The Mole Lake tribal office occupation has ended, but the larger issue is
not over. People in Wisconsin should be aware how the state government,
including Governor Thompson and the DNR, are using gaming compacts
negotiations as a club over the tribes in order to diminish tribal
sovereignty and treaty rights. While many internal and external issues
are involved at Mole Lake, the larger question of state pressure on the
tribes to get concessions on spearfishing, mining, or any other issues
should be of concern to non-Indian supporters of treaties and the
environment. Thanks to all who made phone calls and prayers for a
peaceful resolution of the Mole Lake dispute.
The following information is being posted at the request of the
Indigenous Environmental Network.
Released by: Indigenous Environmental Network, PO Box 485, Bemidji, MN
56619 Ph: (218) 751-4967 Fax: (218) 751-0561 NOTE: reply only to the
reply to address: ien@igc.apc.org
Release date: May 28, 1997, 5:00 p.m.
RECORDS, OFFICES, AND CASINO BEING SECURED BY FBI, PROTESTERS VACATE THE
BUILDING
Crandon, Wisconsin - Bill Koenen, a tribal member of the Mole Lake
Sokaogon Band of Chippewa Indians and member of Concerned Mole Lake Tribal
Members reported at 1 pm Wednesday that the United States Federal Bureau
of Investigation had arrived and begun to remove tribal documents to
initiate a criminal investigation. All persons occupying the tribal
headquarters building, which included the tribal casino operation were
asked by the FBI to leave the building. The members in occupation
peacefully complied with the request, after conducting a sacred drum
ceremony.
Concerned tribal members had been peacefully occupying the headquarters
building since early May to protest Mole Lake tribal issues of financial
accountability of tribal and casino funds, improprieties concerning their
tribal council chairman, and issues of collusion between the law firm
retained by the Mole Lake tribe, Wisconsin governor, and both Exxon and
Rio Algom's mining corporation, Crandon Mining Company.
No federal arrests are currently being planned according to reports by the
concerned tribal members. The concerned tribal members are watching the
actions of the FBI as the federal agency takes action to secure the tribal
documents. Concerned tribal members have been concerned that their
current tribal administration would attempt to remove the documents for
purposes to cover up charges of embezzlement and mismanagement of federal
and casino funds.
The concerned tribal members are thankful for all support, prayers and
expressions of concern that have been forwarded their way. It was the
many telephone calls of inquiry and concern from throughout the country
this past memorial day weekend that prevented the violent attempt by the
current tribal administration, their intoxicated tribal supporters, and
WisCo, a contracted non-Indian security firm from taking over the
building. They had used a front end loader and had beaten Bill Koenen
with billy-clubs. He is reported to be recovering.
"We will be consulting with our tribal elders on what our next step will
be. The documents are secure for now and an investigation could take
place to prove our concerns of mismanagement of our tribal and casino
funds . We have other issues we have to deal with. We're still demanding
our chairman to step down. Only then could we start addressing our issues
including the collusion issues between Exxon, our state governor, and our
tribal gaming compacts," said Koenen.
Koenen further stated, "We will be pursuing legal avenues to address our
original six-point demand. Many tribal members have been hurt by the
retaliation of our current tribal administration that included employee
firings of tribal members that supported the takeover. There was no due
process to these actions. These people weren't present in the occupation
yet they were fired. There may still be charges from the current tribal
administration against our group for what we did. We didn't damage
anything. We were exercising our Anishinaabeg (Chippewa) traditional
right to voice our issues. All other avenues were being blocked. These
actions will make our Anishinaabeg Band stronger, make our elected tribal
leaders accountable, and help us in demonstrating to the mining
corporations that we don't make deals with polluters."
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Concerned Mole Lake Tribal Members: (715) 478-3204
Wisconsin information contact: Walt Bresette (715) 779-5071
For internet info on Mole Lake:
http://www.alphacdc.com/ien/notices.html
For info on the Crandon mine:
http://www.earthwins.com/