Event: International Law and Native American Human Rights Violations Explored

Secret of a Long Journey

Secret of a Long JourneyOn April 22, 2013, join Colorado author and DJILP contributor Sandra Shwayder Sanchez for an exploration of international human rights law in her latest novel The Secret of A Long Journey. The purpose of the presentation is to raise awareness of historic, recent, and continuing discrimination against native people and put that into a historical context, as well as the importance of using international law to fight this discrimination.

Specific topics include:

  • The history of the 1989 Federal Wildlife Sting Operation in San Luis Valley. Why it was considered politically motivated—and how it violated the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
  • A juxtaposition of the Spanish Inquisition with human rights violations by the U.S. Government against Native Americans.
  • The history and purpose of the Inquisition with a review of an article she co-authored for the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy Vol. 15, Winter/Spring 1987, “Human Rights Violations by the U.S. Government Against Native Americans in the Passage and Enforcement of Pub. L. No. 93-531.”
  • The Anti-Genocide Convention: drafted by the United Nations in 1946, but the U.S. did not officially sign onto it until 1986.

If time allows she will discuss the February 1990 trial of Russell Means after the October 1989 protest of the Columbus Day parade and the motion filed to drop the charges based on selective prosecution, as well as First Amendment rights.

Live programs will be held at the CBA-CLE Large Classroom, 1900 Grant St., Suite 300, Denver, Colorado.  This qualifies for 1 credit of general CLE.  On April 22, registration is from 11:30 to noon, and the presentation runs from 12:00 to 1:00pm.  Please register here.