Coalition of Major Tribes Formally Rejects Pala Compact

13 May 1998

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION, Calif. -- In the face of almost certain enforcement action by federal authorities against their gaming devices, a coalition of tribal governments have banded together to declare their opposition to the proposed Wilson/Pala compact.

Tribal leaders said their decision was unanimous not to sign compacts similar to the Pala deal or to accept any of the options issued by the U.S. Attorney's office.

"The attempt by the governor and U.S. Attorneys to shut down our existing gaming is illegal and shameful," said Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN) Chairwoman and San Manuel tribal member Lynn LeRoy. "Whenever the government wanted to take away something from the Indians, they always called it legal. Times haven't changed."

Representatives from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Soboba Band of Mission Indians, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and the Chemehuevi Tribe issued their statement in a demonstration of solidarity.

The gaming tribes have been joined by ten non-gaming tribes that have also declared their opposition to the Wilson/Pala compact. These tribes include the Jamul Band of Mission Indians, the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, the La Posta Band of Mission Indians, Los Coyotes Band of Mission Indians, Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians, Pauma Band of Mission Indians, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Indians and the Ewiiaappaayp Band of Mission Indians.

"Today marks a day when the federal government would turn its back on Indian self-sufficiency and sees us return to welfare dependency, said LeRoy. "Fifteen years ago today, President Reagan proclaimed May 13th American Indian Day."

The 1983 declaration reconfirmed the federal government's commitment "to foster and encourage tribal self-government." Reagan pledged the elimination of "excessive federal regulation and government intervention which... stifled local decision-making, thwarted Indian control of Indian resources and promoted dependence over self-sufficiency." He also urged that "tribes--not the Federal government—will chart the path of their own development." And he advocated "taking a flexible approach which recognizes the diversity among tribes and the right of each tribe to set its own priorities and goals."

"I will go to jail before I will let my tribe go back to poverty, to welfare checks, commodities food and handouts, back to despair and hopelessness," said Morongo Band of Mission Indians tribal chairwoman Mary Ann Martin Andreas. "We have taken every measure to be law-abiding but we will not abandon our hope for economic survival. Gaming tribes deserve compact negotiations without the threat of closure of their existing gaming."

The TASIN tribes employ nearly 5,000 people in their gaming facilities. Of California's 106 Indian tribes, about 30 have utilized gaming as an economic development tool that presently employs more than 15,000 people.

"If Minnesota, Connecticut, New Mexico, Washington and twenty-four other states have been able to develop compacts that were win-wins for the people of those states as well as the tribes, why can't California?," asked Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians tribal chairman Mark Macarro.

"History shows that California's first citizens were hunted down and the state paid bounty for their bodies. Their land and natural resources were taken from them. California's Indians have been made the poorest of the poor and now they want to make us criminals for the crime of free enterprise and getting off welfare with gaming," said Agua Caliente tribal chairman Richard Milanovich. "The TASIN tribes will continue forward to use every legal, legislative and political option to protect what is most important to us—our sovereignty. Our sovereignty is not for sale."

On the legal front, California gaming tribes received encouraging news from a state superior court judge who has directed Governor Wilson to refrain fromtaking any action on the Pala compact or show cause in a hearing on June 25th as to why the court should not find in favor of the tribes.