Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

October 11, 2010

Document: Proposed Navajo Water Rights Settlement (405 pages)

Photo Calvin Johnson, Navajo, published with
permission at Censored News

Proposed Navajo Water Rights Settlement
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
Photo: Calvin Johnson, Navajo
Print or download the document:http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2010/10/proposed-navajo-water-rights-settlement.html
Message: Please check out the link for the NE Arizona Water Rights Settlement 405 pages. Exhibit 14.1.1: Waiver and Release of Claims for Water rights, Injury to Water Rights and Injury to Water Quality, by the Navajo Nation on behalf of itself and its members and by the United States acting in its capacity as Trustee for the Navajo Nation and its members (but not its members in their capacity as allottees).
2.0 WAIVER AND RELEASE OF CLAIMS. 2.1 Except as provided in Paragraph 3.0 hereof, the Navajo Nation, on behalf of itself and its Members, and the United States acting in its capacity as trustee for the Navajo Nation and its Members pursuant to the authorization set forth in Section of the Act, hereby waive and release any claims against the State, the Hopi Tribe, or any other person, entity, corporation or municipal corporation under Federal, State or other law for all:
2.1.1 Past, present and future claims for Water Rights for Navajo Lands arising from time immemorial.

October 6, 2010

American Indian Movement International Film Festival 2010


American Indian Movement International Film Festival, October 11-12, 2010
Written by Arthur Jacobs
Art design donated by artist Sal Garcia
American Indian Movement International Film Festival
October 11-12
San Francisco Bahai Center, 170 Valencia Street
Doors open at 12 noon first movie begins at 12:30 pm
Ticket donations at the door are $10 for one day and $15 for two days, nobody turned away for lack of cash, slide scale.
Wheelchair accessible. All children under 10 years are free! Refreshments and popcorn available.
The Film Festival is to help prepare for the Annual AIM-WEST Conference November 22-27, in San Francisco. AIM-WEST proudly presents the American Indian Movement (AIM) International Film Festival, October 11-12, 2010 in San Francisco, CA.
Films selected for this year’s festival exemplify the legacy and spiritual movement of resistance, and the fight for self determination found among Indigenous peoples throughout the globe. Held each year on Indigenous People's Day, the Festival offers an important educational alternative to the stories typically associated with Columbus Day and what it means to Indigenous Peoples throughout the Americas. The Festival also coincides with the United Nation's theme of “Indigenous Peoples and film making” declared at the 2010 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples held in New York.
Read more about the festival, with schedule:
http://aimwest.info/

Peabody Coal's records for Black Mesa sought in court


Lawsuit Seeks Release of Public Records for Peabody Coal Operations on Tribal Lands in Arizona
By Center for Biological Diversity
Censored News

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - October 5 - Native American and conservation groups sued the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining (OSM) in federal court in Colorado on Thursday for withholding records relating to Peabody Energy’s coal-mining operations on tribal lands in northeast Arizona. To date, the agency has refused to publicly release records relating to Peabody’s coal-mining operations — including a copy of a current, valid operating permit for Peabody’s mining. The lawsuit was brought under the Freedom of Information Act.

“For decades, OSM has quietly issued permits to Peabody in a way that has thwarted meaningful public involvement and community understanding of Peabody’s mine operations,” said Nikke Alex, executive director of the Black Mesa Water Coalition. “OSM’s permitting actions have a direct and irreparable impact on our community. These records must be released to the public.”

Peabody, the largest coal-mine operator in the world, runs the 40,000-acre Kayenta Mine and adjacent 18,000-acre Black Mesa Mine on Navajo Nation and Hopi tribal lands in northeastern Arizona. On April 9, citizens submitted a FOIA request to OSM for records related to the agency’s renewal of Peabody’s Kayenta Mine operating permit. On June 4, OSM’s office in Denver, Colorado ended the public comment period for Peabody’s renewal permit without releasing the requested records (including a copy of Peabody’s operating permit).
Read more ...
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/10/05-7
CONTACT: Center for Biological Diversity
Brad Bartlett, Attorney, Energy Minerals Law Center, (970) 247-9334
Wahleah Johns, Black Mesa Water Coalition, (928) 213-5909
Andy Bessler, Sierra Club, (928) 774-6103
Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, (928) 310-6713