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Congressman Tom O’Halleran will not Defend Apache Land
By Apache Stronghold
Censored News
French translation by Christine Prat:
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=4155
On Thursday Night, June 6th, Congressman Tom O’Halleran of District 1 in U. S. House of Representatives which includes San Carlos Apache spoke in a Flagstaff town hall meeting where he received a mixed reception. Majority of the time was spent on his vote for Kate’s law, a bill that ups maximum penalties for undocumented immigrants who reenter the country illegally after being deported. The audience questioned the costs of incarcerating undocumented immigrant for longer periods of time (contained in the bill). It was also pointed out to O’Halleran, that he is the fifth most Trump-friendly Democrat in the House of Representatives and his voting has showed that.
He did get support from the audience for opposing the new healthcare legislation. As for climate change, O’Halleran stated he would look into a carbon fee. He said he was a strong opponent to Trump’s decision regarding opening up the national monument areas, but stated that he isn’t supporting a bill that would reverse the land swap that allows Resolution Copper to mine under Oakflat. He stated that he will act as an arbitrator in that situation.
Wendsler Nosie Sr. stated, when asked about the Congressman’s responses, “What is there it arbitrate? Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution, is a technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts where the parties agree to be bound by the arbitration decision. Resolution Copper’s own documents state that they will destroy Oak Flat and over the Lifetime of the mine, Apache Leap will also be destroyed. The lands offered for trade, except the land in the Audubon Research ranch in Cochise county is all land that has little or no water. O’Halleran is supporting a land trade that rips off the public, allows a mining company to take all the water from the area (according to Resolution Copper, it must de-water the area completely before it can mine), totally destroy Oak Flat, and leave Arizona with toxic tailings as it leaves back to its foreign country. The Congressman needs to clarify! The need to act as an “arbitrator” shows he is not taking a position, even though he stated he would give the Apaches a voice when he asked for their votes. I believe he will be coming to meet with Tribal leadership in the near future. What we need to understand is an illegal act took place, where a foreign company was allowed not to follow American Law. The Laws that protect the water, the land, the priceless minerals and Native Peoples is ignored. This puts our future at risk. Remember that whoever controls the water, controls our Future.
1 comment:
Congressman Halleran, needs to request a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be conducted as per NEPA and NHPA from Resolution Copper as part of their expansion application. This should be demanded by the Apache Tribal Nations at the very least and by the State Mining Bureau and Indian Land Bureau.
Any destruction from the mining will be permanent no matter how they try remediation of the scared lands and damaged/polluted water sources.
Everyone should always remember the Indigenous Native Indian Population were here in the Americas thousands of years before the White Man arrived and pushed them onto what was described as WASTE lands. Until minerals, Oil/Gas and other removable materials were found and the treaty lands desecrated forever by these for "Profit White Ma owned corporations and no compensation for the Tribes affected.
Please push for the Congressman to organize a full EIS, NOW and not later.
No company is above the Law of These United States or the Signed Treaties [dating back to the 1850's and on wards]. Everyone on this Earth is a human being and needs to be treated, respected and honored as such [do unto others, as you would have them do unto you - referred to as the Golden Rule and can be stated as; - Treat others how you want to be treated. The Golden Rule goes beyond just treating others the way you would want to be treated. It's a journey into the way you think of, feel about and speak to others, as well.] Ethnicity should never be part of any decision or discussion, we all bleed "red" and under our skin are all the same structure for living! All human beings have a part and position on this Planet [Mother] Earth and the only one we have.
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