Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Red Cloud Building, Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota - The Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate (GROLO) are thinking about ending the peaceful protest which began January 16, 2000, almost a year ago. The GROLO took over the tribes administration building in protest of the corrupt activities of the tribal government. According to Dale Looks Twice, a spokesperson for the group, the GROLO is contemplating returning the Red Cloud Building to the newly elected tribal council.

"I think the Grassroots Oyate proved their point", said Looks Twice. "Now it’s time to support the tribal council, and hopefully the problems that happened in the last administration won't happen again."

The GROLO issued demands they wanted met before they would leave the building. One of the demands was that a full audit of tribal financial records was done and the group called for the removal of the Wesley “Chuck” Jacobs, the tribal treasurer.

An audit was done after federal authorities seized the financial records. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) picked up the tab for the cost of the audits, which resulted in three tribal council members being indicted in federal court for alleged corruption relating to the tribal housing office.

It had been rumored that at one time the tribal council had issues orders directing the tribal police to remove the GROLO protesters from the building. It was later it confirmed that the order had been given,but was never carried out.

The reason given for the orders not being carried out was that some officials said they did not want to provoke violence. The takeover was done in a peaceful manner and remained peaceful.

Only three members of the original tribal administration were re-elected, in tribal elections held this fall. The tribe now has a new president, John Yellow Bird Steele, who won over Harold Salway. In early December David Rabbit was named tribal treasurer by the newly elected council.

Dale Looks Twice said that the Grassroots Oyate would like to be recognized by the tribe as a viable group. "I think this administration is willing to work with the group", adding that, "the Oyate (Lakota for people) want to help fight upcoming issues, such as blood-quantum requirements for tribes."

No final decision has been made as to when the Red Cloud building will be returned. Looks Twice said that some members of the Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate are not yet ready to give up the building. The group is hoping to meet with Steele early in January.

"I think our job is done now", said Dale Looks Twice. "It's time for us to move on with our lives."