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Subject: [NATIVE-AMERICAN-NEWS] Seminole Freedmen article
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 13:21:39 EST

The Daily Oklahoman, Sat. Oct. 27, 2001, page 2-A
"Agency could seize Seminole programs - Exclusion of Freedmen bands may
result in federal takeover", by Bob Doucette, Staff Writer
WEWOKA - An ongoing dispute between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the
Seminole Nation could lead to a federal takeover of several programs
managed by the tribe.
The BIA has dented the tribe's contract bids to run a number of
federal Indian programs. Instead, federal authorities plan to run the
programs themselves, thus stripping away some of the tribe's autonomy.
The dispute goes back to a referendum in which tribal voters approved
a plan that excluded Freedmen bands from participating in the Seminoles'
government. The Freedmen are descendants of freed black slaves who were
allowed to live with the tribe and, until recently, have had seats on
the tribe's general council.
After passage of the referendum, BIA officials told the tribe the
agency wouldn't recognize any elections or tribal government actions
until the Freedmen's status was restored.
The bureau can't sign contracts with a tribal government it doesn't
recognize, officials contend.
Seminole Chief Kenneh Chambers said the bureau has acted unjustly.
"Not once has the BIA contacted current members of the Seminole
government or its representatives to address its concerns," Chambers
said in a prepared statement. "It seems that the BIA's contempt for the
Seminole Nation is exceeded only by its disregard for the law."
In the short term, the bureau's decision means the federal government
-- not the tribe -- will decide how hundreds of thousands of tribal
program dollars are spent within the Seminole Nation's boundaries.
"We'll have to take those programs over, and we're prepared to do
that," said Dan Deerinwater, deputy regional director for the BIA's
Muskogee office. "We're ready to gear back up."
That would include taking over the tribe's higher education,
elementary education, housing, adult education and roads programs.
Numbers are hard to come by, but the programs are as small as $20,000
a year for scholarships to $2 million for tribal roads, the BIA's Gloria
Spybuck said. The BIA did not provide 2002 budget numbers.
Federal money still will be spent on the Seminoles' behalf,
Deerinwater said. Road projects will continue and scholarships will be
awarded, but it will be the BIA and not the Seminole Nation that decides
how the money is spent.
Shortly after the BIA made its ruling, the Seminoles sued the bureau
in federal court. The court ruled for the BIA in September.
Aside from funding issues, the BIA also does not recognize the tribe's
recently elected officials. Although Jerry Haney was ousted by Chambers
in June, Chambers is not recognized as chief. In the bureau's eyes,
Haney is still the tribe's leader.
The tribe will continue to run its programs using income from gaming
and convenience store profits, Chambers said, adding that it's time for
the BIA to step back and let him lead the tribe.
"The Freedmen participated in the general elections. There's been no
challenge to their results until now."
(Note: Staff writer Bob Doucette can be reached by e-mail at
, or by phone at 475-3260)

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