"The Shinnecock tribe of New York has filed a lawsuit seeking thousands of acres in the pricey neighborhoods of eastern Long Island. For the folks of Eastern Connecticut, the sense of deja vu is understandable, but what's happening on Long Island should not be a repeat of what happened here in the early 1980s.

The Shinnecocks in 2003 broke ground to build a casino on their 800-acre reservation in Southhampton, but lack of federal recognition put the brakes on that plan. Now the Shinnecocks have filed suit seeking ownership of 3,600 acres in the Hamptons which they claim was stolen by the state in 1859. They also want back rent and interest dating to that year.

The Shinnecocks, however, are not insisting that property owners leave town. If the State of New York ponies up $1.709 billion, the home owners can stay. While this puts New York on the spot, what is needed is meaningful intervention by a legitimate Bureau of Indian Affairs."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Shinnecocks can't squeeze land owners (The Norwich Bulletin 6/17)

Relevant Links:
Shinnecock Nation - http://www.shinnecocknation.com

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Shinnecock Nation cites fraud in theft of land (6/14)
Shinnecock Nation to file billion-dollar land claim (6/13)
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Editorial: Shinnecock Nation deserves an answer (04/02)
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Hearing used to air complaints about tribal recognition (04/01)
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Judge to have 'final word' on Shinnecock recognition (01/28)
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Shinnecock leaders compare opposition to genocide (1/22)
BIA wants Shinnecocks to wait a decade for status (12/18)
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