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AIM leadlt;last ditchBy JERRY MURSENKRDES MOINES (UPI) — National Indian Leader Dennis Banks today submitted a single demand to Gov. Robert I). Ray in a ‘‘last ditch appeal” for peaceful settlement of a continuing controversy between American Indian Movement (AIM) members and state officials.Banks, national AIM director was scheduled to meet with the governor for 60 minutes today and virtually scrapped a list of 12 specific demands which the local and regional Indian leaders presented to Ray last week during a heated session.The single demand, endorsed Thursday by members of the Des Moines American Indian Development Center, called upon Ray to take “immediate action” to establish an American Indian Affairs Commission to investigate all Indian-oriented complaints in the state.He said the 12 demands—focusing primarily on alleged discrimination against Indians in the Iowa judicial and penal systems — would come under the jurisdiction of the new commission. Banks said Thursday night the commission’s primary responsibility would be “to act in all affairs dealing with native Indians.”The commission would be charged with assuring fair treatment of Indians in “all aspects of life,” take action to meet the housing and educational needs of the state's Indianpopulation and review treatment of Indians in the Iowa penal institutions.Another goal would be “investigation of harassment and threats to the life and property of the native American.”Under the proposal, the governor was requested to appoint the commission from a list prepared by the development center directors and Banks said he was attempting to secure 75 percent Indian membership on the state board.Banks said Thursday night he was optimistic about the commission concept and told 60 persons gathered for a special public meeting that the proposal leaves the doormakesappeaiopen for him lt;Ray) to do all sorts of things. I don't think he’ll reject it.The AIM leader reaffirmed his pledge to seek a peaceful settlement, but added that the national organization was “committed to support” the local chapter members who staged an armed occupation of the Grimes State Office Building here Wednesday.Ten Indians were arrested after the two and a half hour seige when state officials threatened a showdown to remove the AIM members from the building. Banks said the Indians have “received a lot of criticism for what they did, but people should seriously question the cause and frustrationsthat lead up to it.”Earlier in the day, the AIM director urged Iowa Indians to carry arms because of the forceful action taken by the law officers to arrest the protesters on a misdemeanor charge of “disturbing the public peace and quiet.”“I have come into a state where the highway patrolmen are ready to kill for disturbing the peace,” said Banks. “I want to make sure every Indian is armed when they come to Iowa.In addition, Banks said Indian problems exist in several Iowa communities, including Des Moines, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids and the Mesquakie Indian settlement near Tama. The Tama area, he said, has “always had bad Indian-white relations. It's worse than in Rapid City (S.D.) and that’s bad.”Banks said, however, that he discounted the possibility of a major confrontation similar to the 71-day encampment atWounded Knee earlier this year. “The only way we would commit ourselves to come to Iowa was if there was an act of violence against the Indian person. We wouldn’t commit ourselves to come to Iowa under the conditions that exist at this point.”He said there is “misunderstanding in Iowa, but it is not a major problem except for the orders given by authorities during the occupation. I don’t know how much force may be needed, but we will try to reach a peaceful solution.”
Newspaper Details
Ames Daily Tribune
Ames, Iowa, US
Fri, Aug 24, 1973
Page 6
Full Page
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IA, USA 18 Apr 2019
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