Post by Okwes on Jan 14, 2006 14:36:28 GMT -5
Tribe in Nevada alleges in lawsuit railroads stole its land
Tribe in Nevada alleges in lawsuit railroads stole its land
(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 11.)
www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=15313
RENO, Nev. -- An American Indian tribe is suing the Union Pacific
Railroad and seven other landholders, claiming the companies stole
land in vast stretches of the west in violation of an 1860s treaty
with the U.S. government.
The civil lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Western Shoshone National
Council, chief Raymond Yowell and six national council members, seeks
a declaration that the Western Shoshone nation holds title to land,
minerals and water in so-called "checkerboard" lands the government
granted to the railroad in the 19th century. It was filed late
Tuesday in a U.S. District Court in Reno by lawyer Robert Hager.
The action seeks "past and future damages for waste and trespass" and
calls for the companies to "disgorge all monies and things of value"
obtained as a result of controlling the lands.
The defendants, in addition to Union Pacific Railroad, are BNSF
Railroad Co., Newmont Gold Co., Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc., Glamis
Gold Inc., Nevada Land Resource Co., Sierra Pacific Power Co. and
Idaho Power Co.
The lawsuit would void the transfer by the United States from 1862 to
1869 of millions of acres of land to the Union Pacific Railroad Co.,
and attempt to recover profits from the sale, exchange, lease,
development and other uses of those lands, Hager said in a statement.
The United States was not named as a defendant, although Hager, on
behalf of the Western Shoshones, has sued to stop the government from
developing a planned nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, 90
miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Hager said the tribe has asked a U.S. District judge in Las Vegas to
reconsider his dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to block the Yucca
project based on the Ruby Valley Treaty of 1863. Judge Philip Pro
ruled last year the federal court in Las Vegas lacked jurisdiction.
Hager said the two actions were related because the Western Shoshone
have never relinquished title to the lands.
Tribe in Nevada alleges in lawsuit railroads stole its land
(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 11.)
www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=15313
RENO, Nev. -- An American Indian tribe is suing the Union Pacific
Railroad and seven other landholders, claiming the companies stole
land in vast stretches of the west in violation of an 1860s treaty
with the U.S. government.
The civil lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Western Shoshone National
Council, chief Raymond Yowell and six national council members, seeks
a declaration that the Western Shoshone nation holds title to land,
minerals and water in so-called "checkerboard" lands the government
granted to the railroad in the 19th century. It was filed late
Tuesday in a U.S. District Court in Reno by lawyer Robert Hager.
The action seeks "past and future damages for waste and trespass" and
calls for the companies to "disgorge all monies and things of value"
obtained as a result of controlling the lands.
The defendants, in addition to Union Pacific Railroad, are BNSF
Railroad Co., Newmont Gold Co., Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc., Glamis
Gold Inc., Nevada Land Resource Co., Sierra Pacific Power Co. and
Idaho Power Co.
The lawsuit would void the transfer by the United States from 1862 to
1869 of millions of acres of land to the Union Pacific Railroad Co.,
and attempt to recover profits from the sale, exchange, lease,
development and other uses of those lands, Hager said in a statement.
The United States was not named as a defendant, although Hager, on
behalf of the Western Shoshones, has sued to stop the government from
developing a planned nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, 90
miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Hager said the tribe has asked a U.S. District judge in Las Vegas to
reconsider his dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to block the Yucca
project based on the Ruby Valley Treaty of 1863. Judge Philip Pro
ruled last year the federal court in Las Vegas lacked jurisdiction.
Hager said the two actions were related because the Western Shoshone
have never relinquished title to the lands.