The petition
We, the undersigned, demand that the United States Congress immediately commence an investigation into the acts and actions of the leaders of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, including the leaders and Council of the Delaware Indians in the Cherokee Nation, who are acting against the will of their constituents illegally we believe.
We also demand, without equivocation, that the United States government, on behalf of the Cherokee people, Including the Delaware Cherokee Citizens, protects the rights of all Citizens of the Cherokee Nation as mandated by treaty and the 1867 Agreement of the Delaware and Cherokee.
Many Cherokee support the efforts for independence Of the Delaware Indians from the Cherokee Nation. Many of us have long supported the efforts of tribal government to forge an agreement between The Delaware and the government of the whole Cherokee people. However, in this instance, many of us find the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the proposed recognition legislation to be so objectionable that we intend to fight against it.
We truly believe the MOU and proposed legislation to be nothing more than an enslavement of the Delaware government to the Cherokee Nation. The legislation further provides for Congressional recognition of the 1999 Constitution of the Cherokee, which to date, has not been approved by the federal authorities. We are further alarmed by wording in the proposed bill which would give all jurisdictional authority to the Cherokee Nation, completely nullifying the federal charter and rights of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (UKB).
There are also issues related to the Shawnee and Freedmen which require closer inspection. There are four reasons Chad Smith is rushing this piece of legislation to Congress. First, he wants to obtain federal recognition of the 1999 Constitution of the Cherokee. Second, he wants to crush the life out of the UKB. Third, he wants to keep absolute control of the Delaware tribe, giving them a veneer of independence, while retaining control of funds and lands earmarked for the Delaware people. And fourth, he wants to get the Delaware people out of the Cherokee Nation voting pool before the June 07 elections.
Smith has people trying to bring forth a special election to vote out the Freedmen before the 07 elections. With the Freedmen gone, the UKB members (1/4+ blood quantum Cherokees) unable to vote and the Delaware’s forced to relinquish their Cherokee Nation voting rights, Smith will have fewer opponents in his illegal bid for a third term as principal chief.
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