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MEDIA RELEASE
19 December 2007
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Freedom! Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status Threaten Land Liens, Contested Real Estate Over Five State Area in U.S.West Dakota Territory Reverts back to Lakota Control According to U.S., International Law
By Lakota Freedom Delegation
Washington D.C. – Lakota Sioux Indian representatives declared sovereign nation status today in Washington D.C. following Monday's withdrawal from all previously signed treaties with the United States Government. The withdrawal, hand delivered to Daniel Turner, Deputy Director of Public Liaison at the State Department, immediately and irrevocably ends all agreements between the Lakota Sioux Nation of Indians and the United States Government outlined in the 1851 and 1868 Treaties at Fort Laramie Wyoming. "This is an historic day for our Lakota people," declared Russell Means, Itacan of Lakota. "United States colonial rule is at its end!" "Today is a historic day and our forefathers speak through us. Our Forefathers made the treaties in good faith with the sacred Canupa and with the knowledge of the Great Spirit," shared Garry Rowland from Wounded Knee. "They never honored the treaties, that's the reason we are here today." The four member Lakota delegation traveled to Washington D.C. culminating years of internal discussion among treaty representatives of the various Lakota communities. Delegation members included well known activist and actor Russell Means, Women of All Red Nations (WARN) founder Phyllis Young, Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr., and Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders. Means, Rowland, Martin Sr. were all members of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover. "In order to stop the continuous taking of our resources – people, land, water and children- we have no choice but to claim our own destiny," said Phyllis Young, a former Indigenous representative to the United Nations and representative from Standing Rock. Property ownership in the five state area of Lakota now takes center stage. Parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana have been illegally homesteaded for years despite knowledge of Lakota as predecessor sovereign [historic owner]. Lakota representatives say if the United States does not enter into immediate diplomatic negotiations, liens will be filed on real estate transactions in the five state region, clouding title over literally thousands of square miles of land and property. Young added, "The actions of Lakota are not intended to embarrass the United States but to simply save the lives of our people".
Following Monday's withdrawal at the State Department, the four Lakota Itacan representatives have been meeting with foreign embassy officials in order to hasten their official return to the Family of Nations. Lakota's efforts are gaining traction as Bolivia, home to Indigenous President Evo Morales, shared they are "very, very interested in the Lakota case" while Venezuela received the Lakota delegation with "respect and solidarity." "Our meetings have been fruitful and we hope to work with these countries for better relations," explained Garry Rowland. "As a nation, we have equal status within the national community."Education, energy and justice now take top priority in emerging Lakota. "Cultural immersion education is crucial as a next step to protect our language, culture and sovereignty," said Means. "Energy independence using solar, wind, geothermal, and sugar beets enables Lakota to protect our freedom and provide electricity and heating to our people."The Lakota reservations are among the most impoverished areas in North America, a shameful legacy of broken treaties and apartheid policies. Lakota has the highest death rate in the United States and Lakota men have the lowest life expectancy of any nation on earth, excluding AIDS, at approximately 44 years. Lakota infant mortality rate is five times the United States average and teen suicide rates 150% more than national average. 97% of Lakota people live below the poverty line and unemployment hovers near 85%. "After 150 years of colonial enforcement, when you back people into a corner there is only one alternative," emphasized Duane Martin Sr. "The only alternative is to bring freedom into its existence by taking it back to the love of freedom, to our lifeway."
We are the freedom loving Lakota from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have traveled to Washington DC to withdraw from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law. For more information, please visit our new website at http://www.lakotafreedom.com/. Lakota 444 Crazy Horse Drive, P.O. Box 99; Porcupine, SD 57772
Reader Comment:
From Louise Benally, Big Mountain, Navajo Nation:
That is The Best News I've ever Heard withdrawing from it all! It is about time the natives took America back. I wish the Navajo Nation would do that too! Give them our Best and let them know that we are with them all the way!!
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Bolivian Ambassador supports Lakota delegation:
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071220/NEWS/712200347/1001
Descendants of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, break away from the United States
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVC1KMTOgwiSoMQyT2LwZc9HyAgA
Google breaking news articles on delegation:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&ncl=1125180469
6 comments:
Don't you see the hypocracy in your frank critism of the United States for trying to fence America from Mexico and yet you tumpet moves by the Lakota to do the same thing? How does that jive?
One cannot see hypocrisy where none exists. The artificial U.S border is imposed on pre-existing indigenous nations. The Lakota Nation existed before the settlers ever set foot on Turtle Island. Opposition against the U.S border, based on recognition of pre-existing indigenous Nations is the same as opposition against U.S rule on the pre-existing Lakota Nation.
Having received this news I was all set to trumpet it from the rooftops. However, because of Russell Means' involvement I was compelled to look closer. I see two significant problems. First There is no single unified Lakota (Siouxan) nation. As far as I know the five main tribes and the several smaller bands are all independent nations. I am not aware of any unified political movement along the lines of the press release. Second, Russell Means has been a controversial and prominent figure since joining AIM in 1968, but has never held any elected tribal office and cannot be said to represent anything even close to a simple majority of the Lakota people. For that matter, neither does the Lakota Freedom Delegation. So, as much as I might like this to be true, I believe it's just so much noise on the wind.
The United States is a nation founded on the Constitution. Every ferderal law that is passed is in accordance with the Constitution of the Untied States. If this is true thast means no human is above the law, not even presidents. The point of this is simple. In 1803, when Jefferson purchased the land, he was not in accordance with the constitution. How we get this revelation is that he never went to the state officals to pass a vote. Thus, he purchased land illegally. Now considering that the native lakota indians were shafted by the french and then had there land US illegally thius means that the US has no claim. Just like our fake money we use these documents that are fake becasue they give no penance to the lakota, instead they kick them off there rightly deserved land. with all this said I am a firm believer in a United States but not in one that went clearly beyond the bounds that God placed. We have abused the native Americans far to long and no we are paying the price. Have the lakota earned there independence? Yes, the old treaties and new laws adopted in the 1980's give all creadence to claim soverieginty. Will this pass only time will tell, but does it need to happen, yes. I love the United States and because of that we need to do what is right and that is to grant the lakota there rightfully earned freedom from the union.
without delegating through prose, or offering any absolution thats a native peoples to make - im thrilled that the movement has made another step. where the freedom and well being of your future may be concerned, im thankful that your strives will no longer bare the weight of conciliatory effort, agendas, policies, misgivings, and/or means yet drafted. the occasion sprouts alotta hope in my own struggle with U.S. 'authoritation'. its a monumental shame that liberty would be stunted and abused to advocate tribulations upon so many. a many that were ushered against in their own outreach - the same outreach that the U.S. could finally begin to strive for itself, had it not hastened to covet, manipulate, and divide..from, upon, and among those who knew and still believe in the lands promise and potential. and.. to be given a gift is possibly the only circumstance i could fathom, to have no choice in a matter. its a joy to know native peoples, yet still, hear that promise and champion the potential of a land thats naturally of them and for their sake.
Will this action be taken seriously by the U.S. Government? Unlikely, it never made mainstream news. Unfortunately, it most likely will not. Will the powerful simply give back all that was stolen, I think not. Will the faces be removed from the sacred black hills, (Paha Sapa) will bear butt once again be looked upon as sacred instead of as a place for recreation? I hope that this will wake up some but I fear that only when leans are filed and challenged that we will know the true response.
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