White Earth files Manoonmin Rights of Nature Lawsuit against Minnesota

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READ COMPLAINT HERE

First “Rights of Nature” Enforcement Case Filed in Tribal Court to Enforce Treaty Guarantees


Action filed against Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to Stop Diversion of 5 Billion Gallons of Water for Enbridge “Line 3” Pipeline

August 4, 2021
Contact: Frank Bibeau
Plaintiff’s Attorney frankbibeau@gmail.com 
Thomas Linzey, Senior Counsel
Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights tal@pa.net

WHITE EARTH, Minnesota -- On August 4, an action was filed in the Tribal Court of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota, by Manoomin (wild rice), the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and several tribal members, to stop the State of Minnesota from allowing the Enbridge corporation to use five billion gallons of water for the construction of the oil pipeline known as “Line 3.”

This is the first case brought in a tribal court to enforce the rights of nature, and the first rights of nature case brought to enforce Treaty guarantees.

Navajo Area Schools Report New Cases of Coronavirus: August 7, 2021

Six Navajo area schools in San Juan County report new cases of coronavirus this week. The Navajo Nation reports uncontrolled spread in nine communities.

Update August 13, 2021

As schools reopen, there are 10,000 teachers and students in quarantine in 14 states, Washington Post reports. Meanwhile, the State of New Mexico -- the only Four Corners state reporting outbreaks daily -- shows more than a dozen schools with outbreaks in the Farmington, Bloomfield, Kirtland, Shiprock and Gallup region. Navajo Times reports a student at Pinon High School in Arizona has tested positive. Tucson Schools in Arizona show 9 teachers and staff, and 16 students testing positive.

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

Aug. 7, 2021

FARMINGTON, N.M. -- The Navajo Nation reported uncontrolled spread of coronavirus in nine communities this week. Meanwhile, Navajo area schools and businesses reported outbreaks this week in New Mexico.

In Farmington, Child Care Castle, and Smith's Food and Drug, reported coronavirus outbreaks with three cases each. In Gallup, Home Depot reported an outbreak of three cases on Friday. 

An alarming number of schools have already reported cases of COVID-19, as students prepare to return to school.

Navajo Preparatory School and Shiprock High School both reported one case this week. In Bloomfield, both Love the Children Learning Center, and Blanco Elementary, reported one case. In Aztec, Aztec High School and Koogler Middle School reported a case.

Ten Bacum Yaqui preparing for traditional feast remain missing: Families believe mining companies responsible

Bacum Yaqui are desperate to find kidnapped family members.

Three weeks after their disappearance, there are no answers about 10 members of the Yaqui community in Sonora.

No criminal group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, so the Yaqui community believes that it is a form of pressure from mining companies.

Bacum Yaqui families believe lithium and other mining responsible for missing Yaqui. Three weeks after being kidnapped while going for a cow for a traditional feast, ten Yaqui men remain missing. Four of the 15 were released by the kidnappers, and one escaped. Families believe mining companies are responsible, because of the new interest in lithium mining in Sonora, just south of the Arizona border. Lithium is in demand for batteries for electric cars, computers, and cell phones. This comes after Bacum's long fight with Sempra gas pipeline. Before the men were kidnapped, the Mexican military planted drugs in the community in a scheme to disarm the Traditional Yaqui Guard. There were also attempts by mining companies to bribe Bacum Yaqui, which failed. Now, the Canadian mining companies -- and the criminals they depend on -- have initiated a campaign of fear. In nearby Vicam Pueblo, Yaqui Water and Land Protector Tomas Rojo was assassinated after being kidnapped in May. Today's excellent article is written by Animal Politico and translated online. This is dangerous work for journalists in Sonora, because of criminals inside the Mexican military and government, and the cartels. -- Censored News

By Animal Politico

Espanol: https://www.animalpolitico.com/2021/08/miembros-yaqui-sonora-desaparecidos/

LOMA DE BACUM, Sonora -- On July 14, 15 people left the Yaqui community of Loma de Bácum, in southern Sonora, bound for the ranch known as Agua Caliente, some 85 kilometers to the north. There they would pick up some cows to take back to their community for the traditional festival that began that day. They did not return to their community and since that day there has been no news of their whereabouts.

"So far no official, no one from the state or federal government has shown up here to give us their support, they just sent the National Guard, the Navy, the Sedena, the police and the investigative agency, who according to them are the ones who are supporting us, however, no results have been seen," denounced Guadalupe Flores Maldonado, a member of the Yoremia Troop of the Heroic Town of Loma de Bácum.

Native Attorney Tara Houska 'People were shot in their faces, a young woman's head was split open.' Brutal arrests at Enbridge's Line 3 Minnesota

Watch interview in Democracy Now!

https://www.democracynow.org/2021/8/4/tara_houska_line_3_pipeline_resistance

"People were shot in their faces. I saw a young woman's head get split open right in front of me." -- Native Attorney Tara Houska, after being shot with rubber bullets and jailed, speaking on Democracy Now! During the brutal arrests, Sheriffs deputies pushed Water Protectors faces down into the dirt. At least 20 Indigenous water protectors were arrested in Minnesota over the weekend during protests against the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline. "The level of brutality that was unleashed on us was very extreme," says lawyer Tara Houska @zhaabowekwe on Twitter.