UPDATE:
We received word from Oso that they returned the sacred pipe to him last Friday at noon! Oso Blanco thanks everyone for the emails and letters in support of him and other indigenous prisoners at USP Victorville.
__________
May 28th, 2020
Stand with indigenous prisoners at USP Victorville! Tell the prison chaplains and administration to respect indigenous rights and practices! Return the sacred pipe!Indigenous prisoners at USP Victorville are being denied access to essential supplies for their sweat ceremonies. This has been a routine occurrence even before COVID-19 response protocols were in place. Most recently, after further attempts to raise their legitimate grievances, newly arrived chaplain Sadiq ordered corrections officers to take the sacred pipe from its elected pipe carrier, Oso Blanco/Yona Unega (also known as Byron Shane Chubbuck). Oso Blanco is urgently requesting letters and emails to bring attention to these grievances and demand action. NOTE: Oso wants the tone to stay polite and non-confrontational for the time being. Send both letters and emails to the addresses below:
Assistant Warden Martinez
USP Victorville
P.O. Box 5400
Adelanto, CA 92301
fmartinez@bop.gov
VIM/ExecAssistant@bop.gov
Chaplain Michael Northway
USP Victorville
P.O. Box 5400
Adelanto, CA 92301
mnorthway@bop.gov
VIM/ExecAssistant@bop.gov
Include the following talking points:
- Chaplain Sadiq has repeatedly abused native religious rights
- Has been denying access to religious materials for months
- Does not show up to work and unlock the supply room on ceremony days
- Provides wood that they cannot brun
- Has rejected materials to rebuild the sweat lodge
- Had secretary Aldough and five COs take the pipe from the elected carrier
- Relevant court cases
- Cubero v. Burton
- Chance v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Indigenous prisoners have not been able to have ceremonies to pray for victims of COVID-19
- Pipe carrier is filing multiple formal complaints and a federal lawsuit
Sample letter:
Warden Felipe Martinez
Chaplain Michael Northway
It
has come to my attention that recently arrived chaplain of USP
Victorville, El Sadiq, has been denying First Nation prisoners access to
religious materials for their sweat ceremonies. Since over a month
before Covid19 measures, chaplain Sadiq has not been showing up to work
on Tuesdays (day of the sweat ceremonies) to unlock the supply room for
the natives, and he has only provided them treated wood, which is
illegal to burn in California due to the release of toxic chemicals that
are hazardous to health and the environment. After many attempts to
address these issues, chaplain Sadiq retaliated on May 15, by sending secretary Aldough and five corrections officers to take the ceremonial pipe from the elected
pipe carrier, Byron Chubbuck (Yona Unega).
Although its exact
meaning varies somewhat among tribes, the pipe’s tremendous ceremonial
significance cannot be overstated. Each part of the pipe and its ritual
use—the bowl, the stem, the tobacco, the fire, the breath—carries a
deeper symbolic significance. Smoke from its use signifies the sacred
prayers offered for the well-being of all creation given physical form.
Although I am writing to express this specific concern, I am also aware
that this is not the first time that native prisoners have been
prevented from exercising their constitutionally protected and
guaranteed religious rights at this facility. I am, as are others,
deeply disturbed by these events, especially in light of the fact
they’re gathering to pray for the well being of everyone affected by
COVID-19. Such willful neglect places your facility in clear violation of
both The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and the Religious
Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. Denial of ceremonial
supplies to indigenous prisoners also clearly violates precedents
established by multiple Supreme Court cases dealing specifically with
the religious rights of incarcerated people, such as Cubero v. Burton
and Chance v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Perhaps more
importantly, this violation of the rights of incarcerated indigenous
people is also a violation of basic human dignity and decency. As such,
the pipe carrier has been left no choice but to file federal civil suits
regarding this matter.
Please do what is right and let the
First Nations people at USP Victorville exercise their religious rights
and preserve their culture and heritage. Please allow them to pray for
everyone affected by COVID-19, return the pipe, and encourage the
chaplaincy to have more respect for incarcerated First Nations people.
Signed,
Oso also needs letters and emails sent to BOP Director Michael Carvajal and Office of Professional Responsibility Director Jeffrey Ragsdale. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION OSO BLANCO BY NAME IN THESE LETTERS.
Michael Carvajal
Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First St., NW
Washington, DC 20534
mcarvajal@bop.gov
Jeffrey R. Ragsdale
Director and Chief Counsel DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 3266
Washington, DC 20530-0001
opr.complaints@usdoj.gov
Sample letter:
Director [Jeffrey Ragsdale or Michael Carvajal]
It has come to my attention that the recently arrived chaplain of USP Victorville, Chaplain Sadiq, has been denying First Nation prisoners access to religious materials for their sweat ceremonies. Since over a month before COVID-19 measures were in place, chaplain Sadiq has not been showing up to work on Tuesdays, the day allotted for sweat ceremonies, to unlock the supply room for the natives. He has only provided them treated wood, which is illegal to burn in California. Its ceremonial use is also strictly prohibited . After many attempts to address these issues, chaplain Sadiq retaliated on May 15, by sending Secretary Aldough and five corrections officers to take the ceremonial pipe from the elected pipe carrier.
Although its exact meaning varies somewhat among tribes, the pipe’s tremendous ceremonial significance cannot be overstated. Each part of the pipe and its ritual use—the bowl, the stem, the tobacco, the fire, the breath—carries a deeper symbolic significance. Smoke from its use signifies the sacred prayers offered for the well-being of all creation given physical form.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Native prisoners have been prevented from exercising their constitutionally protected and guaranteed religious rights at this facility. I am, as are others, deeply disturbed by these events, especially in light of the fact they’re gathering to pray for the well being of everyone affected by COVID-19. Such willful neglect places your facility in clear violation of both The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. Denial of ceremonial supplies to indigenous prisoners violates precedents established by multiple Supreme Court cases dealing with the religious rights of incarcerated people, such as Cubero v. Burton and Chance v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Perhaps more importantly, this violation of the rights of incarcerated indigenous people is also a violation of basic human dignity and decency. As such, the pipe carrier has been left no choice but to file federal civil suits regarding this matter.
Please do what is needed to let the First Nations people at USP Victorville exercise their religious rights. Please take whatever action necessary to have the pipe returned to the elected pipe holder, and to allow natives to pray for everyone affected by COVID-19, and ensure the chaplaincy is respecting incarcerated First Nations people.
Signed,
