Hopi and Navajo environmentalists galvanized by politicians' ban

Updated Oct. 4, 2009

Today, Vernon Masayesva, Hopi, reveals that the Hopi Tribal Council has been taken over by a pro-Peabody Coal faction. Further, Masayesva reveals that the Hopi Tribal Council hired Tina May as its press officer and the Arizona Republic is publishing one-sided, biased press release coverage by Tina May, former senior editor at the Arizona Republic.

Already this week, the Associated Press' dark and biased coverage was revealed in "Lazy journalists are the darlings of the corporations."
AP also published press releases of politicians and corporations in its coverage of the Hopi Tribal Council's ban on environmentalists, with support from Navajo President Joe Shirley, Jr. AP insulted environmentalists without interviewing the Hopi and Navajo environmental organizations and Hopis and Navajos living on the land.
Peabody Coal's use of a tribal attorney to carry out its dirty work is the same tactic Peabody Coal used originally to seize Black Mesa for coal mining, by way of attorney John Boyden, who worked for Peabody and the Hopi Tribe.
Please read this week's full statements by Hopis and Navajos at http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

By Brenda Norrell

When the Hopi Tribal Council banned "environmentalists," and Navajo President Joe Shirley, Jr., agreed, Navajos and Hopis defending the land were first shocked and appalled. Galvanized by the attack, Navajo and Hopi defenders of the land and cultural ways responded.

Klee Benally, Navajo, points out that the US puppet governments are continuing to appease the United States and corporations.

"I would expect this type of declaration from totalitarian government dictators, not those who are democratically elected leaders of Tribal Nations. Considering the history of colonization and BIA established puppet governments on Native American lands, Shirley's statement is not surprising.

"Attempting to silence the voice and limit the rights of Dine' people to protect their life, land and liberty is not sovereignty, it is in the direction of totalitarianism."

Benally points out that Shirley uses the catch word "sovereignty" to defend his stance against anything Shirley disagrees with. Benally said, "Does sovereignty really mean being dependent on non-renewable energy that destroys Mother Earth, pollutes drinking water and air and compromises our holy covenant with nature? Does it mean being dependent on casinos and outside corporate interests?"

Benally also reminds Shirley of Benally's grandmother, the late Roberta Blackgoat resisting relocation, who defended the land until her end on this earth.

"My grandmother Roberta Blackgoat once said, ‘I know each tree, each plant that grows right there. And they know me. The children, grandchildren, great grandchildren need to be right there. We need them to get back to the land and live on our ancestors' land.' She said that the ‘relocatees' die of ‘worriness,' ‘missing their traditional food and not knowing where to go to pray.' Blackgoat said, ‘As long as I live, I'm not going to sign' and continued to demand ‘(Peabody) stop destroying the Mother Earth's liver and blood; the coal and the water.'"

"Until her passing she resisted relocation, still abandoned by the Navajo Nation government, ‘unwelcome' by the Hopi Tribal government, and as a testimony to the injustices of US law.

"Would she still be unwelcome in her homeland Mr. Shirley --- as an environmentalist, that is a woman who loved her Earth?"

In response to the Hopi Tribal Council ban, Alph Secakuku, Hopi council representative of Sipaulovi (Second Mesa), spoke of the sacred foundation and destiny of the Hopi people.

"We made a sacred covenant with Maasaw, our Supreme Being, to be good stewards of the Fourth World we live in today. We, as people, all have the responsibility of being Caretakers of Mother Earth. You care for it and take from it only what you need, and it will provide for you.

"I never thought I would see the day when being ‘Hopi' meant being anti-environment, pro-big corporate energy, and actually promoting pollution and global warming in favor of dollars/money."

Secakuku said the ban was the result of the current political coup in the council.

"It is a sad day for Hopi/Tewa people, and I am disappointed. We, the Hopi/Tewa people, have worked closely for many years with our allies from the environmental community to protect sacred lands from development and to stop uranium mining from poisoning our water. Water is life, therefore, it is sacred. We will continue to work together -- tribal communities and other clean energy jobs advocates -- to bring green economic development to our lands that respects our air and water."

Former Hopi Chairman Ben Nuvamsa also points out the illegality, absurdity and indignity of the Hopi Tribal Council's ban.

Continued>>>
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2009/10/hopi-and-navajo-environmentalists-galvanized-politicians-ban

The lands became unsacred when the first coal mines opened in Black Mesa, AZ and Peabody Coal Mine. To matters worse, the lands are going to become more polluted if the Hopi and Navajo tribes do not work together. It's bad enough Hopi and Navajo Indians have land dispute issues, which was not a problem until the white government was established; now we have to worry about who lands we're on, instead of sharing like true native culture. Excuse me for speaking my mind, but natives need to work together to overcome all these environmental problems created because some European wanted to have some gold in his pockets.