Thirty eight years after the siege at Wounded Knee, where American Indians stood up and called out to the US government to give them the civil liberties that they were being deprived of, a new siege has begun.  This siege does not involve guns, or Ghost Dances, or helicopters or tanks.   Again, the proud people of Pine Ridge are taking a stand against abuse, this time the protesters are the elderly.  At the Porcupine Meals for the Elderly Center, over twenty Elders have occupied the building for three weeks, still no Federal or Tribal effort has been made to resolve this issue.

    Lorraine Eagle Elk, 69, mother of four, grandmother of eighteen, and niece of "Grandma AIM", Cecelia Martin, described the events leading up to the occupation.

Mismanagement and greed has led to many elders going hungry, receiving substandard food and even threats of violence.

    91 year old Cecelia Martin, now wheelchair bound, received meals from the Meals on Wheels program.  When she was delivered one of the boxed dinners, there was no bread.  She called down to the center to inquire about the scarce meal.  She was told that only those who came in received bread, and that if she bathed and put on clean clothes, she could come in and eat bread as the others did.  The Grandmother, great Grandmother and wise woman began to cry.

    Weevils in the flour, undercooked food, and tainted meat was the menu for these elders, many of whom have seen over ninety years of civil rights violations against their tribe.

    The building that feeds the many elders of the town of Porcupine was built in 1960.  The rough lumber walls and filthy floors are signs of years of neglect. This is where they have come together for twenty one days. Tuesday night the heater gave out, the propane is gone, and the room is ice cold.  The elders, who have been without the basic comforts, long to go home, but they know that this abuse will continue if they don't remain.

    Nearly all of the brave protesters were present at the mid-seventies Siege at Wounded Knee, a gathering that was brought on by racism, brutal beatings, rapes, and even murders of their fellow tribe members.  Food supply and electricity was cut off from these people that cold winter, as they watched people they loved suffer from hunger, and flu and even death.  Still they remained.

    Now they are old, grandparents, great grandparents, the wise ones.  Some have diabetes, arthritis, and heart conditions, but their spirits are still strong, and unwavering.  These elders stand united against injustice, abuse and neglect, when they should cared for, honored, and revered. Please sign the petition and spread the word to everyone you know.