Indians Continue Occupation of BIA
Indians Continue Occupation of BIA
Most of a group of 400 protesting Indians, who vowed to remain in the Bureau of Indian Affairs until their demands for "self-determination" are met, continued their second day of occupation of the building early today.
However, about 100 women and children left about 10 p.m. after U.S. marshals served a temporary restraining order, obtained in District Court, that directed the removal of the Indians.
Marshals instructed protestors to go to the Department of Interior Auditorium when they left the BIA.
After deciding that the women and children should be evacuated the remaining protesters voted to stay in the building and began making preparations to defend it against any possible assault.
At 1:30 a.m. talks broke off between marshals and the protesters, who refused offers to stay at the Interdepartmental Auditorium. However, Interior Department officials had said earlier that in such a case, formal contempt proceedings would be held before any attempt at forcible eviction.
Earlier yesterday, while the restraining order was being issued, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Louis R. Bruce, apparently unaware of the legal action, was negotiationg with Indian leaders to insure their safe stay in the building.
Assistant Interior Secretary Harrison Loesch said that the order by Judge John H. Pratt was precipitated by "the failure of this group to adhere to their announced intentions of peaceful petition." Loesch said the order had the backing of a number of "responsible and elected" Indian leaders.
In another court action yesterday, District Court Judge Howard Corcoran upheld a Department of the Army ruling that the Indians could not conduct memorial services today in Arlington National Cemetery. The Indians vowed to defy the order.
At 6 p.m. yesterday, the Indians, who had loosened their grip on the building earlier in the day and removed barricades erected Thursday night, again blocked off all entrances and ordered all security guards out.
The mood last night contrasted sharply with the relaxed atmosphere earlier in the day, when the Indians had prepared to abandon the building and move to the General Services Administration's Departmental Auditorium blocks away.
The GSA had offered the use of the auditorium day and night, but when the first Indians arrived at the building at Constitution Avenue and 13th Street, they found the doors locked.
Charging that they had been "ambushed," the Indian leaders rejoined some 300 others who had remained at the BIA building cleaning up and removing barricades, and announced they would remain there indefinitely.
A GSA spokesman said the auditorium had remained locked up because its use had been offered contingent on the "peaceful and complete" evacuation of the BIA building.
Indian spokesmen denied ever making such an agreement, and charged that the GSA was "plotting" to lock them out of both buildings.
"I smell a rat," said Russell Means, a coordinator of the "Trail of Broken Treaties" caravan that began arriving in Washington Monday for a week of "peaceful" demonstrations to dramatize the needs of Indian people.
"They want assurance that we won't occupy both places, but we want assurances that we won't be left out," he said.
The Indians milled around the BIA building most of the day yesterday while their leaders negotiated with Bruce--who later endorsed some of their demands--and sought help from area groups and citizens.
As word of the court restraining order spread, they again locked all doors and instituted an elaborate security system that included ordering all women to the building's upper floors.
By 7 p.m. yesterday, most telephones in the building, except for a handful of pay phones, were cut off.
Indian leaders insisted they would not leave the BIA building until their demands were met. They included:
- That the White House make a "firm commitment" to back 20 proposals ranging from the abolition of the BIA to stricter adherence to existing treaties.
- The firing of Assistant Secretary of Interior Harrison Loesch; Deputy BIA Commissioner John Crow and National Council on Indian Opportunity Director Robert Robertson.
- Return of "all bones and artifacts of our ancestors" to Indian people for reburial.
- Inclusion of "urban and landless Indians" in services provided for treaty Indians.
About 300 Indians remained in the building overnight, most of them sleeping wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags in upper floors, hallways and offices. A few stood guard at windows and entrances.
BIA commissioner Bruce was one of a handful who reported to work yesterday morning. Most employees were told by their superiors to take the day off.
The building manager Conrad E. Broadt, said a "conservative estimate" of the damage made to equipment and furniture during the takeover was $250,000.
At a morning press conference, "Trail" spokesman Russell Means, said his group was "not satisified" with a tentative agreement reached with White House and Department of Interior officials late Thursday.
White House Representative Brad Peterson had agreed to interview the group's 20-point demands and reply in writing "within 45 to 60 days," Means said.
"I'm not satisfied, but the doors are opening that heretofore were closed to us, and that's the best we can expect from the U.S. government," he said.
But, when a group of Indians reached the Departmental Auditorium, which Means and other group leaders had said would be open for the remainder of their stay, they found the building's doors locked.
The Indians reconvened at the BIA building, which by noon had been nearly vacated, and began a series of meetings with Bruce and other BIA officials.
By midafternoon, Bruce had agreed to back most of the Indian demands, and the Indian leaders said they would remain in the BIA building until the demands were met.
"This is not a blockade, it is not an occupation," declared Verlon Bellecourt, National Director of the American Indian Movement and one of the "Trails" coordinators.
He said his group would "try to let the BIA function in as near to normalcy as possible when they come back Monday."
In an emotional afternoon meeting for some 400 Indians in the building, Bruce made his first appearance since the demonstrators began arriving in town Monday. His pledge for support of the Indian pledges was warmly received by the crowd.