Lakota Cante Tenza Okolakiciye – Strong Heart Warrior Society

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June 18, 2015

STRONG HEART ACTION ALERT!

TRADITIONAL LAKOTA PEOPLE & SOVEREIGNTY UNDER ATTACK

For Immediate Release and Action! Share Widely!

The Lakota Nation has never relinquished nation status and the sacred Black Hills is unceded Lakota territory. While many of the Rainbow Family have realized it is inappropriate to hold a Rainbow Gathering in the Black HIlls, a smaller Rainbow group is allowing themselves to be used by the United States Government and the illegal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Oglala Sioux Tribe Government (OST) who are very intentionally attacking Lakota sovereign jurisdiction and traditional Lakota people. They want Lakota warriors and the Rainbow Family to fight so they can arrest Lakota activists and interfere with efforts to assert sovereignty. This is nothing more than continued warfare waged against traditional and grassroots Lakota people and Indigenous rights.

The Lakota people have a natural right, under International Law, to exercise sovereign jurisdiction, customary law, and our traditional political, economic, and social institutions free from interference. This includes the rights to control our territory and exercise our traditional governmental institutions such as treaty councils, judicial councils, and warrior societies.

1. We call upon all those who are friends of the traditional and grassroots Lakota people to hold accountable the United States Government through its National Forest Service and National Park Service. Demand they end their unlawful protection of those Rainbow Family and campers who are violating orders of the traditional Lakota people. Contact:

U.S. Forest Service Black Hills director Craig Bobzien phone (605) 673-9200, fax: (605) 673-9350, email to cbobzien@fs.fed.us

U.S. Forest Service Washington DC Chief Tom Tidwell phone (202) 205-8439 and email to ttidwell@fs.fed.us Copy Tina Baily at tcbailey@fs.fed.us

U.S. Park Service Mount Rushmore Superintendent Cheryl Schreier at (605)-574-3131 and Cheryl_Schreier@nps.gov

Tell them they are bound by U.S. and International Law to uphold the lawful orders of the Black Hills Sioux Treaty Council, Tetuwan Judicial Council, and Independent Lakota Nation of the traditional and grassroots Lakota Oyate.

2. Contact the South Dakota Congressional representatives.

Senator John Thune (605) 348-7551 and toll-free (866) 850-3855

Senator MIke Rounds (605) 343-5035 and toll-free (844) 875-5268

Representative Kristi Noem (605) 791-4673 and toll-free (855) 225-2801

Tell them they legally obligated to respect the traditional government and sovereign jurisdiction of the Lakota people. Ask them to put pressure on the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Park Service to stop going against traditional Lakota orders. (They are all in Pine Ridge on Thursday June 18).

3. Contact President John Steele of the BIA Oglala Sioux Tribe and Vice President Tom Poor Bear.

OST Tribal President John Steele 605-867-4021; email to johns@oglala.org

OST Vice-President Tom Poor Bear 605-867-4009; email: tompb@oglala.org

Tell them to stop being agents with the U.S. Government and listen to the traditional elders and people who wishes are not being respected. Ask him to withdraw OST invitation from the Rainbow Family as elders and warriors in the Black Hills Treaty Council, Tetuwan Judicial Council, and Strong Heart Warrior Society have demanded.

4. The Rainbow family must not allow themselves to be used as agents of the United States Government and the genocidal BIA Tribal Government System. Stand with people like Daniel Suelo and members of the Rainbow Family in boycotting a gathering in South Dakota and withdrawing people who are already there.

Lakota Cante Tenza Okolakiciye – Strong Heart Warrior Society

Independent Lakota Nation

P.O. Box 512 Hill City, SD 57745

Canupa Gluha Mani 605-517-1547

cantetenza13@gmail.com