Black Hills Sioux Council Opposes Terms of U.S. Buyout at Ft. Peck Story-Date: 01:17 p.m. PST Sunday , December 28, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ Black Hills Sioux Council Opposes Terms of U.S. Buyout at Ft. Peck By K. Marie Porterfield, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News RAPID CITY, S.D.--Dec. 29--The Black Hills Sioux Nation Council voted not to allow Sioux residents of Ft. Peck to accept their share of Docket 74A money awarded by the federal government for claims against the 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty. "Since 1984 the Sioux General Council on Ft. Peck has taken the position that we want our share of the money," said Council Chairman Raymond "Abbie" Ogle explaining the Nov. 12, Ft. Peck vote to council members. "We decided to have a referendum election to settle the matter once and for all." The Ft. Peck Sioux decided to accept the money by a 526 to 145 vote. According to Mr. Ogle, about 6,600 Sioux live on the reservation. "A lot of people at Ft. Peck, the people that vote, think we'll never get the land back," he told the council. "Even if we got it back, what good would it do us on Ft. Peck? I come down here and go to these meetings and understand feelings down here. It's different up there," he said. At the conclusion of his speech, delegates from other reservations presented arguments against allowing the money to be paid out. "The white men take money and make it work for them, but the Lakota do things from their hearts. We don't want the money and we don't support the wishes of Ft. Peck," said Ben Black Bear, the council representative from Rosebud. "I don't think you are ready for the money," said Everette Lone Hill from the Oglala Sioux Tribe told Mr. Ogle. "In order to get it, you need ratification by 3/4 of the adult males of the other bands, you need a distribution roll that is different from enrollment." Mr. Lone Hill told Mr. Ogle that because women had voted in the Ft. Peck election, it was contrary to treaty law. "If I stopped women from voting, they would file claims against me," Mr. Ogle said. Melvin Lee from the Santee Sioux Tribe in Nebraska told the assembly that it was time to take a long look at the land for which the 74A money was offered. "The 74A land is just as much ours as the Black Hills," he said. "We need to start taking legal action to get it back. We may have some of our white friends mad at us, but they're mad at us anyway." Melvin Grey Owl, a representative from the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe commended Mr. Ogle for speaking before the council. "We have a value of bravery and you exemplify that," he said. "But if any one of us accepts any of that money, we would be approving of the theft of the Black Hills." He urged delegates to strive for unity and told them that each reservation is an enclosed environment that separates the Dakota, Nakota and Lakota people. "We hate to leave and that's wrong," he said. "They keep us apart on our reservations because they're afraid that if they let us get together there will be another Little Big Horn. We have to be in communication." "We just held the vote to reflect our official position," Mr. Ogle said. "We wouldn't try to actually get the money if the Sioux Council didn't approve it." According to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Gregg Bourland, if Ft. Peck's share of 74 A were distributed, Sioux living there would receive a one-time per capita payment of less than $500 per person. "Two trips to Walmart would knock it out in a hurry," he said. He suggested that perhaps. another tribe could buy the rights of the Ft. Peck Sioux. "Cheyenne River makes a standing offer to you," he said. According to Mr. Bourland, the 74A claim is larger than of 74B which pertain to the Black Hills. "It contains the federal grasslands and the oil, gas and coal resources in western Wyoming," he said. "The federal government doesn't talk about 74A because if they did, they know they'd be opening the proverbial can of worms -- we have a claim to all the federal oil and gas leases," he said. "Do you think all the Department of the Interior is interested in are wild horses and trees," he asked. "They're out to convince you to sell out so that they can control the oil and gas. A couple of days at Walmart and it's over." The council decided to send a representatives to Ft. Peck to educate voters about the implications of accepting the land claims settlements. Mr. Ogle said they would be welcome. ----- Visit Indian Country Today on the World Wide Web at http://www.indiancountry.com/ ----- (c) 1997, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. ------------------------------------------------------------