Seneca and Cayuga County residents have been caught for years in the middle of tribal power struggle between the federally recognized faction of the Cayuga Indian Nation and the group of self-described “traditionalists,” now the country knows about the Cayuga’s war.
Yesterday, The New York Times front page story had the headline “Raids, Bulldozers, and a Tribe at War With Itself.” The story by reporter Jesse McKinley describes the fight for leadership of the Cayuga Nation in Upstate New York.
The article says “It is a conflict in which homes and property have been destroyed and accusations of thievery and greed swirl.” The article says officials expect more evictions by tribal authorities will happen soon.
A two-sentence statement offered by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs says: “Indian Affairs honors tribal sovereignty and supports tribal self-determination.” The principals of tribal sovereignty limit the BIA’s legal authority to intervene in internal tribal disputes.
