Republic of Lakotah
The Republic of Lakotah was an initiative of the American actor and activist of the American Indian Movement Russell Means . A group called the Lakota Freedom Delegation declared the independence of the Lakota from the United States on December 20, 2007 in Washington . In a note handed over to the State Department of the United States of America, they terminated all 33 of the contracts concluded with the United States over time because the United States had not complied with them to this day. The note was not endorsed by any of the recognized tribal governments.
background
The legal basis for the territory of the proposed republic would be the Treaty of Fort Laramie , signed in 1851 . In this treaty, the United States of America confirmed their ancestral territory to the Cheyenne , Sioux , Arapaho , Crow , Assiniboine , Mandan , Hidatsa , and Arikara Indian tribes . Subsequent treaties, such as the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868, considerably reduced the territory of the Indian tribes. The activists also questioned the legality of these contracts.
Position of tribal governments
The initiative was not supported by any of the tribal governments of the existing Indian reservations. Avis Little Eagle, Vice-Chair of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council said of the Lakota Freedom Delegation and their statement: “I understand why they are doing this, but we as elected officials refer to the contracts in our daily work as it is these are valid documents. (I see where they're coming from, but we, as elected officials, on a daily basis we refer to those treaties because to us they are living documents). “Many tribal governments are about the lack of support from the US federal government Frustrated health care, law enforcement, and other obligations under the contracts. “ If this gets us attention, it may have been good. “Before the declaration of independence, she said she was not informed about the plans of the delegation.
Rodney Bordeaux, president of the Rosebud Sioux tribe, said in a press conference on April 1, 2008 that the initiators would not speak on behalf of the members of his tribe: "They have not consulted with the members of our council and our government."
Foreign Office Response
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was not responsible. It referred to the Ministry of the Interior, which regulates relations with the recognized Indian tribes through the Bureau of Indian Affairs . Gary Garrison of the BIA said the group would not speak for the Indian tribes. They are not elected representatives of the tribes. The unilateral termination of the contracts meant nothing. Like other groups that broke away from the United States, they would just end up in jail.
Claimed territory
The republic's territory would cover 200,000 square kilometers and extend over areas of the US states of North Dakota , South Dakota , Nebraska , Wyoming, and Montana . It would include large areas of non-indigenous populations and reservations made by non- Sioux tribes . The largest city according to the initiative would be Omaha , Nebraska. The famous Mount Rushmore National Memorial with images of the 4 presidents George Washington (1st US President), Thomas Jefferson (3rd), Theodore Roosevelt (26th) and Abraham Lincoln (16th) would be part of the republic.
"The territory of the Sioux or Dahcotah Nation, coming the mouth of the White Earth River, on the Missouri River; then in a southwesterly direction to the forks of the Platte River; then up the north fork of the Platte River to a point known as the Red Buts, or where the road leaves the river; then along the range of mountains known as the Black Hills, to the head-waters of Heart River; thence down Heart River to its mouth; and then down the Missouri River to the place of beginning "
consequences
Since the initiative met with rejection from the affected tribes, the initiative is little pursued. Many websites can no longer be accessed. The tribal governments focus on realistic goals, such as connecting land to the reservations, e.g. B. the state areas in the Black Hills . This republic would also be a third world country, since the reservations are dependent on the support of the federal government.
See also
Web links
- Treaty Of Fort Laramie With Sioux, Etc., 1851. (Eng.)
- Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status (Engl.)
- The nation within: Lakota people declare Their sovereignty (Engl.)
- Interview with Russell Means (Engl.)
- Could the US give up Mount Rushmore? (engl.)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Rodney Bordeaux, president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, said Russell's group was not authorized to speak on the tribe's behalf: They're individuals acting on their own. ( Memento of the original from May 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ "For your query, we will refer you to the Department of the Interior. This is not a State Department issue. " Kirsten Petree , Director, Office of Media Affairs, US Department of State, private communication with Wikinews (December 21, 2007)
