Muriyd 'Two Clouds' Williams, enrolled tribal member of the Ramapough Mountain Indians, Inc, was found dead on tribe-owned land in early July 2022. There was no police investigation into his death, and the principal tribal chief, clan chiefs, council nor individual tribal members have done a thing to demand an investigation.
Two clouds had served as water protector, fire keeper, secretary, spokesperson (and more) over nearly six years. He fought in court and received back dozens of stolen land for the tribe, and inspired others to donate dozens more. At the time of his death he was serving as elected war chief, and fearing for his life, had just returned on official business less than 24 hours before he went silent.
We believe that some of RMI's leadership and members know exactly what happened to Two Clouds and are complicit in his sudden death.
Please help us persuade the Congressional Black Caucus, Ramapo College, and other allies of RMI to not assist them in seeking federal recognition as an Indigenous tribe, further receiving grants or land, or anything else that is helpful until RMI starts to actively and publicly demand a thorough police investigation into this tragedy.
Please sign and share this global petition to ensure justice for Muriyd 'Two Clouds' Williams.
And if you are able, please contact directly RMI's allies listed below who are attempting to help the tribe gain the federal recognition that they have failed to obtain for decades. The following letter may be copied and pasted.
Nia:wen' ko:wa (thank you very much) for standing with Two Clouds.
Two Clouds in front of a mural made of him by artist Camille Hoffman.
(Queens Museum)
Email/message/fax template:
Dear (enter ally's name here),
I am writing you and other allies of the Ramapough Mountain Indians (RMI) to ask that you all refrain from further assisting the organization until they publicly and actively demand a thorough police investigation into the death of their enrolled Afro Indigenous tribal member and elected war chief, Muriyd Two Clouds Williams. Assistance includes RMI's seeking of federal recognition as as an Indigenous tribe, the further receiving of grant money and land, and all else that can help in their progress.
It is only due to Two Clouds' rallying of the hearts, minds, intellect, and resources of outsiders for so many years that RMI now have prestigious institutions and professionals ready to back them at any moment. However, not only have the leadership not questioned the sudden death of the healthy 30-year old father and son, they have also not summoned their allies' camaraderie to ask for an investigation nor have they tried to help Two Clouds'
family in obtaining one.
Two Clouds is the only member who has contributed any tangible assets to the tribe to date, including yet not limited to dozens of acres of stolen land which he won back through Bergen County Court. Before he returned to his ancestral land in 2016 RMI was not respected, and known mostly from lore. For centuries and into modern times, the only information shared about them throughout the tri-state area and even virtually was of a derogatory nature. Two Clouds worked extremely hard to bridge outside relationships and teach others of their Indigenous history and importance. He fought for and protected them for years, and in fact, he had just returned from acting as their protector less than twenty-four hours before he went missing. Days later he was found dead.
It is very unfortunate that the principal chief, clan chiefs nor council have spoken up for Two Clouds in the entire time since he has died. Therefore, others must do their job for them.
If you advocate for Indigenous rights, if you are empathetic to the worldwide MMIP (missing and murdered Indigenous persons) movement, and if you are against the centuries-long practice of Indian erasure- no matter from where it comes- please stand with Two Clouds and pressure RMI to finally demand a police inquiry into his death.
Thank you for your time.
___________________________________________________________
Allies to respectfully send the above letter:
Dr. Harvey L. White, PH.d
Linked in: Harvey White, Professor at Biden School...
Dr. Velma Scantlebury-White, MD
Linked in: Velma Scantlebury-White, MD
Dr. Peggy Valentine, EdD
Linked in: Peggy Valentine, VP, Vanderbilt Univ...
Kirsten Hund Blair
Linked in: Kirsten Hund Blair, CEO Lambent Data
_______________________________________________________________
Hello. It's been brought to my attention that the Ramapough Mountain Indians who are headquartered in Mahwah, NJ are asking the CBC to help them seek federal recognition as an Indigenous tribe because they have been rejected many times. They are attempting to use the fact that Africans and self-emancipated African Americans once lived in their region to pull the CBC and others in as allies. However, their enrolled Afro Indigenous tribal member, Muriyd (pronounced Moo-reed) Two Clouds Williams was found dead on their religious land in July 2022 under a cloud of suspicion. Yet none of their leadership have spoken out about it at all nor have they demanded a police investigation even though neighbors of the property have outdoor surveillance cameras, and Two Clouds has an affidavit on file with the Mahwah Police Department complaining of threats.
I am contacting (apply representative's name here) to ask (him/her) to please refrain from helping RMI until they publicly and actively demand a thorough police investigation into the death of Muriyd Two Clouds Williams, their Black Indian tribesman. If (apply representative's name here) is an advocate for Indigenous rights, and is empathetic to the worldwide missing and murdered Indigenous persons movement, I am sure (he/she) will take this appeal seriously and stand with Two Clouds.
Thank you very much. Have a great day.
Congressional Black Caucus
Leadership:
Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV, Chair)
202-225-9894 (DC) 202-225-9783 (fax)
702-963-9360 (NV)
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY, Vice Chair)
202-225-6231 (DC) 202-226-0112 (fax)
718-287-1142 (NY) 718-287-1223 (fax)
Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA, 2nd Vice Chair)
202-225-6636 (DC) 202-225-1988 (fax)
504-288-3777 (LA)
Local Representatives:
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)
202-224-3224 (DC) 202-224-8378 (fax)
973-639-8700 (NJ) 202-224-5702 (fax)
856-338-8922 (NJ) 202-224-5701
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
202-225-5801 (DC) 202-225-6025 (fax)
609-883-0026 (NJ) 609-883-2093 (fax)
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
202-225-2313 (DC) M-F 9-5
718-237-2211 (NY) M-F 9-5
718-373-0033 (NY) M-F 9-5
Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY)
202-225-4361 (DC)
718-503-9610 (NY)
Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)
202-225-2464 (DC) 202-225-5513 (fax)
914-323-5550 (NY)
914--371-9220 (NY)
Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY)
202-225-3461 (DC) 202-226-4169 (fax)
718-725-6000 (NY) 718-725-9869 (fax)
347-230-4032 (NY) 347-230-4045 (fax)
Komentáře