A member of the Yakama Nation of Washington sued the federal government in hopes of enforcing a ban on liquor on the reservation.
In 2001, the tribe passed an ordinance banning liquor. The 1855 treaty also bars alcohol on the 1.2-million acre reservation.
Marlene White says the federal government must enforce the law. It would affect more than 40 businesses, including those operated by non-Indians who say the tribe has no jurisdiction over them.
Alcohol is a problem on the reservation, White says. Of the 11 accident deaths in 2006, six were due to alcohol, according to the Washington State Patrol. In 2005, eight out of 13 deaths were alcohol related. A 79-year-old council member faces removal for repeated DUI arrests.
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