Photos: Church Rock Uranium Spill 31st Anniversary

Church Rock Navajos commemorate 1979 uranium spill

New uranium mining targets Church Rock, where the soil and water remain heavily contaminated

Photos copyright by Garrett Brennan Stewart, Navajo:  gs1027@gmail.com

See more photos: http://censored-news.blogspot.com/2010/07/more-photos-church-rock-1979-uranium.html

Censored News

http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

Hello,

My name is Garrett Brennan Stewart, Navajo. My clans are Totsohnii born for T'logi, my maternal grandfather's clan is Naasht'ezhi Tachiinii, and my paternal grandfather's clan is Todichiinii.

Since May, I've been an assistant to Phil Bluehouse, a practitioner of Navajo Peacemaking, which is a method of conflict resolution which utilizes traditional Navajo teachings and philosophy in addressing contemporary concerns. I've documented Phil's work with a community action group from Church Rock, NM (RWPRCA) in their comprehensive planning workshops with USEPA , Navajo EPA, and United Nuclear Corporation/General Electric.

The residents of the community group all reside within very close proximity of the abandoned North East Church Rock Mine, which was previously managed by United Nuclear Corporation. Apparently, the area of the Red Pond Road is highly contaminated, and the concerned parties are trying to come to an agreement as to how the land will be remediated/restored and where the residents will be relocated and for how long.

Enclosed are photos i took at the 31st anniversary march commemorating the 1979 Church Rock Uranium Mill Tailings Spill, including links to video footage which contains bits of information conveyed by Teddy Nez, the president of the Community Group, RWPRCA, and Larry King, resident of Church Rock. There was a 15 minute clip that contained much of Larry's commentary related to the morning of the spill as well as a geiger test of a fenceline on the Abandoned Uranium Mine. Unfortunately, YouTube uploads are limited to 10 minute clips, so I'll edit the piece and upload it again, soon.

This information needs to be shared.

I'd really appreciate it if you could assist us in getting this information out there.

And the YouTube channel of footage I shot on July 16: http://www.youtube.com/user/totsohniinishli

Kind regards,

Garrett Brennan Stewart
.
Also see: "Indian Country" Nuclear Spill Site Approved Again for Uranium Mining
http://www.honorearth.org/blog/%5Buser%5D/quotindian-countryquot-site-largest-radioactive-release-approved-more

FROM AN INFORMATION SHEET PROVIDED BY US EPA:

The Northeast Church Rock Mine Site, an abandoned uranium mine(AUM), is located about 16 miles northeast of Gallup, New Mexico. The site is primarily on tribal trust land adjacent to the Navajo Reservation. The site was mined by United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) between 1968 and 1982. UNC holds responsibility for current contamination at the site. Radium and uranium are the contaminants of primary concern at the site. Radiation and heavy metals in site soils from historic mining practices may pose a significant health risk to human health and to the environment . People may be exposed to these contaminants through ambient air, soil, surface water, sediment, and by eating plants or animals that are impacted by the site. The Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) and the USEPA have independently identified the site as the highest priority AUM among the 520 AUMs identified on the Navajo Nation. This site is the highest priority because it was the largest underground uranium mine in the country and radioactive waste piles continue to spread into the wash and onto the land surrounding several homes located adjacent to the mine.

32st Anniversary of Church Rock Uranium Spill Part I

totsohniinishli | July 18, 2010
The opening prayer of the 2 mile walk down to the commemoration site. I apologize for the shaky camera hand.

Church Rock 31st Anniversary of Mill Tailings Spill Part II

totsohniinishli | July 18, 2010
Teddy Nez, President of the community action group, Red Water Pond Road Community Association, talks about the dirt road that leads to his residence, the status of the Restoration/Remediation effort, as well as the incomplete back-filling of a hillside that rests within very close proximity to his home.

Los Angeles Times publishes racist hate speech directed at O'odham

Los Angeles Times,

It is difficult to believe that the Los Angeles Times would allow such ignorance and racism to be published as in 'Mystery Language on a Border Sign.' It insults the O'odham right to travel in their own homelands, insults the O'odham ancient language and exposes the ignorance and racism of both the writer and the Los Angeles Times.
It is difficult to believe the Times would allow the writer to accuse the O'odham of criminal behavior, illegal border crossing, without any knowledge of the subject. The author and Los Angeles Times owe an apology to the O'odham people.
Are you even aware that the O'odham live on both sides of the border in their traditional homelands and have lived here since time immemorial?
Why would you allow a writer to insult a peoples' language without even researching the facts?
This is one of the most racist columns I have ever seen published in major media and constitutes hate speech.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/readers/2010/07/mystery-language-on-a-border-sign.html

Brenda Norrell, Tucson

Tucson: World Indigenous Day: August 9, 2010

World Indigenous Day
August 9 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm .

Location YWCA Frances McClelland Leadership Center
525 N. Bonita Ave, Tucson, Arizona
Created By Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras
PLEASE JOIN US as we come together for WORLD INDIGENOUS DAY on August 9, 2010 to share our ideas and thoughts on the impact of SB 1070 and HB 2281 on our communities.

FEATURED SPEAKER: Simon Ortiz, Acoma Pueblo Poet and Writer

PANEL: Tony Bustamante, Immigration Attorney ■ Leilani Clark, Youth Activist ■ Shannon Rivers, Gila River Indian Community

■ Dr. Roberto Rodriguez, University of Arizona

SPONSORED BY: Alianza Indigena ■ Derechos Humanos ■ Indigenous Environmental Group ■ International Indian Treaty Council ■ Seventh Generation Fund ■ Tonatierra ■ Yoeme Commission on Human Rights ■ YWCA Tucson

MONDAY ■ AUGUST 9, 2010 ■ 6:00 to 9:00

Contact: Jose Matus, director, Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, jrmatus@aol.com

Native Pride: A Week of Declarations; Celebrated, Reconsidered And Forced

A Week of Declarations; Celebrated, Reconsidered And Forced
By Ohnkwe Ohnwe
Native Pride
So a couple of days after Americans celebrated their Declaration of Independence from tyranny I travelled to Washington D.C. to observe and participate in the U.S. State Department's "Smart Partnership Dialogue" events. The events are to assist the State Department in their review of the U.S. position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, that position being a complete rejection of the entire document back in 2007.
The first day, July 7th, was the "Tribal Consultation", described as the "government-to-government tribal consultations between U.S. government agencies and federally recognized tribes". The State Department, which actually hosted the meeting at their facility, rolled out a few of its big guns for the event (don't get excited, Hillary was no where close) and rustled up some White House Indians, some Interior Department underlings and various other government agency staffers. The event was well attended, in fact the room was full to capacity. Sitting at the left hand of the U.S. panel was the Haudenosaunee representatives; I single them out specifically because of the events that would unfold later in the week. A good portion of the discussion focused around religious rights, sacred sites, federal recognition and the general poverty of Indian Country. No one mentioned economic development, trade, passports or any issues related to Native sovereignty as it relates to the international community or the United Nations.
Read column:
http://letstalknativepride.blogspot.com/