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Hau Advocates and All Nations;

I call upon you today for your letter of support. We are in A battle with the State and U.S Corps of Engineers for our land and water right the people here on the Yankton Sioux Rez are beaten down from being mislead, lied to, and taken for granted. We are in need of moral support. It would be appreciated if we could get some letters of encouragement and support sent to my e-mail or P.O. Box so that I may read them to my people and they will know that they are not alone and that there really are people who truly care. It will take a lot of time energy and courage to come up against Indian and Non-Indian tyrant who hold our people down.

Here is the preliminary letter we will be sending to Senator Daschle, Senator Johnson, Senator Thune, The Honorable Chuck Hagel, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Senator Daniel K. Inouye, it reads.

We are writing on behalf of the White Swan Oyate, Survivors, Descendants, Relatives, and Supporters. We are a Grassroots based group that formed, because we felt that our voices and rights were not being heard or respected. We also felt we were not being represented as a grassroots group. Our group of Survivors, Descendants, Relatives and Supporters work in an effort with the Tribal Membership as a whole by Surveys, Information Fliers, and Petition Letters. We were sanctioned on 10-10-00, at a regular Business and Claims Committee meeting. A Support Petition and Position Statement by resolution was brought to the B&CC, by Liz Marcellas and Frances Zephier. All funds to support our efforts are taken from our own pockets.

Many of the Survivors have waited 50 years to receive recognition and compensation for their irreplaceable losses. They have endured 50 years of pain and suffering for the loss of their homes, foundations, lands, and community. A community that was close net, where everyone took care of one another, like maybe the community you live in. One lady is in her first stages of alzheimer, said she hopes that she will have one good memory of what has happened to her. Will she have something to pass on to her children, besides memories of a good spirited community. Therefore the Survivors of White Swan Community deserve adequate compensation for their loss of land, homes, belongings, and for a life style that can not be replaced. We would also like procure land along the Lake Francis Case at the White Swan Site, in an amount equal the land taken. We feel that the compensation amount compensate only for the loss of use of the total acres involved. This is in the Position Statement under #5 along with other important issues.

There are a few question the we would liked answered about S.434 Bill: We want to know the status of the Bill? Why the amount changed and reduced from $34. million to $23,023,743. million,for the loss value of 2,851.40 acres of land taken for the Fort Randall Dam and Reservoir of the Pick-Sloan program? According to our figures we are only getting 1/2 a cent an acre. The dollar amount for 50 years, $23,023,743. divide by 50 years equals $460,474.86 per year. Then divide this amount by 12 months and that equals $38,372.91. And last, divide that amount by 7,178 enrolled members of the Yankton Sioux Tribe. That equals $5.35, per person, per year. We ask these questions, so that we may get the facts out to the people. How did you come up with amount of $23,023,743 for compensation?

In closing, we are requesting that The Honorable Chuck Hagel, Senator Johnson, Senator Thune, and Senator Daschle can come meet with White Swan Oyate, Survivors, Descendants, Relative, and Supporters group. Please send response letter to the enclosed list of names.

Please contact us by postal mail, Box 222, Wagner S.D. 57380, or if you need additional information contact the organization by phone, 605-384-5333. or send an e-mail to franceszephier@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,

White Swan Oyate, Surviors, Descendants, Relatives, and Supporters