Fundraiser for Crow Creek Reservation: Energy company cut power, IRS took land

This evening I’ve been doing some writing on the need for renewable energy in Indian Country. Right now, it doesn’t look all that great for tribes who are battling entry into the field on many fronts. First, they don’t have access to production tax credits because they are nontaxable entities. That’s one of the biggest problems. As I’ve done my  research, some Facebook pals sent me a message about the woes at Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota. This is the home of the Dakota people. And this is the reservation where the IRS recently sold some of the tribe’s prime land, land the tribe wanted to develop for renewable energy. That’s right. A wind farm. Is it a coincidence that the local power company has also been cutting people off from their power supply because they can’t afford to pay the companies high-priced electricity. The rub here is that the tribe is situated right next to the Big Bend Hydroelectric Dam. The Corps of Engineers claimed tens of thousands of acres of Indian land in the 1950s to build a series of dams along the Missouri. No coincidence that all the condemned land was on Indian reservations. Look at a map. On my home reservation, Fort Berthold in North Dakota, 90 percent of my tribe had to be relocated from prime river bottom land so the Corps could build its dams on the Missouri. This is one of the greatest environmental injustices of the 20th century. And, there’s a lot of them in Indian Country.

Meanwhile, some folks are taking action on behalf of the Crow Creek Reservation. Robin Carneen is going talk about the matter on her radio show. The topic: Eric Klein, founder  of Can-do, is helping with a fundraiser. I’ve looked at some videos on the Can-do Web site. Powerful images.

 Here’s what Carneen at Blog Talk Radio posted online earlier about her upcoming show: 

Can-do.org: “ RIDE FOR LIGHTS Campaign – Founder Eric Klein & others want to raise awareness and funds to put an end to the abuses and human rights violations taking place today on the Crow Creek Reservation….From December 13th -26th he will be riding horseback alongside others in the “Mankato Reconciliation Ride”- to honor the 38 people killed in the largest mass execution in the history of USA on December 26, 1862 in Mankato, MN. “On that day, 38 Dakota men were marched in single file to a scaffold guarded by 1,400 troops in full battle dress. The pull of a single lever ended the lives of 38 Dakota men as a crowd of citizens witnessed the largest mass execution on US soil in the history of United States. In addition to the mass execution, 265 Dakota men were sent to prison near Davenport Iowa while 1,300 Dakota men, women, and children were exiled to a concentration camp known today as The Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota”….injustices to the descendants and tribal members of Crow Creek continue to cause great suffering. The goal of CAN-DO’s “RIDE FOR LIGHTS” Campaign is to establish a fund to ensure that NO ONE on the Crow Creek Reservation goes without power this winter. Please, write to the Senators and government officials listed in the [Crow Creek Takes Their Voice D.C. video]. Get the word out via Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, emails and any press contacts you may have. We can make a difference and stop these violations. Help put an end to these abuses. Make Human Rights a priority here at home and please don’t forget to tune in to www.VirtualVolunteer.tv and “join” us LIVE throughout our 13 day journey from Lower Brule, SD to Mankato, MN.” From Chairman Sazue of Crow Creek: “Recently, the IRS has seized and auctioned 7100 acres of our prime development land on the Crow Creek Reservation.” Chairman Suzue has started a fast & will also be our guest!

Jodi Rave