CPTnet
July 7, 2003
ONEIDA, NY: Shenandoah home inspected; traditional Oneida fear imminent
demolition

by Cliff Kindy

On Wednesday at 4:15 Sonny Falcon called to say that the police from Oneida
Nation, Inc. had just inspected the home that he and Maisie Shenandoah have
lived in for over thirty years on the 32-acre Oneida territory. Their home
was the last on the 32 acres to be inspected. In the past two years
fourteen of fifteen homes inspected have been demolished because of the
"beautification" program instituted by Oneida Nation, Inc. CEO, Ray
Halbritter, and the Men's Council he appointed.

CPT came as a monitoring presence about sixteen months ago at the
invitation of the traditional families living on the tract. The
traditionally-governed Oneida, part of the Six Nation Iroquois Confederacy,
do not recognize the incorporated structure nor Ray Halbritter's
leadership, nor do the Council of Chiefs of the Iroquois Confederacy. Those
corporate entities were recognized, however, by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs as Oneida representatives.

The last homes started getting inspections three weeks ago and CPT has been
on the site for two weeks. This week, the families expect an effort on
Halbritter's part to call them into court and perhaps start the
demolitions. CPT has been developing a local response team. There is
support behind the scenes, but the hazards of speaking out have
kept Oneida and other local people in the background, unwilling to assume
the visibility required for a viable accompaniment presence. CPT will be
on the territory through this week.

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