Photo from OYATE (Ogalala Youth and Tribal Entertainment Media Network)
by Joye Braun / Censored News
In the windy cold of the night Unci Maka warriors from Cheyenne River stood their ground to have Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s megaload law enforced last night March 25, 2014.
It was reported about 6 pm that evening that a megaload was parked at the Cheyenne River Sioux Motel. Several people checked on the load, and at first thought that they would confront the driver the following morning as they knew he was probably in his room and his South Dakota permit wouldn’t allow him to move during the evening hours. However a young warrior Joseph White Eyes saw the truck on his way home from work and told his ride to whip into the parking lot and he decided he would make a stand to watch over the load.
White Eyes called the Cheyenne River Police but at first the police refused to contact the driver or allow anyone else to contact the driver at the motel. The police left and White Eyes was posting updates on the Facebook.
Joye Braun heard about the situation at the motel, and decided she would go and support this young warrior and try and get the megaload off the reservation. She bundled up in blankets and parked herself in front of the truck while White Eyes sat under the bumper of the truck in front of the wheels refusing to move until the truck was escorted off the reservation.
Other members of the tribe started showing up to show their support and also refused to leave until the truck was removed from the reservation.
CRST Council Representative Robin LeBeau showed up to act as a mediator for the group between the truck driver and tribal government. She told Chairman of the tribe and the Vice-chair of the tribe that she was not in charge but just acting as a mediator. The group of protestors asked her to do this, and told her their demands, of removing the truck from reservation boundaries and enforcing our megaload laws.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Keckler was reached and he ordered the police to remove the megaload from reservation boundaries and to have it go back the way it came. The group was happy to see Chairman Keckler step up for the cause against the oil companies and stand up for our tribal sovereignty.
The CRST Police escorted the truck off the reservation with two patrol cars back across the Missouri River at night with lights to warn drivers that this was a dangerous load.
Protestors were happy and akeesha’s and lili’d as the truck left the parking lot
