1975-10-01 Char-Koosta News

              INDIAN   FISHING  CONTROL  UNDER  FIRE
The right of Indians to control fishing on Indian lands is under a two-pronged attack in the courts. Recently in Billings M.O.D., (Montanans Opposing Discrimination), helped deliver a setback to that right in   a test case involving the Crow Indians. That case is now under appeal, with M.O.D. officials announcing they will fund a further fight which may have far reaching implications for a number of other reservations.
The right of the tribe t6 regulate hunting and fishing within the Flathead Reservation is currently at stake in a case be-
fore the U.S. District Court in Missoula, according to a brief filed by attorney Richard Baen-en, whose law firm acts as general counsel to the Tribe. Appearing in the Missoula court before Judge Russell E, Smith Darwin Zempel, a 19 year old St. Ignatius resident, testified that he was a member of the organization called FREE,(Flathead Residents Earning Equality) The group has the goal of abolishing the tribal permit system.
Zemple stated that as a FREE member he had been cited for ignoring the tribal permit regulations in December 1974, when
he fished tribal waters, and that he forfeited a $25 bond for it. He added, " After that I was not going to fish on any more tribal land. "
He claimed that when he ice fished at the Lower Crow Creek Reservoir, " As far as I knew, I didn't know they controlled it." He stated that he read in a newspaper that fishing east of " A canal" irrigation ditch was allowed without a permit, and that he thought fishing on the Lower Crow Creek Reservoir, which was west of " A canal" was allowed.
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VOLUME 5  NUMBER )«( //   MOON OF THE HALF SUMMER HALF AUTUMN    OCTOBER 1, 1975
COUNCILMAN APPOINTED TO TASK  FORCE
Helena:    Tribal Councilman ..... Law enforcement to de-Joe McDonald has been se- termine the areas in which lected by Governor Thomas either tribal or state courts Judge to participate on a have jurisdiction.
task force designed to re- ..... Civil law, including the
solve the jurisdictional pro- credit problems and the role
blems on Montana's seven 0f tribal courts.
Indian Reservations. ..... Land use, including en-
The task force on state vironmental protection, zon-
tribal and federal responsi- ¡ng, developments and hunt-
bilities consists of four In- ¡ng rights.
dians and four non-Indian ..... Water rights, to deter—
members. In addition to Mc- mine who own s water on
Donald, the Indian mem— Indian reservations and whe-
bers include Norman Hoi- ther whites should have the
low of Fort Peck, named right of access for fishing.
co-chairman; Alonzo Spang ..... Education, including fi-
Lame Deer; Joe Day, Wolf nance, Indian representation Point; the four non-Indian Qn the school boards, cur-members are Steve Brown riculum problems, school a lawyer for the Dept. of construction, teacher recruit-Health and Environmental ment, and post high school Sciences; Cene B. Daly, a education. State Supreme Court Jus— The task force will gath-tice; Raymond Patrick Havre, er information such astreat-and Helen M. Peterson, also ¡es, federal regulations, and a co-chairman. state and federal court de-
The task force was auth- cisions to determine who
orized by the 1/75 legisla- has jurisdiction, ture and will r jntinue thru In addition to the main
July 1, 1977. They will in- ta*k force, which will meet
vestigate seve'i jurisdictional quarterly in Helena, and per-
areas which include: iodically on each of theln-
Health, including mental dian reservations, each reser-
health commitment proce- vation will have mini-task
dures and drug and alcohol forces to study problems u-
abuse. nique to each reservation,
Welfare, including social and make suggestions to the
services and unemployment main task force, compensation.
EDUCATION  HOLDS ELECTION
Dixon: The Education Committee held elections of new officers at their September 16th meeting.
Darryl Dupuis was appointed Chairman, Vice-Chairman Roger McClure, and Clarice Sanchez re-elected Secretary.
An Executive Committee was selected to take care of any important business on a short notice basis. The six members appointed to the committee are Darryl Dupuis, Roger McClure, Clarice Sanchez, Nancy Joseph, Gene Sor-rell, and Joe McDonald. Regular members include the a-bove mentioned and Thomas Pablo, Louise Burke, Marjo-rie Bear Don't Walk, Gerald Slater, Stella Morigeau, Karen Fenton and Fred Houle.
Representatives from the Education committee were selected to attend the National Indian Education Association conference being held in Oklahoma City November 5th. They are Clarice Sanchez, Darryl Dupuis, and Thomas Pablo. The alternatives to go
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