AKWESASNE, New York (WWNY) – A dispute that dates back centuries might be resolved next month. Some land in St. Lawrence County may become part of the Akwesasne Nation.
A land claim dispute between the Akwesanse Mohawk Nation, New York state and north country counties could soon be over.
Grand Chief Abram Benedict of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne serves as one of the plaintiffs involved in a more than 40-year legal challenge over a dispute that dates back to the beginnings of the United States.
“The claim itself is quite unique. We do have some large parcels of land that were illegally taken from our community including within what we consider the Hogansburg Triangle and some areas in St. Lawrence and Franklin County,” said Benedict.
St. Lawrence County Attorney Stephen Button says the Akwesasne Nation claims a treaty signed in 1795 was not honored by the federal government which resulted in parts of Akwesasne land being taken away.
“They asserted a claim that they were entitled to a proper amount of property, specifically in the Massena, Brasher, Fort Covington, Bombay areas along the St. Lawrence River. The island components in the St. Lawrence River and that was the main thrust of the lawsuit back in 1982,” he said.
Button says the board of legislators agreed to the settlement April 15, ahead of the May 8 deadline put in place by a federal judge in Syracuse.
According to the resolution for all parties involved, certain plots of land located north of the Raquette River within the townships of Massena and Brasher could soon belong to the Akwesasne Nation.
“No one is going to get kicked out of their home. No one is going to slide in there and immediately seize property. Property owned in the specific marked areas by Native members right now, upon full ratification of the agreement, may immediately revert tribally owned land and become part of the reservation or Indian country,” said Button.
Benedict says the claims are important to the Akwesasne community because it provides infrastructure and economic opportunity.
