THE EDGEWOOD DECLARATION
   OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF AUTONOMOUS CHAPTERS OF THE
                    AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT


   We are the American Indian Movement. AIM. We walk into the
future in the footsteps of our ancestors, following the principles of our
traditional spirituality, sovereignty, self-determination, sobriety, and
mutual respect. Hence, we are firmly committed to the time-honored
indigenous political perspective of the inalienable and inherent right
of the people to decide for themselves, by a grassroots, democratic
process, the nature of their destiny.
   It follows that we hereby declare and reaffirm that we are, in the
manner of those who have come before us, an international
confederation, an alliance of fully autonomous but reciprocally
supporting chapters. Accordingly, each chapter of AIM agrees to
advance the cause of indigenous sovereignty and self-determination
within its own context and regional conditions. Decisions of local and
state chapters are made independently and, given a legitimate local
base and constituency, such decisions are to be accorded respect by
other chapters.
   Our reasons for making this declaration, regarding matters which
many people might consider self-evident, concern certain recent
assertions and resulting public confusion fostered by a small group of
individuals based mainly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, calling itself the
National American Indian Movement (N-AIM, or "name"; founded, by
its own account, in July, 1993).
   Because of the nature of the false claims lately advanced by these
people, and the publicity they have received on the basis of such lies,
it has become necessary to publicly address and repudiate them. This
is especially true with regard to the notion that there exists either a
legitimate AIM "National Office" or "National Officers" with authority
to appoint or remove local AIM members from whatever positions they
occupy on the basis of chapter affirmation, or to dictate "policy" to the
movement as a whole.
   Let us be perfectly clear. There has not been a genuine national
membership meeting of the American Indian Movement since 1974.
Therefore, no membership authorization for a national office or
national officers can possibly be said to have been obtained since that
time. To the contrary, it has been specifically determined on at least
two separate occasions during the intervening two decades that such a
structure and/such titles are contrary to the interests of the
movement and of American Indian people more generally.
   AIM leadership has always come from the bottom up--on a chapter
by chapter basis--not from the top down. And the sporadic self-
ordained "AIM National Leadership Meetings" conducted during the
1980s and '90s have done nothing to change this essential fact.
   Again we must be clear. AIM is not--despite statements lately issued
by Vernon and Clyde Bellecourt, Carole Standing Elk, and others--a
corporate entity, under the laws of the United States, the State of
Minnesota or any other foreign government. Nor is it an entertainment
enterprise, a personal fiefdom, a "career option," a medium for
private profit, or any of the other things this fringe element seems to
believe.
   Instead, AIM is a bona fide national liberation movement--open to
the participation of all indigenous people, regardless of the "status" or
"recognition" bestowed upon them by our oppressors--oriented
specifically and exclusively to reasserting the sovereignty and self-
determining dignity of our nations.
   Because of all these factors, we state without hesitancy or
equivocation that we collectively reject all pretense to legitimacy or
authority by N-AIM and/or those individuals it has unilaterally
appointed to positions of regional or local "leadership" over the past
several months.
   Let it be understood by all those reading this document that we will
no longer tolerate the divisiveness and disruption brought about by N-
AIM or any similar entity. Beginning now, we have commenced the
process of doing what is necessary to maintain the integrity of the
American Indian Movement and the struggle it represents. All those
who consider themselves allies, supporters or advocates of indigenous
, and respond accordingly.

   Adopted by consensus at Edgewood, New Mexico
   December 18, 1993

   New Mexico AIM
   Colorado AIM
   Oklahoma AIM
   Florida AIM
   Northern California AIM
   Southern California AIM
   Texas AIM
   Southeast AIM
   Northwest AIM
   Also endorsed by telephone by Chief Billy Tayac, Mid-Atlantic AIM


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 "When we walk upon Mother Earth, we always plant our feet carefully
  because we know the faces of our future generations are looking
 up at us from beneath the ground. We never forget them."
                                 -Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation
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