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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2003

Members of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians of California were meeting on Sunday to consider tribal enrollment criteria as part of an ongoing controversy over attempts to trim 400, whom some say can't show Pechanga lineage, from the tribal rolls.

Chairman Mark Macarro told The Riverside Press-Enterprise in a statement that the matter was a private matter. "What goes on internally at Pechanga is of no business to the white man, enrollment included," the paper quoted him as saying.

But according to the paper, he later called to clarify. "I think what I wrote sounds or looks a little racist, actually, and I'm even surprised by it," he said. He substituted a statement that eliminated the reference to "the white man."

The tribe owns a casino. Each adult member currently receives a $10,000 per capita payment per month, according to the paper.

Get the Story:
Pechanga Indian dispute comes to a head (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 2/23)

Relevant Links:
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians - http://www.pechanga.com