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Colorado River Native Nations Alliance Ft. Mojave, Chemehuevi, Quechan, Cocopah, and Colorado River Indian Tribes For Immediate Release Contact:
Nora Helton, Chairwoman      |
Colorado River Indian Tribes Host International Gathering To Stop Proposed Ward Valley Nuclear Waste Dump Hundreds of Tribal Members and Environmental Justice Supporters from U.S. and Mexico Call On Governor-Elect Davis to Stop Dump Aha Quin, California, Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation -- Hundreds of tribal members from the Indian Nations along the Colorado River were joined by Indigenous and environmental justice supporters from across the Southwest and Mexico this weekend in a gathering to save Ward Valley, sacred Indian land and the Colorado River from a proposed nuclear waste dump. The Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance (CRNNA) hosted the strategy and planning meeting of the Ward Valley Coalition. The Alliance and Coalition applauded Governor-Elect Davis' commitment to the environment and long-standing opposition to the proposed dump, and are urging him to act immediately upon taking office to stop the dump. The CRNNA and the Coalition are calling on Governor-Elect Davis to withdraw the State's application to the Interior Department for a transfer of federal land at Ward Valley for the dump, and to withdraw the State's lawsuit against the Interior Department. "With international support, the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance calls on the new Governor to protect the Colorado River and our sacred land at Ward Valley by immediately stopping the dump," said Dave Harper, spokesperson for the Colorado River Indian Tribes. A large delegation from Texas and Mexico attended, fresh from their recent victory against a similar nuclear dump proposed for Sierra Blanca, Texas near the Rio Grande. The Indigenous, environmental justice and community groups from U.S. and Mexico pledged to help save Ward Valley and to unite to stop other similar environmental threats. "The Ward Valley Coalition has our full support," said Andy Mares, speaking on behalf of the groups who defeated the Sierra Blanca dump. "We are resolved to unite with peoples from California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Mexico to defend our region from becoming a nuclear dumping ground." Groups attending included Alliance for Survival, BAN Waste, Bi-National Coalition Against Nuclear and Toxic Dumping, California Communities Against Toxics, Citizens Against Radioactive Dumping, Colorado River Native Nations Alliance, Committee to Bridge the Gap, Escuela de la Raza (Blythe, CA), Frente Indigena Oaxaqueno Bi-Nacional (Fresno, CA), Greenaction, Matachin Dance Group (Guadalupe Municipality, Mexico) Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Shundahai Network, Sierra Blanca Legal Defense Fund, Sierra Club of Vermont,, Tarahumara Supreme Council (Mexico), Water Information Network, Yankuikanahuak Nuevo Anahuak (Mexico City). The Colorado River Native Nations Alliance and Ward Valley Coalition announced that a large ceremony and celebration will be held February 12-14, 1999 at Ward Valley to commemorate the one year anniversary of the historic and victorious 113 day occupation of the proposed dump site. |