Earl Tulley, Notes from Copenhagen II

Notes from Copenhagen
By Earl Tulley, Navajo from Blue Gap, Arizona
December 16, 2009
Censored News
http://www.bsnorell.blogspot.com

"Made it into the center and let me tell you there are actions taking place and there is the police presence of the total number of Danish police, 2/3 are on call and the sheer number is a showcase in and around town. As to how things work with the delegations from nations it is that if one nation walks out, the meetings are shut down. The Africa Nation led the walk out two days ago and things just came to stop.
Will action or resolution come forth from the Cop15, not too sure but the NGO's are networking and keeping issues on the front table. We came early to ensure we entered the building, others may not be here because of Metros being shut down and actions (protests) taking place. Our mission here is to put 'No Nuke' on the discussion table.
Yesterday we presented a document to Prince Albert II of Monaco, who was present at the conference hosted by the Green Landers (Arctic folks) and were able to have some face time. Things are 'bout as good as it can be and we are behaving. Forty days in jail is steep for this old man, but could handle forty days sitting at the table discussion.
The heads of state will be here today, which is perhaps the reason for step up in security. The christian house area was shut down yesterday due to the protest at the entrance of the compound of the house.
--Earl Tulley
Read more: Earl Tulley, Navajo, Notes from Copenhagen I
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2009/12/earl-tulley-navajo-notes-from.html

IEN: North American Indigenous Demand More in Copenhagen

Contact: The Indigenous Environmental Network Media Team
Mobile Number: +45 526 85596
E-mail: indigenous.environmental.network@gmail.com
Websites: http://indigenousenvironmentalnetwork.blogspot.com/

North American Indigenous Peoples Demand More in CopenhagenBy Indigenous Environmental Network

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) winds down, thousands of people marched in the streets today to “reclaim power” from the UN process they say is not good enough. Indigenous Peoples led a march from inside the official venue of the climate negotiations, to stand in solidarity with the rest of civil society in demanding climate justice.

Over the past two weeks, indigenous peoples have been working to ensure all potential climate policies and actions that come out of the negotiations, ensure recognition of and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. Specifically, indigenous peoples have lobbied for the incorporation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into climate policy. Although some would see the mention of the UNDRIP in the text of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) a small success, many feel it is a slap in the face of indigenous peoples.

“Indigenous peoples rights are mentioned once in the form of a recommendation for nation states to consider, but not as a requirement,” explains Alberto Saldamando of the International Indigenous Treaty Council (IITC). “But ensuring basic human rights for the worlds populations who are most affected by climate change should not be voluntary. It is a matter of obligation.”

“It’s a sad situation that world leaders representing industrialized society have lost their understanding of the sacredness of Mother Earth,” adds Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). “Before we can achieve global action, there needs to be international awareness of why we are really here. We marched out in support of our brother, President Evo Morales of Bolivia, and his demand that the rights of Mother Earth be recognized in the negotiating text here in Copenhagen.”

“Coming into these negotiations, I was optimistic about our world leaders coming together to solve this global problem,” says Nikke Alex, a Navajo youth who works for the Black Mesa Water Coalition (BMWC) in the southwest United States. “But now I see the health of our people and Mother Earth are not central to their agenda. Their goal is to use the climate crisis to make profit. The people who are really solving climate change are those at the grassroots level, working to create more sustainable societies.”

The IEN delegation brought a delegation of 21 Indigenous Peoples from North America affected by fossil fuel development. They came to call out false solutions like clean coal technology, nuclear power, and the carbon market. Over the past two weeks, the IEN delegation has used a variety of tactics to push for strong targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and demand effective, fair and equitable methods to address the climate issue.

The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a United States-based non-governmental (Indigenous) organization formed in 1990 addressing environmental and economic justice challenges. IEN is a network of Indigenous Peoples empowering Indigenous communities and Nations towards sustainable livelihoods, demanding environmental justice, and maintaining the Sacred Fire of our traditions. Since 1998, IEN has been working on issues of climate change and global warming. IEN is one of the leading organizations/networks within the U.S. environmental justice movement involved in climate change policy - locally, nationally and globally.

Bill Means: Trust Fund Settlement Rip-off

The United States continues to steal from Indians
A settlement will pay back $3.4 billion of $137 billion owed. And that's just what was documented.
By BILL MEANS
With all due respect to Elouise Cobell, lead plaintiff in a recently settled lawsuit over American Indian trust funds ("U.S. to pay Indians $3.4B," Dec. 9), I think the United States is continuing a policy of "Indians are not humans."
During the course of this long-running, class-action litigation, it has been documented that the United States owes Indian people more than $137 billion for mismanagement of trust accounts. That was established just by the documents that were presented.
The original federal judge on this case was Royce Lamberth, who held at least three secretaries of the Interior in contempt for not producing thousands of additional documents. Also, during the course of this case, hundreds of relevant documents were found in the trash by Interior Department employees, who reported this to the court and to Interior Department officials.
Those of us who own Indian land, heirs and the American public do not know the total amount owed to Indian people, because the government has refused to turn over all the documents ordered by the federal court. Lamberth was removed from the case; officials in the Bush administration argued that he was biased in favor of Indians.
This has rarely happened in the history of U.S. jurisprudence. Lamberth was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan and is a Texas Republican.
So basically, now, the U.S. government is saying that it has identified the thief of Indian royalties and resources as itself. It has allowed the thief to determine the value of the settlement and mostly has allowed the thief to keep what has been stolen.
Only in America if you steal something and hold onto it long enough does it becomes yours.

Climate Protesters Scale Canadian Embassy and Deface Flag

Press contact on the balcony: Jake Colman- 07771850963
Photo and video opportunity from 8am: The Canadian High Commission, 1 Grosvenor Square

CLIMATE PROTESTERS SCALE CANADIAN EMBASSY AND DEFACE FLAG

At 8am this morning three climate activists scaled the entrance to the Canadian High Commission in Grosvenor Square, cutting loose the Canadian flag. They will then dunk the flag into crude oil while unfurling a banner reading “Shut Down the Tar Sands”. The activists have secured themselves upon the building’s front balcony with one protester super-glued to the window such that it cannot be opened. This is the second action in London on Tar Sands in two day, and is part of a growing international campaign [1].
This action is a response to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper obstructing the progress of the summit in Copenhagen in order to protect Canada’s Tar Sands Industry [2]. Tar Sands are the dirtiest fuel known to man, both in terms of their impact on the climate and the devastation inflicted on the local communities [3]
There is an enormous open cast mine, covering the total size of England in the Alberta Tar Sands region of Canada. This is the largest industrial development in the world and is devastating for the indigenous communities that live there, not only destroying the land itself but increasing levels of cancer, poisoning much of their traditional food sources and leaving the water unsafe to drink. [4] This violates the indigenous treaty rights legally bound to this region.
The three activists who scaled the Canadian High Commission this morning have just completed their 10th night in occupation of Trafalgar square with the Camp for Climate Action [5]
Jake Colman, one of the climbers and a ‘Climate Camper’ justifies his actions:
“We are here to expose the greed driven agenda of Prime Minister Harper and the corporate lobbyists of Shell and BP who have tainted Canada with dirty oil and risk global catastrophe to selfishly profit from environmental and human destruction. We in the UK play a large role in funding these murderous ventures with the likes of RBS –now 84% publicly owned having already invested billions, and BP currently preparing to move in to Tar Sands”
Clayton Thomas-Muller, an Indigenous activist with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), speaks during the Copenhagen summit:
“The Canadian government continues to ignore its own laws, which state they must consult with Indigenous Peoples who have been trying to convey concerns about Tar Sands development. Tar Sands are killing our communities and trampling over our rights. Furthermore, the environmental destruction wreaked by the Tar Sands is directly threatening thousands of lives now and is driving our climate into chaos. The world has woken up to the fact that Canada is now Public Climate Enemy Number One. It's time Canada did its global duty and shut down the Tar Sands,”
NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Monday 14th saw the road outside Canada House blockaded in anger of Harper and Tar Sands:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/12/443459.html
[2] Currently in Copenhagen, Canada is proposing an inadequate target for reducing greenhouse emissions by only 3% by 2020 ignoring world scientists’ recommendations to commit to over 40% reductions below 1990 levels in order to avoid dangerous runaway climate change. Canada has already completely failed to meet its commitments to the Kyoto Treaty and refuses to sign the UN’s Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples whilst continuing development of Tar Sands oil extraction.
[3] Tar Sands fuel is a way of extracting oil who’s energy intensive process has not only completely destroyed areas of the Boreal forests the size of England, burns enough natural gas to power 6 hundred thousand homes a year, produces lakes of toxic waste 66km wide -which filters into all local life and drinking water- but would itself be enough to push our climate into chaos.
http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com/about/
[4] http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com/about/
[5] http://climatecamp.org.uk/
[6] This is the start of a fast growing UK campaign against Tar Sands. Although we do not receive oil directly from Canadian Tar Sands, Corporations such as RBS which is now 84% owned by the British Tax Payer invests billions and British Petroleum have plans to move in to the ‘Sun Rise’ site in the coming months. Action on these issues and these corporations are soon to become a focus of UK activism as we begin to stand up to International injustices such as Tar Sands in Canada.