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El Laberinto, 1971-1987
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11 Means in runoff AIM victory at Pine Ridge Russell Means, one of the leaders of last year's occupation of Wounded Knee won the primary election race Jan. 22 for president of the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dadota. The victory was seen as a clear endorsement of the militant 71 day occupation that brought international attention to the oppressed condition of Native Americans. Means, one of the leaders of the American Indiam Movement currently being tried for the takeover, trounced the corrupt and hated Richard Wilson who presently holds that post. Means's victory while not yet consolidated, was also seen as symbolizing the growing opposition to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 which allowed the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the local white power structure to exercise control over the reservation. A run-off election between Means and Wilson is scheduled for Feb. 7. Means received 667 votes, Wilson received 511 and 10 minor candidates polled an insignificant number of votes. While 11,000 people live on the reservation, the voter turn-out was considered large in comparison to past elections when there was little choice offered the residents. A member of the Wounded Knee Legal Defense-Offense Committee which is defending Indians indicted in the Wounded Knee aftermath remarked, "Means was ahead across the board in all the districts outside Pine Ridge." Pine Ridge, the center of Wilson's power and home of many BIA employees and well-to-do Indians, only gave Wilson a lead of 50 votes over Means. Wilson appointees, notorious for their "goo squad" tactics which have included killings, beatings and raids on AIM supporters, supervised the entire election. Harassment by the appointees was evident the day of the primary but pressure from a number of canidates in the election demanded that poll watchers from the Wounded Knee Defense-Offense Committee be present at all the districts. [photo] Russell Means won tribal election last week. Due to poor weather the poll watchers arrived late on the reservation, after some ballot stuffing took place. A final tally showed 500 more ballots than the number of people signing in to vote. The harrassment will undoubtedly increase as the run-off election day approaches. Hunting rifles and M-16s used during the occupation of Wounded Knee by Wilson's goon squad and BIA police have been taken out of storage. One of Wilson's goons was quoted as having said after the primary election, "We're going to get Means" Means' election to the tribal presidency could bring sweeping changes on the Pine Ridge reservation. He promises a return to a more democratic rule of the reservation and has expressed his intention to change the 1934 Reorganization Act. He plans to hold weekly meetings of the tribal council, made up of representatives from the nine tribal districts, and will concentrate on solving local problems. CONT-
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11 Means in runoff AIM victory at Pine Ridge Russell Means, one of the leaders of last year's occupation of Wounded Knee won the primary election race Jan. 22 for president of the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dadota. The victory was seen as a clear endorsement of the militant 71 day occupation that brought international attention to the oppressed condition of Native Americans. Means, one of the leaders of the American Indiam Movement currently being tried for the takeover, trounced the corrupt and hated Richard Wilson who presently holds that post. Means's victory while not yet consolidated, was also seen as symbolizing the growing opposition to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 which allowed the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the local white power structure to exercise control over the reservation. A run-off election between Means and Wilson is scheduled for Feb. 7. Means received 667 votes, Wilson received 511 and 10 minor candidates polled an insignificant number of votes. While 11,000 people live on the reservation, the voter turn-out was considered large in comparison to past elections when there was little choice offered the residents. A member of the Wounded Knee Legal Defense-Offense Committee which is defending Indians indicted in the Wounded Knee aftermath remarked, "Means was ahead across the board in all the districts outside Pine Ridge." Pine Ridge, the center of Wilson's power and home of many BIA employees and well-to-do Indians, only gave Wilson a lead of 50 votes over Means. Wilson appointees, notorious for their "goo squad" tactics which have included killings, beatings and raids on AIM supporters, supervised the entire election. Harassment by the appointees was evident the day of the primary but pressure from a number of canidates in the election demanded that poll watchers from the Wounded Knee Defense-Offense Committee be present at all the districts. [photo] Russell Means won tribal election last week. Due to poor weather the poll watchers arrived late on the reservation, after some ballot stuffing took place. A final tally showed 500 more ballots than the number of people signing in to vote. The harrassment will undoubtedly increase as the run-off election day approaches. Hunting rifles and M-16s used during the occupation of Wounded Knee by Wilson's goon squad and BIA police have been taken out of storage. One of Wilson's goons was quoted as having said after the primary election, "We're going to get Means" Means' election to the tribal presidency could bring sweeping changes on the Pine Ridge reservation. He promises a return to a more democratic rule of the reservation and has expressed his intention to change the 1934 Reorganization Act. He plans to hold weekly meetings of the tribal council, made up of representatives from the nine tribal districts, and will concentrate on solving local problems. CONT-
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