The road to Wounded Knee II: chronology of events at Wounded Knee (Part 2 of 5); The road to Wounded Knee

On the night of February 27, 200 members and supporters of the American Indian Movement took over the small village of Wounded Kneesau, Dakota. In order to guarantee sufficient time to voice their demands, the Indians detained the proprietor of the general store, along with members of his family and six others, who lived in the trading post complex. Almost immediately after having established their position in Wounded Kneesau, rose into the town were blocked, first by the American Indian Movement and the next day by U.S. marshals. Initial reports during the first full day of the Wounded Kneesau said that Aene was holding the 11 residents hostage, but during that first day, anyone living in Wounded Kneesau was free to leave contrary to reports by the Justice Department, who originally claimed that Aene Kidnap cried Gildersleven his family. Gildersleven, owner of the trading post, assured the Justice Department that residents were

unsafe, Wounded Kneesau, and could leave it any time but chose to remain. This cleared the way for members of the American Indian Movement to make their demands. Initially, those demands were for the Senate to begin an immediate investigation of conditions on the Pine Ridge Reservation, a study of the treaty violations by the United States against Native American Indian tribes, and an investigation and reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency of the Interior Department. South Dakota Democratic Senators McGovern and Abarask were asked to come to Wounded Kneesau to convey these demands back to the Senate. Also during the first day, buildings in Wounded Kneesau were being fortified and trenches and foxholes were dug strategically around the 42-acre compound. Every teen miles away in Pine Ridge, federal marshals were converting BIA reservation headquarters into a fortress, an anticipation of an attack by other Indians on the Pine Ridge. At first, 100-100 marshals were sent to South Dakota, but by the third day, more than 300 federal agents, including the FBI, had converged on State Highway 18 and the Bigfoot Trail

leading into Wounded Kneesau. In the afternoon of the third day, McGovern and Abarask arrived in Wounded Kneesau where they met with AIM leaders and the Pine Ridge Civil Rights Organization. The Civil Rights Organization originally asked that AIM helped them in their attempts to expose racial discrimination and other violations on the Pine Ridge reservation. The T. South Dakota Senators said they would try to set up negotiations between Indians in Wounded Kneesau and federal officials in Washington. Following talks with McGovern and Abarask in beginning with the fourth day of the Wounded Kneesau again, a cease-fire went into effect but was short-lived when armored personnel carriers over Anna Bunker knew what was referred to as the Demilitarized Zone. Also on the fourth day, the home of Aaron D'Assersa was firebombed. D'Assersa was a supporter of the American Indian movement and published a newspaper on the reservation. He was strong in his opposition to Richard Wilson and the Indians in Wounded Kneesau speculated that Wilson may have been somehow involved in the firebombing.

His began on the fifth day in Wounded Kneesau between the Civil Rights Organization and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph Erickson. The meetings were held in a teepee near the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and were not productive. Erickson did not return for negotiations on the sixth day. Instead, he expressed the government's position, which AIM leader said, asked for a surrender. The Indians rejected Erickson's proposal on the seventh day. That agreement provided that Indians in Wounded Kneesau could leave immediately and not be arrested, but would be subject to indictments by a grand jury being formed in Sioux Falls. By the eighth day, both the government and AIM leaders were rigid in their requirements for a settlement, and meetings outside Wounded Kneesau between AIM leaders and Justice Department brought no results. Richard Wilson, in the meantime, proposed his own solution when he announced that he would muster a 900 mayor army and take Wounded Kneesau back. On March 7, U.S. Attorney Erickson said the situation was nothing more than intolerable blackmail and set a deadline of 5 p.m. March 8 for people to leave Wounded Kneesau.

Additional federal marshals were brought in and more armored personnel carriers were stationed on the hillsides over Wounded Kneesau. The Indians there re-emphasized the minimum demands and stated they were prepared to die. By this time, there were more than 400 people in Wounded Kneesau. Dennis Banks, a national director with AIM, reaffirmed its stance in negotiations. This government is at our mission. We also know that this government is on its hands and knees. The ultimatum was given to them again to an negotiate or a massacre. They cut off the negotiation and were left with only one officer and that was to come in and massacre, they had chosen not to massacre at this point.

They admit they have no answer, they admit for the first time that this government has been wrong and so in our 10th, again we will make the first move to defuse the situation. We made it last night as a matter of fact some of you don't know, we were fired upon by FBI agents. We did not return any fire and we were not returning fire again tonight, however if any of our people are killed because of our dedication to defuse the issue, we can go into

no safety or any FBI agents that fire is upon us, it will be up to this government, again action for its correcting problems on this reservation and on other reservations, in the late time we remain at wounded me. Before that 5pm deadline and during the 10th day 34 women and children left the village but many more women joined men in the trenches waiting for sunset and the federal government ultimatum. At the last minute a cease fire was called but lasted only a short time after federal agents shot and wounded two Indians. An emergency hospital in the set up earlier in the week and the two men were brought

out there where aim spiritual advisor and medicine men, men and pro dog treated the bullet wounds. On the 11th day attempts to revive the negotiations were unsuccessful and Ericsson returned to Washington. Meanwhile a 20 William Consler and Carter Camp, a national director of aim, expressed optimism that some progress had made but reaffirmed their position. We hope to have another meeting at 3 o'clock today if the government is willing, probably in Pine Ridge and tried to elaborate there the essential issues that Carter and I had both discussed and tried to put the horse in front of the cart rather than cart in front of the horse because all of the negotiations thus far have been essentially on what happens

after the substantial issues that Carter spoke about have been resolved. Are you able to knee, whether you lay your arms down the adults, whether you're transported 150 miles away or what have you, but that should come after they reach some sort of agreement on why they came here in the first place. Our position when we came here was to help the old well a few civil rights committee and there's a lot of people in there in their fight and we're going to keep our same posture, our same position and tell us things are done. The government so far hasn't been with anyone except for people from the justice department. Those people are law enforcement people and we don't want to meet with those, we want to meet with the final interior, the fight house, those people that had the authority to deal with any problems and deal with any problems on a daily basis. We're not going to be put in the same position as Bigfoot and his van wear in 1890 when

they were masherited because they put down their arms. We're going to maintain a position in this place and we've always said that we don't meet the government either, you know, in a fight in the trenches, we're also meeting at the negotiating table when they can deal on the issues of their a lot of two sides. Either one hasn't been changed, we're still in the same position. What we can meet might of the United States with violence, we can meet them when they decide to deal with the people on the issues that brought us here in the first place, but those are the only two meetings we're going to have. A surprise move came late Saturday during the 12th day of the action when the justice department announced that they were removing roadblocks. Federal marshals were pulled back and sent to nearby Rapid City where they were put on standby. Shortly after the announcement, people in wounded me were joined by 300 or so supporters from the reservation and the victory celebration was held near the massacre site. Within 700 people participated in the ceremony in which aim leaders and a number of traditional

tribal chiefs asked that all Indian people followed the ways of the Indian culture and abolished the white man's religion and teachings. Many of the tribal chiefs stayed on through Sunday when they handled a meeting to discuss plans for wounded need. The chiefs are selected in traditional ways and they're all together eight of them on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Six of them met in the teepee and wounded knee and issued this statement. Let it be known this day in March 11th, 1973, first marshal stated that the overall issue of people were used this document to revive the training of 1868 and there will be the basis for all negotiations. That the motion of the declaration be made that we are a solemn nation by the Treaty of 1868. The motion to send an allocation to the United Nations as follows, chief went full-screw, chief went killed on the meeting. You came on up, district chairman, third-of-point international legal advisor, Matthew King

and director, David Long, vice president of the World of Truth Sioux Tribe under the Indian Reorganization Act as an ultimate, seconded and voted unanimously. Fourth motion was that as soon as they get the repetition together, they went to abolish the tribal government under the Indian Reorganization Act. Also, their wounded knee will be a weapons state of the overall issue nation, seconded and voted unanimously. Five, a two-medicine man requested that an interpreter accompany delegation to the United States, and that the United Nations, seconded and devoted unanimously, am signed by Frank Forest Grove, Frank Kilvin, BUG, White Hawk Meredith, Quinn, David Long, Matthew King. In proclaiming the independent overall nation, the first nation to be called a bomb for

supported recognition is the sixth nation's Confederacy, dignitaries of a new dependent overall nation request that the Confederacy of the Air Corps send out a series to this non-improclaimation immediately to refer to receive first-hand all the funds pertaining to this act. They will be doing receive our dignitaries of the Confederacy of the Air Corps. The sixth nation, Iroquois Confederacy, is recognized by the United States as a sovereign nation and travels under its own passport and has never observed the border between the U.S. and Canada, the basis on which the independent overall nation declared its sovereignty is explained by Meredith Quinn, a legal adviser. First of all, my grandma said I would live to see the day when we were coming to Rome, and this is the second nation. Poverty is like any other country, it has a right to an army, an navy, an air force, it has a right to citizenship, health, education, welfare, it has all the rights to

the Constitution, and the title of the country to choose to possess the strongest sovereignty between the country. Second is of course the borders of the Mexico, but this little act today, you know, establishing the sovereignty of the citizenship on the line, the mechanism of a functioning government, which will take place, and is being tolerated as the compass state awarded in the membership of other areas of what we call history, in terms of the compass state of the corpus state awarded me. This is just that point, the rights of a nation, because as it is a part of a fact, that according to International Law, we are the only top right in the world that has the right to the land, to the right nations of the world, and we are going to do it

just that way. Thank you. The effect of the tribal chiefs' decision to declare independence altered aims role slightly, Russell Means National Aim Director explains their new position. We have already discussed three emissaries, three emissaries, three emissaries, three emissaries of the government, and we are asking that you have a sense of government, the speed of the organization, and get the hell out of here. We will be dealt with as any spy in a time for the world to be shot before a firing

spot. We will ask you how concerned countries of the world to come to the aid of your cloud of independent patient in terms of supplies, in terms of establishing key relationship and diplomatic relationships, and also to come to our military aid. The first country that we are asking is to come to the aid of the independent of validation, and if you want to become the citizen of the independent of validation, you are welcome

to remain here. Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was announced, an aim patrol vehicle was halted by FBI agents, and they attempted to make arrests, according to aim members who were on patrol, that were agents fired into the rear window of the van, injuring one of the Indians. They returned the fire and wounded an FBI agent slightly, hitting him in the wrist. The patrol vehicle then drove off and a helicopter was sent from Pine Ridge to take the agent to the hospital. After this incident, roadblocks were once again set up by federal marshals, and the government announced its strategy to starve the Indians out. The 14th day in Wounded Me was spent in formation of the provisional government, and an improving living conditions for the 400 people there. Up to this point, most people were sleeping in one of the three churches in Wounded Me, or in the trading post.

As local residents ran out of hearing fuel, it became necessary to house them in other buildings. Potitions were constructed dividing the quants at like building to accommodate about 50 people. Some older, unoccupied buildings around the village were also renovated to provide housing. The provisional government of the Independent Oak Royal Nation included members of the American Indian Movement along with the traditional chiefs and officers of the Pine Ridge Civil Rights Organization. The provisional government offered citizenship to people in Wounded Me and altogether 406 women and men affirmed allegiance to the ION. In the first general meeting of the new nation, Russell Means talked about the strength of their position because of the treaties. The treaties were known that the United States government doesn't tell them this question of a child. Remember, this is where we could be in the movement room. But the fact is the fact that a state, the motive that they come in or not right away is a massive growth or not.

They still are going to have to answer to our treaty rights. Now, they will be messing around with a lot of treaties that the summit here that gives all these Indian people from Canada and across the nation are on their own separate treaty. So, no matter what happens, whether we live or die, they're going to have to answer to our treaty rights. Not only to this country, not only to the Indian people of America, but to other countries of the world. One of the things when this is true to me, this country, we're not going to allow you to answer the United States of America with weapons. By now, there were Indians representing 64 North American tribes in the future Chicanos and non-Indians.

The provisional government senses revealed 183 Ogallas, 189 other Indians, and 34 non-Indians. This is in contradiction to statements made by both the Justice Department and Richard Wilson, who claimed that most of the inhabitants of wounded meat were white radicals. Also, during the 14th day, a grand jury was begun in Sioux Falls to investigate the events of wounded meat. Shortly afternoon on the 15th day, assistant U.S. Attorney Arlington would arrive from Washington to set up negotiations once again. He was accompanied by the National Council of Churches representative John Adams. The two were met at the ION checkpoint by leaders of the provisional government and walked the quarter mile from the border to the game headquarters. The meeting with Wood lasted for nearly two hours, at which time Russell means held a news conference to explain what happened. We have no answer for us now in negotiation if they don't know how to deal with our treaties, but the national currency is still going to have any answers. The point now is whether we're going to deal with the original issue and the very beginning

of the beginning of the Department of Interior, and that will be on neutral ground. So, with agreement again, as there were a cease fire, last night they fired on a fraternal fire, so there's no statements to the press, they didn't fire on it. They were returning to fire. The press isn't even aware that there was any fire going on last night, until the world won't know it. Until when we fire back at them, when the government comes out with a press release and we fire first when they return to fire, that's the game. As long as they can just fire on us with no response, they're going to keep it quiet. That's what we're feeling.

So, tomorrow, tonight, we're going to be going to find out whether we're going to be meeting with the high official. This guy seems to be, he's one of the guys that can really trip you. That's you on the bat. At the same time, again, it's my friend. The guy that negotiated with dealing with now. The other ones, we could, you knew where they were at, who was just, I was not, hey. This guy, an excluded friend. This bank's restated the minimum demands for negotiation and clarified the role of the American Indian movement in the wounded knee action. We are sticking to our original position. Knowing that face, we will not leave here until there is the unilateral firing of wind and babby as the area director.

Point number one. Number two, we would still not leave here until there was also the firing of Stanley Lyman as the Iron Ridge superintendent, the BIA. Third, that we would still not leave here until one, two are taken care of. And also, until the government defends the hostile activity against us through the financial supporting of it, puppet government here on the Pine Ridge. And also through the puppet regime of president Wilson. We are sticking by to those requests that the Obama civil rights organization brought us in here.

They have agreed that more steady was needed following the weekend. They've also understand more fully now our position that we're not leaving here until those demands are met. We will continue to stick by those demands until we are otherwise directed by either the two of the nation, independent states, or by the civil rights organization. During the meeting, it was suggested that if the high interior officials agreed to a meeting, they agreed also to a neutral place to meet.

They don't have to meet in the armed camp, but wounded me. We don't care to meet in the armed camp at Pine Ridge. So the possibility exists of meeting in a neutral ground. We are suggested that the United Nation is the only neutral ground where we will meet with anybody else. If they guarantee a safe passage there and back. And the same manner that he's guaranteed him safe passage in here and back out to his people. He was positive that the kind of agreement could be reached.

That was a ball of the discussion. There was no agreement reached inside there except the fact that we are going to reenter into some dialogue. We are re-entering into a discussion, which will defuse the explosive situation here at wounded me. Not to disarm any of us. We've made it clear we will not lay down any of our arms because we know they will never lay down their arms. There will be an attempt to defuse the situation. It's a principle of life and death for all the Indian people that are here today. We will remain for those convictions.

Government, please now that we are going to stay here until all of those demands are met. Now we are going to stay here until situation that there's the porting the puppet government is corrected. There's finally seen the fact that a lot of abuse is going on in the village of Pine Ridge. They finally recognize the fact that six council members are six districts rather out of the aid have withdrawn from that puppet government. They recognize that now.

They have agreed that the complaints that we have issued on behalf of the civil rights organization of Pine Ridge are legitimate. That was Dennis Banks discussing negotiations with Deputy U.S. Attorney Arlington Wood. On March 14, the federal grand jury in Sioux Falls turned over 31 sealed indictments, charging 13 people with burglary arson and grand larceny. The grand jury heard testimony from the guilty sleeves to determine if kidnapping charges should be brought against eight leaders. The government said no such indictments were made. Later that evening reports came into the trading post that federal agents were moving closer to wounded me and that armored personnel carriers were within 400 yards of the ILM checkpoint. This is a telephone conversation between Russell Means and the Justice Department concerning those APCs. Four or five APCs on the highway within 400 yards of our checkpoint.

That's a crew violation. There are also APC on the north, west side and on the side of us. And it appears to our military people that they're trying to flank us, flank that checkpoint. Now, if those vehicles aren't moved back soon, then we have no alternative and no recourse, but to force them back. To move road end, those ones trying to flank us. Now, they have to be moved back or else and offer that flank. You know, our military people where we just can't accept that type of maneuver. You know, militarily, period. The response of the Justice Department was for the Indians to go out and recheck their observations.

News reporters went along with them and by the time people had arrived, the APCs had gone over the hill. On the 17th day, a severe blizzard with winds up to 60 miles per hour stopped almost all activity in wounded me, and Hollington Wood canceled the meeting he had scheduled with leaders of the IOM. No supplies had been getting through during the previous three days, but on that day, the roads were blocked due to the snow. The Justice Department announced that food and medical supplies would be allowed in. Later that afternoon, Hollington Wood returned to Washington to consult with the White House. The following night, a lone AIM sentry was fired upon by federal agents and when other AIM warriors joined him, a battle typical of the skirmishes at wounded me began. He was a recording of that firefight. Thank you.

Thank you. During the firefight at Chicano Medic from the emergency hospital was wounded, he was hit in the abdomen and taken to the hospital where Crow Dog removed the bullet. Tom Cole, who recorded this firefight, talked with the AIM sentry who was first fired upon by the FBI.

He told Tom that agents were definitely using tracer bullets to track in on him and they were serious to make a kill. The shots were fired from APCs about 600 yards from the AIM bunker. Federal agents use image intensifying starlight scopes and tracer bullets to see in the dark. In addition, pop-up flares are used throughout the night to light the area around wounded me. And the glass fires have resulted from use of the flares and more than 100 acres of rain's land has been destroyed. Look at that. I'm Saturday, March 17, Arlington would return to wounded me

presented the government's final proposal. No details of that proposal were made available until the following day. A leader Dennis Banks said the proposal was ridiculous and on Sunday burned it during the general meeting of the independent overall enation. The government's position stated that seven people would be transported from wounded knee to a hotel in Sioux Falls for a three to five hour negotiation session with the interior department and the Justice Department. The meeting would be preceded and followed by one hour news conference at the end of the final news conference, aim negotiators could be arrested if there were warrants outstanding. Simultaneous with the beginning of the negotiations in Sioux Falls, inhabitants of wounded

knee were to walk out, stack arms, and be arrested. Aim said the government's proposal called for a surrender, something that they would never agree to. On the 25th of March, Carter Camp announced that there could be a settlement within 72 hours, if the federal government would cooperate by sending high government officials instead of, in his words, monkeys like Hollington would. He said that it is the Indians treaty right to deal directly with the White House. We feel at this position, as so solidified in which the Indian people hear that there is no way that will ever change our stance here. We also feel that the federal government will never be able to grasp the fact that it is legally our right to have an independent nation within the boundaries of the USA and that they will possibly tonight start an armed invasion of our nation. At that time, we know that they have the armed force strength.

They have the might to overwhelm our tiny nation, all the American Indian movement people hear and applaud a few people that are here defending this nation have decided that we'll never leave and that we'll fight here to the last man and we feel that it's incumbent upon the issue of freedom of people and try to stop their own government from committing another reoccurrence of the 1890 massacre of Indian people. We think that if the support comes with these persons supporting us in his own particular way that our nation will be able to stand strong and then eventually our people will all over the United States when they're freedom and they've been fighting for so long. Meanwhile in Pine Ridge, Richard Wilson directed the tribal court to issue an order removing all national council of churches people from the reservation. The NCC had been on the reservation for two weeks acting as official observers and Wilson claimed that they were aiding and abetting the enemy.

The court order also provided that all non-oglowers had no right on the reservation and people were immediately served with the order as they came on to the Pine Ridge. Reservation police arrested two women reporters under that order. They were both accredited members of the American Indian Press Association. Also on the 21st day of the Wounded Me action, the leader of the Six Nation Iroquois Confederacy issued a statement appealing to the people of the United States and the rest of the world to support the struggle. Lake Fire was reported by federal officials during the night, one of the national directors of AIM, running ballot court, was interviewed at the United Nations on Thursday March 22. He was there to continue the international contacts with the people at Wounded Me that they had been making in an attempt to gain world support for the movement. He described the situation as very grave, he said we are ready to lay down our lives not for ourselves but for our grandchildren, our unborn. Federal officials reported heavy-year gunfire on the night of March 22. The phone lines out of Wounded Me were cut and that situation continues.

There were no food and medical supplies getting in and there is a desperate need of food and medical supplies at this time. Then on Sunday March 25, federal judge Boge issued a temporary restraining order against the US government blockade. The order said that food, medical supplies and heating fuel must be allowed in. The order was won by AIM attorneys, Mark Lane, Ramon Ribative and William Consler. The child body of a man believed to be Leo Wilcox was found in the burned car 30 miles from Wounded Me and her scenic South Dakota. Wilcox was a supporter of Dick Wilson and a member of the tribal council of the BIA. Police have not said if the death was accidental, local residents say the fire was caused by a broken gas line on the car. The same afternoon, Wilson and his supporters described by some on the reservation as a gun squad set up their armed roadblocks and defiance of the court order outside Wounded Me. Now attorneys' reporters or supplies could be allowed in.

Wilson said he asked for more arms from local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. The Senate interior subcommittee began closed door hearings on what its chairman said would cover the actions at Wounded Me and other protests around the country by Native Americans. Monday night, a federal marshal was shot and seriously wounded at one of the federal roadblocks. He was flown to Denver for hospitalization. Federal officials maintained that the shots came from inside Wounded Me and a million women who was inside the village at the same time disputed this, saying there was Indian shot a cow for food, heavy firing erupted from federal marshals and that there was no chance from Native Americans to fire out towards a blockade as they had to seek cover. Then on Tuesday, March 27, the federal officials near Wounded Me and Dick Wilson alleged that a split had taken place within the leadership. There were also reports that any leaders, Dennis Banks and Russell Means had left Wounded Me. Senator Abaraskov, South Dakota, went so far as to say that the settlement would be immediately forthcoming.

He said leadership had been taken over by local outliers from the civil rights organization and he also said that those inside Wounded Me would come out and surrender their arms and give names to federal authorities. Alan D'Assersa, from the civil rights organization, made several statements on Tuesday, which indicated that he was now negotiating on names behalf and the senator said his information came from D'Assersa. The Justice Department also published a new list of accredited reporters, prohibiting all reporters from the underground press and most non-network news people from entering the village. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Canto Fizzo held a news conference Tuesday night. He too said that Banks and Means had left the village. He alleged that they left on Monday night, but returned to Tuesday night. He said the local civil rights organization, which is the group which I asked him to come to Wounded Me in the first place, had taken over leadership, but when Banks and Means returned, leadership was taken back at gunpoint by any members. In attorney of the Monroe Badut discounted these reports, as have representatives of both the A& leadership and the civil rights organization.

I'll say they are absolutely not true and indicate an intent by the federal government to divide and conquer. Alan D'Assersa also denied there was a split, although he continued to hold separate discussions with federal officials. Negotiations were supposed to resume on Wednesday, but did not. At a meeting with federal officials, Attorney Riveto said no negotiations would take place outside Wounded Me. Up to this point, it is clear that the Native Americans at Wounded Me are maintaining the position that negotiations will not be meaningful, unless the 1868 treaty and sovereignty of the independent Oak Island nation are included. Reporters were able to get Wounded Me today, as were attorneys. At the time of this broadcast, and as it is in progress on March 29th, we have this report from the Unicorn News Service and the Wounded Me Information Collective. And you're going to listen to that on KPA and KPA-B in Berkeley. Thursday morning, many of the major news media were reporting an on-the-conflict inside

Wounded Me between A& Leaders and Aglala Sue members of the Civil Rights Organization led by Pedro Bissonette. To verify this story, we talked with Mark Lane, one of the lawyers who was allowed into Wounded Me yesterday, and was there at the time these events were supposed to have taken place. I was there yesterday, and incredibly enough to admit the violence, me and Ryan, I didn't notice a thing going on, except a very peaceful, calm community of men, women, and children. In fact, because we arrived, six lawyers, to meet with the leadership, a special meeting was arranged, and there were no members of the press that were all included to be because they're not allowed in any work by order of the Department of Justice. Therefore, it's a little bit difficult for me to understand where the information about what is taking place in there comes from. But we were in a meeting. It was opened by Russell Mains, who the media and founder had thought it was probably in Cuba with six thousand dollars, later than a bank participated in the meeting.

He was there too, although we had been informed by the center of the state that he had fled and he was out of a country. And I asked Mains and banks what they were doing there since I heard they were in a different country, and Mains smiled and said, we are in a different country, this is the unwelled destination. The meeting was chaired by Russell Mains, who began by saying, recently in the reorientation here, the leadership has been assumed after discussion by the agroir, so nation and by the representative here at the agroir, the community council, the chairman of that community council is paid your business in that and paid your business in that venture, the rest of the meeting. Russell Mains, who are very large extent, then the banks are serving at that point of tap to certain extent, running forward to certain extent, all played active roles in the meeting was devoted to discussing the latest proposal by the Department of Justice for some

kind of negotiation, and by the majority local senator here, say that because these people out of power are now chaps for negotiation, fact is that Mains was the first one to say is important at the demigotiation. For the past four days, by the temporary restraining order demanding it, no food or medical supplies have gotten into wounded me, yesterday was the first day a mortgage were permitted inside. Despite the fact that there are several hundred law enforcement officials, including the federal marshals, federal bureau of investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police, and the national guard in the pilot wounded me area, they don't seem to be able to enforce the temporary restraining order against the 20 or so vigilante Manning Wilson's roadblocks. Today, the supporters of the people have wounded me due up with the patient against the President Nixon informing him of the situation. They accuse the Justice Department, the Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Indian

Affairs of disobeying the temporary restraining order by, quote, committing and encouraging them to the federal government to erect the roadblocks, observing the entrance to wounded me, unquote. With demand at that quote, you enforce the laws and treaties of the United States equally and justly, and direct the Justice Department to ensure that the people have wounded me are permitted to receive food and medicine, end of quote. We also talk with Vernon Dahlquist, a national coordinator of the American Indian Movement, and I attended a meeting yesterday with Senators Abirask and Marvin Clankton from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and of course with various members of the Olga Lala Community Council and members of the Rapid City Community, and American Indian Movement members are concerned with the issue that wounded me, and we would like to point out very emphatically that contrary to press reports that have continued to try to indicate that there was a split

within the leadership of wounded me. This is completely unfounded information distorted by various people who are not in contact with the leadership within wounded me, and totally inaccurate. I happen to know why that direct line and communications into wounded me and everybody is together, and the people are very much stand together, and we have to be very concerned with the type of distortion that apparently has arisen out of the Justice Department and her efforts to cause division, not only within wounded me, but division across the country of those people who have stood in full support of the Olga Lala people and the American Indian Movement in the wounded knee situation. We find that today we have just come across the country myself, we find that we've got massive support from all people of conscience in this country.

We've got the white brothers, black, yellow, every color of mankind from every walk of life has good with us on the issue of wounded knee. The Justice Department in recognizing the strong solidarity has made every effort to distort and to try to indicate that there is a division in a breakdown within leadership within wounded knee. This is totally inaccurate, and we have to condemn the Justice Department and the United States government for efforts to try to bring about this unity amongst all the supporters of wounded knee. From wounded knee stop to kata, this has been unicorn news and the rest of the news. So that's the situation at the present time, as Marlon Brando refuses an Academy Award and is reported going to wounded knee, as the House Internal Security Committee begins hearings on Attica, the question hangs in the air like the calm before the storm. Will there be another massacre at wounded knee?

There, with the U.S. cavalry murdered so many, there were for the past month the rising tide of Native American resistance has caught the attention of this country and the world. There, where the wounded knee heals and begins to walk toward the self-determination of the Native peoples of this continent.