Tohono O'odham government kept secret plan for US spy towers on tribal land

Tohono O'odham government kept secret tribal resolution allowing Border Patrol to view 14 O'odham sites for US spy towers

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News copyright
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

US spy tower on Tohono O'odham land south
of Sells, Ariz. 2007

Oct. 16, 2012
The US Border Patrol has targeted the Tohono O’odham Nation with spy towers at 14 potential sites in three districts, according to a tribal resolution that opened the door for a massive network of US spy towers on tribal land.

Tohono O’odham members fighting against the militarization of their lands, and abuse of O’odham by US Border Patrol agents, say they were never told of the tribal resolution which initiates the process of these US spy towers on sovereign Tohono O'odham land.

The Tohono O’odham legislative council passed a resolution in April, which was signed by Tohono O‘odham Chairman Ned Norris on April 16, 2012, granting access to US Border Patrol officials for initial site visits in three districts. Since the Tohono O’odham Council does not allow outside news reporters in its council sessions, information often remains secret.

The April tribal resolution describes the Integrated Fixed Tower Program. The resolution says the 180 feet towers would remain subject to the laws of both the US and the Tohono O’odham Nation. These laws include environmental, cultural resources, realty and other laws.

However, during the building of the border wall vehicle barrier on the Tohono O’odham Nation, all federal laws were waived, including US environmental and cultural laws. The remains of O’odham were dug up and removed by Boeing workers.

This is the second time that Homeland Security approved spy towers on the US/Mexico border and on Tohono O'odham land. The first $1 billion boondoggle on the border was halted when Homeland Security said the wifi and surveillance towers did not work. Those towers were contracted to Boeing, with a subcontract to the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems who also provides spy technology and security at another border known for Apartheid, the Palestine border.

In the tribal resolution, the Tohono O’odham Nation agreed to allow the US Border Patrol to visit three districts with the intent of constructing spy towers at 14 potential sites. Those districts are Chukut Kuk, Hickiwan, and Gu-Vo districts. Two council delegates opposed the spy towers.

The resolution states that after district approval, the towers must be approved by a second tribal council resolution. Then Border Patrol must proceed with other compliance regulations, including NEPA, 106 NHPA and environmental laws. All US and tribal laws must be adhered to before construction begins on the towers, states the resolution.

However, already at least two US spy towers have been constructed on Tohono O’odham land. Earlier, one was constructed south of Sells. The latest one is also south of Sells on Tohono O’odham land, on the border at The Gate.

Tohono O’odham living on their homeland have reported constant harassment and abuse by US Border Patrol agents to the United Nations. The abuse by Border Patrol agents includes beatings, spying on women at night, holding women at gunpoint, driving at high speeds and endangering O’odham safety, and terrorizing O’odham communities with threats, intimidations, physical and verbal abuse. Tohono O’odham reported the abuse to the UN Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples during an April session in Tucson.

The US Border Patrol also plans a massive Border Patrol complex on Tohono O’odham land in Pisinemo District, with Border Patrol agent dormitories, helicopter launch pad, horses and dogs. It was kept secret from Tohono O’odham community members until the draft environmental impact statement was reported by Censored News in September.
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/09/exposed-us-border-patrol-plans-massive.html

　
Nationwide, hundreds of Border Patrol agents have been arrested for crimes in recent years, including rape, murder, conspiracy and drug running.




　

LIVESTREAM Indigenous Real Climate Solutions

Listen to speakers above from the NO REDD TOUR, Real Climate Solutions, held in Berkeley on Oct. 16, 2012. Tom Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network begins the discussion. Thanks to Govinda at Earthcycles for the live broadcast and archive! Thanks to IEN, Friends of the Earth and other sponsors.
 

NO REDD TOUR/REAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Listen to Indigenous voices
Watch live https://new.livestream.com/accounts/1538870/events/1605792
Govinda is broadcasting live from the NO REDD Tour, Real Climate Solutions, in Berkeley,
tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, with the Indigenous Environmental Network, Friends of the Earth, and more.
Indigenous Peoples’ territories harbor most of the world’s remaining biodiversity and intact forests; under the guise of emerging climate policies, these territories are being targeted as ‘carbon sinks’ to allow industry to continue polluting. Emerging forest-carbon deals such as the agreement linking California with Chiapas, Mexico, and Acre, Brazil, threaten to undermine indigenous sovereignty, to privatize forests, and to commodify the sacred.
Hear from Indigenous leaders working to protect community land rights and promote equitable, rights-based climate solutions that respect traditional knowledge and the principles of environmental justice.
6:30-7:00 – Light refreshments and networking
7:00-7:30 – Screening of A Darker Shade of Green: REDD Alert and the Future of Forests
7:30-9:00 – Presentations from Indigenous leaders

• Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network
• Berenice Sanchez (Nahua, Mexico)
• Santiago Martinez (Tzeltal, Chiapas, Mexico)
• Marlon Santi (Quichua, Ecuador)
• Gloria Ushigua (Zapara, Ecuador)

LEAKED Interior wants to sneak Navajo water settlement through Lame Duck Congress

Navajos and Hopis protesting Senators John McCain
and Jon Kyl in Tuba City during water rights session.
Outta Your Backpack Media photo

Interior Secretary plans meeting with Navajo officials to try and revamp Colorado River Settlement to sneak it through Lame Duck Congress

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News copyright
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar wants to push the Navajo-Hopi Little Colorado River Water Rights Settlement, already rejected by Navajos, through an upcoming Lame Duck Congress, according to a document leaked to Censored News.

The memo from the Navajo Nation Washington Office states there will be a meeting on Nov. 14 in Washington, between Salazar and Navajo and Hopi officials to discuss the water rights settlement, along with the Navajo Generating Station, one of the dirtiest coal fired power plants in the US which Navajo and US politicians want to remain in operation.

Already numerous Arizona Indian Nations have accepted “water rights settlements,” which opponents say are the theft of Indian water for the US, pushed through by non-Indian attorneys. Those opposing the Little Colorado River settlement say it requires the Navajo Nation to give up expansive water rights under the Winter’s Doctrine and future generations of Navajos would suffer.

The current scheme involves Salazar meeting with Navajo and Hopi officials, then persuading Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl to modify the legislation that has already been rejected and push it through an upcoming Lame Duck session of Congress following the elections.

The Navajo Washington Office letter states, "The Secretary believes that if the Tribes can come to agreement on the portions of the settlement that raised the most objections, he can convince Senator Kyl to  make changes to the settlement. If the settlement can be changed there may be a window of opportunity for passage during the upcoming 'Lame Duck' Congress after the November election."

The letter from the Navajo Washington Office is addressed to Navajo President Ben Shelly and Navajo Council Speaker Johnny Naize.

In the typical heavy handed style of US bargaining and political blackmail, Salazar says in his letter to the Navajo Speaker that they will also discuss housing in the Bennett Freeze area, where Navajos live in desperate conditions.

A primary reason that the US wants the water from the Little Colorado River is to keep the Navajo Generating Station operating, a leading source of global warming. The coal fired power plant on Navajoland near Page, Ariz., was founded on the abuse of Navajos. An attorney for Peabody Coal orchestrated the so-called Navajo Hopi land dispute in order to remove more than 14,000 Navajos from Black Mesa through relocation, so that Peabody could get to the coal.

Today, Peabody coal from Black Mesa fuels the Navajo Generating Station which provides power to Southwest cities, while many Navajos live without electricity. Phoenix and Tucson are now dependant on this electricity and desperate for Indian water. Coal mining depletes the aquifer on Navajoland, while most Navajos on Black Mesa live without running water.



brendanorrell@gmail.com

GAP halts Manifest Destiny t-shirt sales after Native Americans protest genocide campaign




http://www.lastrealindians.com/
Thanks to Last Real Indians for permission to
post this photo at Censored News!

GAP halts sales of Manifest Destiny t-shirts, Native Americans want apology for genocide campaign

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
French translation by Christine Prat

http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=1062

GAP halted sales of the Manifest Destiny t-shirt late Monday, after Native Americans protested the slogan as a symbol of genocide.
GAP responded to the protests on Facebook, "Thank you for your feedback regarding the 'Manifest Destiny' t-shirt. Based on customer feedback, we will no longer offer the t-shirt in our stores or online."
Removing the t-shirts, however, is not enough, says those responding to GAP on Monday.
Klee Benally, Navajo at Indigenous Action Media, in Flagstaff, Ariz., said, "'Manifest destiny' was the symbolic banner settler colonizers marched behind while waging genocidal wars against Indigenous Peoples. This shirt design is grossly offensive and should be immediately removed. I certainly don't think 'Arbeit macht frei' would have made it this far."
"Gap Inc, has been under serious scrutiny for exploitative labor practices within the past couple of decades, maybe they are just now making their intentions more clear?" Benally said.
Donna from Canada told GAP on Facebook, "I am not surprised that Gap would only remove such tasteless racist t-shirts on feedback only and not because their conscience gave them pause to think how unethical 'marketing' strategies would resound in backlash from Native Americans and people with conscience as well. Shame on Gap for using racist, colonialist acts to sell your ideology."
The online petition, from Corine Fairbanks of the American Indian Movement in Southern Calif., states, "This article of clothing promotes a belief that has resulted in the mass genocide of indigenous people, and it serves to normalize oppression. This shirt is marketed to teens and young adults, and it gives no context for the racism and inequality that persists in our society, to this day, as a result of this doctrine. We are asking that this shirt be discontinued, and that an apology be issued."
"The belief of 'manifest destiny' is a devastating one, and it has resulted in the genocide of millions. We are asking Gap to realize that by selling this shirt, it indicates that the company is either racist, and/or ignorant, and/or insensitive to the true meaning of the phrase. We are asking that this shirt be discontinued immediately, and that an apology be issued to the Native American and other indigenous people around the world who have been tragically affected by this doctrine."
Native American youths at Indigenous Action Media in Flagstaff, Arizona, provided this update from the designer of the t-shirt, who apparently apologized on Twitter.
mark mcnairy @mmcnairy
“I AM SORRY FOR MY SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST COMMENT. IT HURT ME DEEPLY TO BE CALLED A RACIST AS THAT IS NOT ME. I REACTED WITHOUT THINKING.”
Also in the news today:
First Nation Terrance Nelson in Iran describes the human rights failures toward Indigenous Peoples and women by the US and Canadian governments. Press TV reports that the Canadian government is furious. Read Nelson's statements:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/10/in-iran-terrance-nelson-on-indigenous.html
Fifty people blockaded TransCanada's Keystone XL tarsands pipeline construction in Winnsboro, Texas to protect the tree sitters. As the blockade enters its fourth week, two people locked down, with eight arrests today:
http://www.tarsandsblockade.org
Sacred San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona: Sewage Snow could be poured in November on sacred Peaks where medicine men perform ceremonies and gather healing plants. French/English with photos of destruction of old growth forest, by Chris Prat of France.
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=995
Contact Brenda Norrell at
Brendanorrell@gmail.com