Seki to remain Red Lake chairman; community listening session planned

RED LAKE — Red Lake Chairman Darrell Seki Sr. is reiterating he will not retire or step down in an official statement on Monday, Oct. 19, after contradictory statements by the Tribal Council over the weekend.

The conflicting information came after revelations about Red Lake Nation’s child welfare program alleging years-long failures to protect kids from harm.

Red Lake’s band members are invited to a community listening session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Oshkiimaajitahdah Center in Redby. Members of the media are explicitly prohibited.

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Minnesota Star Tribune and others reported on the contents of a Bureau of Indian Affairs letter that preceded a federal raid at the Ombimindwaa building in September. The BIA reassumed control of Red Lake’s program shortly after.

The letter described at least 22 instances of children being placed in unsafe homes under the leadership of child welfare staff, alleging that eight children died from neglect and abuse since 2019.

It also charged Ombimindwaa with reporting inaccurate health data, not disclosing abuse and neglect reports with law enforcement, refusing to comply with requests for documents, as well as having “employed a convicted sex offender and several convicted murderers and numerous convicted felons.”

On Friday, Little Rock District Rep. Thomas Barrett — followed by the full Red Lake Tribal Council — announced that Seki agreed to retire in a statement. Seki posted on his Facebook page that he had no intention of doing so and has since followed up with a more formal statement.

“Our Nation is going through a difficult time and our members are looking for steady leadership,” Seki wrote in his Monday statement. “We owe you, our membership, a council that stands united in purpose.”

Seki was first sworn in as chairman in 2014 and recently won a run-off election for a fourth term in July.

A separate release dated Saturday from the desk of Red Lake’s newly elected Tribal Secretary Rob May stated the information from the letter has raised some serious concerns.

“We recognize the grief these families continue to carry and the importance of honoring their loved ones with compassion, dignity and respect,” it stated. “We also recognize the fear and uncertainty surrounding federal involvement in our child welfare system.”

The release states the band is conducting an internal review as “certain information and characterizations contained in the letter remain disputed.” The Tribal Council has stated it intends to appeal the BIA’s takeover.