Six days later, Pine Ridge declares disaster

Six days after the disaster, Oglala President Steele declares Pine Ridge a disaster area
KOTA Radio
Audios at: http://www.kotaradio.com/news.asp?eid=5002&ID=1221
On Monday, the Oglala Sioux Tribe president John Yellow Bird Steele declared Pine Ridge a disaster area. Hundreds there are without power and many are stranded in their own homes.In Wanblee, an emergency operation center set up at the Crazy Horse School is running on generators where 250 people have been stuck since Wednesday night.
Susan Thundershield and her 9 grandchildren have been sleeping on the gym floor for the past 5 night (audio.)
But, things aren’t much better for those able to stay in their homes, like Delane Moves Camp. (audio)
Food and water are in short supply and providing help has been a struggle, with the Red Cross making a couple of visits and volunteers from Minnesota trying to bring food on snowmobiles.
Relief worker Phyllis Wilcox said they’re desperately seeking donations. (audio)
Mount Rushmore Superintendent Gerard Baker said park service staff will deliver firewood to the area.
Note from Censored News: Please keep in mind if you donate through the Red Cross, to hold the Red Cross responsible. During Hurricane Katrina, millions of dollars in donations from Indian Nations to the US Red Cross never reached the Houma Indian Nation in Louisiana. None of it ever reached the Houmas.)

Pine Ridge: 2,500 without power in disaster

By Tamra
NDN News
I spoke with the Director of Red Cross Richard Smith, this morning. Here is an update on what is happening on Pine Ridge.
The Tribe has set up a official command structure at the Crazy Horse School. Anyone that needs assistance in the districts, or if you know anyone that is stranded and needs help, contact Monica, she is the Incident Commander at this time.
Monica Perkildsen
605-441-5712 (cell)
They also now have a generator and have phones up and running at Crazy Horse School.
605-462-6784 or 605-462-6756
There are 2,500 people still without power, and it appears that it will not be restored this week.
I have spoken with Monica, she is working with the Tribal Council to get a official press release out in the next couple days. They will address all of their direct needs in that release. She will keep me posted on new developments.
They are sending all the supplies donated from Red Cross to all of the outer districts in need.
Fox News is on the way there right now to cover the story, so it will be on local news this evening.
They are still trying to assess the damage and any needs on Rosebud and Cheyenne River. So, no news there as of yet.
That's all the info that I have at the moment. Will keep you posted on whatever new developments I am made aware of.
In peace & solidarity,
Tamra
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Russell Means: International Disaster Declaration

INTERNATIONAL DISASTER DECLARATION
Contact: David Adams, Director of Communications, Republic of Lakotah
605-867-1025

STATE OF EMERGENCY: Oglala Sioux
Governor Michael Rounds of South Dakota has declared the State a disaster area. However, Indian Reservations are NOT included in the declaration. I, Russell Means, due to the total absence of Tribal Government and its leadership, and as candidate for Tribal President and Chief Facilitator of the Republic of Lakotah, am declaring an INTERNATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY. The reason for this declaration is two-fold:
1) The current life-threatening severe weather conditions and
2) The ongoing genocidal policies of the United States Government that still remain unaddressed:
• Unknown thousands are still stranded by high snow drifts for 3rd straight day.
• Unknown number of people without heat and/or electricity.
• Impassable road conditions preventing emergency services and propane deliveries.
• Confirmed fatality due to inability to get to dialysis treatment. Status of other dialysispatients is unknown.
• Second fatality bled to death due to no emergency services.
• Tribal President Steele and Vice President Brewerʼs whereabouts unknown as reported by Officers of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A.).
• Officers rescue mother with new born and 2-year old child from heatless home.
• Tribal Police dispatch unable to determine road conditions.
• Wide-spread telephone service interruptions.
• Hardest hit is the eastern portion of the Reservation, which includes Pass Creek, Eagle Nest and Medicine Root Districts. Also Red Shirt Table, Cuny Table, Slim Buttes,Oglala and Porcupine communities.
• Unconfirmed reports of National Guard due to arrive today
Genocidal Results of the Failed American Indian Policies of the United States Government:
MORTALITY:
• Lakotah men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.
• Lakotah death rate is the highest in the United States.
• The Lakotah infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average.
• One out of every four Lakotah children born are fostered or adopted out to non-Indian homes.• Diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, etc. are present. Cancer is now at epidemic proportions!
• Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.
POVERTY:
• Median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
• 97% of our Lakotah people live below the poverty line.
• Many families cannot afford heating oil, wood or propane and many residents use ovens to heat their homes.
UNEMPLOYMENT:
• Unemployment rates on our reservations are 80% or higher.
• Government funding for job creation is lost through cronyism and corruption.HOUSING:• Elderly die each winter from hypothermia (freezing).
• 1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricity.
• 60% of Reservation families have no telephone.• 60% of housing is infected with potentially fatal black molds.
• There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (may only have two to three rooms). Some homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 peopleliving in them.DRUGS AND ALCOHOL:
• More than half the Reservationʼs adults battle addiction and disease.
• Alcoholism affects 9 in 10 families.
• Two known meth-amphetamine labs allowed to continue operation. Why?
DISEASE:
• The Tuberculosis rate on Lakotah reservations is approx. 800% higher than the U.S national average.
• Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S national average.
• The rate of diabetes is 800% higher than the U.S national average.
• Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar foods that kill Native people through diabetes and heart disease.INCARCERATION:
• Indian children incarceration rate 40% higher than whites.
• In South Dakota, 21 percent of state prisoners are American Indians, yet they only make up 2% of the population.
• Indians have the second largest state prison incarceration rate in the nation.
• Most Indians live on federal reservations. Less than 2% of Indians live where the state has jurisdiction!
THREATENED CULTURE:
• Only 14% of the Lakotah population can speak the Lakotah language.
• The language is not being shared inter-generationally. Today, the average age of a fluent Lakotah speaker is 65 years.
• Our Lakotah language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.
• Our Lakotah language is not allowed to be taught in the U.S. Government schools.