Northwest Tribe’s are standing united in their opposition to the privatization of water. At its 2018 annual convention in September, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians passed a historic resolution opposing the privatization of water.

The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, which includes representatives of, and advocates for, American Indians/Alaska Natives and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska, passed the resolution that recognizes that water is essential to all life and opposes the privatization of municipal watersheds.

Further, resolution #18-53 states that it;

• Recognizes that water is essential to all life;
• Recognizes that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water, adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes;
• Recognizes the rights of nature to exist free from exploitation

The resolution is timely given the rise of water privatization by oil and gas companies and multi-national corporations.

“As corporations like Nestle and the fracking industry seek to privatize watersheds, it is necessary for Tribes and other communities to be proactive in the protection of their watersheds from privatization and exploitation. Mni wiconi, water, is a source of life not a source for corporate profit and exploitation. This resolution puts Northwest Tribes at the forefront of protecting watersheds from privatization and takes the additional step in recognizing that nature too has a right to exist free from exploitation.” resolution author Matt Remle (Lakota)

Read the full resolution below:

“OPPOSE THE PRIVATIZATION OF MUNICIPAL WATERSHEDS”

We,the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution:

WHEREAS,the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS,ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; now

WHEREAS, water is essential to all life; and

WHEREAS, every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes; and

WHEREAS, the demand for bottled water threatens the long-term ability of Municipal Watersheds to ensure a reliable source of water for residential, agricultural, and Tribal cultural uses, as well as to support salmon fisheries; and

WHEREAS, the privatization of Municipal Watersheds threatens to ensure a reliable source of water for residential, agricultural, and Tribal uses, as well as to support the salmon fishery; and

WHEREAS, both restrictions on bottled water production and the rejection of privatization of Municipal Watersheds are necessary to protect water supplies for present and future generations; and

WHEREAS, water, and more broadly nature, are living beings that have the right to exist free from exploitation; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,that ATNI does hereby:

• Recognize that water is essential to all life;
• Recognizes that every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water,adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes;
• Recognizes the rights of nature to exist free from exploitation;and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,that ATNI opposes the privatization of Municipal Watershed