And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: Pat Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Protest in for the long haul http://www.capjournal.com/Article_detail_display.cfm?ID=724&Articletypeid=1 Wednesday, August 11, 1999 Al Lundy The protesters who have been camped on La Framboise Island since March have no plans to leave the island any time soon. "We will stay here until this comes to a conclusion," said Clayton "Boots" Quiver, Pine Ridge, spokesman for the encampment. The camp was established on the island on March 22 to protest the Missouri River Land Transfer Act which allows the transfer of land held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along the Missouri River to the Cheyenne River and Lower Brule tribes and to the state of South Dakota. The protesters have said the transfer violates the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. On July 27, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the act sending the issue to a conference committee made up of members of both the House and the U.S. Senate. "We feel something is going to happen pretty big in September when the Senate comes back," Quiver said. "The attitude of the people here is that we need to keep moving forward. The repeal (in the House) has given us incentive," Quiver said. "People told us it was a done deal. You're wasting your time. It's a losing cause," Quiver said. "We have proven it's not a done deal. "It proves that if you oppose something that Congress or the government is doing, if you get together, stand up and say something you can make a difference." The protesters on La Framboise Island have permission to camp on the island until Aug. 21 as they protest the land transfer. The corps has allowed the protesters to camp in the area normally off limits to overnight recreation. The members of the encampment are likely to ask for another extension of that permission, Quiver said. La Framboise Island is managed by the corps as a natural area with limited day use facilities. Overnight camping or other overnight recreational activities are normally not allowed. The encampment "isn't causing any major burden to our operation, said Phil Sheffield, lake manager, corps of engineers, Pierre. "They are moving their tents, except for the teepees surrounding the sweat lodge and sacred fire," Sheffield said. "If there is damage to grasses they have agreed to replant. If they don't and we have to replant it ourselves, it's not a big deal." The cost of replanting would probably be less than $100, he said. "It's a matter of going to Wal-mart or Kmart and getting a bag of seed." The public toilets on the island normally have so little use that they are pumped out only once a year, Sheffield said. With 10 to 15 people there on a regular basis "We've had to pump them out one extra time," he said. Nothing that members of the encampment are doing is having any impact on the wildlife on La Framboise Island, said Ron Catlin, law enforcement staff specialist, South Department of Game, Fish and Parks. "The deer move freely off and onto the island usually using the causeway. It's not closing anything off," Catlin said. Members of the encampment have been using electrical appliances and have planted a vegetable garden. They have also asked to have a telephone line installed at the camp. "It would be beneficial to both the people here and to the public generally," Quiver said. Not everybody has cell phone and with use of the island by the public, a telephone would be beneficial, he said. Sheffield isn't sure of the cost of the electricity the camp is using. As to the safety of increased electrical use, "We have a good breaker on the circuit," he said. The encampment on the island is probably discouraging normal public use of the island some officials said. "Just the presence tends to discourage people from using it," Catlin said. "I don't know how many people have used it," said Pierre Mayor Gary Drewes. "I don't think there is any doubt the camp has deterred some use by the public," Drewes said. At this point Quiver doesn't know why people would be intimidated. "When we first came to the island I can understand that people might be intimidated," he said. "With all of the people who come to the island and are using the trails now, I am not sure why they would be uncomfortable." A letter dated July 20, addressed to Oglala Sioux Tribe President Harold Salway and signed by Lt. Col. Bryan S. Vulcan, deputy commander of the corps' Omaha District, extended permission for the camp but as before with some conditions. "With increased demand for public use of the area, we expect the camp will not interfere with the public's access to the hiking trail throughout the island," Vulcan said in the letter. According to Pierre Police Chief Al Aden there were some issues that needed to be worked out early on. "The island isn't really in our jurisdiction but because we are close, when we are called, we respond. "There have been no problems in recent weeks," Aden said. "As far as we're concerned they've been good neighbors," Aden said. The island is used extensively by hunters during deer and turkey hunting seasons, Catlin said. There are only archery seasons on the island. "La Framboise is closed to fire arms," he said. Archery deer season is the first to open, Sept. 25. "There is no conflict that I am aware of," Catlin said, when asked if the encampment poses a safety problem when the archery deer season starts. "People use the island for hiking and biking as usual during the season," Catlin said. "A hunter could be sitting up in a tree and a hiker could walk under him and never know he is even there," he said. Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
