CounterPunch: Indigenous Struggle over dams at Belo Monte

From Ecological Disaster to Constitutional Crisis: the Long Struggle Over the Xingú Dams Comes to a Climax at Belo Monte
By TERENCE TURNER
CounterPunch
Once again, the indigenous peoples of the Xingú valley in the Brazilian Amazon are planning to make the long journey to the town of Altamira, where the Trans-Amazonica highway crosses the Xingú. Their ultimate destination will be the island of Pimental a short distance downriver from the town, where the Brazilian government plans to build a huge hydroelectric dam they call Belo Monte after the nearest Brazilian village. The Indians' bold plan, is to prevent the construction of the dam by building a new village directly on top of the proposed dam site and maintaining their occupation until the government abandons its plans for the dam. The planning for the encampment is being led by the Kayapo, the largest and most politically organized of the indigenous nations of the region, but other indigenous groups are also participating.
The Kayapo, however, are not waiting for the discussion of the plan for the encampment among the 23 indigenous groups of the Xingú Valley to reach consensus. They have already seized the ferry that carries Brazil Route 80, an important link in the Trans-Amazonica highway system, across the Xingú River at the Kayapo village of Piaraçú. The ferry and the river crossing are now under guard by armed Kayapo warriors, who have announced that they will continue their blockade until the government negotiates with them about their plans for the Belo Monte dam.
This will not be the first indigenous encampment ... read more ...
http://www.counterpunch.org/turner05182010.html

First Nations to Shell: Tar Sands Devastating for Boreal Forest

Canadian First Nations and Investors draw line in the tar sands with Shell at Annual General Meeting
Press statement

Photo: Ben Powless, Mohawk, Copenhangen

Today, Shell executives will face questions from investors, environmental groups and Canadian First Nations representatives over its involvement in the tar sands at its annual general meeting.

FairPensions, a responsible investment charity, has coordinated a special resolution that shareholders will debate calling on Shell to report on the financial, environmental and human rights risks of tar sands, which make up a third of the company’s global resources. The Indigenous Environmental Network and Friends of the Earth Europe have sponsored representatives from the Lubicon Cree First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, Duncan Lake First Nation and the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation to be in attendance at the AGM to bring forward questions and concerns about the devastating impacts of tar sands development on Indigenous territory in Northern Alberta.

Many investors have welcomed disclosures made on current tar sands operations, but the company has not provided reassurance about the profitability and risk management of planned ‘in-situ’ projects, which have higher production costs and greenhouse gas emissions. In-situ production is required for the majority of Shell’s vast undeveloped tar sand resources.

Melina Laboucan-Massimo, Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaigner and member of the Lubicon Cree First Nation attending the AGM stated, "While open pit mines are visually horrifying, the In Situ method of extraction is far more carbon-intensive, water-intensive, and energy-intensive. In Situ completely fragments the boreal forest in Canada, which is the largest terrestrial carbon sinks in the world.” Melina goes on to state, “Local communities are continually bearing the brunt of the detrimental effects of Shell's tar sands projects whether it be from toxic emissions and water contamination to the complete fragmenting and decimation of the boreal forest - tar sands development is completely altering our homelands and destroying the very foundation of who we are as Indigenous peoples."

George Poitras, former Chief of the Mikisew Cree Nation situated 250km downstream of major tar sands development has serious concerns about the unrestricted development. “Our people have inhabited Canada’s Athabasca region for thousands of years. In a short 40 years we have seen unfathomable environmental degradation coinciding with the onset of tar sands development. We have seen the waters of the Athabasca River polluted by heavy trace metals with cancer-causing carcinogens which according to prominent scientists are up to five times worse than what is being reported. Our waters and our lands are all intrinsically linked to our ability to survive, are all intrinsically linked to our ability to pass on our cultural and traditional ways of our lives. When you remove the land and pollute our waterways you are in effect causing the extinction of my people’s way of life, you are in effect causing cultural genocide of my people.”

Shell currently has three major operations in the area and has preliminary plans to expand. Many First Nation communities have responded with interventions in the environmental impact assessment and regulatory process. First Nations litigations have been launched to further delay or stop Shell’s illegal encroachment into their traditional territories.

Contacts for media enquiries/interviews:
In Europe: Contact Eriel Deranger, Rainforest Action Network, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
European Cell: +4407916945255 Email: etchekwied@gmail.com
In North America: Contact Clayton Thomas-Muller Indigenous Environmental Network
Cell 613 789 5653 Email: monsterredlight@gmail.com
Notes for Editors
The resolution and supporting statement are available at:
http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;fairpensions.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/documents/ShellResolutionRequest.pdf Shell’s response to the resolution is available at:
http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www.shell.com/home/content/investor/news_and_library/press_releases/2010/report_oil_sands_17032010.html An investor briefing on the resolution is available at:
http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www.fairpensions.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/InvestorBriefing.pdf Shell has 20 billion barrels of tar sands resource among 66 billion barrels of oil equivalent globally.
http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www-static.shell.com/static/investor/downloads/presentations/2008/strategy_2008_final_investor.pdf
The Indigenous Environmental Network is a North American based Environmental and Justice organization whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from toxic contamination and corporate exploitation.

http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www.ienearth.org/tarsands.html

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clayton Thomas-Muller
Indigenous Environmental Network
Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign
294 Guigues Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1N 9H8
Home Office: 613 789 5653
Cell: 218 760 6632
http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www.ienearth.org/tarsands.html
Take Action Right Now! Go to: http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;ien.thetarsandsblow.org
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Please visit Defenders of the Land: http://www.facebook.com/l/3aa86;www.defendersoftheland.org

Inupiat warns of oil spill in Chukchi Sea

Obama administration approved drilling plans for
Arctic
Drilling critics warn of dangers from a spill in the Arctic
SHELL: Company's win in court has it poised to begin.
By DAN JOLING
The Associated Press
Read more:
http://www.adn.com/2010/05/16/1280855/drilling-critics-warn-about-dangers.html

Inupiat Eskimo whale hunter George Kingik follows news accounts of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He cringes when he imagines crude fouling his backyard, Alaska's Chukchi Sea.
"They're not ready for the Arctic," Kingik said from his home in Point Hope, 700 miles northwest of Anchorage. "It's completely different up here."
Shell Oil two years ago spent $2.1 billion for leases in the Chukchi, the arm of the Arctic Ocean that the United States shares with Russia, and the home to one of America's two polar bear populations.
The federal Minerals Management Service estimated the sale area contained 15 billion barrels of conventionally recoverable oil and 77 trillion cubic feet of conventionally recoverable natural gas. Shell is poised to begin exploratory drilling this summer on leases as far as 140 miles offshore.
Alaska Native groups and environmentalists are hoping a judge or the Obama administration will intervene.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/05/16/1280855/drilling-critics-warn-about-dangers.html#ixzz0oI3vrnRP

Undocumented students arrested at protest at McCain's office

Undocumented youths arrested at protest at McCain's office

Raw video of protest:
http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12497415

KGUN: Illegal immigrant who takes part in sit-in at Senator McCain's office speaks out Reported By: Steve Nunez

TUCSON, AZ (KGUN-TV) - Today a number of people from around the country, most illegal immigrants, converged in what could be a costly demonstration for the DREAM Act. The "Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors" is a bipartisan piece of legislation sponsored by Republican Senator Orin Hatch of Utah and Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois.

The DREAM Act aims to give people brought here illegally at a young age a conditional path to citizenship. It would give them 6 years to complete either a college degree or two years of military service. It is legislation now opposed by Arizona Senator's Jon Kyl and John McCain.

The five activists, four who are illegal immigrants, took a stand by sitting down inside McCain's Tucson office. Just before 6p.m. One of the illegal immigrants, Tania Unzueta, voluntarily walked out to speak for all who share her same story. .