'Callous' Homeland Security on San Pedro, wrecking environment to build wall

Department of Homeland Security Ignored Warnings of Harm to San Pedro River Prior to October 2007 Border Wall Exemptions

By Center for Biological Diversity

PHOENIX, Ariz— Newly obtained Bureau of Land Management documents reveal that the Department of Homeland Security ignored warnings of damage to the San Pedro River, prior to exempting the border wall across the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area from all environmental laws.
“The callousness displayed by Homeland Security in ignoring warnings to damage a national treasure is mind-boggling. The border wall does not stop humans, but it will destroy the southern part of the San Pedro,” said Dr. Robin Silver, board member of the Center for Biological Diversity. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff exempted the border wall across the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area from all environmental laws on October 22, 2007.
“The Bush administration keeps claiming that they are taking environmental impacts of the border wall into consideration, but time and time again their actions prove that sensitive wildlife and protected lands are being ignored and neglected in their rush to build expensive, ineffective walls" said Matt Clark, Southwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife. "The San Pedro River is treasured by Americans because it is a ribbon of life that sustains diverse bird and wildlife populations in an otherwise arid landscape. To handle such a fragile, important area with such disregard is reprehensible.” READ MORE ...
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

Yankton police officer quits job, arrested, at hog farm protest

Illegal South Dakota state police occupation continues on Yankton Indian Land

Incoming messages from Yankton protest:

I am Oitancan Zephier, a former police officer of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, combat veteran of Afghanistan and a father. Last week I quit my job when the protests started over the building of a hog farm by a corporation on private land surrounded by tribal lands. I quit because the Bureau of Indian Affairs will not help us. They stand and watch us get tossed in jail. The filth of the pigs will effect every part of our Indian people here.
There is a headstart school 2 miles away from the hog farm. There is a kindergarten through 12th grade school 4 miles away. There is a day care a couple miles away from the site. It is a prejudice act granted by the state of South Dakota to these pig farm owners. We need your help. If this is completed they will assume jurisdiction of all that surrounds them. The already began taking our tribal road, which we have intensely fought for 2 weeks now.
I have been thrown in jail while on our Indian land by a state officer. That is wrong!
I am begging you for your help. If you can, please publish the cry for help below in any way you can.
Contact me if you can help; or please forward this on to anyone who can help us.
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People! We need your help! Come to Marty, SD now! Help us fight the Longview Farms Hog farm and the State of South Dakota.
We need the help of every nation that is willing to help us! Don't wait for an invitation. Please! Come help us now! We're too busy with things here to think of everyone that can help us.
We have our hands full with whats in front of us. Call us. Make suggestions. Give us advise! Whatever it is, help us! We need bodies.
We need people! people! people! We need people willing to fight! We need people willing to go to jail by a state officer on Indian land!
Doesn't that seem wrong to you? I went to jail while standing on a tribal highway by a South Dakota state deputy, while the Bureau of Indian Affairs watched.
That's what is happening! It is wrong! We need money for bail. Many more of our Indian people will be going to jail.
If we don't fight this, Indian people will continue to lose land. Next time it will be your people. Remember when a cry for help came out what "reason" or "excuse" you gave.
You'll get it right back when you need help. The system keeps us locked in place. It keeps us working, paying bills and plugged into society.
In that mindset we're all robots programmed to do what the government wants us to do pay taxes! Give them money! "I gotta feed my family," you're thinking.
I know it. I was too but overcame it. Tunkasina (the grandfather) knows that our fight is right and honorable. Better things will follow for us.
This is really not about a hog farm! This is about the racist state of south dakota moving in the middle of Indian country and saying, "This is our road!"
Tomorrow it will be "this is our land!" We need to fight! We need your help!

Oi Zephier
Ihanktonwan Dakota
Yankton Sioux Tribe
Marty, SD 57361
http://us.f330.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=Zephiero@hotmail.com
(605) 454-8355 (Cell)

The Genocide of Gold, Meet the Resistance

Meet the Resistance: A Speaking Tour of Affected Indigenous Communities

NEW YORK -- Over 3,000 people are attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) over the next two weeks in New York, including Indigenous Nations, UN bodies, Governments and NGO's. Three Indigenous communities present at the forum are voicing their concern against the worlds largest gold mining company, Canadian owned Barrick Gold.
As side events to the UNPFII, Wiradjuri (Australia), Ipili (Papua New Guinea) and Western Shoshone (Nevada, USA) will be talking about the desecration and destruction of their lands by Barrick Gold. Please show your support by coming to the following events to hear about Barrick's exploitative and unsustainable practices on these communities lands, culture and life.
These events have been supported by Friends of the Earth Australia, ProtestBarrick.net, Western Shoshone Defence Project, Mineral Policy Institute, Save Lake Cowal and Akali Tange Association.
Indigenous Resistance to Gold MiningOur guests will make presentations, show short films and answer questions about gold mining on their lands.
Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone (Nevada, USA)Neville ‘Chappy’ Williams, Wiradjuri (Australia)Jethro Tulin, Executive Officer Akali Tange Association, Ipili (Papua New Guinea) Thursday 24th April @ 7.30pm American Indian Community Center11 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York
Subway 4 & 5 to Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan
Indigenous Voices Films and Speakers from Australia and Papua New Guinea Neville ‘Chappy’ Williams, Wiradjuri (Australia) Jethro Tulin, Executive Officer Akali Tange Association, Ipili (Papua New Guinea) Sunday 27th April @ 7.00pm Bluestocking’s BookStore172 Allen Street between Stanton and Riverington Lower East Side, Manhattan
Subway F J M Z to Delancey Street/Essex,
Indigenous Struggles from Australia and Papua New Guinea
Wedneday 30th April @ 7.00pm ABC No Rio156 Rivington Street between Suffolk and Clinton Streets Lower East Side, Manhattan
Subway F J M Z to Delancey Street/Essex
For more info: natalie.lowrey@foe.org.au
www.ProtestBarrick.net

Canada Grave Disappointment for Indigenous Peoples at UN

Aboriginal Peoples Declare Canada's UN Statement Grave Disappointment for Aboriginal Peoples on Climate Change

Press statement from Indigenous Peoples at UN

UNITED NATIONS, NY - The statement delivered by the Canadian government yesterday to the United Nations Permanent Forum (UNPFII) on Indigenous Issues was a grave disappointment to the Indigenous representatives attending the UNPFII's special session on climate change because "it does not address Indigenous Peoples' rights, needs and priorities in real climate change solutions," according to Indigenous Environmental Network director Tom Goldtooth.
Other groups represented include the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, the International Indian Treaty Council, the Indigenous Network on the Environment and Trade, the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) and the British Colombia First Nations Leadership Council.
"What the statement shows is how little the government cares to deal with climate change's effects or stopping climate change. They announced their plan to reduce 2006 greenhouse gas levels by 20% in 2020, but this is too little too late, and will only mean further devastation to our peoples," said Ben Powless (Mohawk) of the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Current impacts on First Nations communities were also left out. Grand Chief Edward John (Carrier Sekani) of the BC First Nations Leadership Council stated, "Canada is ignoring the devastating impacts of the mountain pine beetle on the lands, territories and resources of First Nations in BC." "Canada has stated that it is committed with us on climate change, so we call upon Canada to ensure the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in all domestic and international climate change discussions, initiatives and negotiations," concurred AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine.
Also evident was Canada's unilateral approach of dealing with Indigenous Peoples after they begin to have problems. "Canada is happy to pour more and more money into studying us and how we adapt to climate change, but not with addressing environmental issues at their source," stated Beverley Jacobs, President, NWAC. "They are now telling us they take traditional knowledge seriously, but that they would never consider implementing it themselves. These continued, seriously misguided federal policies are going to be the death of us," warned Arthur Manuel (Secwepmc) of the Indigenous Network on the Environment and Trade.
This comes after dramatic action was called for by Indigenous participants attending the forum. A representative of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug Nation made a presentation to the forum attesting to the fact that her community's elected leadership had been jailed for opposition to destructive mining in their community. Elected representatives of Aboriginal communities surrounding the Tar Sands were also attending to detest the destructive practices upsetting their homelands.
For more information please contact: Gina Cosentino, AFN: (613) 241 6789 x356
Grand Chief Edward John (778) 772 8218 Arthur Manuel: (250) 319-0688
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The Permanent Forum is meeting from April 21 to May 2, 2008 at the UN in New York. This is its 7th session since starting in 2002. This year the forum was opened by Bolivian President Evo Morales. For more information please see
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/index.html -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Alyssa MacyConfederated Tribes of Warm Springs, OregonIndigenius Mediahttp://www.indigeniusmedia.com/International Indian Treaty Councilhttp://www.treatycouncil.org/