Today, a group of Lakota calling themselves the Lakota Freedom Delegation are in Washington DC to announce their Nation’s withdrawal from all U.S. Treaties.
Information is fairly short at the moment, but they sent out a press release last week, explaining:
“For far too long our people have suffered at the hands of the colonial apartheid system imposed on the Lakota Sioux. Our treaties with the United States government are nothing more than worthless words on worthless paper – repeatedly violated in order to steal our culture, our land and our ability to maintain our way of life.
The devastation this has wrought is clear:
[NB: this is just a fraction of what the Lakota, like all Indigenous People are faced with]
- Lakota men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.
- The Lakota infant mortality rate is 5x the U.S. Average.
- The Tuberculosis rate on Lakota reservations is approx 800% higher than the U.S national average.
- 97% of our Lakota people live below the poverty line.
- Unemployment rates on our reservations are approximately 85%.
- Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.
- Our Lakota language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.
We have no choice but to take this historic action to protect our people and our way of life, and reclaim our freedom from the colonial systems of the United States Government. So we travel to Washington D.C. to withdraw from our treaties with the United States and announce full return of our sovereign status under Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, International and Natural Law. ”
The Delegation, accompanied by Lakota activist and actor Russell Means; Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr.; Gary Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders, Women of Red Nations founder Phyllis Young, Pearl Denet Claw Daniel and other Lakota from the Sioux reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana will be gathering at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Washington at 11:30am to make the announcement.
A few things come to mind about this, but rather than repeat what’s been already said, please have read of Shus li Che dut nah ‘s words on her blog, Death and Conscience.