Grass Roots Oglala Lakota Oyate

Red Cloud Building, Pine Ridge, South Dakota

110 years ago the 7^th 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.