U.S. asked to halt Shoshone cattle auction

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2002

The Organization of American States has urged the United States to cancel today's auction of cattle seized from two Western Shoshone sisters.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) request will probably be ignored by the Bureau of Land Management. "OAS has no jurisdiction on this matter," a BLM spokesperson told the Associated Press.

The BLM seized 227 head of cattle from Mary and Carrie Dann. The sisters refuse to pay grazing fees because they claim unextinguished aboriginal rights to the land.

The IACHR released a preliminary report concluding the sisters' human rights have been violated. The U.S. in a scathing response disputed the charges.

Get the Story:
Panel in Fight Over Tribal Rights (AP 10/3)

Relevant Documents:
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Report | Cover Letter | Summary of Conclusions

Relevant Links:
Dann Cattle Auction - http://www.nv.blm.gov/danns/danns.htm