From: "Wild Horse" <[email protected]> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate Red Cloud Building, Pine Ridge, South Dakota 110 years ago the 7th Cavalry massacred 350 children, women, elderly and men at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. 110 years later on July 17, 2000, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council took action to immediately remove by force, if necessary, children, women, and elderly from the Red Cloud Building--another genocidal move to bring harm to their own tribal members. We the Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate are regarding the Federal authorities to immediately investigate the corruption that is currently taking place on our homeland. Many Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate supporters are currently congregating at the Red Cloud Building to protect innocent children and elderly women whose lives are now at stake due to the action of the corrupt Oglala Sioux Tribal Council. The Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate will initiate in Federal court, Article I of the 1868 Treaty which allows the removal of any undesirables from the reservation, immediately. We the Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate are standing on our treaty rights. Yesterday, July 16, 2000, begins the seventh month of a peaceful presence of the Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate which was undertaken to bring several issues before the tribal council. Previous attempts at addressing the issues were unsuccessful. Two main issues were the immediate suspension and removal the tribal treasurer, Wesley Chuck Jacobs; and a full forensic audit of the tribe's General Fund. To date, Wesley Chuck Jacobs remains in office as the tribal treasurer. Audits for the calendar years ending December 31, 1999 are in draft form and validate the Oyate's concerns of gross mismanagement and misuse and abuse of federal and tribal monies. We are now asking for all supporters to immediately come and stand in solidarity with us. Reports of armed law enforcement officers enroute to the Red Cloud Building are coming into the building at this time. For more information please contact Dale Look Twice or Chief Oliver Red Cloud at (605) 867-5303, or (605) 867-5821. As with all my emails concerning the Occupation Peoples please forward to any and all interested parties in its entirety Wadv Wild Horse http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate === [source: NativeNews; Tue, 18 Jul 2000 01:41:11 -0400] Tribal Occupation Hits 6 Months July 18, 2000 8:24:24 AM Mike Anderson http://www.kotatv.com/localnews/story.asp?ID=5330 Members of the grass roots Oyate group in Pine Ridge say major change is finally on the way. The protestors have occupied the Red Cloud Tribal Building for six months and they say moving to a more traditional government will only be a matter of time. The Red Cloud Building has literally become home to members of the grass roots Oyate. Even some of the younger generation, like Russell Blacksmith are putting their faith in the cause. "It is our future that they are doing this for and this tribal government has done nothing for the welfare, and the wellbeing of us as future generations of this nation" says Blacksmith. During the six month occupation, the movement has been at a standstill. Many have hope that a treaty conference being held this weekend will bring many changes. Grass roots Oyate leader Floyd Hand says decisions made now will usher in a new government. He says that the focus is to take the central power away from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Until that happens, and until treasurer Chuck Jacobs is removed, Floyd says his group will remain at the Tribal Building. He is confidant that "the truth will come out, the good always wins." As for the younger generation, like Russell Blacksmith, they will hold on to the belief that this movement marks a major chapter in history for his people by reaffirming the Lakota way of life.