Last month the Rapid City Journal ran a news article with the headline, "Lawsuit would let Sioux take money for Black Hills." The Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a duly elected federally recognized Indian Nation, authorized to make its own laws and be governed by them, passed Tribal Council Resolution No. 2008-81. The legislation 2008-81 states the RST has not authorized, approved, or consented to any lawsuit filed by individuals to seek the Black Hills Settlement funds.

Rosebud has consistently held the position through the enactment of numerous resolutions and motions opposing the acceptance of Black Hills settlement funds in return for the extinguishment of the Sioux Nation's claim for the return of lands in the Black Hills. The RST opposes the class action lawsuit, Kenneth G. Different Horse v. Kenneth L. Salazar, Sec. of the Interior, in the United States District Court of South Dakota.

The RST is a duly authorized Sioux Tribal Nation and any lawsuits should not go forward without the approval and consent of the RST and other Tribal Nations making up the Great Sioux Nation. The RST has authorized funds for legal services to file the appropriate opposition to the lawsuit on behalf of the Tribe.

The attorneys filing the lawsuit made several statements in the Rapid City Journal news article. The award for the wrongful taking of the Black Hills and ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court in United States v. Sioux Nation, was made by the US Indian Claims Commission. The tribal nations of the Sioux Nation understand the courts do not have jurisdiction to "give back the land."

The US Congress has the authority to return surplus Indian lands within the Black Hills. The Sioux Nation member Tribes do not seek return of all the Black Hills, only lands in federal ownership. Wanda L. Howey-Fox, attorney filing the lawsuit, is quoted in the article stating, "The only remedy available for the loss of the Black Hills is money." Her statement is wrong. In addition she will never understand why we are opposed to the acceptance of this money.

To accept this money goes against what our ancestors have fought and died for. Congress can provide a remedy including a return of lands owned by the federal government. Accepting the monetary award for the Black Hills will forever extinguish the claim of the Sioux Nation to the return of any land in the Black Hills. The RST will never support accepting the Black Hills settlement funds.

The attorneys filing the lawsuit do not represent the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. They claim they have the support of "about 5,000 tribal members" to their lawsuit, who they refuse to name, making a vague claim they fear "retribution." The attorneys have attempted to legitimize their lawsuit by making up exaggerated boasts of widespread tribal support. There is no silent majority supporting the accepting the Black Hills settlement money, only a few individuals and their attorneys motivated by avarice and greed.

"Rosebud has opposed and will continue to oppose accepting the funds awarded for the unlawful taking of the Black Hills," stated President Rodney Bordeaux.

Oglala Lakota President Theresa Two Bulls agrees with Bordeaux.

"Our elders need to think about talking to our young people to educate them on the significance of the Black Hills," stated Two Bulls. It would also be helpful if the "Treaty Council issued a statement on the Black Hills, to urge people not to think in terms of just the money. "Money is the root of all evil."