Copenhagen Photos: Native Americans Demand Environmental Justice

Photos by Ben Powless, 23-year-old Mohawk from Six Nations, Ontario. The photos include Tom Goldtooth, director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, in photo one, Canadian delegations to halt the Tar Sands and Jihan Gearon of the Indigenous Environmental Network in photo four.

Iraq & Afghanistan: Oil and drugs for US

www.uruknet.info
EVER WONDER WHERE SOME OF THE BANK BAILOUT MONEY CAME FROM? According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, it came from the Afghan opium trade. Foreign Policy in Focus has a fascinating article analyzing the recent UNODC study on the drug trade, entitled "Addiction, Crime, and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium."
While the original study headlines the role of the Taliban in the Afghan opium trade, the FPF article notes that buried deep in the study is the admission that the Taliban receives less than 15% of its funding from drugs and that it likely only benefits from 4% of the Afghan drug trade. Poppy farmers, for instance, take about 21% of the drug trade's earnings. And the rest?
Read more:
http://www.williambowles.info/iraq/uruk/2009/1209/uruk_151209.html

HADA'A SIDI to Fight Peabody Western Lease Agreement

Media Statement
HADA'A SIDI TO FIGHT PEABODY WESTERN LEASE AMENDMENT
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
The Navajo Nation Council will hold a work session on Monday, December 21st, and then hold a vote the next day, on whether to approve amendments to a Peabody Western Coal Company mining lease. Hadada'a sidi, a Navajo grassroots reform organization, opposes the amendments because there is insufficient public information on its fairness and how it will benefit the Navajo Nation, and the public has not been adequately notified and involved. As is often the case, we aren't seeing transparency and inclusion in the legislative process. There are problems with the amendment: For example, Peabody Coal promoters promised the people of the Black Mesa and Kayenta areas that the company will help with basic community needs. They include water, electricity, roads and other infrastructure items. Given that Navajo society is still largely oral, Navajo communities and voters took the coal company representatives at their word and approved leases based on promises for assistance. However such promises are not legally enforceable, and they were not kept. While the central government may get the benefit of coal leasing, the affected communities did not. It is up to Western Agency Navajo Nation Council delegates to vote down any continuation of leasing until that is addressed.
Read statement:
http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2009/12/hadaa-sidi-to-fight-peabody-western.html

Earl Tulley: Notes from Copenhagen: 'We gave our best'

By Earl Tulley, Navajo from Blue Gap, Arizona

COPENHAGEN -- So how much is 100 billion dollars? Evo Morales stated if the USA wanted to “save humanity” not a portion of humanity (half of humanity). Hugo Chavez praised Morales for being re-elected recently and with 60 percent plus vote cast for the first indigenous leader. World leaders want more money from the US, the funds spent on the war were put in the sun light.
ALBA hosted an event with dancing and singing and speeches by Latin American leaders Cuba – Raul Castro sent a representative. The energy of Chavez' delivery is comparable to Obama. Hugo Chavez has a class act of his own with a thundering voice. People cheered and the big screen vibrated with all the energy at the ALBA event.
NGO’s noted their input is the foundation to future meetings, action at the local community level is important. Presentations at the KIMA Forum was not over-shadowed by the influx of world leaders gathered in Copenhagen -- world class presenters came in force and delivered. Next stop Mexico City. As for Friends of the Earth scheduled to present at main stage at the Bela Center, it was canceled due to their involvement in actions on the streets.
Throughout Copenhagen protesting carried into the night with Politi’s (police) facing off with warriors of street and environment, all people arrested have passports taken away. Am certain they will spend more time in Demark. As noted 2/3 of the 9,000 politi force have been on duty for the event and climate change has a whole new meaning for men detained.
As noted depending on which side of the street you are on, it is agreed Copenhagen did not produce an agreement riding on the wings of many prayers. Thus 100 billion could buy plenty of milk -- milk before meat Copenhagen is a start.
We tried and gave our 'bestes' with 'HOPENHAGEN
--Earl Tulley
Photos by Earl Tulley: ALBA Event Hugo Chavez at the mic with South American Leaders on the stage; Arctic Peoples gathering plenty of great Arctic food and speakers; the mail man in the snow; North and South America meet - making plans for Mexico City.