Subject: >>>> CAMP JUSTICE <<<< 9/3/1999
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 12:42:01 -0400
From: Mike Wicks <Mike.Wicks@mindspring.com>
Organization: American Indian Cultural Support
To: list suppressed
From: Mike Wicks <Mike.Wicks@mindspring.com>
This is an Official update from the Oglala Lakota organizers of CAMP JUSTICE.
>>>> CAMP JUSTICE <<<<
For immediate release
September 3, 1999
CAMP JUSTICE, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota:
Negotiations Breakdown Between Oglala Lakota and State of Nebraska!
- CAMP JUSTICE organizers stated that the Oglala Lakota Oyate will no longer negotiate
with the State of Nebraska with regards to treaty land claim issues, human and civil
rights violations, and police brutality in the reservation border town called White
Clay, NE. Organizers noted that the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a sovereign
Nation and therefore will negotiate "Nation-to-Nation" only... Not "Nation-to-state".
- CAMP JUSTICE organizers have requested that U.S. Department of Justice officials
initiate a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to discuss long-term
atrocities that have taken place in White Clay and Sheridan County, NE. Organizers
are requesting a special prosecutor to investigate a series of unexplained and
largely uninvestigated killings of Oglala Lakota people in Sheridan County, NE.
- Negotiations have ceased since an August 19, 1999 meeting between Oglala Lakota
Nation and the Nebraska Governor's appointed task force. The meeting, mediated by
the U.S. Department of Justice, was initiated by the State of Nebraska to present
their response to the 6 Points of Justice Initiative given to Nebraska Governor Mike
Johanns on July 13, 1999.
The 6 Points of Justice
1. Demand a full and complete investigation on all human and civil rights
violations which have occurred in Sheridan County, NE since the legalized
hanging of Lakota people ceased, to the present day murders of Martin
Bull Bear, Ron Hard Heart, Wally Black Elk, Little John Means, and many
others.
2. Immediate closure of all alcohol establishments in White Clay until a license
is issued by the Secretary of the Interior or his representative. See 1904
Presidential Executive Order.
3. Return of original designated Pine Ridge Agency lands (which includes
White Clay, NE) as noted in the 1868 Treaty with the U.S. Government.
4. Creation of a permanent Civil Rights Office in Sheridan County, NE to
address human and civil rights violations against indigenous Lakota
people.
5. Immediate removal of Sheridan County Sheriff Terry Robbins for cover-up
of Deputy Randy Metcalf's criminal activities against indigenous Lakota
people.
6. Establish a law requiring data collection on all traffic stops to
include state, county, and municipal law enforcement to record the race
of every motorist they stop. See North Carolina law.
NEBRASKA'S RESPONSE
- To Point #1 Murders: Claiming that since the bodies of the most recent
victims were found on the South Dakota side of the border, it is the
responsibility of the Rapid City FBI office to investigate the murders.
Lt. Col Mike Behm of the NE State Patrol stated that his department
offered to assist in the investigation but Rapid City FBI agents informed
him that his office, along with OST Police would handle the investigation.
No new investigations of unsolved murders in Sheridan County have been
initiated.
- To Point #2 Alcohol: Nebraska claims that it would take months for the NE
State Liquor Commission to cite the White Clay alcohol establishments, only
to have them turn around and pay a nominal fine and return to business as
usual.
- To Point #3 Treaty Land Claim: NE Task Force members acknowledged that while
the 1904 Executive Order is illegal without an Act of Congress, they claim
that this is a "federal issue".
- To Point #4 Civil Rights: NE claims this is a "federal issue".
- To Point #5 Police Brutality: Sheridan County Sheriff Department has been
exonerated of any criminal activity/cover-up.
- To Point #6 Racist Traffic Stops: No comment.
- Furthermore: The State of Nebraska offered the following compromises: *Install a
public restroom in White Clay; *Attempt to curb prostitution in White Clay; *Work
with White Clay grocers to provide better quality meat products.
- At the conclusion of the meeting, traditionalists - Oliver Red Cloud and Floyd Hand
stated that the real underlying issue is the Treaty land claim and Nebraska's illegal
possession of said land since 1904. Mr. Hand announced that being a full-blood Oglala
Lakota entitles him the right to initiate a land claim lawsuit against the United
States. Furthermore, an injunction order to close White Clay alcohol establishments
during the Treaty land claim lawsuit has been initiated.
- The mission statement of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission is: "To regulate
and control the alcoholic beverage industry and beverages within an into the State of
Nebraska in an efficient, effective manner, in order to promote the public safety,
and welfare". CAMP JUSTICE organizers believe that the Commission has grossly failed
to live up to it's responsibilities as far as White Clay is concerned.
- CAMP JUSTICE organizers stated that these White Clay alcohol establishments sell
alcohol simply to make money, and have repeatedly indicated that they do not care
and/or respect our people. The complex underlying, sociocultural disintegration, and
denigration, among indigenous Lakota people is of little concern to these
establishments; it is our People who have to live with the results of their sale of
alcohol.
- Family members of the murder victims met with Minnesota attorneys this week to
initiate a wrongful death lawsuit against the State of Nebraska for it's gross
negligence concerning White Clay Liquor Violations and Sheridan County Law
Enforcement.
- The next "Walk for Justice" is scheduled for September 4, 1999 at Billy Mills Hall
in Pine Ridge Village, SD. The prayer walk will begin at 12:00 p.m., followed by
a peaceful rally in White Clay.
For more information, contact Floyd Hand at (605) 876-5762 or Tom Poor Bear at
(605) 867-5821
Mike Wicks Mike.Wicks@mindspring.com
CAMP JUSTICE internet/email Liaison
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I would like to add a note of my own here; The camp is in need of some donations.
There are a lot of mouths to be fed, and very little resources to do it with.
Please, if you can manage even a couple dollars send it to them.
Camp Justice
c/o Tom Poor Bear
P.O. Box 823
Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770
Packages can be sent to;
Camp Justice
C/O Fay Cedar Face
200 Eastridge Rd.
Pine Ridge, SD 57770
In struggle,
Mike
http://www.aics.org/justice/camp.html
