The US Department of Interior says it is not bound by a
Federal court ruling that the Shinnecock Indian Nation
are a federally recognized tribe.
The statement by James Cason, associate deputy
interior secretary, and quoted in Newsday, came in
response to a letter to Secretary of Interior Gale
Norton by Senator Chuck Schumer. Schumer urged the
department to disregard the Court's decision.
In the Federal Court decision of November 7, 2005
judge Thomas Platt of the 2nd circuit ruled that the
Shinnecock did not need Bureau of Indian Affairs recognition.
Judge Platt wrote that since the Federal government
opted out of the case brought by New York State and Southampton
Town,
"one may conclude that the United States is
disclaiming any interest in the question and accepts the status of the
Defendants as an Indian Tribe."
But the Interior department said it's not bound by the
ruling because it is no longer a party in the case.
The Federal recognition process begun in 1978 is
expected to take many years.
The question of whether the Shinnecock can build a
casino on their West Woods property in Hampton Bays
must go to court as ruled by Judge Platt. West Woods
located west of the Shinnecock Canal is not a
contiguous part of the Reservation which is east of
the canal.
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prepared by the East End News Team for WPKN/WPKM local news.
