Oglala Sioux Tribe signs proclamation pressuring U.S. Government to fulfill their duties

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - On Saturday, members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe came together to sign a proclamation declaring a State of Emergency on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

This comes after what they say is a clear failure of the United States government to provide adequate law enforcement on the reservation.

According to The Oglala Sioux Tribe, this declaration of a State of Emergency is due to a breakdown of law and order on the Pine Ridge Reservation. They say this breakdown is caused by the failure of the U.S. Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs to fulfill the United States’ responsibilities to the Tribe which were agreed upon in the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty and 1877 Black Hills Act.

“We don’t live in Indian Country we survive. This needs to change. It’s time to bring awareness to the world that the government has a responsibility to uphold and that’s treaty obligations,” said President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Frank Star Comes Out.

Tribe members spoke about the different issues they face and the lack of resources they have at their disposal. They say this lack of DOI and BIA advocacy for Congressional funds has contributed to the crime rates that currently exist on the Reservation. Alcoholism is 15.1% higher than the national rate... the murder rate is more than twice the national average and according to the Indian Health Service, the suicide for Native Americans aged 10-24 is 2.7 times higher than the national average and even higher on the reservation.

“I feel like long time ago we maybe dealt with one homicide maybe once a month or once a year and now it’s every day and it’s just getting very horrendous crimes being committed,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe council representative Anna Halverson.

Oglala members will take this signed proclamation to President Biden immediately as they hope to receive funding from the federal government as soon as possible.