CENSORED NEWS

February 8, 2018

Defending Amazonian Patricia Gualinga, International Organizations Call For Accountability

International Organizations Call For Accountability Following Attack on Amazonian Land Defender Patricia Gualinga

By WECAN International

Censored News

Media Contact: Emily Arasim - emily@wecaninternational.org; +1.505.920.0153, Moira Birss - moira@amazonwatch.org; +1.510.294.2041

BAY AREA, California (February 8, 2018) - Following recent death threats and acts of hostile intimidation towards Patricia Gualinga Montalvo, an Indigenous Kichwa leader from Ecuador's Amazon rainforest - over 50 prominent global organizations and individuals working for human rights, women's rights, environmental and climate justice, issued a statement of solidarity and a call for accountability.

The collective statement signed by global organizations including Amazon Watch, the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, Global Witness, Frontline Defenders, Urgent Action Fund for Women, Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace USA, Sierra Club, and Cultural Survival expresses deep concern regarding the attack targeting Patricia on January 5, 2018, during which an unknown man attacked her home in Puyo, Pastaza province, Ecuador, throwing stones at the windows while yelling death threats against her. The attack broke windows and the assailant yelled directly at Patricia Gualinga and repeatedly threatened her with death.

Truth and Justice -- Hold Media Accountable in North Dakota

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

The media in North Dakota is much like the media was in the bordertowns of the Navajo Nation, particularly Farmington, New Mexico, Daily Times, before it was sold in the 1990s.
In the backrooms of the news rooms, there is the racism of white publishers and editors. Even when reporters want to tell the truth, they are often prevented by the editors or publishers.
In my case, the editor of Farmington Daily Times distorted a story that I wrote as a staff writer, and blamed Navajo youth victims after they were beaten with baseball bats by white youths. When I demanded a retraction, I was fired. I reported this to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission who was in Shiprock during the early 1990s, gathering testimony.
The newspaper was sold shortly after that.
Now, the Water Protector Legal Collective says that based on a poll of potential jurors, water protectors can not get fair trials in North Dakota.
Water protectors facing long prison terms are agreeing to plea agreements.
The media in North Dakota -- along with the politicians, and long standing racists -- must be held accountable.
In North Dakota, no doubt, there are still those white-dominated backrooms of the news rooms, where publishers and editors are twisting the truth, abusing their ethical responsibility, and demanding that the profits and power of corporate oil take precedence over justice, fairness, accuracy and the moral obligation of each human being to uphold the truth and human rights.

Reference to Water Protector Legal Collective:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2018/02/little-feather-reaches-non-cooperating.html

'Gathering on the Homeland' Solidarity, Decolonization, Celebrating Acts of Resistance, on Pine Ridge, Feb 2018

The Native Artists In Action will conduct a workshop during our Gathering On The Homeland. They are a wonderful and talented co-op of Natives who have worked with Owe Aku and Ama's Freedom School for a long time. They specialize in working with Red Nation youth. Please come and bring your youth! There is rarely a YOUTH FOCUSED event during these historical activities, and we wanted to offer activities for the YOUTH so we have this art workshop and a Concert. #EverythingForEveryoneNothingForOurselves

February 7, 2018

PHOTOS: SALEM RALLY AGAINST OFF-SHORE DRILLING

WATER IS LIFE and DRILLING IS KILLING

February 6, 2018. Salem, Oregon.

Photos and article by Lloyd Vivola

Censored News

Environmental activists were joined by concerned citizens, First Nations, elected officials and government commissioners on the steps of the State Capitol Building here to rally in opposition to the Trump Administration's plan to open the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States to unprecedented oil and gas development.

The Oil and Gas Leasing Plan, as proposed in January by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, would make 90% of the American OCS available for fossil fuel exploration and extraction beginning in 2019. Currently, some 94% of the OCS is off-limits to fossil fuel development, including OCS territory that extends from Oregon coastal waters, a marine environment considered by many to be among the world's most biologically sound.

Speakers at the rally underscored a long list of economic and environmental concerns regarding any introduction of future fossil fuel development in this area, not least among them the risk of catastrophic oil spills. They also voiced outrage that the policy flies in the face of ever more evident climate disruption and the need to develop renewable energy sources.

After the rally, many protesters attended a well-orchestrated information fair – billed as a public meeting – that was held at the nearby Red Lion Hotel and presented by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. As part of administrative protocol regarding the off-shore leasing proposal, BOEM is currently accepting public comments online and by mail.

To learn more, visit Surfrider at:

https://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/offshore-drilling-planned-off-your-coasts-time-to-speak-out

Story and Photos by Lloyd Vivola