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"Our songs are still out there on the land," said Dean Barlese, Pyramid Lake Paiute, before offering a traditional prayer during the press conference on Tuesday. Battle of Lithium Mining at Paiute Massacre Site Links Struggles Against Greenwashing Around the World |
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Dec. 5, 2023
Translation into French by Christine Prat
https://chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=8277
The struggle to protect Peehee Mu'huh, Thacker Pass, from lithium mine links the global struggles of uncontacted Indonesians battling nickel mining, child slaves in Congo's cobalt mines, and the peoples' battles against lithium mining in Serbia and Argentina. They are all battling the greenwashing of the false solution of electric vehicles for climate change.
The desecration of the sacred Paiute Massacre site by Lithium Americas of Canada is proceeding because federal laws do not protect massacre sites. Further, a man camp of lithium miners threatens the rural communities of Fort McDermitt Paiute Shoshone Nation, and the town of Winnemucca with crime, specifically sex trafficking.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Chairman Arlan Melendez called for a new mobilization of peaceful protests that will bring awareness to the public about the ongoing desecration to the sacred place and the damage to the environment. He called for support from South Dakota and elsewhere to bring this desecration to the forefront.
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Reno-Sparks Chairman Arlan Melendez said sacred places must be protected and there must be new measures created to protect sacred places including Peehee Mu'huh. Melendez said they want to mobilize Indigenous Peoples, including those in South Dakota, for peaceful protests and to educate the public about outdated mining laws. Speakers pointed out that the United States government failed to adequately consult Native Nations before issuing a permit for lithium mining on Thacker Pass. The dangers for the local community will increase with a workers' man camp. Joining Chairman Melendez are Michon Eben, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for RSIC; and Will Falk, one of the attorneys who has represented the tribe in the Thacker Pass court cases. Update article at Censored News: Thacker Pass lithium struggle links to global struggle https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2023/12/battle-of-lithium-mining-at-paiute.html |