New Zine on Resistance to Loop 202.
In time for a quick read before the Tuesday ADOT meeting! I will more than likely be re-updating this zine after the vote but here is a rough draft. Hope it can help inspire more action in response of the proposed loop 202 extension.
And if you have not had the chance to read the first zine about this freeway a link to that zine is below as well.
For more information please visit:
No South Mountain Freeway
Gila River Against Loop 202
This is a new short video put together about the proposed Loop 202 freeway. In the future it is my hope to do a longer more intensive video. For now we give you this!
for more information on the impacts that this proposed freeway would have please visit:
The No South Mountain Freeway Page
Gila River Against Loop 202
TEMPE, AZ — Indigenous Dine’ (Navajo) and O’odham elders and supporters are taking direct action by occupying Salt River Project (SRP) headquarters today at 10am. This action is occurring while the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) holds their “States & Nation Policy Summit” in Scottsdale, AZ. SRP is on ALEC’s corporate board.
Louise Benally, a resident of Black Mesa impacted by SRP’s operations, is delivering a letter to SRP that outlines critical concerns of her community. She expressed that “My community is heavily impacted by Salt River Project’s coal and water extraction activities. SRP has extensive ties to Peabody Energy’s massive mining operations and the Navajo Generating Station which they co-own. Coal mining has destroyed housands of archeological sites and our only water source has been seriously compromised. Their operations are causing widespread respiratory problems, lung diseases, and other health impacts on humans, the environment, and all living things.”
“…We demand that SRP & Peabody meaningfully involve the indigenous communities they are impacting, and that they convert to non-fossil fuel based energy sources and address the health impacts on our communities.”
“…ALEC, acting in the corporate interests of SRP & Peabody Energy, continues policies & operations that are not only devastating whole communities and ecosystems, but greatly de-stabilizing our planet’s climate for the profit of a few, the so-called 1%.” stated Benally.
Ray Aguilar stated that “the air conditioning and power we enjoy and water we drink comes at the suffering caused by SRP and Peabody’s exploitation of the land and people. When will we realize that our privileges our based on this? We must take further action. I just spent one week doing direct, on-land support with Black Mesa residents assisting with basic essential human needs. That’s why I’m here today. This critical situation would not exist if not for these greedy corporations.”
Peabody Energy, also an ALEC member, is the world’s largest private-sector coal company. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody creates 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.
Since 1974 more than 14,000 Dine’ families have been forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands due in large part due to U.S.-backed tribal councils and cola mining.
To protest the deadly legacy of environmental and cultural destruction caused by the company’s collusion with Peabody Energy the protest has stated the following:
Big Mountain Sovereign Dine’ Nation
P.O. Box 23501
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Salt River Project
1521 N. Project Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
David Rousseau, President
John R. Hoopes, Vice President
CC:
American Legislative Exchange Council
Ben Shelly, Navajo Nation President
LeRoy N. Shingoitewa, Hopi Tribe Chairman
Barack Obama, United States President
Jan Brewer, Governor of Arizona
Gregory H. Boyce, CEO, Peabody Energy
Peabody Energy Corporate Headquarters
Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission
Ben Nuvamsa, Former Chairman, Hopi Tribe
Black Mesa Water Coalition
Black Mesa Trust
Forgotten People
Gila River Indian Community
Zuni Salt Lake Coalition
Indigenous Environmental Network
Center for Biological Diversity
International Indian Treaty Council
To the Owners, Operators, & Beneficiaries of Salt River Project,
We are a community that is heavily impacted by the Salt River Project’s coal and water extraction activities. We are particularly impacted by Peabody Energy’s mining operations to which you have extensive ties, the Navajo Generating Station which you co-own, and the exploitation of the water that underlies our ancestral lands. We wish to formally bring before you some critical concerns of our community.
The Navajo Generating Station and Peabody’s mining operations cause widespread respiratory problems, lung diseases, asthma issues, other health impacts on humans, the environment, and all living things. We don’t have access to health insurance. The plants and animals are also impacted and there are no studies on that. There is no remedy for that for now.
Peabody is an extremely disrespectful company, they’re tearing up everything for the coal. Mother earth and our cultural resources such as sacred sites are not at all respected. Back in the mid-nineties, grandmothers were defending the land when the mine was being expanded more and more, and we witnessed peoples’ graves being totally bulldozed. They have been exploiting and destroying sacred places, and that is not being talked about.
And the coal ash that they’re trying to dump on our lands now—it’s really no different than the uranium that we have suffered from for so many years. It’s toxic and poisonous, and there’s no safe place to store the coal ash.
The mining needs to stop. Until then, we demand that you honor the clean air act and the EPA’s highest standards by installing the best retrofit technology available on the Navajo Generation Station to reduce pollution from mercury, arsenic, and other toxic pollutants being released in to the air.
Our water is being exploited and our aquifers have been depleted for decades, causing springs to go dry and vegetation to change. Salt River Project needs to stop manipulating the Navajo and Hopi tribal governments, coercing them to sign agreements without consent from tribal members. Our water resources are not replenishable, and without the water, we cannot continue our way of life.
The beneficiaries of the energy and water you sell must realize that our suffering is a direct result of their consumption. They must also understand that the continued taking of finite “natural resources” is creating imbalances that threaten the survival of everyone’s future generations.
These issues are not being heard: Stop exploiting and destroying our ancestral homelands. Stop poisoning us. Stop meeting behind closed doors. Stop greenwashing your unfair and harmful practices. Recognize that you have a unique ability and thus a responsibility to put an end to these things, and that by not doing so you are also harming yourselves.
For background information: http://www.blackmesais.org
For information on ALEC protests: http://azresistsalec.wordpress.com and
http://www.alecexposed.org
Occupied
Un-occupy Our Lands!
Indigenous Peoples 
Gathering in Resistance to Corporate & State Terrorism
Tues. Nov. 29, 6PM – 9:30PM
At Serena Padilla Residence
Onk Akimel O’odham Nation (Salt River)
9312 E. Thomas Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85256
For more information and to see the entire invite please visit: AZ Resist Alec
Greetings.
My name is Serena Padilla. I live in Occupied Onk Akimel Jeved, now known as the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.
I am in support of an Indigenous convergence before and during the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference, scheduled for November 30-December 2, in hopes to share, connect and build solidarity amongst all the Indigenous Nations that are affected by ALEC.
At this time, I am opening my grounds to accommodate all Indigenous participants coming to our territory due to the ALEC Conference. I am opening my grounds for camping and access to my outside kitchen.
Dry River Collective Press Release
For Immediate Release: November 27, 2011
Media Inquiries: Dan Todd, 520-982-1835, langgore.dt@gmail.com
Ofelia Rivas, 520-395-7910, aliJegos@gmail.com
Additional Information: www.dryriver.org; www.solidarity-project.org
Noted Writers and Academics to Speak at Benefit
For Traditional O’odham Resistance and Anarchist Collective
Activist and scholar Ward Churchill, writer and speaker John Zerzan, and Professor of Religious Studies/Classics at the University of Arizona Dr. Julian Kunnie will speak at the Dry River Radical Resource Center on December 10, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. to benefit O’odham VOICE Against the WALL, which since 2003 has organized and advocated for the traditional O’odham leaders and O’odham communities, and the Dry River Collective, a center for anarchist organizing in Tucson for almost seven years. The event, “De-Occupy O’odham Lands!”, is a reminder that O’odham remain on only a third of their original lands and remain in resistance to the illegal occupation of O’odham lands by the United States and Mexico.
Ward Churchill is a prolific American Indian writer, a member of the Rainbow Coalition Council of Elders, and on the leadership council of the American Indian Movement of Colorado. In addition to his numerous works on indigenous history, he has written extensively on U.S. foreign policy and the repression of political dissent. Five of his more than 20 books have received human rights writing awards. Former Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department, until July 2007 Ward Churchill was a tenured full Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Colorado/Boulder, where he received numerous awards for his teaching and service. In April 2009 a jury unanimously found that he had been fired by CU in retaliation for his observations on 9/11 and in violation of the First Amendment. Professor Churchill is currently litigating to have that verdict upheld.
John Zerzan has been active in the anti-authoritarian movement from the ‘60s on and has articulated a critique of technology and civilization that has deepened and sharpened hostility to capitalism. In recent years he has been published in the theory journal TELOS, the Detroit publication Fifth Estate, Eugene’s Green Anarchy, and Species Traitor (an anarcho-primitivist journal). His books include Elements of Refusal (1988, 1998), Future Primitive (1994), Against Civilization (1999), Running on Emptiness (2002), Twilight of the Machines (2008), and Origins: A John Zerzan Reader (2010). Future Primitive Revisited will appear in Spring 2012. His weekly Anarchy Radio broadcast streams live on KWVA radio, Eugene. Oregon, USA; past shows are available at www.johnzerzan.net.
Julian Kunnie is a Professor of Religious Studies/Classics at the University of Arizona He is the author of numerous articles in various internationally recognized journals and books. His books include Indigenous Wisdom and Power: Affirming our Knowledge Through Narratives (2006), Is Apartheid Really Dead? Pan Africanist Working Class Cultural Critical Perspectives (2000), and Models of Black Theology; Issues of Class, Culture, and Gender (1994). His forthcoming book is Globalization and Its Victims: Wars Against the Earth and the Impoverished of the World (Rowman & Littefield). He is currently working on a prison research project that interrogates issues of race, class, and gender and is geared toward preventing the incarceration of youth, particularly those of color, entitled Enchained Humanity: A Comparative Study of the Infliction of Incarceration on Persons in United States and South African Prisons.
The event will be held at Dry River, 740 N. Main (University and Main). It is open to the public. A delicious vegetarian meal will be served at 6:00 p.m. and speakers will begin at 7:00. Donations of $10 to $20 are requested, but no one will be turned away. The Dry River Radical Resource Center is a community space offered by anarchists for live music, free services from clothing to computer access, and fundraising for a wide array of popular causes. Since 2005 it has hosted musicians, filmmakers, writers and political organizers from all over the world. Run by volunteers, it is sustained entirely by donations.
Anti-Colonial Thanksgiving Dinner pamphlet 2008
This is a zine from the Guelph Anarchist distro Mounting Bedlam Distro. It is from an annual dinner that where Anarchists host Indigenous folks to share their stories of resistance. It has spoken to me for along time sine i found a copy of it at the Taala Hooghan Infoshop. If you get a chance download the PDF and give it a read.
Traditional O’odham Leaders
Traditional O’odham Governors of O’odham Communities
Sonora, Mexico
Whereas, the Traditional O’odham Leaders represent O’odham communities of northern Sonora, Mexico, and are recognized as the official representatives sanctioned by the community members and recognized by the state and federal government of Mexico, and,
Whereas, the Traditional O’odham Leaders have discussed the proposal of Silver Scott Mines, Inc., to conduct open-pit mining operations near the community of Quitovac, Sonora, Mexico and,
Whereas, the Traditional O’odham Leaders, as the official recognized representatives of the O’odham community of Quitovac, Sonora, Mexico are outraged that the Mexican Government has not properly informed the affected region of their plans to consider the proposal of Silver Scott Mines, Inc., and,
Whereas, the Traditional O’odham Leaders are opposed to any disturbance of land within close proximity to the O’odham ceremonial grounds in Quitovac, Sonora, Mexico
Now Therefore be it Resolved, that the Traditional O’odham Leaders, after discussing the proposal of Silver Scott Mining, Inc., and after considering the damaging impacts the mining operations will cause to the environment and ecosystem, are strongly opposed to the operation proposal of Silver Scott Mines, Inc., and,
Be it Further Resolved, that the Traditional O’odham Leaders charge the Mexican Federal Government and the Government of the State of Sonora to enforce the existing cultural and environmental protections laws of Mexico, and to conduct a transparent Impact Assessment and a Cultural and Environmental Impact Study, so as to allow the community of Quitovac and its representatives to make an informed decision regarding the proposal and,
Be it finally Resolved, that the Traditional O’odham Leaders also charge the Mexican Government, both Federal and State, to honor its responsibility to facilitate open communication with the O’odham representatives in the State of Sonora, Mexico, and to support decisions in the best interest of the O’odham, the Original people of the Land.
Resolution officially adopted on November 7th, 2011 at official meeting of the Traditional O’odham Leaders
held in Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico.
Also From O’odham Solidarity Project:
For Immediate Release September 30, 2011
Silver Scott announces 12,000 Hectares Acquired by the Company adjacent to the Quitovac
Mine area, Sonora Mexico
Hilton Head, SC – Silver Scott Mines, Inc. (OTC: SILS.pk) is pleased to announce it has increased its mineral concession holdings in the Quitovac Mine area in northern Sonora state.
The Company had previously announced the acquisition of the Quitivac Mine concessions (Feb.10, 2011). The Quitovac mine area previously acquired consists of 13 older concessions totaling about 2500 hectares covering more than a 3 km. long zone of shear related gold mineralization. Previous property operators have calculated shallow drill hole based historic resources ranging from a low of 112,000 ounces gold in a resource averaging 3.14 grams Au per tonne (Technical Report, 2002) ranging up to 325,560 oz. Au in a resource averaging 1.35 grams per tonne.
The new 12,000 hectare concession acquired by the Company covers a large area south and west of the older concessions but on trend of the gold mineralization from the mine area. Much of the new concession area is pediment gravel covered. The previously mined La Choya gold mine operated by Hecla Mining Co. is located about 8 km southeast of the Quitovac mine and 2 kms east of the new concession. Paved highway, electric power, and water are available within 3 km of the project site.
for the full PDF of the companies release read here
Please help support the struggle to defeat this mine. If you are in tucson please show your support and attend the December fundraiser for O’odham VOICE Against the WALL. Here is a link to the Event.
TOHONO O’ODHAM NATION — (Nov. 23, 2011) The US Homeland Security is now pitching new spy towers to the Tohono O’odham, after Homeland Security wasted billions on the last boondoggle of Arizona spy towers that did not function.
Previously on the Arizona/Mexico border, Homeland Security’s Secure Border Initiative spy towers were pointed at the people of the community in locations like Arivaca and not at the border.
Those spy towers, including one on the Tohono O’odham Nation south of Sells, Arizona (shown below) were fashioned after Israeli’s Apartheid Wall. Those spy towers were built by Boeing and the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems.
Then, Homeland Security announced in Jan. 2011, the replacement of the previous boondoggle SBInet with the Alternative Southwest Border Technology. It also referred to as Arizona Border Surveillance Technology.
Homeland Security is now presenting new spy towers, shown below, to Tohono O’odham districts for approval.
The Tohono O’odham elected government has been able to censor the media by not allowing outside journalists into Tohono O’odham Legislative Council sessions.The Tohono O’odham elected government also controls the movement of mainstream media when it attempts to cover news stories on the Tohono O’odham Nation. The elected Tohono O’odham government spoonfeeds the mainstream media and the result is public relations hype published in newspapers who are sometimes considered credible, like the Los Angeles Times and New York Times.
Tohono O’odham activists who attempt to protest the Tohono O’odham government, which has been coopted by US Homeland Security and Border Patrol, are followed and threatened by US Border Patrol agents and Tohono O’odham police. News reporters who attempt to cover the real story, and grassroots Tohono O’odham who speak out against the US surveillance on sovereign Indian land, are also stalked, detained and threatened by US Border Patrol agents.
For the full story please see: CENSORED NEWS
ARIZONA IS CALLING FOR A DIVERSITY OF TACTICS TO SHUT DOWN THE UPCOMING ALEC CONFERENCE IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ ON NOVEMBER 30TH.
ALEC thinks they’re meeting in Scottsdale, AZ this November…
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a massive non-profit
body that brings corporations and legislators together to draft “model”
legislation. For example, AZ Senator Russell Pearce and Corrections
Corporation of America (CCA), the nation’s largest private prison firm,
have been members for years. ALEC finalized the model legislation which
became, almost word for word, Arizona’s SB1070, aka “Support Our Law
Enforcement.” It’s the latest in the historical pattern of colonization,
slave codes, convict leasing, and the drug war, that CREATES crimes and
therefore criminals, for profit.
With British Petroleum (BP) and the Koch brothers as some of their
funders, ALEC has pushed for Three Strikes and Mandatory Minimum
sentencing, as well as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. More than 200
of ALEC’s model bills became actual laws throughout the country over the
past year.
We’re a group of people in occupied Indigenous lands, now called Arizona,
who demand the end of SB1070 and 287g, the criminalization—and then the
incarceration—of migrants, and the militarization of the border. We oppose
private prisons, detention centers, and security companies, not simply
because they are private, but because we are sickened by profiteering on
human misery. ALEC desires “free markets” and “limited government,”
which means they use the state to support profit-making, the continuance
of colonization, and neo-liberal policies (NAFTA, CANAMEX, etc.) that draw
lines, make laws, and build freeways and prisons to exploit labor and the
earth.
Whether maintained by the state or corporations, we’re against all systems
of control. We are for freedom of movement for all people.
ALEC should know there are a million better things to do with their time
than plotting mass incarceration. But there’s nowhere we’d rather be than
confronting their meeting. We’re calling for four days of action here in
occupied Onk Akimel O’odham lands from November 29th – December 3rd, 2011, with an emphasis for action on November 30th (N30!). We encourage a
creative diversity of tactics on N30, the 12th anniversary of the Seattle
uprising against the WTO. No matter the acronym, ALEC is no different
than all the other gangs of businessmen, politicians, and bureaucrats that
we’ve been resisting for over 500 years.
In solidarity with everyone locked up and locked down in AZ, and all
O’odham, Yaqui, Lipan Apache separated by the border, and anyone
dispossessed by the wealthy and powerful…
Project Baldwin
projectbaldwin@riseup.net