PROGRAM*
TRUTH COMMISSION ON U.S. INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS
October 22
11:00 a.m. - Prayer &
Honor Song
11:30 a.m. - Welcome
11:15 a.m. Addressing Current
Issues - Bill Means &
Dennis Banks
12:00 - Lunch (On
Your Own)
1:45 p.m. - Tour of
Oneida Reservation
4:30 p.m. - Dinner
(On Your Own)
6:00 p.m. - AIM
Gathering
October 23
October 24
9:00 a.m. - Opening Prayer
9:00 a.m. - Prayer
9:15 a.m.
9:15 a.m. - Oneida
Historian Dave Tucker
Witness Testimony
Reiki (Complimentary; Schedule
with Sue Reiter at Registration)
Showing of "Boarding Schools: The
White Man's Last Burden & Unseen
Tears" ( Room TBA)
12:00 p.m. - Lunch (On Your Own)
1:30 p.m. - Witness Stories (Read by
Students from Turtle School)
3:00 p.m. - Witness Circle
5:50 p.m.
10:15 a.m. - Retrieving the
Language - Jessica Powless
& Tracy Williams
11:15 a.m.
Sterilization of Native
Women without
Knowledge or Consent Jean White Horse
Boarding School Issues
12:00 p.m. - Lunch (On
Your Own)
1:30 p.m. - Roxanna
Feast by Blue Skies Staff @ Parish
Hall (Meet Shuttle in Front of
Radisson)
2:30 p.m. - Open
Discussion
Performance by Keith Secola &
Buggin Malone
6:00 p.m. - Banquet @
Radisson
7:00 p.m. - AIM Gathering
7:00 p.m. - Performance by
Bill Miller & Buggin
Malone
*Subject to Change. October 25th is reserved for Blue Skies Foundation strategy/planning
meetings that are not open to the public.
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Anneta Aahooja (Pakistan)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota
Law School. Ms. Aahooja is currently a Child Protection Officer at the Child Protection and
Gender Unit of UNICEF-Balochistan in Pakistan. She is responsible for the implementation of
children’s and women’s protection initiatives in the province through advocacy, monitoring, and
advising on legislation and policy. Ms. Aahooja received a double Master’s Degree in
International Relations and Business Administration from the University of Balochistan.
Previously, she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Government Girl’s Degree
College. Her interests include Human Rights Law and principles of gender equity.
Lhouceine Aamar (Morocco)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota
Law School. Mr. Aamar is a Principal Inspector in the General Police Forces Administration of
Rabat, Morocco. His responsibilities include providing security for dignitaries and celebrities, as
well as at major events held in Morocco. Mr. Aamar is a member of the police Media and
Communication Team and the majority of his work is dedicated to building and maintaining
contact with the media, police investigations based on accusations in the media, and internal
documentation of police appearances in the media. Mr. Aamar received a Degree in English
Literature and a Diploma in English Studies from the Caddy Ayyad University. His interests
include migration and human trafficking patterns, as well as their effects on economic
development in Morocco.
Abalo Assih (Togo)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota Law
School. Mr. Assih is Superintendent of Police with the National Police in Togo. He is
responsible for creating training programs for all National Police Forces in order to establish
strong criminal justice administration in the country. He is also in charge of educating other
trainers in professional police instruction. Previously, he led and conducted criminal
investigations and police officers’ training on criminal justice procedures. He has served as
representative of his country at the International Criminal Police Organization’s (ICPOINTERPOL) meetings and conferences and had a short United Nations mission experience as a
member of the investigation section in Rwanda (UNAMIR) in 1994. Mr. Assih completed
criminal justice programs in Roswell (New Mexico, USA), Stockholm (Sweden), and Lyon
(France) after receiving his LL.B in Law from the Université du Benin in Lomé in 1989. His
interests include Human Rights Law and international standards of criminal justice management.
Aishath Fasoha (Maldives)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota
Law School. Ms. Fasoha is the Director of Advocacy of the Human Rights Commission of the
Maldives. She is in charge of organizing awareness and advocacy programs that pertain to
various vulnerable groups, such as women and children. Her main focus is on promoting a
culture of human rights. Ms. Fasoha earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Information
Technology from Help University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and her Master’s Degree in
Communication Management from the University of Technology-Sydney in Australia. Her
interests include women’s rights, children’s rights, and victims of human trafficking.
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Shiran Gooneratne (Sri Lanka)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota
Law School. Mr. Gooneratne is a judge of the High Court of Colombo in the Republic of Sri
Lanka. He has experience with court cases related to trafficking offenses and is dedicated to
creating a court system focused on the well-being of victims and witness protection, in line with
international and domestic standards. Mr. Gooneratne is an attorney at law of the Supreme Court
of Sri Lanka and has a Master’s degree in Commercial and Corporate Law from King’s College,
London, as well as a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Colombo,
Sri Lanka. His interests include international cooperation to combat human trafficking, victim
and witness protection efforts, and efforts to decriminalize trafficking victims.
Jack Healey (United States)—Executive Director, Human Rights Action Center. An
effective and innovative leader in the human rights movement for 50 years, Jack helped move the
topic of human rights from closed-door diplomatic negotiations to widespread awareness, public
debate, and direct citizen action. Colleagues credit him with making human rights a major focus
of governments, advocacy organization, and individuals around the world. Called ‘Mr. Human
Rights‘ by U.S. News and World Report, Jack brought human rights to the global stage by his
creative use of media and enlistment of world-class musical talent as advocates and
spokespersons as Executive Director of Amnesty International-USA for 12 years.
Kristi Rudelius-Palmer (United States)—Co-Director, Human Rights Center, University of
Minnesota Law School. Kristi Rudelius-Palmer is Co-Director of the University of
Minnesota’s Human Rights Center and Director of the Law School's Humphrey Fellowship
Program. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and serves as
the professional and academic advisor for the Fulbright Humphrey Law & Human Rights
Fellows cohort each year. She also teaches courses on human rights education and the integration
of human rights into organizational leadership through the College of Education and Human
Development. She obtained her B.A. from Lawrence University and her M.A. in comparative
international development education from the University of Minnesota.
Athar Waheed (Pakistan)—International Humphrey Fellow, University of Minnesota Law
School. Mr. Waheed is the Superintendent of the Police in the Police Service of Pakistan in
Islamabad. He has experience in working with victims of crime and terrorism, as well as in
police administration and accountability. Mr. Waheed’s extensive police work has shaped his
interest in victimology, especially in the context of the aftermath of crime and terrorism. He has
also established the Pakistan Society of Victimology as the first national victim services
organization that aims to work for victims of crime and terrorism in Pakistan. He is dedicated to
making services available to victims who have experienced violent crime and acts of terrorism.
Jasper Young Bear (Indian Country)—Three-Affiliated Tribes of Mandan, Hidatsa,
Arikara Nation. Mr. Young Bear is currently the executive director of Medicine Lodge
Confederacy in North Dakota, concentrating on health and wellness services. He is the
originator of several Arikara ceremonial practices and songs, active in language revitalization,
and has worked as a social worker and alcohol and drug counselor, as well as a social sciences
instructor at Ft. Berthold Community College.
UNKNOWN
I had a dream.
In my dream, I was walking to the west, toward the sunset.
The horizon had scattered clouds, strikingly pale pink and brilliant peach in color.
From behind me in the East, the sky was shades of blue and gray.
I followed a path through this grove of trees, some maple, some oak and some pine.
I saw a little river with the clear water, so clear you could see to the bottom
The sound of the water rushing over the rocks was cool and calming.
Swimming around on the bottom were little sun turtles, small pan fish and crabs.
Nothing looked familiar and yet, I didn’t feel lost.
I crossed over the river on rocks someone before me had put in place.
I walked on and on, with only the plant life and animal life for company.
In the distance, I could hear the sound of a drum
And voices singing, all in harmony with each other.
Finally, a teepee came into view, then another and another.
I could smell the smoke from the fire before I saw it.
Then I saw a huge circle of little children.
I looked into their faces and saw the tear stained cheeks.
Their sad eyes will haunt me forever.
Fear and distrust was evident in their body language.
I introduced myself and asked permission to sit with them.
A small child, about 9 years old, stood to welcome me.
He was dressed in a little brown uniform.
I noticed they were all dressed alike, same brown uniform, same short hair.
He told me they knew I was coming and they were waiting.
He said they had been waiting for years and years and years.
One by one, they each told their story.
All in their language, but each a different Nation.
They were the victims of the Indian boarding schools.
Some were tortured, some sexually assaulted, but all abused.
They were thrown in shallow graves, their markers said UNKNOWN.
They wondered if they were ever thought of, or just a forgotten number.
From where they were waiting, they could feel something was happening.
Someone was coming to acknowledge that they were once here.
They were excited and told me they would help me.
Their Spirits would gather and make their presence known.
They said to give their thanks to all of the Nations who made this possible.
They said we would know them by the smoke from the sage and cedar
And that their voices will join us when we sing an honor song for them.
And when we finish our boarding school journey,
And have acknowledged their Spirits among us.
They will finally rest in peace.
© Dorothy M. Ninham