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United States: the "shutdown" the happiness and unhappiness of the American Indian


  Due to budgetary paralysis, which hit the United States, Indian reserves benefit from an influx of tourists as national museums are closed. The tribes are however severely affected due to lack of funds for social programs. Since the beginning of the budget impasse, October 1, Indian reserves désemplissent more. While national parks that depend on the U.S. government are closed, the Indians continue to welcome tourists. A record crowd As reported by National Public Radio through a story, visitors can no longer access the Grand Canyon National Park, "however, can enjoy the view of the western part of the site, owned by the tribe Hualapai "or" go on Navajo land on the east side "of this tourist site, known worldwide. The Vice-President of the Havasupai tribe (the only people living permanently in the Grand Canyon) welcomes the attendance record. According to Matthew Putesoyse "there are four times more visitors than usual this season." "Tourism is the backbone of our tribe. We do not really have other activities, "he says. The officer in charge of trafficking in Antelope Canyon is also particularly pleased about the situation. His guides never cease to explore the area to tourists from around the world: "We all get a small part of the song, and we'll be well fed before winter." ...... .. Cuts in social benefits These communities of northern Arizona therefore benefit economically from disagreement over the budget in Congress between Democrats and Republicans, the origin of the "shutdown", but to other neighboring tribes, the situation is much more delicate. The newspaper "USA Today" says "22 Arizona Indian communities depend heavily on federal money to allow their 200 000 members to access education, health and safety, as well as housing. "  Republican Senator original Navajo Albert Hale, is concerned about the situation: "The federal government is so far in the Indian reservations that any budget cut , silence will have a huge impact. " In other reserves of the country, the coming weeks promise to be just as difficult. Asked by The Associated Press, the National Bureau of Indian Affairs, which helps more than 1.7 million Indians, grouped in more than 500 communities, explains that "essential services such as justice, firefighters and some social services will continue, but other programs such as homes for children or adults or financial assistance for the poor will be affected. " For the National Congress of American Indians and tribal leaders, the consequences of "shutdown" finally show how "they are vulnerable from the federal budget." "Our destiny is somehow in the hands of someone else," said the spokesman of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, Larry Denny.