Bob Juneau, Sr. Statement

Tribal issues that divide the people sometimes need counselors and mediators to avoid violence. We have already had occupations of the tribal office and violence among the tribal council and protesters. The tribal council must get out and lead as they are paid to do, not hide in their offices and call the cops. Tribal enrollment issues and tribal council corruption seem to be the dividing issues. Department of Justice Guardians Project can investigate the Forensic Audit issues which found corruption in tribal government but the tribal council threw the audit in the trash can even though it cost $700,000 of tribal dollars. That seems to be a crime in itself of conspiracy in suppressing evidence of criminal activity by elected tribal officials. The issue of enrollment needs the support of the Department of Justice, Community Relations Division, which provides community counselors and mediators to resolve issues before violence occurs. Pine Ridge reservation violence grew out of the same issues and over 200 Lakota and 2 F.B. I. agents were killed before the violence was stopped. I worked in the Dept. of Health & Human Services in the Denver Regional Office and visited Pine Ridge 2 years after the violence and the people told me there were blood feuds where families had killed members of other families. We do not want that here, but trouble is brewing and the tribal council must lead us to peace.