Alaska Inter-Tribal Council

Alaska Inter-Tribal Council
Resolution # 2005-04

TITLE: Abuse by Catholic Priests and/or Catholic missionaries and other religious denominations.

WHEREAS, the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council (AITC) is a statewide consortium of sovereign tribes sharing a common bond of unique cultures, languages, spirituality, and traditional values, established in 1992 to advocate for the inherent rights of tribes in Alaska, and

WHEREAS, the United States Government committed itself to a "Sacred Trust" relationship to Alaska and its inhabitants; and

WHEREAS, the United States Government divided Alaska into regions for the various Christian religions to bring their message to the Indigenous Peoples of Alaska; and

WHEREAS, numerous Alaska Natives suffered sexual abuse and/or sodomy, and/or physical and mental abuse at the hand of Catholic priests and/or Catholic missionaries or other religious denominations; and

WHEREAS, these abuses have caused and continue to cause devastating effects upon the Alaska Natives, including but not limited to suicide, alcoholism, self-worthlessness, perversions, mental and physical disorders, and child abuse; and

WHEREAS, the victims of the Churches need and require closure as a result of these tragic events.

NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED, that the Catholic Church and other Christian and/or other religious denominations, acknowledge and take full responsibility for their crimes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the United States government, because of their "Sacred Trust" status share in the responsibility for full reconciliation for the problems these crimes continue to cause; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the AITC commit that a committee be established to fully investigate these crimes against ourselves and our peoples at the hands of the various churches and/or religious boarding schools; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of AITC until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2005 Annual Convention of the AITC held at the Coast International Inn, in Anchorage,
Alaska on December 7,2005 with a quorum present.

Ian Erlich, Chairman

SUBMITTED BY: Kenaitze Indian Tribe