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PIERRE, SD URGENT ACTION: FEDERAL, SD STATE GOVERNMENTS SEEKING TO EXPEDITE LAND TRANSFER

Pierre, SD - The Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) encampment learned last night that the transfer of 200,000 acres of treaty land to South Dakota is being expedited this week by the representatives of the SD State and Federal governments. People living on the land in question along the Missouri River have been approached by the SD State Fish, Game and Parks Dept. and the Army Corps of Engineers and asked to sell their land over the last couple days.

Leaders of the encampment fear that the reason given for the buyout -- flood control -- is a pretext for expediting the land transfer. They speculate that SD Senator Tom Daschle, the South Dakota State government, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of the Interior and the Cheyenne River and Lower Brule Sioux tribes are working in collusion to transfer the land before the Greater Sioux Nation can challenge the transfer in court.

Under the terms of the 1868 Fort Laramie treaty, the 200,000 acres cannot be ceded without signatures of three quarters of all adult males of the seven signatory tribes. The leadership of the Cheyenne River and Lower Brule tribes have agreed to the transfer of the land in exchange for favors benefitting only their tribes from the federal government. A significant percentage of both tribes have opposed the decision made by the leaders and both tribes have representatives participating in the Oceti Sakowin encampment.

Representatives of the Oceti Sakowin have asked CPT's constituents to write letters or send faxes to the following addresses, demanding that congressional oversight hearings be held, as required by law, on Title VI of the 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Act--also called the Mitigation Act. (See previous Urgent Action for more information.) Ask the representatives to stop any transfer of Treaty land to the state of South Dakota until such hearings are held.

Members of CPT currently camped on LaFramboise Island with the Oceti Sakowin will meet with representatives of the state and federal governments located in Pierre, capital of South Dakota, in the coming week.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
838 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Attn: Patricia Zell or Paul Moorehead
Tel: 202-224-2251
Fax: 202-224-5429

Honorable Ben Nighthorse Campbell,Chairman
U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
828 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
attn: Patricia Zell
Tel: 202-224-5852
Fax: 202-224-1933
E-mail: administrator@campbell.senate.gov

The Honorable Tom Daschle (D-SD)
509 Hart Senate Building
US Senate S-221
Washington, DC 20510
Tel. 202-224-2321
Fax:202-224-2047
E-mail: senator@daschle.senate.gov

Honorable Daniel Inouye, Vice-Chair (D-HI)
U.S. Senate Commmittee on Indian Affairs
722 HSOB
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: 202-224-3934
Fax: 202-224-6747
E-mail: senator@inouye.senate.gov

Honorable George Miller (D-CA)
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Resources
509 O'Neil Annex House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Attn. Steve Lannich
Tel: 202-225-2095
Fax: 202-225-5609
E-mail: george.miller_pub@mail.house.gov

Honorable Don Young, Chairman (R-AK)
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Attn: Tim Glidden
Tel: 202-225-5765
Fax: 202-225-0425
E-mail: don.young@mail.house.gov

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative among Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations and Friends Meetings that supports violence reduction efforts around the world.

Christian Peacemaker Teams
P.O. Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680
Telephone: 312-455-1199 - FAX: 312-666-2677
email: cpt@igc.org

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