{ title: 'The Spectrum (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1955-current, September 21, 1979, Page 17, Image 17', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-21/ed-1/seq-17/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-21/ed-1/seq-17.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-21/ed-1/seq-17/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-21/ed-1/seq-17/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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I Indian-police clash Speakers give their side of Mohawk reservation dispute troops in Cuba. La France 3 maintained that the U.S. expects its treaties to be | honored, but contradicts that * M policy in its treaties with Indians. j Boots informed j I attentive crowd of fifty persons ; (including many native SS Americans) that a delegation *° was sent to Washington. D.C. _ and has met with officials of the Justice and Interior departments. “As yet, this hasn’t helped much,” he said. “But when the political in-, fighting is over and someone decides to take responsibility, something done.” by John Devaney Spectrum Stuff Writer Police beatings of Mohawk youths were alleged by the speakers. They also declared that the state police constantly harass and catcall pedestrians on the state highway that ‘divides the reservation. “Bad things have been said . . . very bad things,’’ added La France. He fears this may aggravate the situation to an intolerable level. assault, burglary, resisting arrest, inciting to riot and > conspiracy for which they face as many as thirty years in prison. Twenty-odd others face indictments on similar charges, affirmed the Mohawk representatives. The Mohawks feel the State An outbreak of armed violence threatens the Mohawk Indian reservation near Messena, New York, according to two ' spokesmen from the Mohawk nation who spoke in Squire Hall on Saturday. of New York has no jurisdiction over their civil and criminal matters. Consequently the charges against their people should be dropped* Mr. La France stated. He also contended that New York thinks it has power in such areas. “The Indians point to their treaty with the United States which left the jurisdiction of their civil and criminal affairs in their hands,” asserted La France. Thirty years ago, he declared, the state passed laws giving it criminal and civil jurisdiction over Indian affairs. Drawing a parallel to the current SALT Treaty which outlaws the presence of Soviet “We’re seconds away from another Wounded Knee,’’ replied one of the pair of long- haired, copper-skinned Indians to a query about the seriousness of the situation at the upstate reservation. Bpots blamed “federal capers busters,” who, “twist the news so the Indians look like nuts,” for the bad press the controversy in St. Lawrence has received. Aerial observation of the reservation by planes and helicopters are common according to Boots, also speculating that their group has been infiltrated and wire- tapped. The Mohawk representatives, Rpger La France and Frances Boots claimed that the several hundred Indians encamped on the reservation are armed. In justifying the guns’ presence they cited the possibility of another tragedy, like the Attica prison riot of eight years ago where forty-three men died as State police forces converged-on the prison. —. The issues involved affect not only the Six Nations, an age-old alliance to which the Mohawks belong, but all American Indians, Mr. La France claimed. Parallel to SALT According to the spokesmen, five people, including a traditional chief, have been arrested, facing charges of Trespassing According to Boots, the incident 'that sparked the THE STROM BREWERY COMPANY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN <D l»7B controversy happened in May, when a Mohawk chief was arrested after refusing to return chainsaws confiscated from members of the Young Adult Conservation Corps. The chief claimed that the members of the group cutting down trees on the reservation were guilty of trespassing. f\ Boots stated that the Mohawk people asked the tribal police to resign because of their cooperation with state and local police in the arrest of Chief Thompson. “The Mohawk police' denied that request,” said Boots, declaring tfyat this chain of events was repeated twice more. “With the last police refusal to the people’s demands, the police were disarmed by a short-lived takeover of police headquarters,” he added. Boots asserted that many indictments have come down and that the State intends to enter Indian territory to serve them. Since the Indians still uphold their “no trespassing” policy, the speakers predict that another volatile situation is imminent. The Indians are negotiating for famous defense lawyer William Kuntsler to handle their case. Mr. La France sees this episode in the history of the Six Nations “as a test by the Creator.” He asked those present, “Are you still going to be Indians?” UNIVERSITY PHOTO FAM. HOURS 1 lies.. Wed., Thun.: 10a.m.—J p.m No appointment^necessary. , • 3 photos - $3.95 4 photos -r $4.50 each additional with original order — $.50 Re-order rates: 3 photos — $2 each additional ->'$.50 University Photo 358 Squire Hall. MSC 83J5410 “What an act! ... and he gets to do it twice a night*’ For the real beer lover. AH photos available for pick-op on Friday of week taken. NO CHECKS
