to do anything on such short notice. And furthermore, this notice
in
the Navajo Times does not fulfill your proper notice requirements since
this
was the first time we heard our cow was impounded. It is before impoundment
occurs that we are supposed to be served a five-day notice.

My cow was illegally seized without proper notice as required in 25 CFR.

This has caused me great suffering. I am in a helpless position, I cannot
speak, read or write English. My wife and I both suffer health problems
and
I have a heart condition and just got discharged from the hospital on April
30th. On May 3, when we found out we had no way to even contact the BIA
as
we have no transportation and we had to watch our beloved cow sold at auction
even though we never received a five-day notice. This means that our cow
was
stolen away from us and we were unable to stop it.

How much suffering must we endure at the hands of the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA)? I know this letter will not give me back my cow but I request
you take action to remedy this situation. This is not the first time the
BIA
has violated me. Please make sure this is the last time. You don’t even
follow your own laws which request prior notification be served.Therefore,
I
request you immediately replace my cow by giving me 2 cows for the hardship
this has cause me. If you do not do this, then you are saying you want
this
abuse and violation to continue. And if you do not replace my cow, then
I
request that you give me all the money collected for my cow at public auction.

I urgently request that your BIA officials travel with a Dineh translator
as
most of my people do not speak Hopi or English. I also request a full
set of
records of the sale of all animals bearing my brand sold at auction since
a
neighbor told me they saw an impoundment trailer coming from here full
of
cows.

Please respond to this letter immediately.

Yours sincerely,

Kee Z. Begay

 

cc: Robert Carolin, Superintendent
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Hopi Agency
P.O. Box 158
Keams Canyon, AZ 86034
====================================
From: DINETAH29@aol.com
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 22:18:09 EDT

Dear Big Mountain Supporters,

This letter from Kee Shay was sent certified, return receipt requested
to
Wayne Taylor, Chairman of the Hopi Tribe. It is our hope he will grant
an
extension of time to Kee Shay so that we can obtain copies of the Ordinances
cited in this Order.

Please keep the pressure up.
Yours sincerely,
Marsha

Kee Shay
P.O. Box 203
Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039

May 17, 1999

Wayne Taylor, Jr.
Chairman, The Hopi Tribe
P.O. Box 123
Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039

Dear Mr. Taylor,

I am submitting this written response to the Office of the Chairman to
verify
that I received the Proposed Order of Exclusion on May 7 by US mail, also
seen hanging on the wall of the Kykotsmovi post office.

This date of May 7th represents the earliest date of receipt since no notice
appeared in the Navajo Times during the week of May 6, 1999 and no notice
appeared in the Navajo Hopi Observer during the week of May 5, 1999.

Therefore, counting 15 days from May 7th, I have until May 22, 1999 to
submit
a complete response. However, of significant importance to the merit of
my
response, I must ask for a 30 day extension beyond May 22 until June 21,
1999
in order to obtain copies of the following documents and have time to review
its contents:

- Ordinance 46 which I believe is the Exclusion Order
- Ordinance 43, which I believe is the Grazing Ordinance
- Unknown Ordinance number prohibiting unauthorized placement and/or
construction of dwelling and associated structures on the Hopi Reservation
and
- all other Ordinances that apply under 2. “You have violated other
ordinances.....”

Please send me copies of all these Ordinances and notification that you
have
granted me an extension of time in writing to my address. And upon receipt
and review of these documetns, will submit my response prior to June 21,
1999.

Yours sincerely,

Kee Shay

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