PRESS RELEASE – INVITATION: Come & Sit Down with Navajo Farmers/Others on March 30, 2021, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Hear their Voices Regarding FBI & Navajo Nation Police Raids on Nov. 9 & 10, 2020
SHIPROCK, N.M. – “FBI raid of Navajo Nation destroys 250,000 illegal cannabis plants posed as hemp” was the news headline for Hemp Industry Daily, but the Daily’s headline was typical for news stories across the country in mid-November 2020.
And it was also typical for the news stories to lack the voices of the Navajo farmers and some were not farmers who were the victims of the FBI raid, which included the Navajo Nation police and state and local law enforcement.
The FBI, US Drug Enforcement Administration, Navajo Nation police, and local and state law enforcement raided Navajo farmers and non-farms more than once, and the Navajo farmers and their families, including two (2) seven-year-olds, and others continue to suffer from the raids on 32 to 33 farms on Nov. 9, 2020, at 6:45 a.m. There was also a raid on Nov. 10, 2020.
Annette Mutte, a Navajo farmer, grandmother, and mother, recalled the FBI and Navajo Nation police raid on her and her family: “It was 6 a.m., and we did not know we were surrounded by the (Navajo Nation) Shiprock police and the FBI until my family, and I were told to come out of our house with our hands up. My grandson and granddaughter are seven years old, and they were placed in the police vehicle. When my grandson was told to put his hands up, he dropped the stuffed animal he had in his hand. He also had dreams of becoming a police officer but after all this incident, he says he no longer wants to become a police officer. My son Ryan and I were outside for an hour and half. The law enforcement searched our house for at least one hour and they told us to leave our house and not to return for 48 hours. I am now on anti-depressant medication due all this raid of our farms.”
The Navajo Farmers have the right to have their voices heard. They are having a press conference March 30, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hogback, New Mexico, which is east of Shiprock and surrounded by Navajo farms. (Directions are attached, and there will be Balloons to show you the way.)
The following Navajo Farmers are scheduled to speak at the March 30, 2021, press conference in Hogback, N.M., from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., which also includes a Q&A from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. for news reporters with press credentials:
- 1. Sherrell Mesa
- 2. Jean Jones
- 3. Annette Mutte
- 4. Terry Pettigrew
- 5. Winston Benally
- 6. Ramie Nelson
- 7. Lucille Clani
- 8. Irving Lin
- 9. Harrison Cly
- Cathy Manus
Irving Lin, a former businessman/investor involved in the Shiprock farms that were raided by the FBI, DEA, Navajo Nation police, and other law enforcement, stated, that the Shiprock farming operation employed hundreds of people. “I know there is no violence and human trafficking in this matter,” Lin stated. He also stated that there was no child labor, and that the “Chinese” did
not rape and, or kidnap a local woman.
Lin submitted his affidavit as his statement, which is attached to this press release, and he is available for interviews.
The following are statements from Navajo Farmers:
Jean Jones: “The federal police from the FBI chased me out of my house, then held a rifle of some type to my body yelling at me. I was so scared and shaking, I thought I was going to have a heart attack, so I called my neighbor who came by to help me. I was told by the FBI to leave my house and not to return for the whole day. I was so afraid to return to my house, I am 80 years old and live by myself. I am afraid for my life every single day. When the police pointed a gun at me, I got very dizzy. I do not know how I made it through the ordeal, but the dizziness continues. I know my prayers helped me.
“I also witnessed the FBI force their way into my other neighbor’s place, and I heard the people crying, some children. And they threw done a female and pointed a gun at her also. These neighbors are not farmers, and yet they were tortured by the FBI.
“No court date yet. But out of many farmers, only one has a court date for a restraining order to be heard by Judge Woody at the Shiprock District Court on Jean Jones’ neighbors, who are continuously harassing her. Her neighbors are opposing hemp, they say. But they were hemp farmers also.”
Sherrell Mesa: “The Navajo tribal government, President Jonathan Nez and the Shiprock Police Department knew that hemp was growing in 2018 and 2019, but never once came to the farms to tell the farmers to stop growing hemp. They had two-years to tell the farmers to stop growing hemp! Why did it have to get to this point? Why couldn’t the Navajo tribal government work with the hemp farmers? Why did we break our sovereignty by bringing in outside help, and now it’s working against us?
Terry Pettigrew: “Police brutality was very scary and caused us continuous mental illness. The protestors yelling and throwing rocks traumatized our family members.”
Harrison Cly: “I was completely traumatized by the Navajo tribal police and the FBI raid. They destroyed my farm and made a mess on my farm like they have done with other farms. My family has and is still suffering from all the police and FBI raid. In addition to this, my son
passed away, and I am now on medication to try to survive.”
For updates on the March 30, 2021, press conference, please visit “Navajo Organic Cannabis Farmers” Facebook page at:
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/229442148918929/?multi_permalinks=234242868438857&
notif_id=1616592749598876¬if_t=group_activity&ref=notif). We are hoping to live-stream
our March 30, 2021, press conference on our FB page.
Contact:
Elouise Brown (thebrownmachine@hotmail.com)
ATTACHMENTS (2)
Irving Lin Affidavit
3.30.21 Press Conference Directions
