.jpg) |
| Border Wall contractor bulldozing saguaro cactus near Ajo, Arizona, near the western part of the Tohono O'odham Nation. |
The Tohono O'odham Nation filed a federal lawsuit to halt the seizure of tribal land for the border wall, pointing out that the United States government is disregarding tribal sovereignty and construction will destroy sacred sites and impact ceremonies and religious practices.
"The Nation has not consented to the construction of a border wall or associated
infrastructure across its Reservation," the Tohono O'odham Nation said in the lawsuit.
The Tohono O'odham Nation said the construction would destroy petroglyphs that are "perpetual prayers," block ancient trails used for O'odham sacred runs and disrupt the lives of O'odham families who live on both sides of the border.
"The construction of the border wall and associated infrastructure will severely
disrupt the Nation’s cross-border community and family ties. It will destroy sacred peaks upon
which the O’odham have prayed for generations. It will destroy petroglyphs that constitute
“perpetual prayers," the lawsuit states.
"It will destroy access to specific Saguaro cacti that O’odham communities
and their ancestors have used for generations to create the Saguaro wine essential for certain religious ceremonies. And it will block the ancient trails used for the Baboquivari and Salt Runs
that are central to O’odham culture," the lawsuit states.
Tohono O'odham Nation Vice Chairwoman Carla Johnson said today that the Department of Homeland Security contractors will be trespassing if their plans proceed. Johnson said U.S. Border Patrol and Customs is expected to be given the contract in the next few weeks.
The Tohono O'odham Nation lawsuit points out the destruction, and the fact that O'odham cross the border for ceremonies and to visit their families. The lawsuit also describes how O'odham sacred runs require crossing the land located on the border.
"Construction of the border wall and associated infrastructure will require the
blasting and grading of mountain peaks that lie in the wall’s path, and the building of miles of
access roads and multiple staging yards (complete with concrete batching plants) that will stretch
far inland from the border, all of which will be done in trespass and have a permanent, scarring
impact on Reservation lands."
"Nation members cross the border for festivals, ceremonies, and other traditional
cultural gatherings that bring O’odham communities together."
"The Nation
has long formally recognized and supported the Mexican O’odham community’s traditional form
of government."
 |
| https://www.tonation-nsn.gov/nowall/ In a video address, Tohono O'odham Nation Vice Chairwoman Carla Johnson said today that the Department of Homeland Security contractors will be trespassing if their plans proceed. The border wall construction contract is expected to be awarded to U.S. Border Patrol and Customs in the next few weeks. |
The border wall construction has already caused destruction, as witnessed with the blasting of the thousand-year-old Las Playas Instaglio and the dynamiting of areas near sacred Quitobaquito Springs, the tribe said today.
Today, the tribe points out that the Tohono O'odham Nation is a sovereign, federally-recognized tribe, with 37,000 enrolled members. O'odham have inhabited this region since time immemorial. The Nation has approximately 62 miles of international border with Mexico and has been on the front lines of border issues since 1854. For decades, the Nation has cooperated with federal border security measures, while opposing a wall on its lands.
"The Tohono O’odham Nation has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to prevent the Department from taking its reservation land and water to construct a border wall," the tribe said.
No comments:
Post a Comment