And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: X-Originating-IP: [164.154.238.110] From: "Robert Quiver" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Fwd: Urgent Action Alert: Ask Senators to honor treaty rights ofSioux Nation Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 12:33:05 PDT Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >From: CPT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Urgent Action Alert: Ask Senators to honor treaty rights ofSioux Nation >Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 21:47:52 > >>Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christian Peacemaker Teams, Chicago IL) >>Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christian Peacemaker Teams, Chicago IL), >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 18:07:58 CDT >>Subject: Urgent Action Alert: Ask Senators to honor treaty rights of Sioux >Nation >>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>CPTNET >>8 April 1999 >>Urgent Action Alert: Ask Senators to honor treaty of Sioux Nation >> >>(On April 3 CPT began a one month presence with Sioux Native people in >>Pierre South Dakota where where member of the Great Sioux Nation are >>demanding treaty rights.) >> >>Pierre, SD -- Lakota/Dakota Nation Native Americans have set up a >>circle of tipis on an island in the Missouri River in a >>nonviolent camp-in to protest a U.S. Congressional bill >>transferring 200,000 acres of Treaty land to the state of South >>Dakota. The vigilers, camped within sight of the state capitol >>in Pierre, SD, want Congressional committees to hold oversight >>hearings on the bill (Title VI of the 1998 Omnibus Appropriations Act) >>to determine whether it is in fact legal. >> >>The organizers of the encampment have asked CPT to provide >>observers to monitor the situation. They are >>particularly concerned that the local authorities may try to >>provoke a violent confrontation in the coming days or weeks in order to >>provide an excuse to evict the protestors. Federal Bureau of >>Investigation (FBI) agents have been staked out near the >>encampment. Their presence recalls tensions between the agency >>and the American Indian Movement at Wounded Knee in the early 1970s. >> >>ACTION: The organizers have asked CPT's supporters to make >>phone calls and send faxes and letters to the following senators on key >>committeesasking them to use their influence to ensure that the last minute >>rider that South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle slipped into the >>1998 Omnibus Appropriations Act gets a proper congressional hearing: Tom >>Daschle, Tim Johnson, Ted Kennedy, Paul Wellstone and Ben Nighthorse >>Campbell. They also want people to ask the Senators to ensure that the >>local and national authorities refrain from harassing the protestors who >>are camped >>on land granted them by the U.S. government in 1868. (Contact >>information below.) >> >>SOUTH DAKOTA ACTION: CPT's South Dakotan constituents are asked >>to send faxes and make phone calls to Governer William Janklow, >>asking that he respect the original treaties made with South >>Dakota's Native population and that he ensure the safety of the >>vigilers. They are also encouraged to convey the same concerns >>to Senator Tom Daschle. >> >>Governer William Janklow >>South Dakota State Capitol; >>Pierre, SD 57501 >>Tel 605-773-3212 >>FAX 605-773-4711. >> >>Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) >>Washington DC 20510 >>Tel. 202-224-2321 >>Fax:202-224-2047 >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>Paul Wellstone (D-MN) >>717 HSOB >>Washington, DC 20510 >>Ph: (202) 224-5461 >>Fax: (202) 224-8438 >>E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>Ben Nighthorse-Campbell >>380 RSOB >>Washington, DC 20510 >>Ph: (202) 224-5852 >>Fax: (202) 224-1933 >>E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) >>312 CHOB >>Washington, DC 20515 >>Ph: (202) 225-4911 >>Fax: (202) 225-3290 >> >>Senator Tim Johnson (R-SD) >>Washington DC 20510 >>Tel. 202-224-5842 >>Fax: 202-228-0368 >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >>BACKGROUND >>The land in question belongs to the Lakota/Dakota nations, >>according to the Treaty of 1868, a treaty reaffirmed by U.S. >>courts in the early 1980s. >> >>The nations had fought the land transfer legislation, called >>the Mitigation Act, in the U.S. Congress for two years. In >>October 1998, the House voted down the bill which mandated the >>transfer of land and funds to the state of South Dakota. >>However, Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) introduced the Mitigation Act >>as a rider onto a huge budget appropriations bill (weighing 40 >>pounds) the night before it was passed later in October. >> >>The legality of the bill, now called Title VI of the 1998 Omnibus >>Appropriations Act of 1999, is questionable, since as passed it >>never had hearings in the Senate or House. Lakota/Dakota leaders >>were not consulted, and the requirement that three-quarters of >>the men of the Sioux Nation sign the transfer was not met. >> >>On March 22, Lakota/Dakota people and supporters held a >>demonstration against the bill. Several men decided to remain on >>the island in a spiritual camp-in, called the Seven Council >>Fires, to remind the world that the land is theirs according to >>treaties signed over a century ago, and that "Treaty Rights are >>Human Rights." >> >>The Army Corps of Engineers, which administers the land in >>question, has "granted" the camp-in protestors 14 days to be on >>La Framboise Island. The protestors did not ask the Corps' >>permission since the 200-acre island is a part of the land >>mentioned in the 1868 treaty. The "permission" lasts until >>Friday, April 9 (since extended for a further 14 days), and the campers are >>uncertain of what will happen then. >> >>An FBI agent checking in on the camp told CPTer Rick Polhamus >>that, "This is federal land. We're just here to look after the >>rights of the people who are here." >> >>Written by CPT Peacemaker Corps member Joanne Kaufman and Reservists >>Rick Polhamos and Kathy Kern. >> >> >> >>Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative among Mennonite and Church of >>the Brethren congregations and Friends Meetings that supports violence >>reduction efforts around the world. CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 >>tel:312-455-1199 FAX 312-666-2677 To join CPTNET, our e-mail network, fill >>out the form found on our WEB page at http://www.prairienet.org/cpt/ >> >> _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
