Smoke Signals 9
DECEMBER 1, 2001
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American Indian Activist Peltier Files New Request to Reduce Murder
FARGO, N.D. (AP) American In
dian activist Leonard Peltier has filed
a request to reduce his murder sen
tence so that the two life terms run
concurrently, rather than consecu
tively, and give him an earlier chance
at parole.
Peltier claims he never had the
chance to argue that his sentences
should be based on the theory he, at
most, aided others in the killings of
two FBI agents in 1975, or that he
acted in self-defense.
Interim U.S. Attorney Lynn Crooks
Peltier was sentenced in 1 977.
Earlier appeals, including a request to
reduce his sentence, have been denied.
said the government would file its for
mal response soon but declined to com
ment on the request, which was filed
November 1.
Peltier was sentenced in 1977. Ear
lier appeals, including a request to re
duce his sentence, have been denied.
Peltier is being held in the federal
prison in Leavenworth, Kansas and is
up for parole in 2008.
Changing his sentence could get him
an immediate date because he has
served the minimum time required if
the terms ran together, rather than
back-to-back, said Peltier's lawyer,
Eric Seitz.
Three other men were charged with
killing the agents in a shootout on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
South Dakota. Two suspects were ac
quitted in 1976 and the third was freed
for lack of evidence.
Peltier's defenders say he was wrongly
convicted and that the government with
held information. Amnesty Interna
tional calls him a political prisoner.
Norton Asks Bureau of Indian Affairs to Review Chinook's Federal Status
PORTLAND, OR. (AP) Less than
a year after getting federal recognition,
the American Indian Tribe that wel
comed the Lewis and Clark expedition
to the mouth of the Columbia River is
in danger of having its status stripped.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton told
the Bureau of Indian Affairs to review
the Chinook Indian Tribe's federal rec
ognition. Norton's decision sends the issue
back to an agency staff that earlier
rejected the Chinook's attempt at rec
ognition, said Dennis Whittlesey, a
lawyer representing the southwest
Washington Tribe. ,
"It's clear the policy people, the po
litical appointees in the Bush aclminis
tration, have abrogated their responsi--
bility and are not involved in the decision-making
process," said Whittlesey.
"It's clear the staff is now making deci
sions on Indian matters."
Kevin Gover, outgoing U.S. Assis
tant Secretary of Indian Affairs in the
Clinton administration, made it is his
last official act to re-establish the Chi
nook Tribal status on January 3, over
turning his staffs recommendation to
deny Tribal status.
The action made the Chinook the
562nd Tribe to be recognized and al
lowed the Tribe to seek land for a res
ervation, as well as get more federal
money to run its government.
The last-minute decision drew criti
cism, especially after Gover went to
work as a lawyer-lobbyist for Tribes.
The Boston Globe reported in August
, , that Goyer became the,cp-beneficiary
of a $50,000 trust, along with the hus
band of one of the Chinook's earliest
advocates. Gover and the Tribe de
nied any improper conduct.
The Chinook signed a treaty in 1851,
but Congress never ratified it. An
1855 treaty would have moved the
Chinook from their homeland to a
coastal reservation shared with the
Quinault, their historic enemies. Chi
nook Tribal leaders refused to sign the
agreement.
The Quinault Indian Nation, which
stands to lose both membership and
land if the Chinook become a recog
nized Tribe, appealed Gover's ruling
on April 6 to the Interior Board of In
dian Appeals. The Quinault contend
that the Chinook ceased to exist as a
Tribe and that Gover failed to recog
.,r, j.nizeas much,whein;he granted the.
Chinook recognition.
The appeals board affirmed part of
Gover's ruling but referred nine ques
tions to Norton.
Norton asked Neal McCaleb, the
new Assistant Secretary for Indian
Affairs, to reconsider eight of those
questions.
McCaleb has 120 days to make a
decision. If he reverses Tribal recog
nition, the Chinook could appeal to the
Interior Board of Indian Appeals.
Gary Johnson, the Chinook Tribal
Chairman, said Norton's decision also
brings into question how much the
Chinook will be involved in the bicen
tennial celebration of the Lewis and
Clark expedition that begins in 2003.
Chinook Tribal members gave the
Lewis and Clark expedition food and valu
, able information . the explorers spent
the winter of 1804-05 near the mouth of
the Columbia.
First Tribal Utility in Northwest Begins Operation in Canyonville,;pregon
CANYONVTLLE, OR. (AP) The
massive electric sign that rises above
Interstate 5 to invite travelers to the
Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino is now
drawing its power from the first Tribal
electric utility in the Pacific Northwest.
The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua
Tribe also keeps the video poker ma
chines humming, the hotel fights burn
ing and the restaurant cooking with
about 2.5 megawatts of electricity from
the Bonneville Power Adniinistration
also enough for about 2,500 homes.
"There have been a few Tribes nation
wide that have entered into utility op
erations, but none like this one," said
Ron Doan, General Manager of the
Umpqua Indian Utility Cooperative.
Other utilities affiliated with Northwest
Indians actually are owned by the U.S.
Bureau oflndian Affairs or others, accord
ing to the BPA.
Doan said the Tribe has no plans for
its utility to produce any of its own
power, although it may be considered if
power rates climb for the long term.
But the cost of power was not the driv
mgforre behind an independent, Tribal
owned utility, said Tribal chairwoman
Sue Shaffer.
"The more we can depend on our
selves, the better off we are, just like
any individuals," she said.
Doan, who worked for Pacific Power
for 32 years, helped launch the Tribal
utility, which has contracted Douglas
Electric Cooperative to perform opera
tions and maintenance work when
needed.
The Tribe became interested in setting
up its own utility three years ago, when
the BPAadministrator defined Tribes as
. public bodies eligible to buy electricity di
rectly from the federal agency.
The Cow Creek Tribe was among the
first to sign up as preference custom
ers, meaning they are given the same
rates and priority, as any publicly
owned utility, said Sonya Tetnowski,
the BPA Account Executive that deals .
with the Umpqua Indian Utility Coop
erative. The Tribal power contract with the
BPA can be renegotiated after five to 10
years. The final hurdle in launching
the Tribal cooperative was convincing
Pacific Power, which previously pro
vided power to the Seven Feathers' fa
cilities, to turn over its underground
power lines and other distribution equip
ment on the property.
The Tribe ended up using its power
of condemnation, similar to those given
any other local government, to force Pa
cific Power to sell its equipment and
lines.
Pacific Power generally is not inter
ested in turning over parts of its terri
tory to other utilities or selling its sys
tems, but company officials did not
want to fight with the Tribe, said Sh
annon Shoul, spokeswoman for
PacifiCorp, the ScottishPower division
that also owns Pacific Power.
"The reason we went into speaking
with the Tribe about an agreement ...
is we understand and respect the
Tribes right to sovereignty and con
versely they understand our respon
sibility to our customers and share
holders," said Shoul.
Shaffer said the new utility is just
part of a Tribal push to diversify its
business interests. In addition to the
Seven Feathers hotel, casino and
travel center, the Tribes' properties
and businesses include two Canyon
ville motels, the K Bar Ranch near
Round Prairie, Umpqua Indian Foods
and a majority interest in Rio Com
munications, which owns Rosenet and
provides other telecommunications ser
vices. "Were really in a strong develop
ment stage," Shaffer said. "We want
to branch out and diversify in jobs,
not only for ourselves, but for others.
That's really a big mission of the
Tribe."
Shoshone-Bannocks Refuse Host Tribe Status in Winter Games, Cite Lack of Respect
FORT HALL, ID. (AP) - The
Shoshone-Bannocks say they will not
play the part of host Tribe in the 2002
Winter Games.
Former Shoshone-Bannock Olympic
Committee Director Garth Towersap
said they were an important element
in SaltLake City getting the Olympics,
but they were not shown respect.
"They felt they were not being treated
the way they should be treated," he
said.
The Shoshone-Bannocks were named
host by the Native American 2002
Foundation, which works with the Salt
Lake Organizing Committee on the In
dian role in the event. But they were
not so designated by the Olympic Com
mittee. That panel recently wrote a letter to
that effect to Tribal Council Chairman
Blaine Edmo.
Towersap's committee had planned a
Reunion of Nations, where Tribes come
together to share their cultures and to
discuss ways they can work together.
The Suquamish Tribe intended to
paddle canoes from the West Coast to
eastern Idaho. Towersap said he hoped
the venture would raise awareness for
salmon restoration.
Towersap said he thought Indian
Tribes played a big role in Salt Lake
City being chosen as the site. In the
city's application package, Indian art
was used to showcase the unique char
acter of the West.
"It brought back images of Calgary,"
he said. "I believe they have lost their
Indian focus."
Towersap's committee had worked
with the Native American 2002 Foun
dation on Indian involvement in the
games and made a $15,000 donation to
the organization in 1999.
Last year, a crew from the Interna
tional Sports Broadcasting Company
came to the Fort Hall Indian Reserva
tion to film aspects of Shoshone
Bannock culture. The 30-second film
clips will still be shown during the
Olympics, said Towersap.