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""We are who we are because our nation survived here.
It is written on our earth."
- Bernice Lalo, Western Shoshone elder
Press Release – For Immediate Release
September 3, 2004
California Rancher Pleads Guilty to Western Shoshone Horses’ Abuse and Grand
Theft
Crescent Valley, NV. On September 2, 2004, the California Rancher, Slick Gardner,
who took Western Shoshone horses rounded up by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management
from Western Shoshone grandmothers Mary and Carrie Dann pled guilty to grand theft
and felony animal abuse. The sentencing hearing will be held Oct. 6 before Judge
Arthur Garcia in Santa Barbara County. The Western Shoshone horses are being removed
to safety under the care of the non-profit organization, Wildhorses in Need. Other
horses received by Mr. Gardner through State and Federal programs/roundups are
also being removed according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s
office.
The guilty pleas and removal of the horses ends a nearly two year long ordeal
initiated by federal actions under the Bush Administration in an apparent attempt
to silence treaty and land rights assertions being made by the Western Shoshone
Nation to millions of acres of land throughout Central Nevada, parts of Idaho,
Utah and California. The U.S. claims the land to be “public” land
and has been conducting military style seizures and ongoing surveillance of both
Shoshone and non-Indian ranchers.
The Western Shoshone have been engaged in a decades long dispute asserting their
rights to the land base under the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley and their ancestral
connections to the land which they continue to use and occupy. The land base,
sacred to the Western Shoshone, is also the third largest gold producing area
in the world and temporary home to nomadic multinational mining interests including
Barrick, Newmont, Placer Dome and Kennecott. The seizures of Western Shoshone
animals began occurring just six months after Interior officials, Stephen Griles
and William Myers – both closely tied to mining interests – met to
discuss the Western Shoshone “situation”.
Upon news of the guilty pleas, Western Shoshone grandmother Carrie Dann stated:
“It’s about time. But also, there are still doubts in my mind as to
the working of the BLM and the State of Nevada with this kind of person. He represented
to us his close relationship with both government units and his prior dealings
with them in what he claimed as a wild horse sanctuary. It’s good that he
admitted to the wrongdoing, now it’s time the U.S. admit to its own wrongdoing
with regard to its treatment of the Western Shoshone Nation, its people and all
living things on this land. The horses were doing just fine out here living free
on the range, they would have never been in this bad situation in the first place
if the United States government had acted honorably and in compliance with its
own laws.”
Despite the recent passage of a forced legislative measure claiming to payoff
the Western Shoshone for a portion of the land base, the Nation maintains its
firm position on the title issue. “The federal government cannot unilaterally
sell out a Nation’s homeland. We are still here and we will continue to
assert our rights by way of our ancestors and under the Treaty of Ruby Valley.
Our connection with the land was given to us by the Creator, not the U.S. –
the U.S. cannot take what it did not give. We will use our rights to protect the
land. Our title is still intact – we repeat: Western Shoshone Land is Not
For Sale.” Stated Raymond Yowell, Chief of the Western Shoshone National
Council.
Western Shoshone Defense Project
P.O. Box 211308
Crescent Valley, NV 89821
(775) 468-0230
Fax: (775) 468-0237
www.wsdp.org <http://www.wsdp.org>
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