Russell Means talks about his candidacy on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Per Pine Ridge Tribal Council he must be on the reservation on election day, Jan. 22. He hopes to be in the courthouse in St. Paul on that day, and says his campaign has been threatened with violence by BIA police and the "Goon Squad". He's fearful for campaign workers. He expects a mandate. He's been asked to speak to the UAW on strip mining. The Northern Cheyenne of Montana, facing strip mining on their reservation, have asked for help from AIM. Department of the Interior Solicitor General Ken Frezel says Northern Cheyenne and Indian people will have to sacrifice their land and their resources for the good of the rest of America.
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SPEAKER: The Pioneers Tribal Council has stated that the primary election will take place on January 22. However, they also passed a resolution saying you cannot be a candidate unless you are on the reservation on election day, January 22. At that time, I, of course, will be in courthouse here in St Paul. Another resolution that has been passed is that you have had to be a resident of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for at least a year, of which I qualify for easily.
My campaign on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has been threatened with violence, from not only the Bureau of Indian Affairs police, but the group known as the Goon Squad. And that we are, in fact, fearful for the lives and welfare of our campaign workers on the reservation. I'm confident of receiving-- and I don't want-- at the risk of sounding like someone else in this country, I do expect a mandate from the people of. In fact, I am going around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation saying [CLEARS THROAT] two years. That's two years, two more.
[LAUGHTER]
The Northern Cheyenne of Montana have also contacted us. And their reservation, 2/3 of it is being threatened with strip mining. The United Mine Workers have requested that I speak to their convention. They're having a two-week convention right now in Pittsburgh, just specifically on strip mining. Because it is the position of the United Mine Workers that they are against, their official position is against the efforts that continue strip mining. Because they already know what it has done to West Virginia and various other parts of the country.
The fact that the Northern Cheyenne have requested our assistance already, of course, this time, we've asked them to at least wait until June before they officially request the assistance of the American Indian Movement. Because it's colder in Helena, Montana.
[LAUGHTER]
Ken Frizzell, who's Solicitor General of the Department of Interior, the Department of Interior, of course, is charged with the responsibility of protecting Indian people and their resources. He said, Ken Frizzell said that Northern Cheyenne and the Indian people of this country are going to have to sacrifice their land and their resources for the good of the rest of America. And he's the Solicitor General charged with that responsibility for protecting us.