P R E S S R E L E A S E
Saying it's so doesn't make it so. Not even if you're a highly paid KBIC
media spokesperson. Rich Rossway's staged media event on Tuesday was just
that. FFJ abandoned the Tribal Center last Dec. 17, when Tribal Police
raided it and the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church convent and rectory,
breaking down the bedroom door of Father John Hascall who has been
providing us with sanctuary. As reported in the L'Anse Sentinel of 29
January, we openly invited federally-indicted Fred Dakota and his faction
to come in and take whatever they want. Yet the need for Dakota to convey
the impression he is back in "control" was pressing. His trial in Federal
court for corruption is due to start shortly. Former TV 6 employee Rich
Rossway set out to secure that illusion of control. We offer the sequence
of events, for the benefit of those who have supported us and continue to
do so. We hope that the media will give it the same attention that it gave
to Rich Rossway's version of events.
On 31 January, shortly after Fred Dakota and Tim Shanahan entered the
Center to retrieve certain files, 5 tribal police cars entered Assinins.
They blocked the road leading to the Church, and proceeded to the Tribal
Center where they spent over an hour. Members of FFJ never entered the
building again after their visit, out of concern that the police booby-
trapped it. Until that time the Tribal Center was in good order. We
have pictures to prove this. They were taken after Dakota and Shanahan
entered the building, when we anticipated something like this deliberate
trashing would be attempted.
An informant told us of a meeting that took place at Tim Shanahan's house,
when Dakota's hard-core made their plans to trash the building and bring
in TV 6. On Tuesday 4 February, six Tribal Police Cars and 3 red KBIC
maintenance trucks entered Assinins. The road was blocked off once again.
After an hour or so, they all left. It was important to Dakota that all
this take place on the eve of another staged event...the so-called
impeachment hearing of independent Tribal Councilman Gary Loonsfoot which
was headed by Shanahan - Fred's personal assistant. A declaration that the
struggle was over would distract attention from the mockery of due process
that was shortly to take place. The police sealed off the building, and
Channel 6 was ushered in. After the filming, everyone - including the
Tribal Police - vacated the building. Members of FFJ observed all of this
from the church grounds.
The building remains empty and abandoned as we write. We're done with the
place but we're not done with the protest. In addition to the on-going
court cases in the Western District of Michigan as well as in the kangaroo
tribal court presided over by Judges Dakota and Gurski, we are calling for
the impeachment of our federally-indicted Tribal Chair. The struggle
continues, and will continue until all those who have been disenfranchised
are returned to the voting rolls.
Jerry Lee Curtis
Spokesperson, Fight for Justice