Call for United Nation Investigation of Indigenous Rights Violations by City of Vallejo

Sogorea Te Sacred Site Protest-Day 20

by Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges. Discussion »

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - The International Indian Treaty Council wants the United Nations to investigate whether or not there have been violations of Indigenous people’s human rights by the City of Vallejo for the Greater Vallejo Recreational District’s plans to desecrate the Sogorea Te sacred burial site.

International Indian Treaty Council’s Detailed Request Gave Historical Context to the Events Unfolding in Vallejo

The International Indian Treaty Council alleges that the City of Vallejo violated the Human Rights of many Indigenous Peoples from the area. A number of International Human Rights Conventions were cited, particularly those pertaining to the right to practice religion and culture, and the right to access sacred and culturally significant sites.

The call for investigation also included a request for UN officials to visit the sacred burial site at Glen Cove and examine the physical evidence themselves. It is also expected that the UN may ask the State Department to investigate.

The International Indian Treaty Council called for the UN investigation at the request of Corrina Gould, who is a member of the Karkin and Chochenyo bands of Muwekma Ohlone and the president of Indian People Organizing for Change.

Gould has been a part of the effort to save Sogorea Te for almost a decade.

“It’s frustrating because there is no other culture in this county that has to fight for their sacred spaces or their cemeteries - only American Indians,”

commented Gould, lamenting the institutionalized racism inherent to California laws around development of state or city owned land.

The International Indian Treaty Council’s detailed request also gave historical context to the events unfolding in Vallejo to emphasize the profound impact that implementation of the proposed development plans will have on the local Native American community.

It also addressed the controversy regarding the boundaries of the ancient village site, referencing archeological studies (some of which were done under contract with the Greater Vallejo Recreation District) that conclude that the boundary of the protected historical site cannot possibly be as small as city managers claim.