Newmont protest in Denver, hotel revokes Carrie Dann ceremony

Human Rights and Environmental Groups to Protest Award to Newmont CEO

Marriott Hotel Revokes Contract for Alternative Award Ceremony to Western Shoshone Carrie Dann

When Denver’s elite arrive at the Downtown Marriott Hotel for Denver University’s annual fund-raising Korbel Dinner on Aug 30, they will be met by protesters from around the state.
While DU’s Graduate School of International Studies presents its “International Bridge-Building Award” to Newmont CEO Wayne Murdy, protesters will serve Murdy with a Citation for building Newmont’s bridge on a foundation of human rights and environmental abuses. GSIS Dean Tom Farer has refused to revoke the award to Murdy, over objections from a majority of GSIS tenured faculty and protests from communities that are directly affected by Newmont gold mines around the world.
The protesters, representing a host of Colorado-based non-profit organizations, will present what they call the “REAL International Bridge Builder’s Award” to Western Shoshone elder Carrie Dann. But the honoring ceremony will have to be held on public sidewalks now because the Marriott revoked the groups’ contract to hold the honoring ceremony in the Hotel’s Molly Brown room. More information on the Western Shoshone can be found at http://www.wsdp.org/.
In an email to the groups, Marriott’s Director of Event Planning Joe Humerickhouse wrote that the “Hotel see (sic) the Thursday event "Presentation by Carrie Dann" as a conflict of interest to a current piece of business” -- clearly a reference to DU’s Korbel Dinner.
It is unknown who pressured the Marriott to revoke its contract for the meeting room, but Glenn Morris of Colorado’s American Indian Movement, said, “This is reminiscent of Newmont changing the location for its annual shareholder's meeting three times a couple of years ago, for fear of negative scrutiny. Newmont doesn't want its record exposed, DU is embarrassed, and their response is to muscle the Marriott into trying to silence our voice by denying us a venue. Of course, they will not succeed, and we will be there, and we will have our say.”
READ MORE:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2007/08/denver-newmont-protest-marriott-revokes.html
August 29, 2007 press statement by:
Paula Palmer, Global Response, 303 444-0306 ext.103 paula@globalresponse.org
Glenn Morris, Colorado American Indian Movement, 303 519-2423, gtm303@gmail.comBetty Ball, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, 303 444 6981, betty@rmpjc.org
Juan Stewart, CU Indigenous Support Network, 303 506 9648, juan.stewart@colorado.edu
Kara Martinez, Denver Justice and Peace Committee, 303 623 1463, kara@denjustpeace.org
Glenn Spagnuola, Stop Newmont Coalition, 720-771-4669, http://us.f520.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=rockymtn.spags@att.net

Denver Post: Awarding Newmont's CEO inappropriate
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_6751784

Photo: Carrie and Mary Dann. Photo Western Shoshone Defense Project.