September 22, 2011
At a meeting of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian affairs today, the
commission voted to request the state legislature modify the present casino
legislation. The Commission requested that the legislation allow state
recognized tribes the same rights as federally recognized tribe in the Casino
Bill. The proposed Gaming Bill allows only federally recognized tribes to
negotiate in southeastern Massachusetts for a casino, effectively granting the
rights only to the Mashpee Tribe.
Calling any action by Massachusetts to grant rights to only one tribe as unfair
to the majority of the Indian Natives and Tribes in the Commonwealth, the
Commission on Indian Affairs voted to send a letter to the legislature asking
that the carve-out provision also apply to state recognized tribes. The matter
was brought out in the meeting by the other tribes, and was supported by
Commissioners Dr. Bert Waters and Janice Falcone.
The proposed legislation currently allows a federally recognized tribe time to
obtain land and negotiate with the Commonwealth. The only federally recognized
tribe that appears to have such rights is the Mashpee Tribe. The Mashpees have
for many years attempted to shop for land for a casino, but they have been
continuously challenged that all locations outside of Cape Cod are not their
territorial lands.
The Commission meeting was attended by members of the Affiliated Tribes which
include the Seaconckes, Pokanokets, Pocassets, and Chappaquidicks. The
Affiliated Tribes challenged the Commission on Indian Affairs to act in a manner
that benefits all tribes in the Commonwealth. They claimed that the Commission,
which is dominated by the Mashpee Tribe, only looks out for the Mashpee
interests.
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