Pine Ridge
Occupation Peoples
Grass Roots Oyate
January 16, 2000
Until we Win
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Pine Ridge Occupation Peoples Grass Roots Oyate January 16, 2000 Until we Win |
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Current Pine Ridge Weather
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2000 Red Cloud Building, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota: BOMB THREAT ON RED CLOUD BUILDING! At approximately 6:40 a.m. this morning, the Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate (people) occupying the administrative office of the Oglala Sioux Tribe received a telephone call promising that a bomb would be planted in the building today. Although the people recognized this as an idle threat, the Tokala Society (security) took every precaution to protect the elders, children, men and women in the building. Oglala Sioux Tribe Public Safety were brought in to meet with the Tokalas on ways to deal with such threats. Ironically, the tribal police have sided with the group since they first occupied the building, citing that changes are long overdue within the tribal government. The Grass Roots Oyate have received numerous death threats since they took peaceful control of the Red Cloud Building on January 16th in Pine Ridge Agency, S.D. Indigenous nations have offered support from all over the world and are closely monitoring the Grass Roots Oyate's battle against the "oppressive monster" - the I.R.A. government. Officials in Washington, D.C. have attempted to refer the group back to local/regional offices to deal with their problems. These officials are concerned that other tribes will take similar actions to eliminate the I.R.A. system on their reservations. Like many other reservations, Pine Ridge is under the watchful eye of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior, formally known as the "War Department", still classifies Indian reservations as "prisoner-of-war camps". Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is listed as POW Camp #344. The Grass Roots Oyate have vowed to recreate their government to provide a brighter, more independent nation for their children and grandchildren. The Indian Reorganization Act was implemented on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1934. For the past 65 years, the I.R.A. has slowly choked the will of the people by making them dependent on the government. In the past 18 days it is evident that the spirit in the Oglala Lakota is stronger than ever. The United States has never defeated the Oglala Lakota Sioux in battle and the Grass Roots Oyate vow that they never will. The Grass Roots Oyate maintain that they will stay and protect the financial records from tampering/destruction until they can be removed by the Inspector General of the Interior Department for a full forensic audit. Further, the people are demanding the immediate, permanent removal of Wesley "Chuck" Jacobs as tribal treasurer and prevent him from ever holding any other position within Oglala Sioux Tribal government again. The Grass Roots Oyate passed a resolution today to allow a skeletal team of tribal employees to return to work in the tribal building to provide minimal emergency financial services and payroll. They explained that, while they want the Treasurer and the Tribal Council to know what it is like to go without food or heating fuel, they do not want the rest of the nation to suffer. There are thirteen employees that are scheduled to report to work on February 3rd at 8:00 a.m. On Saturday, February 5, 2000, the Seven Fires Council will arrive in Pine Ridge to support the Grass Roots Oyate in their efforts. The council is comprised of traditionalists from the seven bands of the Great Sioux Nation. For further information, please contact Floyd Hand or Media Coordinator, Dale Looks Twice at (605) 867-5303. As with all my posts concerning the Occupation Peoples please forward to any and all interested parties in its entirety Wadv Wild Horse |