I'm including a letter that I sent off to many people and lists all over the eastern seaboard. We are trying desperately to get people as quickly as possible to the Oneida land in upstate NY (Oneida, NY). If any of you are able to publish this letter or forward to others I'll thank you in advance.

To premise the situation (hopefully it will become clear as you read), As of today Ray Halbritter has banned photographers from entering the 32 acres (where the traditionalists are).

Previously to this he has also banned reporters. If there are photographers willing to risk arrest by committing to observation either now or in the case of a direct action - please let us know. The Oneida lawyers are looking for loopholes and other civil rights violations within the body of military law that has been imposed on these people by Ray Halbritter.

Please help!
Bonnie Rovics

Dear Friends and all concerned citizens,

I'd like to premise this call for help by saying that my personal committment to helping the Oneida ( Oneida, Iroquois - Oneida, NY) people is a new one to me, but stems from old beliefs. I have spent the past two days with no sleep, surrounded by some of the most wonderful people, people who are dedicated to a belief, culture, simplicity, caring, community centered, native existence, life and livelyhood.

There are very few left on the 32 acres of reservation land that has been their home for a lifetime and generations. There is fear, armed non-native private police goon patrols (non-deputized) driving by many times a day, houses that have been condemned and leveled , burned. Fear of leaving their only homes unwatched, fear because on November 10th the goon patrol beat and arrested one of the women in front of her 7 year old daughter and mother, illegally entering her house which they are still trying to forcefully mandate inspection and condemnation, in the same way they have run many others off the land.

(Since drafting this letter all photograpers have been banned from entering the land by Ray Halbritter - I am trying to access legal information on this).

The Tribal Court Ray founded does not recognize the Iroquois' Great Law and from what I've heard from the attorney it is worse than military law and has no due process).

Ray Halbritter owns the 52 person private security force that is causing this. Ray Halbritter, once son, cousin, nephew, brother, is now a multi-million dollar casino owner, wealthy, politically savvy and powerful, greedy and very able to harrass, injure, arrest and destroy the lives of relatively poor traditionalists who don't have Governors and Senators to back them, much less 75 lawyers.

(At the end of this letter is an article I have included that explains the history of Ray Halbritter's connection and influence over the Oneida people.)

The Confederacy of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) removed Ray Halbritter years ago, but the federal government of the U.S. does not recognize this removal. We fight against Terrorism over seas and we still ignore dictators in our own back yards. We fight for democracy and we ignore people in this country who systematically have had their voice removed from our government time and time again.

Ray Halbritter - recognized as a spokesperson for life by the B.I.A. due to his connections with Senator Boehlert and his support of NAFTA.

I hope the article i have included will fill you in on more details. I highly suggest reading the history of the Oneidas and the current events taking place on Joanne Shenandoah's Website at JOANNE SHENANDOAH
this week ONEIDAS FOR DEMOCRACY

Please Help! The Oneidas are inviting anyone able to be a peaceful legal observer to come to the reservation in Oneida, NY. They need to have round the clock surveillance on the houses, land and people to assure safety at this time. There are legal actions in effect, but the immediate situation is dire. I am working with the Oneida to try and effect an immediate peaceful resistance and legal observation effort. If you are able to take a trip to upstate New York and spend a day or two or ten on the Oneida reservation contact me - BONNIE ROVICS or to ON THE LAND (on the land) and offer your help. If you would like to organize a group 5 or 20 to help observe please feel free to call me at (617)784-9904 and I will help contact and organize. We are hoping to organize for a larger demonstration, peace tree planting and possible land sitting very soon, especially if a threat of losing the land intensifies beyond the current circumstances.

The immediate need is for Peaceful Legal Observation. Please let all your friends know of the Oneida crisis. - There has been false propaganda appearing in media sources and emails via Ray Halbritter. Please if you have questions or hear anything about the Oneida crisis that seems strange or like out right lies contact us. We will answer all questions we possibly can.

Bonnie Rovics

This article is copyright © 1999

Doug George-Kanentiio

In 1977 the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee acknowledged three individuals Lyman Johns Richard Chrisjohn and Arthur Raymond Halbritter as messengers for the Oneida people residing in Central New York. With the death of Johns and Chrisjohn Halbritter assumed unilateral powers and created an organization called the "Men's Council"; a decision made without the approval of the Oneida people and condemned by the Grand Council.

In April 1993 Halbritter concluded secret negotiations with New York Governor Mario Cuomo resulting in a gaming contract to open a casino on disputed territory. The Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee stripped Halbritter of his status as an Oneida spokesperson which then ratified by the US Department of the Interior on August 10 then rescinded a day later after the intervention of US Rep. Sherwood Boehlert a sponsor of Halbritter and gambling advocate. Halbritter moved to create a 54 member completely non-Native police force to consolidate his power on Oneida territory. Using US government funds Halbritter built a housing project and offered expanded social services to gain support.

In August 1993 the Turning Stone Casino opened to quickly become the largest single employer in Oneida County. The Halbritter regime refused to comply with the 1988 Indian Gaming Act by supplying the National Indian Gaming Commission with audits from 1993-1996. Not until the Commission threatened to close the casino did the Halbritter regime aquiesce and submit a report yet despite efforts by the Oneidas to obtain a financial accounting of the casino operations they have yet as of May 1999 to see such a document. On March 20th 1995 the Wolf Clan members of the Oneida Nation gathered to meet at their Longhouse to find the locks had been changed. The non-Native police officers were instructed to arrest anyone trying to enter. They moved the meeting to the Wolf Clan Mother's log cabin where the Wolf Clan members decided to remove Ray Halbritter as their Representative due to the numerous injustices done against the Oneida people.

The Halbritter regime responded by stripping the "dissidents" of their status as Oneidas resulting in a loss of employment health insurance educational allowances quarterly stipends and all other Oneida Nation services. In 1996 the traditional Oneidas or the Onyata:aka initiated suit in US federal court to have Halbritter deemed a US citizen removed as Oneida representative. The complaint was dismissed at the District level but appealed at the Second Circuit which found sufficient evidence to order a hearing in the US Department of the Interior to determine Halbritter's status. The hearing is pending as of May 1999. - (2001 update)-This case was dismissed without prejudice and now lays in the hand of the Bureau of Indian Affairs who continue to ignore the appeals. The Oneidas are continuing their legal battles with the assistance of The Center for Constitutional Rights in NYC.

If you would like to help with a donation toward legal defense, media, travel and other expenses the Oneida are accruing in this battle, please send a check to Onyota'aka via Onyota'aka PO Box 450 Oneida, NY 13421

Media personnel can contact ATTENTION DIANE OR VICKIE SHENANDOAH

Thanks Valerie for sharing this vital information regarding the Oneida crisis!

NEXT

EARLIER STORY

EARLIER STORY
CONTENTS