Oglala Sioux Tribe withdraws from two national advocacy organizations

The Oglala Sioux Tribe has withdrawn from the National Congress of American Indians and the Coalition of Large Tribes, saying the groups no longer represent its interests, according to ICT. In a statement, Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said NCAI’s voting structure does not equitably account for the tribe’s population size and has resulted in advocacy that favors self-governance tribes over direct-service tribes. He said the tribe’s concerns about NCAI’s policy positions led to the decision to revoke its membership.

NCAI President Mark Macarro told ICT he was disappointed but said the organization respects the tribe’s decision. He acknowledged inequities in NCAI’s voting tiers and said constitutional reform may be needed. Star Comes Out said the tribe also left the Coalition of Large Tribes because of concerns about communication and messaging he said aligned too closely with the Trump administration. COLT Executive Director OJ Semans told ICT the coalition works with every administration to advocate for its members and cited recent efforts involving Indian Health Service employees.