| Show Ute Tribe to test law code rights in court With feelings running high on both sides a federal court test testis is ahead for an Indian tribes tribe's attempt to assert jurisdiction over non-Indian non individuals and towns Despite tension and resentment resent ment raised by bj the Issue there Utere have been no major incidents incidents TilE THE AREA AnEA in which the Ute Ute We Tribe wants to apply tribal laws includes the towns of Duchesne Roosevelt Roosevell My Myton ton Neola and Altamont They have a combined com come ined population of about and are surrounded by the 13 million-acre million Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation We will no longer stand Idly by and watch our r resources sources ruined our people humiliated and our competency questioned Tribal Chairman Lester Chapoose has said TilE THE MEMBER 1600 tribe says if state officials can prosecute Indians who violate state laws off the reservation the Ute Utes can prosecute non non- Indians who violate Ute laws on onor onor onor or affecting the reservation A tribal code claiming civil and criminal jurisdiction over all lands including exterior boundaries of the reservation went into effect September 15 15 And Indian tribes in two other oUter states are formulating similar law enforcement plans In Montana the have drafted an ordinance of oC their own own under which they would arrest and prosecute non non- Indians for Cor violations committed com com- committed on their reservation near Glacier National Park So far all the have done is issue two traffic citations Similar efforts have been started in Washington State STATE AND local officials in Utah say the Utes have no jurisdiction in communities which were carved out of oC the reservation years ago under homestead and townsite acts The Indians were paid 32 million for Cor the land in one of oC the first cases to come before beCore the U U.S. U.S. U. U S. S Indian Court of oC Claims after it was established in 1948 We will not tolerate a government by tation State Senator Dan Dennis of oC Roosevelt said referring to the trib tribes tribe's s 's leaders We ar are are guaranteed a representative government by bythe bythe bythe the Fifth Firth Amendment If we have hav to well we'll go Jo to Congress and rand change the law TilE THE TRIBE has not been pressing implementation of oC some of oC the codes code's provisions that are more more objectionable to whites because in the words of oC one tribal Jesman of eel spokesman ff T t ec Co 0 o in times of oC stress An example is the decision at least for the time being not to patrol Roosevelt Duchesne My Myton ton or U. U S. S 40 and make arrests or issue citations But county roads connecting Indian communities are by Indian officers OTHER AREAS in which Indian plans for Cor jurisdiction have raised objections are arrests and prosecution in tribal courts of oC whites or Indians Indians In In- for Cor criminal matters in which Indians are involved aswell as aswell aswell well as trying civil matters that meet similar criteria An ordinance ordinance ordinance or or- in which commercial alcoholic beverage operations would be licensed by the tribe also is expected to become an issue once the tribe completes the ordinance |
