Monday, September 23, 2013

306 Members of the Nooksack Indian Tribe in Washington State Face Disenrollment

This sounds all too familiar...

Nooksack 306 plan Seattle rally
September 19, 2013
by JOHN STARK
The Bellingham Herald

Nooksack Indian Tribe members threatened with expulsion from the tribe have scheduled a protest march and rally in Seattle Friday, Sept. 20.

Those who support tribal Chairman Bob Kelly and the expulsion process had planned their own rally near the tribe's Deming headquarters about the same time. But an event organizer tells me they have decided to cancel it and focus on the Nooksack Days cultural events that also get under way on Friday.

Those facing expulsion say they will rally with their supporters in Occidental Park, South Main Street and Occidental Avenue S.  at 11 a.m. At 11:45, they plan to march to the Norton Building, 801 Second Ave., for a noon rally there.

A law firm that is defending the expulsion process on behalf of Kelly and his tribal council backers has its office in the Norton Building.

A total of 306 members of the 2,000-member Whatcom County-based tribe are facing loss of tribal membership and the housing and medical benefits and fishing rights that go with it. Kelly and his supporters argue that the 306 were mistakenly granted tribal membership in the 1980s, and their removal would correct that mistake.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE - Nooksack 306 plan Seattle rally

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/09/19/3212992/both-nooksack-tribal-factions.html#storylink=cpy