Klamath Basin Water Crisis Upholding Americans

http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2003/11/05/news/top_stories/top03.txt

Tribes' meetings to give answers

published November 5, 2003

By DYLAN DARLING

The Klamath Tribes have scheduled a series of public meetings to discuss their effort to regain a portion of their reservation that was abolished by the federal government in 1954.

Anna Bennett, a member of the Tribes' land and water negotiations working team, said the Tribes want to answer questions and address people's concerns about the issue.

She said the meetings, to be held in Klamath County and other parts of Oregon, will help people understand what the tribes want to do with the lands.

She said the Tribes want to restore the land and help the people in the Klamath Basin.

"When you heal the land, you heal the people," she said.

Bennett said she has heard concern from the public about access on a new reservation.

"We want to assure the public that the Tribes have agreed to public access," she said.

She said many other issues will be addressed at the meetings.

The Tribes' working team was set up last Dec. 7 and has been meeting two times a week since, Bennett said. It is made up of past and present tribal chairmen, the executive committee and five Tribes members who were voted in by the general membership.

Meetings have been scheduled in Beatty, Chiloquin and Klamath Falls. The Tribes also intend to hold meetings in Portland, Salem, Eugene and Medford.

Kathy Hill, a member of the working team, said many members of the Tribes in various parts of the state.

"And they want to come home," she said.

She said many moved away after the termination of the Tribes and abolishment of the reservation in 1954.

Following is a list of public meetings scheduled so far:

Nov. 10 - Beatty, Community Center, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Nov. 12 - Chiloquin, Tribes Administration Building Auditorium, 6 p.m.

Dec. 13 - Klamath Falls, Mabel Liskey Henzel Pavilion, 2200 Eldorado Blvd., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.