SDPR: Oglala Sioux Tribe sues over liquor sales in Whiteclay

Monday, April 2, 2012  

"The sale or possession of liquor is strictly forbidden by the tribal government of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. But there is a tiny town just over the border in Nebraska that does sell alcohol, in massive quantities, and mostly to tribal residents.

And now a longstanding battle over beer sales has spilled into federal court.

Tribal elders are revered in this culture, and 92-year-old Celia Martin greets people who pause to shake her hand in the Oglala Sioux Tribal headquarters. But she's quick to raise her fist in anger over the liquor sales in the nearby town of Whiteclay, Neb.

"Oh, I'm just sick of it, that's all," Martin says. "We've got to do something; we've got to put up a fight to stop it.""

Get the Story:
Tribe sues to keep reservation free of booze (South Dakota Public Radio 4/1)

Related Stories:
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Liquor from Whiteclay invades every aspect of reservation life (3/6)
Letter: Oglala Sioux Tribe should consider a 'wet' reservation (3/5)
Stephanie Woodard: Whiteclay Liquor -- Gold mines in hell (2/22)
Letter: Alcohol sales at Whiteclay nothing short of 'genocide' (2/16)
Lawmakers consider alcohol zone bill amid Whiteclay lawsuit (2/14)
Kevin Abourezk: Legal doubts in Oglala Sioux Whiteclay suit (2/13)
Kevin Abourezk: Oglala Sioux Tribe in $500M Whiteclay case (2/10)
Oglala Sioux Tribe files lawsuit targeting liquor in Whiteclay (2/9)