Tribe Invites Establishment of Regular Meetings
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — Leaders from Muscogee (Creek) Nation were pleased to take part in a short introductory meeting this afternoon with members of Governor Stitt’s Commission on Cooperative Sovereignty. During this call, which the Governor joined briefly, participants discussed some very basic jurisdiction issues in a question and answer format.
“We were happy to share an update on many of the strides we are making to ensure continuity of government in the short term and to begin to educate members of the Governor’s commission on some of the basic legal jurisdictional details. But the reality is that the issues before us are going to require significantly more time and effort than was possible in today’s thirty-minute call,” said Principal Chief David Hill.
Chief Hill continued, “The jurisdictional clarity provided in the Supreme Court’s decision presents a great opportunity to build new systems within the framework of sovereignty that will produce improved public safety and economic prosperity for both Indians and non-Indians throughout Eastern Oklahoma.
We have established the Mvskoke Reservation Protection Commission to look both inwardly at tribal operations but also outwardly to engage other sovereigns to understand ways we can work together to build a better future for everyone. Achieving these paramount objectives, our Commissions will need to regularly engage in substantive conversations to explore the issues in which the state and Creek nation have shared interests.”
To that end, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has formally asked the Governor to establish a series of regular meetings to begin next week.
Hill concluded, “We hope today’s call is just the beginning of a constructive dialogue. Others across the nation and we have long used sovereign to sovereign diplomacy to address many complex issues. There is no issue that cannot be resolved through respectful, informed negotiation and mutually beneficial agreements.”
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