Defenders of the Black Hills  - Hesapa O'nakijin

Moratorium Request to President Barrack Obama: As we have approached every avenue we could think of in South Dakota, we are sending letters to President Barrack Obama asking for a Moratorium on any more uranium mining. Please make a copy then put your name, address, date and sign the following form letter. Thank you.

Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council Updates on United Nations Meeting

Interventions on Agenda Items 7 & 8 at the UN Permanent Forum: A delegation from the Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Coucil attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It is at this meeting that recommendations are made to the United Nations agencies on issues affecting Indigenous Nations and Peoples. Attached are Interventions on Agenda Items 7 & 8.

World Health Organization Study: Our Interventions resulted in the Permanent Forum recommending to the Economic and Social Council and ultimately the General Assembly that studies by the World Health Organization need to be completed on the effects of nuclear radioactivity on Indigenous Peoples throughout the world. This will include our Region. A copy of the Press Release follows this message.

Upcoming Meeting at Eagle Butte - June 27, 2009: A meeting is scheduled at the HBJ Lakota Culture Center located on the south side of Highway 212 in Eagle Butte, SD, on the Cheyenne River Reservation. Agenda items include: a more detailed report on the Permanent Forum Meeting, other actions involving the North American Representative to the Permanent Forum, a request to the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and other efforts. Discussions will be held on the Florida Case upholding the 1868 Treaty and recent attempts by a few to take the money for the Black Hills under the 1980 US Supreme Court decision.

Upcoming Meeting with Ochapowace Cree Nation - July 27 & 28, 2009: Representatives from the Ochapowace Cree Nation in Saskatchewan will be meeting with the Tituwan Oyate Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council and any others from the Oceti Sakowin who wish to attend. The meeting will be held at the hall in the Mother Butler Center, 221 Knollwood Drive, Rapid City, SD from 9:00 - 5:00 (MDST) on both days. Tentative Agenda items include: Preparation Meeting before 3rd UN Expert Treaty Seminar, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Joint Declaration between the Tituwan Oyate and the Ochapowace Cree Nation.

Black Hills

Sacred Walks to Protect Mother Earth: On Fri. & Sat. - June 26 & 27, 2009, a Mother Earth Spiritual Run, sponsored by 1st Nations United will begin with camping at Bear Butte near Sturgis, SD. For more information contact Gary Spears at 952-974-3257.

Wed. thru Sat. - July 1 - 4, 2009 will be the 2nd Annual Black Hills Prayer Walk through the Black Hills. Although the groups are camping at Bear Butte Lodge on the northwest side of Bear Butte, the walk begins at Wind Cave in the southern Black Hills and continues until finally ending at Bear Butte.

Camping begins at Bear Butte Lodge on July 1 and continues through July 12th. For more information contact Gary Silk at 218-444-3828.

Inyan Kara Comments: Inyan Kara Mountain is a sacred place located 13 miles south of Sundance, Wyomining in Crook County. It is managed by the US Forest Service, Bearlodge Ranger District. Plans are being made to conduct controlled burns in this area as no natural forest fire has been allowed for decades. This has built a strong potential for a huge fire. Comments may be sent to Dennis, Mauch, Project Leader, Bearlodge Ranger District, PO Box 680, Sundance, WY, 82729, telephone: 307-283-1361. Although the time to submit comments was May 15th, comments will probably be taken and if you wish to be kept informed of the actions to take place at Inyan Kara Mountain, please let Mr. Mauch know.

Angostura Environmental Assessment Report: Angostura Reservoir, which is fed by the Cheyenne River, has been one of our primary concerns as many people go there in the summertime to swim, boat, and fish. A test by the SD Department of Environment and Natural Resources has already shown that uranium is entering the Cheyenne River at the Wyoming border. Our water tests show that uranium and other radiation is proceeding past Angostura Reservoir to Red Shirt Village. We did send in our concerns to the Bureau of Reclamation on the Environmental Assessment. Copies of the Resource Management Plan are available. Please see attached Angostura information.

Other Uranium Tests: We have completed tests of the water in the middle of the Pine Ridge Reservation and at Lower Brule Reservation along the Missouri River with the help of grants from a Swiss foundation. From the results, we have grave concerns due to the high number of picocuries per liter of gamma radiation, the worst kind of radiation. We also looked at an old radon study and discovered a house in Rapid City with extremely high levels of radioactive radon gas. We will be approaching tribal governments and others regarding these alarming situations.

Constitutional Protection Case - Marc S. Wisecarver

The Board of Directors thought it was a good idea to inform our members about the Marc Wisecarver case even though it is not specifically an environmental issue but does affect every American citizen. We strongly support the Constitution of the United States not only for the Civil Rights protections but also because Article VI protects the Treaties made between the United States and the Great Sioux Nation. Unless the Constitution is protected in every aspect, diminishing even one part begins to weaken the whole.

Many people know Marc from his year of taking care of the sacred fire at LaFramboise Island in 1999-2000. On a personal note, he is my son, so if you have called or written or emailed and I have not immediately answered, please know I and my family are under a great deal of stress.

Lakota Aid Foundation in England has been getting the word out about Marc since his imprisonment on Jan. 29, 2009. For those with internet access, search either Lakota Aid - UK or Marc S. Wisecarver to find out more details about his case. A form letter to President Barrack Obama is enclosed. It includes a brief summary of the case. Please complete and send the letter to the President as soon as possible.

Letters have been sent to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for an investigation, not just into Marc’s case, but the entire justice system for Native American prisoners. There are five areas in the federal justice system that work against equal justice for Native American people: 1.Double Jeopardy, 2. Major Crimes Act, 3. State vs. Federal vs.Tribal Jurisdiction, 4. No oversight of federal judges, and 5. Federal Guidelines. Senator Jim Webb and Senator Arlen Spector are asking for an investigation into the entire national justice system, and you might want to write to them too. Their addresses are:

Another group is trying to get an investigation into all of the cases involving Native American prisoners. If you know a Native American in the federal or state prison system and know they are innocent, please send their name and details of their case to:

Antonio G. Gonzales, PO Box 410534, San Francisco, CA 94141

phone: 415-577-1492. Collecting all of these cases will assist in getting a national investigation started.

Thank you.
Submitted by Charmaine White Face, Coordinator