Federal Judge Halts Haaland's Runaway Train of Destruction of Native Sacred Places in Arizona

Hualapai's Ha'Kamwe Ceremonial Spring

Federal Judge Halts Haaland's Runaway Train of Destruction of Native Sacred Places in Arizona

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, August 21, 2024

In a bizarre twist, attorneys for the U.S. government said an Australian company has to drill into Hualapai's Ceremonial Place because it is necessary for "green energy transition." A federal judge ruled otherwise and halted the drilling for lithium with a temporary restraining order.

The head of a Navajo tribal enterprise had already rushed in and agreed to head up the drilling into the sacred. On Monday, Hualapai defenders began an encampment to protect their sacred land and water.

Quechan Join Apache Stronghold on Prayer Journey to Supreme Court

Quechan Join Apache Stronghold on Prayer Journey to Supreme Court

Written by Báásé Pike, Apache Stronghold, Photos by Molly Peters

Censored News, August 21, 2024

On our prayer journey to the Supreme Court we gathered with the Ft. Yuma Quechan Nation. We met with Quechan leaders and members. We had an empowering discussion with council members and Lorey Cachora, archaeologist and tribal historian.

Federal Court Orders Freeze to Drilling on Hualapai Land in Northern Arizona

Ha ‘Kamwe is a hot spring sacred to the Hualapai Tribe in Northern Arizona. An Australian company is threatening the spring with a proposed lithium mining project. (Ash Ponders for Earthjustice)

Federal Court Orders Freeze to Drilling on Hualapai Land in Northern Arizona

Victory — The Tribe is suing BLM to protect their sacred hot spring from mining

By Earthjustice, Censored News, August 21, 2024

Timna Axel taxel@earthjustice.org

PHOENIX, Arizona — A federal district court judge has granted a temporary restraining order sought by the Hualapai Tribe to freeze a lithium drilling operation that is endangering their lands, including a sacred medicinal spring called Ha’Kamwe’ in the Big Sandy River watershed. The Tribe, represented by Earthjustice and Western Mining Action Project, sued the Interior Department and the Bureau of Land Management earlier this month, after the federal agencies approved a plan to drill over 100 holes reaching depths of 360 feet into the aquifer that feeds Ha’Kamwe’.

Duane Clarke, Chairman of the Hualapai Tribe, said: “Today our people celebrate the granting of the temporary restraining order, but understand our fight is not over. We will continue to bring awareness to the protection of our water.”

Tohono O'odham Ofelia Rivas: The Pirates Who Stole My Words

Ofelia Rivas on her homeland. Photo by Jason Jaacks copyright, Censored News

Tohono O'odham Ofelia Rivas: The Pirates Who Stole My Words

White privilege and piracy permeates university professors and dissertation writers, says Ofelia Rivas, Tohono O'odham, pointing out that today more than 20 books use her words about O'odham and the border without her permission. The pirates range from the United Nations and book authors, to non-profits and corporate-paid activists.

By Ofelia Rivas, Tohono O'odham, Censored News, August 13, 2024

Pirates

In 2003 the Elders from my fathers community and the ceremony Elders from my mothers community appointed me by consensus to be their voice.

Prior to 9-11 hundreds of heavily-armed border patrol soldiers invaded O'odham lands violently attacking O'odham in their yards, homes, communities, on reservation roads and state highways.