🚀 go-pugleaf

"FBI" <garysc@bigfoot.com> wrote:

>Did anyone here about the cabins that Doyon Ltd. Set on fire? What do you
>think about that? Ron Peltola, (those were his cabins) was there since
>1967. way before the Alaska Native Land Claims act. He had grandfather
>rights, whats your opinion?
>


The Alaska Natiive Claims **Settlement** Act, as the name implies,
didn't create new rights, which might be junior to those of existing
squatters; it settled outstanding claims.   Furthermore, the doctrine
of adverse possession, sometimes known as "squatters rights" can't be
invoked against a sovereign (which is why you can't squat on National
Forest land and expect to get title someday) and Doyon Ltd. is a
sovereign in the same sense that Alaska and the United States are
sovereigns.

I was troubled by what seemed to be a violent act, if other avenues
hadn't been fully explored; nevertheless, it seems as if Mr. Peltola
had made it clear that he wasn't going to go voluntarily.   (My source
is the coverage in the Tundra Drums, I have no personal knowledge).
And I am even more troubled by the suggestion that Native land claims
can be lightly disregarded by somebody who tries to say, with a
straight face, "I was here first."  By definition, that person is
wrong, and eviction from Indian country is justified.   Forceable
resistance to lawful eviction has consequences.   Were these justified
consequences?  I dunno.  But I haven't read anything that filled me
with sympathy.