Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

June 26, 2010

Indigenous Peoples at US Social Forum: Halting the Legacy of Genocide


By Brenda Norrell
Narcosphere
Photos by Brita Brookes/US Social Forum Detroit
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/06/indigenous-peoples-us-social-forum-halting-legacy-genocide

DETROIT -- Speaking out on environmental genocide, Indigenous Peoples describe the legacy of death and destruction from mining, power plants, toxic dumping and the nuclear industry, at the US Social Forum in Detroit. Indigenous Peoples are consulting and strategizing on energy and climate change, immigration, poverty, treaty rights, sacred sites, cultural preservation, and de-militarization.

Broadcast live on Earthcycles, Navajo Leona Morgan describes how new uranium mining targets Navajos living in Church Rock, N.M., where the nation's deadliest radioactive spill occurred in 1979. In June of 2010, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Hydro Resources Inc. of Texas, which if it proceeds, will poison the water supply of Navajos with new in-situ uranium mining, by drilling on land alongside Navajo land.

The Tewa Women United, on Earthcycles live, describe how the nuclear industry and Los Alamos National Laboratories have exposed Pueblos to generations of death and disease in northern New Mexico. Open air burning, burial of nuclear waste and detonations have poisoned the land, air and water for today's Pueblos and future generations.

Beata Tsosie Pena of Santa Clara Pueblo said, "We live in the desert and our water supply is very precious to us. Water is our life. I'm scared for my children. I'm scared for my grandchildren. I'm sacred for my elders."

Indigenous Peoples opened the US Social Forum on Tuesday with a march through Detroit. The local Native American community welcomed Indigenous Peoples with a water ceremony and feast of buffalo. During this week's Social Forum, there was a powwow and concert with John Trudell and Anne Humphrey, while workshops focused on environmental justice and ecology. The Native Peoples Assembly developed strategies to protect Mother Earth from corporate greed and destruction.

Casey Camp, Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, interviews Native Americans from across North America on Earthcycles, describing the fight to halt the destruction. Casey Camp interviews American Indians who describe broken treaties and the destruction of their homelands. Camp describes the Poncas fight for their land and sovereignty and the longterm devastating pollution from Continental Carbon Black, the huge Conoco Phillips Refinery.

The Indigenous Environmental Network said the US Social Forum provides a platform to produce solutions.

"A multi-generational delegation of Indigenous Peoples from North America have arrived in Detroit, Michigan this week to join other social justice movements at the United States Social Forum, a large gathering of diverse leaders developing powerful solutions to the economic and ecological crises we face," IEN said.

"The delegation is comprised of Native American, Alaskan Native, and First Nation activists and leaders from the communities most affected by climate change and fossil fuel development in North America. They represent many Nations including Cree, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Ojibwe, Kachiquel Mayan, Pasqua, Dakota, Navajo, Yup'ik, Swinomish, Mohawk, Oneida, Spokane, Colville, Couer d'Alene, Zuni, and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation."

The delegation, co-coordinated by the Indigenous Peoples' Working Group of the USSF, Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), Black Mesa Water Coalition, Alaska Big Village Network, and others, is attending the United States Social Forum to network and strengthen the various U.S. movements working on energy and climate change, immigration, poverty, treaty rights, sacred sites, cultural preservation, and de-militarization issues.

Meanwhile, thousands of Indigenous Peoples converged four hours away in Toronto, Canada to protest the G20 summit, a gathering of the world's industrial powers.

"The USSF movement provides an alternative vision for the people, one that is counter to the destructive neo-liberal agenda being discussed by the world's so-called leaders at the G20 summit in Toronto, who are talking about the destruction and commodification of every aspect of life. But another world is possible, one that is about the proliferation and health of this land we call Mother Earth, and we are manifesting that here, in the birthplace of the automobile. Detroit, US." says Clayton Thomas-Muller, Tar Sands Campaigner for the Indigenous Environmental Network.

Photos and videos at Censored News:
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
Earthcycles live:
http://www.earthcycles.net/
Free Speech TV: Live coverage USSF:
http://www.freespeech.org/
Indigenous Environmental Network
http://www.ienearth.org/
Navajos Oppose New Uranium Mining in New Mexico
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7887536
Tewa Women United from Santa Clara Pueblo, N.M., at the US Social Forum: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7887096

US Social Forum Saturday:

DETROIT HEALING WALK, 9:30-4:00, Saturday. Meet at Cobo Hall lower level. Rides provided to Fort Wayne, a burial site of Indigenous Peoples. Ceremony and 5-mile walk for healing and sharing. Refreshments provided along walk. Closing ceremony back at Fort Wayne at 4pm. Transportation provided back to Cobo Hall.

Briefing by Bolivian Ambassador Pablo Solon 'Cochabamba to Cancun'
WHAT: Briefing by Ambassador Solon "From Cochabamba to Cancun"
WHEN: Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 12:00pm
WHERE: Detroit, MI Cobo Hall

1 comment:

Mike said...

From the website International Brotherhood Days
http://www.brotherhooddays.com/HEROES.html

"YOUR HEROES ARE NOT OUR HEROES"
Tall Oak -Narraganset-


"Memory says, "I did that." Pride replies, "I could not have done that." Eventually, memory yields.
-Friedrich Nietzsche-

"What seems to matter most is the great silence, the denial of any holocaust."
Carter Revard -Osage-

"The danger lies in forgetting."
Eli Wiesel