Whiteclay is focus of March 1 activities
Posted by ErthAvengr to NDN AIM
BY NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star
The American Indian Movement and Nebraskans for Peace will begin a "Year of Atonement" for the "abuse and exploitation" occurring at Whiteclay during a series of activities on Saturday, March 1, Nebraska's Statehood Day.
AIM will return to Nebraska's state capital for the first time since the Wounded Knee trials in 1975 to elevate Whiteclay to the status of a national and international human rights issue, said Tim Rinne with Nebraskans for Peace.
Nebraskans for Peace have tried for several years to convince Nebraska leaders to close down several package liquor stores in Whiteclay that sell liquor to Natives from the nearby dry Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
The March 1 events begin with a panel discussion of the Whiteclay situation at 1:30 p.m. in "The Crib" at the University of Nebraska Student Union, 14th and R streets. At 3:30 p.m., AIM and Nebraskans for Peace will sponsor a rally at the student union to protest the state's failure to act, followed by a public march to the Governor's Mansion.
At 7 p.m., a special showing of the movie "Skins," filmed at Whiteclay, will be shown at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, followed by a public forum by Native leaders from around the region on the significance of the film.
"Since the protests erupted in the summer of 1999, propelling Whiteclay into national prominence, the state of Nebraska has had nearly four years to do something about the lawlessness and abuse in this 14-person border town," said Rinne.
"During this year of atonement, the state of Nebraska will be expected to permanently resolve the situation in Whiteclay either by legislative or executive action, or face the legal and social consequences," Rinne said.
The day of activities will set the stage for public hearings for three Whiteclay-related bills in the Legislature in March, Rinne said.
These bills are:
• LB669, which would use $150,000, representing the sales tax from the annual Whiteclay liquor sales, to pay for full-time law enforcement in Whiteclay. The hearing is scheduled for March 6.
• LB426, which would ban liquor sales in a five-mile buffer zone around dry reservations. Hearing March 10;
• LB523, whichwould allow the State Patrol to have interlocal agreement with Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to use reservation law enforcement in Whiteclay. Hearing March 12.
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Photograph--Alfred Bone Shirt Sr. wearing a peace medal.