Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

December 9, 2007

Coyote's slick uranium deal on Pine Ridge


Coyote is really chasing his tail on this one
By Brenda Norrell
PINE RIDGE, S.D. -- The Native American Energy Group says it -- really, sincerely -- wants to build energy-efficient, prefabricated homes on Pine Ridge. But, the company also says the water is contaminated on Pine Ridge with uranium. So, the company would like to spend some millions to study this.
In return, the company -- which only has goodness in its heart according to its owners -- would have the "right of first refusal" to mine uranium.
Native American Energy would possibly use in-situ leach uranium mining on Pine Ridge -- the same type uranium mining that Navajos are fighting in New Mexico. Navajos say it would poison their drinking water in Crownpoint and Church Rock, N.M.
On Pine Ridge, the late Anna Mae Aquash, murdered 32 years ago, was among the first to expose the secret uranium deals.
Read more from South Dakota
Uranium rumors roil Oglala tribal politics
Diverse factions join in opposition to mining
By Bill Harlan
Rapid City Journal, Saturday, December 08, 2007
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Uranium Company Ordered to Vacate Lakota Lands - First Nations Land Claim Settled
By Kent Lebsock 11/2007
"... Earlier this year though a uranium mining company calling itself (for no apparent reason) Native American Energy Group (“NAEG”) descended on Pine Ridge and, through deceit and less than ethical maneuvering, started taking steps to expand uranium mining within reservation borders. Owe Aku took immediate action, going door-to-door on the reservation educating the people about uranium mining, and eventually filing an action in tribal court. Unlike NAEG, Owe Aku was not represented by attorneys but, as is the case with all our work, was represented by our own members. In this case, our Executive Director Debra White Plume, often found herself examining witnesses and testifying. Given the Court’s ruling, an excellent job was done using tribal and treaty law, as well as some international standards ..."
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Photo: Uranium mining runoff in the Black Hills in South Dakota/Credit: Defenders of the Black Hills' mining reform: http://www.mining-law-reform.info/Urgency.htm

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