URGENT ACTIONS & REQUESTS
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SIGN PETITION TO 'Recognize
Native American Month In September' !
Please take a moment to read about this important issue,
and join me in signing the
petition. It takes just 30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. Please sign
here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/157208149
Thanks!
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Another very important issue to sign for!!!
And again Thanks!
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Sacred Land Action Alert
Peabody Energy & Office of Surface Mining Collude
to Reopen Black Mesa Strip Mine
A few days before Christmas, the Office of Surface Mining unexpectedly released
a 758-page
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Peabody Energy's Black Mesa Mining
complex.
There is a lot of political pressure from the Salt River Project to reopen the
shuttered
Mohave power plant to provide electricity to Phoenix, and Peabody is trying to
take advan-
tage of this to obtain a "Life-of-Mine" permit to revive their Black Mesa Mine
and restart
the slurry line that we all worked 30 years to shut down. Comment letters are
needed by
February 6. A sample letter and full instructions along with additional
information are below.
New Corporate Responsibility Report!
You can now download our new 80-page report Is Nothing Sacred? Corporate
Responsibility
for the Protection of Native American Sacred Sites, which contains detailed case
studies
on Indian Pass, Weatherman Draw, Medicine Lake, Black Mesa, Zuni Salt Lake and
Cave Rock.
The report was written by economist Lyuba Zarsky, with a foreword by native
activist Winona
LaDuke. It is aimed at corporations, investors, foundations, and activists in
the field of
socially responsible investment and corporate social responsibility. Read
reviews in The
New Standard and Common Dreams.
Six New Sacred Site Reports on our
Website
Check out our six new site reports on the Altai Golden Mountains (Russia),
McArthur River
(Australia), Vilcanota Spiritual Park (Peru), Mecca (Saudi Arabia), Mount Sinai
and the
Monastery of St. Catherine (Egypt) and Dampier Archipelago (Australia).
Additional information regarding
Peabody Energy and Black Mesa:
Peabody Energy and the Office of Surface Mining are planning to reopen the
devastating
Black Mesa Mine Project! The Hopi and Navajo need your help!
The Office of Surface Mining, the federal agency in charge of regulating mining
in the
United States, may allow coal giant Peabody Energy to once again drain the
precious aqui-
fers of Black Mesa in northern Arizona, sacred waters to the Hopi and Navajo and
life-
blood of the region's fragile environment. Your comment letters are needed by
February 6
(see sample letter below).
Details
The Office of Surface Mining (OSM)
has issued a 758-page Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) that assesses the impact of mining on the Coconino and Navajo
Aquifers
on Arizona's Black Mesa, in the heart of the Hopi and Navajo Nations. OSM's
recommen-
dations would pave the way for Peabody to reopen its Black Mesa Mine and with it
the
destructive coal slurry line that had dramatically drained the Navajo Aquifer
for 30
years. What's at stake is a fragile ecosystem in the midst of drought, the
drinking
water for thousands of residents in the growing towns around the Colorado
Plateau,
and the cultural heritage of the Hopi and Navajo peoples.
The Black Mesa Project targets pristine groundwater to slurry coal to the Mohave
Gene-
rating Station - a practice that the community opposed for three decades and
succeeded
in stopping last year. Despite the closure of the air-polluting Mohave power
plant, and
with no viable plans for reopening it, Peabody Energy and Salt River Project are
moving
forward with plans to re-start these destructive practices. This time, Peabody
Energy
and Salt River Project want to tap into the Coconino Aquifer (south of Black
Mesa, be-
tween Flagstaff and Winslow) while also increasing access to the Navajo Aquifer,
so that
they can reopen the controversial coal slurry line from the Black Mesa Mine to
the Mo-
have power plant in Laughlin, Nevada (273 miles to the west).
The Office of Surface Mining fast-tracked public hearings immediately after the
holiday
season in early January (precluding participation by Hopis who were
participating in
winter solstice ceremonies). The EIS public comment deadline is February 6.
Peabody's plan to use the Navajo and Coconino Aquifers to once again slurry coal
to the
Mohave Power Station is "Alternative A" (or most preferred) in OSM's draft EIS.
Peabody's
plan would mean that mining would expand into undeveloped areas, tap further
into the Co-
conino and Navajo Aquifers, and force the relocation of at least 17 Black Mesa
residents
and 55 residents in the Leupp area, south of Black Mesa. The Navajo Aquifer has
already
been devastated, with 7 local springs and several wells down by approximately
30%. If
Alternative A is approved, Peabody could pump up to 6,000 acre feet per year
from the
Navajo Aquifer until 2026, a 33% increase over what they extracted from 1970 to
2005.
Meanwhile, Peabody has not taken the steps mandated by federal law to reduce its
hydro-
logical impact at the Kayenta Mine, another mine it currently operates on Black
Mesa.
Most critically, the OSM is considering issuing a "Life-of-Mine" permit to
Peabody,
which would mean that Peabody could mine coal at Black Mesa until 2026. (The
contro-
versial mine was allowed to operate with a temporary permit for 30 years!) If
the plan
to allow Peabody to restart its Black Mesa Mine goes ahead, the cultural
implications
will be dramatic. The Hopi and Navajo's ability to grow traditional foods and
herbal
medicines, as well as access ceremonial sites and perform rituals, will all be
affec-
ted. Also, the Hopi are now in the most important phase of their ceremonial
calendar,
when the elders have entered the kivas, and so they are outraged that the OSM
has
chosen to release the EIS at a time when the Hopi people are unable to fully
consider
it - and organize to protest it.
The Trustees and Advisors of Black Mesa Trust (BMT) asked that the federal
government
postpone its scheduled hearings on the EIS, but the government went ahead with
the hear-
ings. Activists also wants the OSM to consider a "No Water Alternative" which
would
transition the Mohave Generating Station into a solar thermal plant and the
Black Mesa
Mine into a solar and wind farm. Black Mesa Trust points to Southern California
Edison's
"Mohave Alternatives Study" for evaluation of such an alternative. BMT is
preparing to
file an injunction should the OSM move forward with its recommendations.
Public hearings were held by the OSM through January 11. But, you can still
write in
your comments by e-mail or letter to the OSM before the February 6th deadline.
Cut and
paste the sample letter below or craft your own, and e-mail to
BMKEIS@osmre.gov
or snail
mail your letter to Dennis Winterringer, Leader of the Black Mesa Project EIS,
Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, at the address below. If you e-mail
your
comment, please indicate in the subject line that comments are for the "BMP
Draft EIS
Comments."
Sample letter:
Dennis Winterringer, Leader of the
Black Mesa Project EIS
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Western Regional Coordinating Center
P.O. Box 46667
Denver, CO 80201-6667 USA
RE: BMP Draft EIS Comments
Mr. Winterringer,
I strongly oppose the reopening of the Black Mesa Project and call for the OSM
to deny
Peabody Western Coal Company any permit to operate the project. The use of fresh
groundwater to slurry and wash coal in a time of severe drought, while the
population in the
Southwestern United States is rapidly growing and local farmers are unable to
irrigate
their crops, is morally reprehensible. Further, the BMP would only provide a
short-term
supply of greenhouse gas-emitting, non-renewable energy sources while causing
irreparable
environmental and cultural damage and the relocation of people from their homes.
This is
unacceptable!
I ask that the OSM extend the Draft Black Mesa Project EIS commenting period, so
that
the affected communities may adequately review and understand the proposals of
the EIS.
As the EIS was released without proper notification of the concerned communities
and
during the winter holiday period when many people could not attend public
hearings, it
is appropriate to extend the comment period 50 days.
The OSM needs to update its hydrological model for the N-Aquifer and provide
sufficient
information demonstrating the C-Aquifer is a viable supply of water and that
withdrawals
will not have adverse hydrological or wildlife impacts. It also must do adequate
studies on the
effects of "coal washing" and the causes of land subsidence. The OSM must
also require that
the operating firms, in this case Peabody Western Coal Company and the
Salt River Project,
put up bonds that would pay for any future damage to the land and the
aquifers.
I encourage you to refuse Peabody's mining permit and support Alternative C (No
Action)
and more fully explore the No Water Alternative (transitioning the Mohave
Generating
Station to a solar thermal plant). This would create an opportunity for America
to shift
its energy consumption to renewable and clean energy sources and would protect a
cultu-
rally sacred yet fragile environment for generations to come.
Sincerely,
(sign with your name!)
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Help STOP THE SLAUGHTER of the Yellowstone Buffalo!
Support the Buffalo Field Campaign,
West Yellowstone, Montana, USA
Working in the field every day to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone's wild free
roaming buffalo!!
More wild buffalo have been
slaughtered in America in the past ten years than at
any time in the last century. Capitalizing on the Indian's complete dependence
upon the buffalo, 19th century government leaders launched a campaign to wipe
them out, and in so doing, force the Indians into a sedentary lifestyle more in
line with the prevailing European notions of private property and
"civilization".
MORE INFORMATION HERE: www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
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NATIVES AGAINST MEDIA STEREOTYPES!
OCTOBER - 2005
Hello,
My name is Tom. I'm a Navajo living In Tucson Arizona. I've
received several e-mails from Native newsgroups that I belong to and they're
trying to organize a boycott of CBS sponsors because of the degrading depic-
tion of Native Guatemalans that Survivor put on. Many people I know are
very upset by this.
Natives Against Media Stereotypes (NAMS) needs help getting the word out to
the Native community, so if you could post an announcement in your group of
if you know of any list serves or bulletin boards that reach a lot of
progressive, socially conscious folks - posting their information would be
greatly appreciated. Native America calling may do a show on this topic
next week also.
Their web site is at:
http://www.fightmediastereotypes.bravehost.com
The petition is located at
http://www.petitiononline.com/stopCBS/petition.html
(You don't have to be native to sign the petition)
You can also complain to CBS with the forms they have provided on
their website:
www.cbs.com
Thanks in advance for helping out!
NAMS is also looking for ties to progressive groups in NYC that would
be willing to protest CBS headquarters about racist stereotypes that
the Survivor Guatemala contestants adopted in episode 3. If you know
of any please e-mail them at:
nativesagainstmediastereotypes@redpride.com
(Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/native_truth/)
By Scott Seelye
Aaniin,
(Greetings). I hope this letter finds you and yours in good health and spirits.
As
a previous recipient of support efforts by Amnesty International, London, I was
followed in
a campaign-sense by the offices of: All Nations Forum,London; Society For
Threatened Peoples,
Germany; Euro, Native American Human Rights Organizations and support groups,
KOLA Interna-
tional, Belgium; Nitassinnan, France; Working Circle Indians Today; SOSIA,
Switzerland; The
San Francisco Office of The American Indian Movement, (A.I.M.).
As Indigenous Peoples of the western hemisphere, we enjoy NGO and ESSCO status
within the
United Nations. The late Kawapuna Prejean, Hawaii, addressed the “92-93” session
of the
United Nations, Human Rights Conference, Social and Economic Council. Bringing
to the atten-
tion of the U.N. Delegates, the case of the 70 death penalties facing myself and
13 other
prisoners who, through well documented political and social efforts, attempted
to effectuate
necessary changes against the insufferable and cruel conditions of existence
found within the
death-row and maximum security unit at Montana state prison. And the violations
of the Geneva
Convention, Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Governments of the
United States and
the State of Montana against Native American and other prisoners. Through the
efforts of these
organizations and the decision by The National Death Penalty Committee to
provide expert Attor-
neys for anyone requesting assistant, the extra judicial executions of all 14
prisoners were
halted and a grievous injustice prevented.
It is through this cooperative effort (National and International), in which we,
“The Indian
American Folklore Group, Inc.” seek to bring to an end for our children,
grandchildren and
the future generation of Anishinaabeg Ojibwe and Dakota People’s:
1) The Religious Freedom denials and discrimination’s perpetuated by the State
of Minnesota,
Dept. of Corrections against Native people therein incarcerated. Including the
forced Removal
into Political and Spiritual Exile, of the Board of Directors and Members of
I.A.F.G., Inc.,
to distant states in which we (Ojibwe and Dakota People’s) are not indigenous
to; in which our
languages are not spoken; in which our spiritual practices are not observed.
Although I.A.F.G.,
Ing., is officially sanctioned by the State of Minnesota as a Tax-exempt,
Non-profit Cultural
and Spiritual Organization, the Dept. of Corrections has illegally circumvented
all applicable
law governing our Official Non-profit status, including the Theft of our File
Cabinet, Documents,
Property and the invasion of our most Sacred Ceremonies, as well as the Theft of
our Tax-exempt
Seal and Letterhead. In fact this system wide attack, and the actions of the
D.O.C., have so
disrupted the set goals of our in corporation by-laws, that these activities
border on HATE-
CRIMES perpetuated by the State of Minnesota, Dept. of Corrections. (Note: All
Mn. State law
and privileges are inapplicable beyond Mn. Borders including those enjoyed by
Mn. prisoners)
In the 1950’s as Native prisoners from surrounding (11) reservation’s, we
organized. In the 1960’s,
we exported The American Indian Movement. In the 1970’s, we incorporated and
co-founded with Heart
of The Earth, Survival School, a Prison Program. Graduating 100 % of the 1980’s
we began a 76 day
hungerstrike with the support of AIM and the Survival School, that was brought
to the attention of
the Governor and the Mn. Legislature. In the 1990’s our most sacred sacrement,
TOBACCO, which is
used to communicate with our CREATOR, became the focus of the Dept. of
Correction attempt at a total
ban of Tobacco products in every other week, limiting our communication with our
Creator. (Note:
Bibles are not collected and passed out every other week; Christians ar not told
that they can only
pray once every other week). In 2000, our Sacred Ceremony, SWEAT LODGE ; our
opportunity to
participate ; and the frequency in which we are allowed to attend this activity
is in the forefront
of IAPG, Inc., concerns. If you attend Sweat Lodge this week, the following week
you are told that
you can’t participate. (Note: No one tells any otherfaith that they cannot
attend their worship,
weekly). All prison-behavior is attached to Native Religious Group. Other people
can kill, assault,
rob etc..., each other and are never told that their religious worship is
canceled/shut-down, because
of one or another of their followers behavior.
2 – The rapes of 14-17 years old Native American Females, which have occurred
over a 30 years
period on the Leek Lake Indian Reservation, in the State of Minnesota, by County
of Cass, Deputy
Sheriffs, Jailers, and the Cass Lake City Police and the Tribal Police that had
gone un- investi-
gated or unprosecuted by both State and Federal Authorities. Although the Mn.
Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension and the Federal Bureau of Investigation professed officially to
have attempted to
investigate and prosecute many of these rapes, only (1) recent case resulted in
a short county
jail sentence of a Cass County Sheriff’s deputy. You can log-on at
minnesota.leg.com and witness
the hypocrisy as the current legislature discussed a possible life-long Civil
Commitment for its
pattern sex offenders. BUT NOT: if you are in a position of authority (Cass
Countu Sheriff,
Cass County Jailer, Cass County Investigator, Cass Lake Police or Tribal
Police); if the rapes
occurred on the Leech Lake Reservation ; if the rapes is of an Indian child !!!
The bureau of
Criminal Apprehension “coined” the building where many of the rapes have taken
place, as “THE
SHACK” in its official documens and records. The SHACK is a mere stones-throw
away from the
Cass Lake/Bena Grade School/High School. In B.C.A. documents and victim
statements, “Drugs and
Alcohol” were provided by the Cass Lake Police Chief, Cass Lake Deputy’s and
Tribal Police, to
the underaged females. Further statements revealed that many of those
authorities, nor named as
Rapists, were present and did nothing to stop this abuse by their superiors and
co-workers.
3 – The systematic denial by the State of Minnesota, County of Cass, to have
fair Trial and
Pre-Trial procedures paramount to any unibiased Judicial process, because of
Nationality,
Race, Color, Ethnicity, Language and Economic hardship found within the Leech
lake Nation,
Band of Ojibwe Indian Reservation. Including the Fabrication of Evidence and
Testimony, and
withholding Exculpatory Evidence (Brady material which could set free a
Defedant) by the Ca-
se County Attorney’s Office, Earl Maus and the Sheriff's Investigator, Mike
Diekmann. In (1)
such case. STATE versus SEELYE, it is requested that Amnesty International,
London provide
an independent Polygraph-Expert to administer a Polygraph Test with regards to
the (3) stan-
ding conviction of: 1st degree Arson, 1st degree Burglary; and 2nd degree
Burg-lary. The con-
victions of 1st Degree Arson and 1st degree Burglary, in Theory, were not
supported by Eye-
witness Testimony or Forensic Evidence. A Polygraph examination will prove that
neither,
occurred. The conviction of 2nd Degree Burglary, (Residential) is not supported
by official
records. Five previous burglaries of the same structure reveal that Cass County
Court and
Cass County Attorney’s Office records, as well as Tax-records, define that
structure as
“non-residential”. In blatant contrast with the conviction of 2nd Degree
Burglary. Testi-
mony by Defence witnesses, (Life-long Resident’s of this Reservation town) all
swear, under
oath of penalt, of perjury, that this structure is not a residence, and no one
has resided
there. This Defendant is Falsely Imprisoned and remains so only because he is
impoverished
and without legal representation. Prosecutor Maus listed (23) people who were
supported to
be renter’s of the structure, as an apartment, but would not turnover to the
defence, the
phone numbers or addresses, as Maus knew that these people were really renter’s
of the bu-
siness owners resort cabins. Statements from these (23) people would ultimately
result in New
Evidence and a New Trial for SEELYE. (note: Investigator Diekmann, as a former
Cass lake
City Police Officer, impregnated a 15 year old girl. This illegitimate daughter
is currently
an the Cass Lake City Council). DNA will prove that Diekmann is the biological
father/rapist.
Court affidavit by D. Villier describes Diekmann as, “Dresses in a Cass Lake
City Police
uniform, and driving a Cass Lake City Patrol Car. Using beer and cigarettes as
an inducement,
Diekmann took the 15 year old in his patrol car on numerous occasion". Her
statement was, “I
hope I’m not pregnant!” As Native Americans residing on the Leech Lake
Reservation, a Jury
Trial is not in the equation. Cass County Courts, Prosecutors, Judges, Police
and Defence
Attorney’s (1) have created a vacuum in which all Native Americans find their
way into Prison,
Probation, Restitution, STS etc… Leech Lake Nation has over 11,000
enrolled members, yet
we are given (1) Defence Attorney to handle all criminal matters on the Western
(Cass County)
end of the Reservation, and (1) Defence Attorney to handle criminal matters on
the Eastern
(Itasca County) end of the Reservation. Combined with the personal character of
the autho-
rities involved in the reporting, arrest’s, investigation’s, etc…, and the
recent newspaper
articles (see: www.startribune.com) April 25-27, 2004, and May 2, 2004, focus on
the Cass
Lake, Tract 33/Leech lake Reservation Life and the High Crime Rate found there,
we are
subjected to below Constitutional Standards of Justice. As such, imprisonment
under this HYPO-
CRISY, we are all political prisoners. When the MN. Cass County receives the
least appro=
priation dollars.
We are not asking the Legislature to increase the finances of the criminal's who
serveCass
County. We demand similar actions, such as in the case of a Texas County, where
the Sheriff's
Investigator fabricated evidence and testimony against a large number of Black
Defendant's on
drug charges. Their release from custody, and Judicial Review was forthright.
That Sheriff's
Investigator, FIRED!
URGENT ACTION REQUESTED!!
A) Contact: SENATOR JANE RANUM
120 state Capitol Building
75 Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155 USA
Phone No. [651] 297-8061
and demand that the Government Investigate Independently from D.O.C.
B) Contact: The Mn. Governor Tim Fawlenty
130 STATE CAPITOL
75 Rev.Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St.Paul, MN 55155 USA
and demand that thje Government Investigate the 'ROUGE' Police Force,
found on the Leech Lake Reservation, and the Religions Violations
committed by the DOC.
C) Contact: The United States Dept. of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20530-000 USA
and demand that the U.S. Government Investigate the Civil Rights Violations,
committed by the 'ROUGE' Police Force, found on Leech Lake Reservation,
the Courts and the County Attorney's Office, and that the 1 st. Amendment
Violation by the DOC be the subject of Judicial Review.
D) Lobby the Mn. State
Legislature to pass into Law, a bill forbidding the
DOC. from all furure transfers of Native Prisoners, indigenous to the [11]
Reservations within Mn.Borders, to cut of State Prisons, unless requested
by that prisoner.
E) Research the Geneve Convention for Violations of the Universel Declaration
of Human Rights and prepare and present a complaint to the United Nations,
Human Rights Conference, Social and Economic Council.
F) Log-on at
www.startribune.com
for Leech Lake Reservation articles dated,
April 25-27 - 2004 and May 2- 2004.
G) Network information to all Euro-Native Support Groups for a letter campaign.
H) Demand that the eyescore, 'THE SHACK'' be torn down and all authorities
directly or indirectly involved be prosecuted and no longer employed by the
State, the county, City and tribal Government's.
Contact Scott:
Scott Seelye # 100679
970 Pickett Street North
Bayport, MN 55003-1490 USA
TO READ MORE DOCUMENTS CLICK HERE!
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