On July 18, 2019, at the request of Senator David Perdue to the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Indian Affairs, Senator John Hoeven, the National Executive Chiefs of The Chickamauga Nation along with Chief Johnny Chattin of Georgia met in the Hart Office Building. Acting as diplomats of The Chickamauga Nation to the United States, they met with Chase Goodnight, Council, and John G. Simermeyer, Policy Advisor for Senator Hoeven acting as diplomats on behalf of the United States to The Chickamauga Nation.
First, the National Executive Chiefs formally petitioned for placement on the Serviced Tribes Roll since the Chickamauga already possess Congressional, Presidential, and Federal Recognition as established within the National Registry. Second, the National Executive Chiefs presented a petition to Mr. Goodnight, and Mr. Simermeyer based on U. S. 7 Statute 18 of 1785, the Treaty of Hopewell informing them that the Chickamauga Nation was at risk of continued ethnic cleansing. Out of hand we were rebuffed and dismissed on both petitions.
The “unceremonious dismissal” in July of 2019 was extremely offensive given that the United States has historically had a government to government relationship with the Chickamauga since 1785. Furthering this egregious offense is the historically documented deplorable acts of ethnic cleansing committed against the Chickamauga by the United States and its Native American allies. Therefore; by failing to address the first and second petitions of the Chickamauga Nation in July of 2019 and in accordance with U. S. 7 Statute 18 of 1785, the Chickamauga Nation hereby informs the United States that the actions by said nation and its representatives, leave no alternative interpretation than as intentional acts of aggression and hostilities promulgating a war of ethnic cleansing to eradicate the Chickamauga from this continent.
Our diplomatic encounter with the leadership of the United States in the Hart Senate Office Building was profoundly disrespectful and was interpreted as a slap in the face with a white glove. We came prepared to engage in official Sovereign to Sovereign, high levels of diplomacy, expecting diplomatic protocols to be granted and followed. Professional protocols failed to be observed by the diplomats of the United States of America concerning our visit to the National Capitol furthering our beliefs that these actions are intentional acts of aggression and hostilities directed solely at The Chickamauga Nation.
We came to present the history of our people to the United States and ask the United States to honor the government to government relationship of The Chickamauga Nation with the United States only to be rebuffed and the information prepared, refused acceptance. We then attempted to report to the Senate that The Chickamauga Nation has been and continue to be victims of Genocide/Ethnic Cleansing on the soil of the United States, only to be rebuffed again, dismissed as children from the table of the grown-ups. The Chickamauga Nation has been disrespected in public by the overt actions of the diplomats of the United States who have routinely and intentionally refused to acknowledge diplomatic overtures from The Chickamauga Nation.
Did the State Department of the United States know that the diplomats of The Chickamauga Nation would be treated like uneducated school children needing tutelage on how to prove who they are to their superiorly intellectual tutors? Does the State Department of the United States condone foreign diplomats being disrespected in public by diplomats representing the United States? The Chickamauga retain a government to government relationship with the United States, have never been terminated, and never been an incorporated tribe, therefore, they retain their sovereign nation status.
Then, during 2019 and 2020, the National Chiefs of The Chickamauga Nation have provided numerous Members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate, Members of the Committees of Natural Resources and Indian Affairs with a document entitled, “Chickamauga Nation Request for Servicing” which documents evidence of Genocide/Ethnic Cleansing to the United States. A copy of this document has also been provided to the Secretary of Interior of the Executive Branch of the United States with no reply.
The public disrespect intentionally directed toward The Chickamauga Nation by dozens of diplomats of the United States can only be interpreted as continued, intentional acts of aggression and hostilities promulgating a war of Genocide/Ethnic Cleansing to eradicate the Chickamauga from this continent. We seek an amicable solution to this situation between our two nations. The United States is now being asked to respond in good faith to reduce the escalating tensions until an acceptable solution can be agreed upon between our two sovereigns.
We reserve our Sovereign Nation authority to request protection and sanctuary from all other nations with which we have treaties, which include Spain, Great Britain, Mexico, and France. While we in no way intend to escalate tensions at this time with the United States over the treatment of our Diplomats and People, we demand the honor and dignity required by any sovereign nation through the following of diplomatic protocols.