COLORADO RIVER NATIVE NATIONS ALLIANCE
Fort Mojave * Chemehuevi * Quechan * Cocopah * Colorado River Indian TribesBREAKING NEWS!
Friday, June 5, 1998Contact:
Contact Nora Helton, Chairperson, Ft. Mojave Tribe (760) 629-4591
Save Ward Valley (760) 326-6267113 DAY DIRECT ACTION AT WARD VALLEY ENDS IN VICTORY FOR INDIAN NATIONS AS INTERIOR DEPARTMENT RESCINDS EVICTION NOTICE FOR OCCUPATION & ENCAMPMENT AT PROPOSED NUCLEAR DUMP SITE TRIBES TO CONTINUE SPIRITUAL VIGIL AT "GROUND ZERO" CALL ON U.S. & STATE TO STOP DUMP ONCE AND FOR ALL
"WE WILL NEVER ALLOW A DUMP ON OUR SACRED LAND!"Ward Valley, CA -- Leaders of the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance hailed as a huge victory today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Interior that the eviction notice issued to the Tribes on February 14th to vacate "ground zero" at the proposed Ward Valley nuclear dump site has been rescinded. Today's important announcement follows negotiations yesterday between leaders of the five Tribes and Kevin Gover, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.
Today's victory will end the historic direct action that began 113 days ago on February 12th when hundreds of tribal members and supporters occupied "ground zero" the day before the Interior Department had hoped to close and secure the area for controversial test drilling bitterly opposed by the Tribes who vowed to defend their sacred land from further desecration. Tribal leaders announced that in response to the rescinding of the eviction notice and the canceling of the test drilling, the Tribes will remove security roadblocks and call off the "red alert."
The Indian Nations will have an ongoing spiritual vigil and presence at "ground zero" to continue to watch over the sacred land until the dump is stopped once and for all. Tribal leaders today called on Secretary of the Interior Babbitt to cancel the entire proposed dump immediately.
Despite threats of a large police action to evict the occupation, the Tribes stood firm for 113 days in refusing to leave "ground zero"or allowing the test drilling to proceed. Many spiritual ceremonies have been held at Ward Valley, and federal officials were wary of sending in police to arrest Indian Elders participating in this dignified, nonviolent and spiritual occupation.
A hearing in U.S. District Court will be held in Washington D.C. on June 17 on a lawsuit backed by Governor Pete Wilson to force the U.S. Interior Department to transfer the land at Ward Valley to the State. A spiritual gathering and celebration will be held at Ward Valley June 16th.
"Today the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance celebrates the success of our 113 day occupation of the proposed dump site at Ward Valley, but we will continue to peacefully defend our sacred land and the Colorado River from the radioactive threat," said Nora Helton, Chairwoman of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe. "We call on the U.S. government to take the only logical and just next step and cancel the dump immediately, once and for all. We will never rest until our sacred land and the Colorado River are protected and the dump stopped."