Elizabeth Gomez11
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Lakota representatives unilaterally rescind 19th-century treaties signed with Washington
Crazy Horse
"We have taken this historic step to protect our people and our way of life, seeking liberation from the colonial system enforced by the United States government," stated the decision released by representatives of the Lakota Native American nation.
A group of Native Americans, descendants of the legendary warriors Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, declared their secession from the United States on Wednesday, unilaterally withdrawing from treaties originally struck with the federal government in Washington, D.C., during the 1800s.
“We are no longer citizens of the USA, and anyone residing within the five states encompassing our territory is free to join us,” remarked Russell Means, a longtime Lakota leader and Native American rights activist, during a press conference held in the capital of the world’s sole superpower. According to the Associated Press, Means was faced by a small pool of reporters and the ambassador from Bolivia—a nation whose president, Evo Morales, is himself a descendant of the indigenous peoples of the American continent.
The Lakota representatives formally notified the Department of State of their decision on Monday, subsequently visiting the embassies of Bolivia, Chile, South Africa, and Venezuela. They indicated that this diplomatic mission would continue over the coming weeks and months through visits to various "friendly nations."
The group contends they have been forced to endure a "system of colonial apartheid," resulting in "cultural and physical genocide" the effects of which persist today. “The life expectancy for our men is under 44; infant mortality is five times the American average; tuberculosis rates in Lakota reservations are eight times higher than in the rest of the USA; 97 percent of us live below the poverty line; unemployment in the reservations sits at 85 percent; youth suicide rates are 1.5 times higher than the US average; and our language is on the brink of extinction,” the nation's statement reads.
Russell Means, noted for his role in *The Last Mohican*, stated that the nascent state intends to issue its own passports and driver's licenses, adding that no resident will be required to pay taxes provided they renounce their American citizenship. The Lakota argue that the agreements signed with Washington in decades past are merely "worthless words on worthless paper," claiming these pacts were "consistently violated to strip us of our culture, our land, and our ability to maintain our way of life." Means maintains that their withdrawal is entirely legal.
This political leader asserts that a "critical mass for the fight against colonialism" has finally been reached, even though the Lakota issued a "declaration of permanent independence" as far back as 1974. A pivotal moment in the struggle for sovereignty occurred in September when the United Nations adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples—an action the United States opposed, arguing the declaration conflicted with American law.
“Our goal isn't to shame the USA, but rather to continue the fight for our children and grandchildren,” said Phyllis Young, one of the organizers of the inaugural conference on Native American rights held in Geneva in 1977. She expressed doubt that the battle for a Lakota state would be won within her lifetime.
However, not everyone is on board; for instance, a tribe known as the Rosebud Sioux will not be joining Russell Means' initiative. “We are fighting for the respect of existing agreements, and we constantly remind Congress of that duty,” said tribal president Rod Borde. Means refers to him and other Native Americans who oppose secession as "Vichyites," drawing a comparison to the French government's collaboration with the Nazis during World War II.
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Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse
The Lakota consist of seven tribes inhabiting parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. The westernmost group, the Sioux, maintains close ties with the Dakotas and the Nakota of Minnesota. In American history, they are famously remembered for the massacre of the Seventh Cavalry led by Lieutenant Colonel Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. This was followed by years of persecution that nearly brought the Lakota to the brink of extinction, eventually forcing them to sign an agreement ceding much of their territory to Washington, D.C.
At the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Lakota forces were led by the formidable Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
