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[source: NativeNews; Fri, 18 Feb 2000 09:23:09]
 

From: "Wild Horse" <wild.horse.list@mindspring.com>

For Immediate Release

February 17, 2000
Red Cloud Building, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota:

TRIBAL COUNCIL REP'S DEFEND THEIR EXCESSIVE SPENDING!

In the never-ending saga of the Oglala Sioux Tribal (OST) Government
corruption scandal, the members of the Tribal Council began defending
their excessive spending of tribal monies in District Council meetings
this week. As copies of the Tribe's financial ledgers continue to circulate
around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, tribal members cannot
express their frustration and feelings of betrayal from tribal council
representatives.

In a meeting last night, an Oglala District Councilman stated that he
"supports the people in the Red Cloud Building." In regards to the
$500.00/month auto maintenance allowance he receives, he stated that
he "&took it each month because I have a bad car."

In a radio address today, a spokeswoman for the Grass Roots Oyate
(people) questioned the Tribal Council's conscience, or lack of it. She
asked, "how can they take so much money, while children on the Pine
Ridge Indian Reservation go without basic necessities - food, clothing,
shelter." She further advised that "they could have given out those
monthly allowances to the people so that everyone could have at least
a $500.00 car to get around in."

The Grass Roots Oyate stated that the longer they occupy the Tribe's
administrative offices, the more violations are made by the Tribal
Treasurer and Tribal Council. In 1985, the OST Council passed
Resolution #85-32 that states: "&Be It Further Resolved, that the OST
Council does hereby reaffirm the earlier position of the OST Council
and does hereby prohibit OST Programs and other governmental
entities from paying travel and stipend costs and/or honorarium for
members of the OST Council and Executive Committee." This resolution
was passed to prohibit "double recovery costs", commonly known as
"double-dipping", a practice that has plagued the OST I.R.A. (Indian
Reorganization Act - 1934) government for years.

The Grass Roots Oyate are demanding a face-to-face meeting with
BIA Regional Director, Cora Jones. The written request, with supporting
documents was sent via overnight mail to her office in Aberdeen. In
the past four weeks, Ms. Jones has taken a passive stance on the
situation at Pine Ridge Agency. She informed the group that she does
not recognize the 1868 Treaty at Fort Laramie, and that she will continue
to recognize the Tribe's elected officials. She has put her "full faith" in
the Pine Ridge Agency BIA Superintendent, Robert Ecoffey. Ecoffey has
continually stated that he has very little power over the illegal actions of
the tribal government and has been using scare tactics to remove the
Grass Roots Oyate from the Tribe's administrative offices, which they
have occupied for 31 days.

The Grass Roots Oyate took peaceful control of the Red Cloud Building
on January 16, 2000 for the sole purpose of protecting the financial
records inside from further tampering/destruction. They have declared
their sovereign immunity under the guidelines of the 1868 Treaty at Fort
Laramie, which the U.S. Supreme Court has stated, is still in full force.
To date, the OST Council has suspended and then reinstated the
Tribal Treasurer Wesley "Chuck" Jacobs; and the Executive Committee
has ordered an audit of the 1999 financial records. Among the nine
demands, the group is demanding the permanent removal of Jacobs
from all tribal government positions; a five-year, full forensic audit of all
governmental fund types; and the suspension of the entire tribal council
pending a referendum vote of the tribal members for their permanent
removal and the formation of a more traditional governmental system.

The Oglala Lakota Nation has always been a leader amongst indigenous
nations. Other Tribes from across the U.S. and Canada are carefully
monitoring the Grass Roots Oyate's nonviolent approach at changing
their government. They are receiving calls of support from other indigenous
nations and several bands of the Great Sioux Nation have visited the Red
Cloud Building to observe and report back to their reservations.

For further information, please contact Floyd Hand, or Media Coordinator,
Dale Looks Twice at (605) 867-5303.

As with all my emails concerning the Occupation Peoples please forward
to any and all interested parties in its entirety

Wadv
Wild Horse

http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate
 

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