The Aftermath of the Trail of Broken Treaties: The National Congress of American Indians Responds

"The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the largest and oldest national Indian organization in the United States. It was founded in 1944 and serves as the primary lobby for Indian interests in Washington, D.C. The NCAI does not condone violence or destruction, but it does support many of the issues that the Trail of Broken Treaties was designed to bring attention to. During the recent disruptions caused by the Trail of Broken Treaties march, the NCAI attempted to mediate between the demonstrators and the government agencies involved, but these efforts failed due to the apathy of the government officials. The NCAI did agree to serve as a conduit for government funds that were to be used to pay for the demonstrators' transportation home, but only after receiving assurances that these funds would not be taken from existing or future Indian programs. The NCAI believes that the federal government failed to adequately prepare for the potential disruptions caused by the march."