DLN Coalition : Meetings and Minutes

2 DEC 2001 DLN HUMAN RIGHTS COALITION MEETING MINUTES

DLN Human Rights Coalition Planning Meeting
December 2, 2001
Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota
Rosebud Casino

Attendees:
Alfred Bone Shirt
Roy Stone
Edward "Jesse" Eagle Elk
Lorraine Eagle Elk
Leland Little Dog
Oyate Win
Donise Redwater
Jeff Cadotte
Rose Stenstrom
Frances Zephier
Robin Bair
Clarene Good Shield Stokebrand
Paul Joseph Monk
Yolanda Blue Horse Saager
Crystal White Owl
Ronald Moran
Belva Black Star-One Star
Ruth Steinberger
Bernadine Broken leg
Myrna Leader Charge Trimble
Patricia Causey

Alfred Bone Shirt opened meeting at 1:30 p.m.
· Apologized for not advertising meeting due to media being part of the problem
· i.e., Radio station-suppression, censorship, promotion of Catholic /colonization which undermine the culture of the Oyate
· Made introductions of those in attendance
· Listed some of the issues to be addressed by the DLN Coalition
· Homeless Shelter
· Committees to get organized and stay focused to deal with certain issues important to the Oyate
· Committee to get 100,000 watt radio station to support Oyate and its meetings and run announcements about Oyate activities and events, and issues
· Demonstrate and get active again to show a force of commitment to the People and the issues
· Roy Stone led prayer; Edward "Jesse" Eagle Elk went around offering sage so participants could smudge themselves
· More introductions as people came in
· "DLN has planted a seed nationally and internationally to weed out the People and organizations who consistently violate laws that protect Indian children and the Indian People."
· "Rosebud's door is always open to all children of all tribes who have been taken from their families"
· Need more meetings like this one…maybe in the Spring
· Get this ball rolling and get more of the People involved
· This meeting is to get organized so more Oyate can attend these meetings.
· Send a message in support of the People that they will no longer tolerate these terrorist acts against the Oyate

Leland Little Dog:
· Working on Treaties and Human rights issues at Sinte Gleska
· There are various Human Rights: Economic, Nutritional, Education
· The United Nations is using Human Rights laws to fight oppression.
· Suggested that everyone share his/her views on the issues concerning the Oyate; passed the microphone around

Edward "Jesse" Eagle Elk
· Knows there is disrespect going on at Tribal Council
· Each community has a representative on the Tribal Council.
· During meetings, the Tribal Council talks about land and programs but the Indians are not allowed to go in there to talk.
· The Tribal Council has the idea that the People don't understand the ways of the Council and don't need to.
· Indian People get run-around at Tribal Council
· There is a lot of money for Indian People, i.e., from Washington, DC, but it doesn't reach the Indian People.
· Proposal for programs and request for assistance for minority People was approved in Washington, DC. The Tribal Council hired contractors from Colorado, and houses were built. The Tribal Council created a Housing Authority and created rent-pay system. Indians are getting kicked out of these houses because they can't make payments. The Indians and their children are then left homeless and hungry.
· Rich landowners have nice homes and nice vehicles.
· Money from Washington is for the Indian People not the rich landowners or the Tribal Council
· Money is not reaching the Indian People it was intended for.
· Find out what is happening to the money allotted for Indians and the money being charged (i.e., rent) that is being taken from the Indians
· Tribal Council members only go to the People when it is election time, and they arrive with wine to bribe votes.
· People don't want to say anything against the Tribal Council for fear of retaliation.
· This is the time for the Indians to stand up for their rights and speak out.

Lorraine Eagle Elk
· Money that comes in to the Lakota Oyate belongs to real Lakota Oyate
· 10-20 families living in one house so Oyate won't be homeless, taking care of the People
· General Funds
· Who gets the money in the General Funds? No one knows.
· Some Oyate don't have water or are homeless
· Lakota Oyate will have to do something
· Council members don't work for the People, they sit around, need to be made to work for the People and do what they were elected to do.
· Been pressed down too long as Lakota Oyate
· Lorraine and husband live on $533 a month
· Council go against anyone who tried to help the Oyate
· Must do something now

Rose Stenstrom
· Worked for tribe and learned that when you speak out against problems, the Tribal Council retaliates by not assisting families with housing and basic needs.
· Able-bodied People are getting the newer houses that are intended for the elderly and handicapped when the elderly and handicapped are still living in old, dilapidated houses
· No longer have warriors to fight for People
· Surveys are done to get statistics of People who are handicapped, have diabetes, etc. by the Tribal Council. Money is then granted to the tribe to help them but the money winds up going to the tribal administration.
· What matters is who you know, related to, who you drink with, and sleep with.
· When you ask for help and go through the necessary avenues to get help, you get nothing but trouble.
· Oyate try to be law-abiding citizens and work through the process that is in force.
· Need Land Owners Association so the Oyate won't be abused economically
· Leasing land for $25 an acre
· What are the qualifications of the People on the Tribal Council?
· Lot of graduates from the college wind up washing dishes at the casino.
· Why can't the educated People get on the Tribal Council?

Myrna Leader Charge Trimble
· Director of Tribe's Tourism Program
· Noticed a pattern with the chairman and committees that the People report to.
· There is a lot of interest in Lakota culture; but the Tribal Council is short-sided, in part because of the 2-year terms they are on the council.
· Looking for economic
· People, land, and resources are the tools the People have to work with.
· The Tribal Council doesn't take the People's needs seriously; they don't value the People.
· Cultural Resource Form created by a survey of the 20 communities on the Rosebud
· Need tribal codes passed to protect cultural and natural resources
· Asked NARF to help develop a plan to protect resources and they accepted
· Timeline on plan is April 2003 to be adopted into tribal codes
· Leadership in TRIBAL COUNCIL have no vision to implement plan to create jobs and prosperity for Lakota Oyate on the Rosebud Reservation
· Need to get comments on the draft projects of the plan from the People
· The People are discouraged and unmotivated.
· Need to make the programs work for the People

Robin Bair
· Worked along Alfred Bone Shirt for a while now
· He is a warrior and will stand up at any time to help the Oyate and its children.
· This generation needs to step in and protect the People.
· There has to be a solution to come together and not turn their backs on the People.
· Constitution and by-laws exist to be followed but no one on the TRIBAL COUNCIL is doing that
· Likes the idea of bringing in other tribes because the same things are happening to them
· Be responsible for actions
· Can't ignore the Constitutions and by-laws
· Makes $469 a month
· Will do what it takes to stand up and fight for the People and the children
· Indians have come leaps and bounds with the white man.
· Can't turn away when the People, the land, the water are hurting
· Will no longer stand by; the People have heart here
· The Feds, the BIA, HUD---Everybody regulates the Indians, but who's regulating them?
· Will protest and demonstrate against those people who hurt the Indians.
· HUD hands the People garbage and say "here, live".
· Where are the warriors today?
· 500n years of this oppression and nothing has changed.
· Mend the People's own circles to strengthen the People
· Stand up and say, "No more. No more will we allow this to happen to our People".
· Spread the word, the warriors are coming.
· We want change.
· Love the People and the land.
· We need a voice, and we need to start standing.
· We're ready, and it's long overdue.
· We need dedication.
· "If I don't stand up today, do you think my children will?"
· Let's stand. Unite.
· Have to turn around the oppression and fight everyday.
· Can't stop because of what a few People are doing.
· White men don't want the People to own their own businesses and own their own land and be strong.
· Today is the day to do something, not just talk about it.
· What we do in this circle is important.
· The hearts of the People are still there. We are far from being dead.
· The white men set up the system to allow the Indians to destroy themselves, and it needs to end.
· "We need land, education, pharmacists, doctors, dentists, lawyers."
· The assets have left the reservation and have stayed away. We need to bring them home and so they can help the People now that they've bettered themselves.
· Can grow and pull everything close and succeed without becoming like the wasicu.
· Have to hold ceremonies and smoke the pipe
· We still have voices and power, we just have to step up and do it.
· Change is this circle, and People from everywhere are coming to help.
· This meeting has been long overdue. Go out and talk to People and give them encouragement.
· Send prayers. Tunkasila is listening. Everything we need is already in us.

Francis Zephier
· Thanked Alfred and his family for helping her family.
· We sacrifice a lot to go places and endure the threats and pressure by those who want to beat you down.
· They treat us all the same…want "Just another dead Indian."
· We can't put up with it any longer.
· Use the experience of pain to strengthen the People's cause.
· Don't give up on future. We need each and every one of you here.
· Feels like you're always walking into a brick wall no matter where you go.
· Housing
· Money for housing is being misused because contractors are cutting corners on housing projects
· Health problems are everywhere: allergies, brain problems, behavioral problems
· The hardest discrimination to deal with is the Indian People hurting and discriminating against other Indian People.
· Possibly Post-Traumatic Stress disorder from Catholic maltreatment: cold-hearted, suffered discrimination, rape, abuse.
· Need to find resolution and start fixing problems.

Edward "Jesse" Eagle Elk
· Had to leave but wanted to say one more thing.
· If we're going to organize and have these meetings, then let's do it.

Bernadine
· Thank everyone for coming
· Educated on treaties and worked on studying treaties
· Appreciates those of you coming because retaliation is a real possibility
· There are violations against the People, and they cannot be tolerated.

Ruth Steinberger
· Writes for Lakota Journal mainly about Indian children's removal from their families and Indians' treatment in prison
· Thanked Alfred for putting meeting together.

Belva Black Star-One Star
· There are People in total control over who gets what housing
· There are so many illegal issues even within the TRIBAL COUNCIL
· We need help within the court system to help the People.
· Corrupt tribal police officers are not removed from police force.
· Indians are automatically the suspects when crimes are being committed, they are not seen as the victims.
· Community meetings are a waste of time because the members there are working against the People.
· There isn't much help for the full-bloods anymore. It's hard to work against half-breeds who hire their own People. Our Oyate who graduate from college are not hired at local businesses.
· Concerned about tribal nursing home. In the past, elders were being abused and even killed. Reported it Social Services. There have been changes…mostly Lakota in nursing home now.
· Thanked Alfred for setting this up.

Jeff Cadotte
· On Treaty Council in Standing Rock
· Housing problem is very bad on Standing Rock.
· Should have a regional land owners' association to umbrella the tribes and reservations to help with housing and land issues. Some People in Montana are getting their land back that was taken by the BIA.
· Meeting like this is good, but need to keep it going. We can push for change if everybody believes in the purpose.
· All the issues are the same all over the reservations.

Donise Redwater
· Main concern is handicapped kids
· Has a child in a handicapped home in Sioux Falls; noticed other Native American children were being mistreated. Spends time with the kids.
· Talks to social workers at the home, and she is limited in what she can do with the kids.
· Speaks on behalf of the kids who are being mistreated by the employees of homes like these.
· Children are made wards of the state when they do not have family visiting them.
· Trying to learn treaties and laws about human rights and absorb as much information as she can.

Paul Joseph Monk
· Lives in Cleveland, OH, and has been invited by the Lakota Oyate and the DLN to help with the DLN Coalition.
· Organizing working groups to address the issues facing the Oyate.
· The more People who know the problems the more help that can be brought to the Oyate.
· Issues involve the removal of Indian children from traditional families, Tribal Council and governmental corruption, land and resources violations.
· The Oyate is up against smart, wealthy businessmen who hijack the Oyate's rights and resources for corporate development.
· The word is getting out about the problems faced by the Oyate.
· Thanked Alfred for setting up the meeting.

Clarene Good Shield Stokebrand
· Moved back to the reservation 19 years ago.
· Thanked Alfred for organizing meeting because he really stands for the People.
· Main issues she fights are legal corruption within the TRIBAL GOVERNMENT and the children.
· Lost job because of speaking out against tribal corruption.
· Thinks children should be raised on the reservation.
· When crimes are committed against Indians, there is nothing done to catch the perpetrator.
· Happy to see the People discussing the problems on the reservation.
· Stick together and let this fall apart…keep fighting.

Yolanda Blue Horse Saager
· Lives in Dallas, TX
· Two-year old daughter was killed and nothing has been done to arrest the woman who did it.
· Media is a powerful tool…it can open a lot of doors.
· Harsh realization the every day life of the Oyate on the reservation
· Wants to bring in more eyes and ears to see and hear the problems of the Oyate
· Can provide media contacts to help the Oyate
· Will help any way she can

Leland
· Thanked everyone for being here
· "Your tears are our tears, and your problems are our problems."
· Thanked Alfred and his wife.
· Taught at university, knows problems of abuse and racial discrimination
· Integrated Rights
· Human: basic human living conditions are being violated
· UDHR-Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
· ICCPR-International Covenant of Civil & Political Rights; US version (political and civil rights)
· ICESCR-International Covenant of Economic, Social, and Cultural rights; Russian version (economic and social rights)
· Inherent: Women's and children's rights are non-negotiable; blood quantum
· Treaty: Fort Laramie Treaties of 1851 (aboriginal land boundaries) and 1868 (agricultural resources)
· Civil: US Constitution, Bill of Rights
· United Nations
· Reservations are termed "4th world conditions": Pocket of poverty surrounded by prosperity
· Highest poverty region in US…Civil and economic rights being violated
· Afghanistan life expectancy: 46
· US Indian life expectancy: 48
· All the problems are symptoms of poverty.
· People need to get on their feet economically to bring them out from under these problems.
· Non-Indians are leasing Indian land and making money
· SD makes $56 billion a year---how much money to Indians?
· Options: go into land co-op within the tribe, can earn $1 Million a year
· Many white people are as ready for reconciliation as the Indians.
· A few ruin it by being in government positions that can hinder the Indians.
· 24,000 People on Rosebud reservation….large work force that can work in the economic projects of the Oyate
· Money coming in to the reservation is a sign of dependence…economic projects would provide independence.
· Casino revenue is not helping when the People lose their grant-writing rights.
· Oyate are fighting over jurisdiction with the State when dealing with money.
· Promises made by white entrepreneurs are not being kept in current business dealings.
· Oyate are being poisoned by bad water from hog farm
· Small bout of landowners (mostly mixed bloods) is causing the problems of leasing out land to non-Indians.
· Hog-farm is using millions of gallons of water and the tribe isn't charging them for it.
· Human rights and economic rights are interconnected.
· Appeal process in TRIBAL COUNCIL is ineffective.
· Federal Department of Education has a lot of information about statistics in SD educational system.

Break for supper

Alfred
· Made motions for the assembled meeting attendees to vote on
· Made a motion to start the preliminary work for a homeless shelter on 5 acres of his land
· Vote passed unanimously
· Formation of a Grass Roots Land Owners Association
· Vote passed unanimously
· Promote economical industry of growing hemp
· Vote passed unanimously
· Look into anti-terrorism language to use in protest of hate crimes and racial profiling
· Vote passed unanimously
· Wants a Statement from this group about the problems with hate crimes:
· Contact media about the situation in Miller
· Racial Profiling
· Crimes that involve other persons/agencies who violate tribal jurisdiction
· Francis: Crimes that go unpunished means we're accepting it
· Wants to make a committee from the reservations to continue this DLN Advocacy movement
· Hold more meetings
· Other meetings can be held by the local People

Carter Camp
· Thanked Alfred for having this meeting and inviting him
· Working for change will make a difference. Change in the past has made a difference
· "There is something worth preserving about being an Indian person."
· "The struggle for survival is something we all have to fight for to be an Indian in America."
· We could easily become Christian, we could leave the reservation, but we engage ourselves in this struggle.
· What we do today is important to the children and their lives.
· Whites have done what they wanted and ran the reservations the way they wanted. Now the whites are trying to be Indian.
· Focusing on getting rid of the hog farm.
· Read an editorial he wrote about the hog farm
· Undersized pigs being sent off the reservation---is the tribe being compensated?
· Why is the tribe providing water for the hog farm but not being compensated?
· None of the tribe's expenses is being compensated by the hog farm's operating budget, but all of the hog farm's expenses are taken out of the tribe's budget---meaning more profit for the hog farm and major financial losses for the tribe
· The contract was not very well researched.
· There are no supervisory committees working for the tribe to make sure the tribe is being properly compensated for the operation of the hog farm.
· The first two phases are complete, but there are seven more phases in the works.
· Rosebud People need to hold public meetings to discuss the issues of the future hog farm phases.
· In the past, even the Indians believed the "Vanishing Race" myth.
· Where are the warriors today who don't prevent or fight situations like the hate crime in Miller?
· Part of the problem is the bureaucratic Indians.
· Traditional ways are being forgotten.
· We must band together and join with other People who want to create change.
· Let the law enforcement and the rest of South Dakota know that the Indians are not going to let hate crimes continue.
· Sovereignty
· Self Determination Act of 1978 allowed the white government to define "sovereignty".
· Indian Reform Act of 1934 was set up to screw the Indians.
· TRIBAL GOVERNMENT should have a checks and balances type of government that exists within traditional tribal ways and should be brought out to deal with these problems.
· Every tribe is fighting their governments.
· Our dream is to remain here for another 500 years at least and make the Indian dream come forward.

Francis
· Who's on the water board over the hog farm?
· Ruth: Harvey White Woman knows all the minute details about the project

Alfred
· Wants a committee to actively pursue a 100,000 watt radio station or pursue having KINI being turned back over to the Oyate
· Could be a working group
· Vote passed unanimously
· Made a motion to get all the nations to work together about these issues
· Vote passed unanimously
· Wants to make Dakota Plains Legal Services more responsible for assisting the Oyate with legal problems
· Clarene: The Dakota Plains don't want to help the Indians; their attitude is to brush off the Indians, and say, "Thank god, we got rid of them."
· Alfred: The lawyers are just lining their own pocketbooks.
· Rose: Only certain lawyers can practice on the reservation in the Sicangu _______ Bar Association and they will not go against the TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. The lawyers do not have to be on the South Dakota Bar Association. Anyone who speaks up is seen as a "trouble maker".
· Clarene: The tribe hires the lawyers who are on the bar association.
· Francis: Can't do anything if the lawyer isn't on the bar.

Leland
· Fights issues using Educational rights and First Amendment Rights
· Censored by school administration and local media
· Student Rights are being violated
· Censorship, death threats
· When there are hate crimes, there is no help from the judges because they are paid by the universities.
· Frances: Teachers being hired are not accredited, so students' credits will not transfer

Open discussion · Yolanda: Why not bring in the BIA?
· Carter: The BIA exists to keep the Indians suppressed. If the Indians stopped fighting each other and had good tribal councils, there would be no need for the BIA. As a bureaucracy, it pushes pencils and papers and never really touches the Indian People. The BIA forced tribal governments on the Indians in 1934 with the IRA, and the Indians haven't gotten together to take over the running of the tribes. The Indians are still heading down the path of assimilation.
· Frances: We found out the BIA was established through the War Department to disestablish the tribes.
· Carter: Without organizing the Indian People, change is very difficult.
· Leland: There are criminal investigators here who are looking into racial profiling, but getting People to report and stand up in court to protest the racial profiling is hard because of the fear of retaliation.
· Frances: "Tribes are coming together at the Grass Roots level. And we should continue our opposition, sending it to congressmen and senators."
· Carter: "We need independent media. We need an Indian newspaper to educate our People."
· Alfred: Some journalists misconstrue facts to distort the overall picture.
· Yolanda: There should be an organized group with a president and contacts to keep this organized.
· Frances: The DLN is an organized group, but it takes leg work to go door to door to get a government in place to take over the running of all the DLN tribes.
· Leland: Should be able to use equipment at the Student Association, but they don't allow the Oyate to use the equipment.
· Frances: How do we raise money?
· Yolanda: For funding, sell crafts and bring in dancers and artists at Indian arts fairs and powwows to raise money to help fund DLN projects.
· Paul Joseph: We're working on a non-profit status for the DLN Coalition so that companies and sponsors would have the added bonus of their donations being tax-deductible.
· Alfred: Take transcripts of the meeting and distribute to the Oyate.
· Trish: I can put these notes up on the DLN Advocacy yahoo page.
· Yolanda: We need to schedule another meeting in the Spring.
· Frances: We need to have monthly meetings, locally.
· Alfred: Standing up against the TRIBAL GOVERNMENT will bring anti-terrorism measures against the Indians.
· Leland: Now is a good time to let Senators know that there is an Afghanistan situation right here at home.
· Carter: People think that atrocities against the Indians are in the past. They're still happening.
· Leland: Teaching kids about collectivism rather than individualism-as in, the concept of tiyospaye versus the one man /one woman of the dominant culture/religion.
· Frances: Two issues: ICWA and HUD.
· HUD-poor housing, unsafe housing
· Forces the People to show proof of housing problems rather than HUD coming out to inspect the homes
· Leland: Read letter sent to Cora Jones by Vincent Black Feather and Denver American Horse regarding establishing a traditional government on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
· Tribal colleges are not producing enough teachers
· Educational Apartheid
· Economic Genocide
· Long-term genocide…Wounded Knee 1890 was almost a merciful genocide in that it was quick.
· Alfred: What about getting the Cleveland groups to help with these issues?
· Paul Joseph: Working on an Urban Health Center program. Programs don't have to be run through the BIA or IHS if a 501(c)3 program will be better.
· Rose: IHS is providing very poor healthcare.
· Paul Joseph: Need to address the IHS funding for services.
· Rose: Budget B.S. for the IHS; i.e., non-alcohol-related cases are called alcohol-related so they can get funding for the hospital. Funding they get is being wasted…it's not going to the People.
· Paul Joseph: Need to start letter-writing campaign to change how the budget for the IHS is submitted to Congress.
· Frances: Good doctors leave as soon as they aren't obligated to the IHS for residency, or the Tribal Council.
· Leland: The hospital and clinics have good equipment but no one qualified to use it.

Leland
· Thanked everyone for coming
· Frances: What about the next meeting date? Go to keep the issues going.
· Alfred: Next Meeting will be TBA
· Led closing prayer

Meeting ended at 10:22 p.m.

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