Clue me in: Are those federal officers going on to Indian land?

Next thing you know, they'll raid an Army base.

What federal officers?

The fact is, even though tribal nations are *supposed* to be "sovereign", the reality is that the federal government still dictates what tribal governments may and may not do. There's no TRUE sovereignty, just a mishmash of arcane laws, regulations, and broken treaties mainly designed to prevent any actual sovereignty of tribal nations.

sw

sw

..tax fee cigarettes. The Indians apparently fought back against the officers.

"State officers raided a reservation..."

Sorry, I only just got online, and haven't gotten to any other postings about this event, so I'm pretty in the dark about the details. I noticed some subject lines about this story yesterday, but didn't have time to get to those posts.

I guess I'd better catch up on this story and get back to you. I used to follow Indian issues quite closely, so there's a few things I do know about the government-to-government relationships between tribes, states and Feds.

I'll be back....

sw

http://indianz.com/News/show.asp?ID=2003/07/15/narragansett

Narragansett Tribe seeks resolution in federal court
TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2003

The Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island said it would assert its rights in federal court in response to the state's raid and shutdown of a tribal tobacco shop on Monday.

State officials contends the tribe has to collect and remit state tax. They are asking a state court to resolve the dispute.

A Narragansett lawyer said the tribe would seek to transfer the case to federal court. Tribal leaders were critical of the state's handling of the raid, in which eight people were sent to the hospital, and seven tribal leaders were arrested, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas.

Get the Story:
Violent raid shuts tribe's tobacco shop (The Providence Journal 7/15)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianz
Tribe's Chief Among 8 Arrested (The Hartford Courant 7/15)
Smoke Shop Raid Turns Violent (The New London Day 7/15)
STRUGGLE FOR ACCORD - TRIBE, GOVERNOR DIFFER ON JURISDICTION (The Westerly Sun 7/15)
TRIBE HAILS MEMBERS AFTER SCUFFLE (The Westerly Sun 7/15)
Carcieri: State Had 'Every Right' To Raid Smoke Shop (WAJR News 7/14)
New Mexico Law Clearly Protects Smoke Shops (The Santa Fe New Mexican 7/15)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org

Related Stories:
Narragansett chief arrested in 'violent' raid (7/14)
R.I. governor promises to help Narragansett Tribe (06/04)
R.I. tribe upset over reservation checkpoint bill (05/30)
R.I. bill sets up reservation checkpoints (5/28)
R.I. tribe delays opening of tobacco shop (5/23)

Copyright © 2000-2003 Indianz.Com

See also: Feature Story
http://indianz.com/News/show.asp?ID=2003/07/15/raid

R.I. escalates fight over tribal smoke shop
TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2003

About two dozen Rhode Island State Troopers forcibly entered the Narragansett Reservation on Monday, arresting seven tribal members, including chief sachem Matthew Thomas and council member Randy Noka, in an escalating feud over a tribally-owned tobacco shop.

Armed with guns, dogs and a state court warrant, the troopers pushed past tribal police and onto Narragansett property at around 1 p.m. They quickly made their way to the smoke shop despite protests from tribal members and tribal leaders who were on the scene, according to video of the incident that was broadcast on WAJR-TV all afternoon.

The confrontation quickly turned violent, with police troopers throwing tribal members, including women, to the ground. On the video, Thomas is shown trying to prevent a trooper from entering the facility. Some of the troopers were wearing bullet proof vests while others who were not in uniform.

"I'm disgusted in the way this was handled," Noka is seen on the videotape saying as he was hauled away by police. "This is over cigarettes."

(more at link)

Relevant Laws:
Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act (US Code)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org
Rhode Island Governor - http://www.governor.state.ri.us
Rhode Island Attorney General - http://www.riag.state.ri.us

Related Stories:
Narragansett chief arrested in 'violent' raid (7/14)
R.I. governor promises to help Narragansett Tribe (06/04)
R.I. tribe upset over reservation checkpoint bill (05/30)
R.I. bill sets up reservation checkpoints (5/28)
R.I. tribe delays opening of tobacco shop (5/23)

Copyright © 2000-2003 Indianz.Com