You will also note that no attempt is made in the selection to designate which lands will be purchased lands and which are to be acquired by exchange. This is to give maximum flexibility in acquiring these lands. Each ranch selected will have to be dealt with separately. Some ranchers have expressed a willingness to exchange fee lands for M lands elsewhere. Others want all cash. As each transaction is gotiated appropriate designation of purchase lands and exchange lands will be made. The Land Commission will appoint a negotiating tex: to assist ir this endeavor. Be assured that we will work closely with you to expedite this process.

The Navajo Nation has reserved in Resolution B the rim to substitute other lands for those selected. This was done to provide a vehicle for substituting lands where any of those selected carnɔt be acquired or to accommodate other selections the Hopi Tribe might prefer in any exchange negotiations.

These lands were selected after extensive studies by a Harajo land parcel evaluation team, pursuant to a contract with the Relocation Commission. Copies of these studies are available for your use should you desire them. Due consideration was given to the physical characteristics of the land, the needs of potential relocatees and the effect on the community where the land is situated. These lands were selected because they are the lands best suited to accommodate all these concerns within the area available for selection.

Part of the consideration is that these lands corstitute a contiguous parcel to be added to the Reservation. This will allow for an homogenous Navajo community and will alleviate problems of governmental jurisdiction and provision of services. All of this will assist in avoiding or minimizing the adverse impacts of relocation.

No one in the Navajo Nation wants people to be uprooted from their traditional homes. This program, imposed on the Navajo people, is cruel and unnecessary. However, we recognize that while we are negotiating with the Hopi Tribe to substantially reduce the number of people to be relocated there may be some people who are tired of waiting and want to move to these new lands and start a new life. These lands were selected for those people.

Other selections have been made in the past. First, House Rock Valley. Some ranchers affected by this selection and others complained, so Congress amended the law to prohibit the transfer of this land to the Navajo Nation. Then, Paragon Ranch. Until recently all we heard about the selection was that the Navajo Nation would not get the mineral rights, even thought he law requires it. To date, more than six years after the first selection not one acre of land has been made available by the United States Government for these people. This has happened even though the Congress recognized that the acquisition of new lands was the single most important act to insure a timely and responsible relocation program.

The Navajo Nation has complied with the relocation law. The Navajo Nation has made over 200 homesite leases available to relocatees on the existing reservation even though the land and economy of the reservation cannot support those who are there now. Over 3,000 Navajo relocatee families have applied for relocation benefits, many more than five years ago. Most are still waiting for action by the Goverment. It is now up to the United States Government, through all of its agencies who deal with this problem, to show good faith and a willingness to abide by its own laws by acquiring these lands and providing the other benefits promised to these dislocated people.

PZ/WL/Lmp

Sincerely,

Ceta

Zor

Peterson Zab Chairman
Navajo Tribal Council

A

RESOLUTION OF

NAVAJO-HOPI LAND COMMISSION

Rescinding Previous Selections in Arizona Dated July 8, 1982 and December 21, 1982

WHEREAS:

1. The Advisory Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council by Resolution No. ACAP-49-83 granted the Navajo-Hopi Land Commission power to speak and act for the Navajo Nation with respect to the land selection and land exchange provisions of Public Law 96-305 by making such selections and approving or disapproving any proposed exchanges, subject to the limitations set forth in Resolution CN-69-80; and

2. The former Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Commission by Resolutions dated July 8, 1982 and December 21, 1982 requested the Tribal Chairman to forward description of certain lands in Arizona, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and private lands belonging to New Mexico and Arizona Land Company, to the Phoenix Bureau of Land Management Office and the Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation Commission from withdrawal from disposition and to begin negotiations with the private land owners; and

3. Applications dated July 13, 1982 and December 21, 1982 requested that the final public land order of transfer not be effected until completion of further evaluation, analysis and land use planning is approved by the Navajo Tribe; and

After months of study by the Land Parcel Evaluation Team it has reported to the Land Commission that those lands described in Tribal Applications, dated July 13, 1982 and December 21, 1982 are not suitable for Navajos subject to relocation from the Hopi Partitioned Land; and

5. In order to proceed, with the authority set forth under Public Law 96-305 (25 USC 640-d-10), in a manner that would be in the best interest of the relocataes it is necessary to rescind these previous selections in Arizona. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The Navajo-Hopi Land Commission hereby rescinds the selections of land within Arizona made on July 3, 1982 and December 21, 1982 and requests the Navajo Tribal Chairman to request the Bureau of Land Management to cease any activity on those selections.

CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered by the Navajo-Hopi Land Commission of the Navajo Tribal Council at which a quorum was present and that same was passad by vote of

O opposed, this 24th day of

in favor and 1983.

Fulda Howard

Presiding Chairman

B
RESOLUTION OF

NAVAJO-HOPI LAND COMMISSION

Final Selection of Lands in Arizona as Authorized by Public Law 96-305

WHEREAS:

1. The Advisory Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council by Resolution No. ACAP-49-83 granted the Navajo-Hopi Land Commission power to speak and act for the Navajo Nation with respect to the land selection and land exchange provisions of Public Law 96-305 by making such selections and approving or disapproving any proposed exchanges, subject to the limitations set forth in Resolution CN-69-80; and

2.

On April 28, 1982 the Navajo Tribe in consultation with the Navajo-Hop! Indian Relocation Commission selected for transfer 35,000 acres of lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the Paragon Resources Ranch within the State of New Mexico; and

3. For months the Navajo Tribe together with the Relocation Commission have been studying all available lands within the 18 miles of the Navajo Reservation as authorized by the Amendment Act, in the State of Arizona; and

4.

In early June, 1983, approximately 60. relocatees and Tribal officials toured and conducted on site inspections of approximately 1,000,000 acres of lands within the 18 miles strip; and

5.

All affected Navajo Chapters and the Land Parcel Evaluation Team recommended to the Navajo Tribe to select, for acquisition, transfer and exchange up to 365,000 acres in Apache County, Arizona; and

6. The ranches known as Wallace, Roberts, Spurlock, Fitzgerald, Kelsey, Chambers and Bar-N has good grazing and resettlement potentials and owners of such lands have indicated their desires to engage in negotiation for fin:l disposition; and

7. Certain lands owned by Tuba City and near Indian Wells boundaries of the Navajo Reservation for relocation purposes.

Babbitt Brothers in within the exterior were found desirable

1. Studies of other lands available, or to become available, will continue so that lands will be available for substitution should this become necessary.