Indigenous Group Treaties

Here are some additional links which may be of interest to you for future classes/experiences. The first is about an upcoming conference on environmental issues: http://www.earthsummit2002.org/. This one is a list of indigenous activist groups:
http://members.aol.com/ladyscribe/indig/activism.htm

International Indian Treaty Council
List of "Urgent Action" (includes oil drilling in Arctic Wildlife Refuge, human rights abuses, etc.) http://www.treatycouncil.org/

"Our people will be here, because according to out traditions in this valley, this is where we came. This is where we exist, and when mining comes, it's a form of genocide … a systematic destruction of a race of people. And when this comes in, this mining comes in, it is a destruction of out way of life." --Bernice Lalo, Western Shoshone tribal member

The United States is preparing to confiscate Western Shoshone livestock grazing upon ancestral lands as recognized in the Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed in Ruby Valley, 1863. On Wednesday August 1st, 2001, Bureau of Land Management officials at both the Nevada State office and the Elko Field office confirmed their intentions to conduct roundups of Shoshone livestock in the Crescent Valley and South Fork areas. Both the Dann family of Crescent Valley and the Traditional Cattlemen of the South Fork Reservation and Odgers Ranch have refused to pay the U.S. government for the use of ancestral lands which have never been ceded or sold to the U.S. This planned theft of Shoshone livestock comes just as a Western Shoshone delegation sits in Geneva, Switzerland asserting their rights before the United Nations. Like the Sioux Nation (Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Peoples) of South Dakota, the Western Shoshone are one of the few indigenous nations within the United States that have resisted the theft of their lands through the Indian Claims Commission process.

Gwich'in Nation on Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
http://www.ienearth.org/mining_campaign2.html#alert-092501

"It is our belief that the future of the Gwich'in and the future of the Caribou are the same. We cannot stand by and let them sell our children's heritage to the oil companies." --Johnathan Solomon, Village of Ft. Yukon

Senator James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, has filed amendments to the Defense Authorization bill that would mandate drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas. Both amendments authorize new and harmful spending including at least $38 billion in oil, coal, nuclear and auto subsidies (the same that passed in the controversial House energy bill, H.R. 4, in early August). The Gwich'in people consider this area sacred, in their language they call it Vadzaih googii vi dehk'it gwanlii which translates to "The Sacred Place Where Life Begins".

"This last great wilderness must be preserved for wilderness values, wildlife, and traditional ways-of-life. The unprotected area of the Arctic Refuge coastal plain provides vital habitat for nearly 200 species of animals, including the 129,000 member Porcupine Caribou herd as well as polar bears, grizzlies, wolves and millions of migratory birds. Allowing this essential, eternal wilderness to be exchanged for a short-term supply of oil is totally unacceptable."

The Centre for Indigenous Sovereignty
http://www.cfis.ca/

The concept behind the Centre For Indigenous Sovereignty is to create an avenue to assist First Nation peoples in developing and implementing initiatives for the positive rebuilding of Indigenous communities, nations, governments and organizations. As Indigenous peoples we are impacted by the changing society around us. External societal influences, largely political or financial in nature, often result in our peoples being placed in situations we might not otherwise choose to be in. Our daily and short-term needs seem to force us to compromise our long-term visions and aspirations for the future. Our resources tend to focus on foreign concepts and external influences. As a result, little of our time and energy is available for the rebuilding of our nations and the development and implementation of change and control from within. CFIS is committed to ensuring a better tomorrow for our future generations. We believe that this is possible through a process of regeneration and positive change. Sustained change in the lives of our peoples requires education, commitment, awareness and leadership. Nation-building is at the core of what we do. To achieve this goal for First Nations, we rely on the diverse talent pool of First Nations people. The depth of skills and experience in the First Nations communities and beyond is impressive. Some of the services we provide include: Facilitation and Dispute Resolution, Business and Marketing Plan Development, Consultancy, Communications and Public Relations, Research, and Graphic Design

Native Sovereignty Threatened
http://www.pathshop.com/camp_sovereignty/

The Sicangu Lakota (Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota) in its struggle to avoid becoming the home of the world's third largest hog farm. The first phase of 24 barns is already in place and in spite of tribal opposition and legal intervention by several organizations, Bells Farms (Sun Prairie) continues construction on the second phase. When completed, there will be 13 sites, of 24 barns each. The waste disposal digestor at site #1 is not properly functional, as predicted. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is valiantly battling the matter in the judicial system, with its sovereignty in serious jeopardy. Meanwhile, they are establishing a vigilance camp, to be called Camp Sovereignty, in the vicinity of the hog farms. They say that they can no longer tolerate the severe corporate oppression of Bell Farms or tolerate the threats to our environment, to the quality of justice, and to their sovereignty.

Yucca Mountain

http://www.ienearth.org/alerts.html#yucca

"Over 20 years of scientific study, grassroots activism, and political rancor are coming to a head. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, who as a Michigan Senator voted time and time again to ship nuclear waste to Nevada ASAP, will give his thumbs up to go forward with the Yucca Mountain Project by late this year/early next year at the latest. The DOE is accepting final public comments on the ill-conceived proposal until Friday, October 5th, 2001.

Despite major scientific uncertainties and widespread public opposition, the DOE is rushing to develop a high-level nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Yucca Mountain, located 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is on disputed territory claimed by the Western Shoshone Indian Nation under the Ruby Valley Treaty of 1863, but currently held by the DOE. An aquifer beneath the site is the only source of drinking water for the closest community. Seismic activity in the area makes it likely that radioactivity from the proposed repository would eventually contaminate the groundwater and surrounding environment.

Moreover, 70,000 metric tons of high-level radioactive waste from commercial nuclear reactors and DOE weapons sites across the country would be shipped to the proposed dump, launching an unprecedented nuclear transportation scheme. Routing projections indicate that tens of thousands of highly radioactive atomic waste shipments would likely pass within half a mile of the homes, schools, and workplaces of 50 million Americans in 43 states over the course of several decades."

Shundahai Network
http://www.shundahai.org/

The Shundahai Network was formed at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site in 1994, by a council of long-term nuclear disarmament activists, at the request of Corbin Harney, a Western Shoshone Spiritual Leader. It has evolved into an international network of activists and organizations bridging the gap between the environmental, peace and justice and indigenous land rights communities. Shundahai Network, a steadily growing alliance of multi-cultural activists, is dedicated to "breaking the nuclear chain" by bridging the gaps between the environmental, peace, justice, indigenous and civil-rights communities. Through helping build and organize strong alliances with native and non-native communities, activists and organizations working on common goals and strategies of local and national importance, they continue to seek long lasting social change.

Their staff and volunteers work on a wide range of community outreach, education and public action campaigns. Through our events and campaigns, Shundahai Network helps train activists in community organizing and the use of nonviolent direct action to generate public awareness and apply political pressure on nuclear and indigenous rights issues. They strive to uphold the principles of Environmental Justice and insure that Indigenous voices and concerns are heard in the movement to influence U.S. nuclear and environmental policies.

Most recent activism object: Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The Department of Energy (DoE) is taking the next step to make Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a permanent high-level radioactive waste repository. Study flaws: Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff discovered errors in the Energy Department's scientific work at Yucca Mountain. The areas of concern include:

· Missing data and calculation errors: NRC scientists could not find basic information in DOE's reports concerning radiation exposure, volcanic events and how fast water flows through Yucca Mountain.
· Radiation exposures: Estimates for radiation and its effect on humans and the environment at Yucca Mountain were not consistent.
· Chemical reactions: Because minerals in ground water could corrode buried waste containers, more study is needed.