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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2001

Dissident members of the Crow Tribe of Montana took over tribal headquarters in Crow Agency on Monday, vowing to stay until the Department of Interior clarifies who is in charge.

Taking advantage of a nearly empty building, a group of about 100 members, led by ousted Secretary Titon Old Bull Sr., occupied the offices at noon. They were overseen by a group of Bureau of Indian Affairs police officers who had been called to the scene to ensure a peaceful outcome.

The action came as hundreds of other tribal members were participating in what was being called a bold era in Crow government. At the tribe's multi-purpose building, President Clifford Bird in Ground was leading the inauguration of a new Crow Legislature and new members of the executive and judicial branches.

It is precisely those changes that caused the take-over, said Old Bull. Along with other opposition leaders, he called the occupation a last-ditch attempt to stem off recognition of modifications made to the tribe's 53-year-old constitution.

Chief among the changes is the creation of a lawmaking body, composed of 18 representatives from various reservation districts. But since it replaces the traditional council, on which every adult member had a vote, the opposition says it limits the true voice of the tribe.

Additionally, the new constitution expanded term limits of the executive branch from two years to four. The Bird in Ground administration would have been forced to seek re-election next year but are now in office until 2004, an extension considered unfair by the opposition.

Despite the dissent, a majority of Crow voters had approved the reforms, the first made since 1946. The July vote was 660 to 449 and was followed by an October election for the Legislature.

Nevertheless, an equally large number of tribal members called the tribal council back to order, also in October. A reported 700 attended the meeting, during which they suspended the Bird in Ground administration and put themselves in charge.

Now left to sort out the mess is the federal government. An Interior spokesperson wasn't sure if the altered constitution had been approved by the Secretary, although Bird in Ground officials claim it was recognized by a regional BIA agency.

The past couple of years have been a roller coaster of sorts for the Crow Tribe. In spring of 2000, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld the conviction of former chairwoman Clara Nomee, who had benefited personally from a tribal land transaction.

As a result, the long-time leader was voted out of office later that summer. The new administration promised changes to prevent what many felt were abuses of power by Nomee.

Expectations were soon met with disappointment as the tribe laid off employees, slashed wages, suspended agreements and negotiations with other governments and teetered on the verge of bankruptcy. An internal dispute fractured the top leadership when Old Bull was pushed out last fall after complaining about the new course.

Soon after, another battle was fought, this time over the leadership of the Little Big Horn College. It resulted in the ouster of respected president Janine Pease Pretty on Top in December 2000.

At the same time, the Crow Tribe suffered a number of legal setbacks. The tribe's resort and hotel tax, and its utility tax, were overturned by the federal court system in a series of negative decisions.

Get the Constitution:
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS, Of THE CROW TRIBE OF INDIANS CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, CROW AGENCY, MONTANA

More on Crow Crisis:
Background on Recent History (11/27)