Keep It in the Ground. Inter- National Stop Uranium Mining News Letter
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keep it in the ground. inter national stop uranium mining news letter. march 1982 SUBSCRIPTIONS Wortd lnfonnation Servtoe on Energy WISE was set up by safe energy ac tivists in 1978 to tunetion as an in A subscription to the Keep It In The ternational switchboard tor local Ground costs f25 for individuals and national safe energy groups ($5.00, $12.50) and f50 for institutions around the world who want to ex per year (10 issues). change information and support one another. Up until this stage the KIITG expenses have been financed by the Smiling Sun WISE now has relays in 11 coun Foundation, Novib and NCO. This year tries and a worldwide network of we are facing the big problem: they grassroots contacts. are most likely unable to continue We are funded by the anti-nuclear funding us. This means that to continue movement through sales of the to publish KIITG, we have to ask our Smiling Sun symbol 'Nuclear Ener friends and readers for more assistance. gy? No Thanks'. Several donations of tlOO would be very wonderful. For information on WISE publica GIRO: 4088285 tions and on how to become a member or give financial support Look on the back cover for your nearest contact: relay. If there is no relay in your WISE·Amsterdam, Biaslusstraat 90, area, subscriba direct via WISE Amster 1091 CW Amsterdam, The Nelherlands, dam. Tel.: 020-924264, Poat Account: 40.88.285 ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER This is a newsletter linking together This issue of Keep It In The Ground is the in an information chain people all combined work of the Amsterdam staff, the round the world werking to stop uranium Australia and Washington relays, and inform mining. It is a participation publication, ation from other relays and friends. Lin and all people are invi ted to send art·· Pugh is the editor. icles to us. We also publish scientific information which groups can use in their Please freely re-publish our news, that's our purpose! BUT •.• please say that the campaign. An amazing amount can be shared, and there is a lot to be gained news is from KIITG. Thanks. Copyright 1982. from learning from the knowledge and experience, solidarity and support of others. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACTION Oglala (USA), Big Mountain, New York Water, Honeymoon, Nova Scotia, South Africa/ Netherlands ••••••••••••• 3-6 TRANSPORT WISE Is !Insneed In part by International Japan,Australia ••••••••• 6-10 sales of Smlllng Sun buttons and stick· EXPLORATION ers. For every button you buy, :!: 70% goes to the local group selllng lhe button USA, resource •••••••••• l0-12 and 10% goes to WISE to help tlnance lhe TAILINGS Internaltonel lntormatlon service. Use USA •.•.•••••••••••••••. 12-14 the Smlllng Sun, now avallable In over 40 RESOURCES ••••••••••••••••••••••• 14 languages, to help flnance your local group and support WISE at lhe same THE GULLIVER FILE time. Industry News •••••••••• l4-16 SCIENTIFIC STUDIES For enqulrles aboU1 sales of Smlllng Sun materleis In your country or ragion From Physicians for Social please wrlte lo: Responsibility ••••••••• I6-19 OOA, Ryesgade 19, 2200 Copenhagen N, BACKPAGE Den mark. WISE Addresses While massive exploitation of the minerals were carried out under the ACTION auspices of the u.s. government, the Lakota Nations were pusbed into poverty and forced to live in small spaces on the once huge reserves. Uranium-tailings have contaminated the aquifers that lead to the reserv ation (and farmers') wells. Unusually high rates of spontaneous abortions (6~ times the national average), can cer and genetic defects and breathing complications in newborns prevail among the people of Pine Ridge. The Lakota holy land has been spoiled OGLALA TRIBE LOSES COURT BATTLE by gold, uranium, and land speculators. FOR THE BLACK HILLS In their Supreme Court appeal, the The court battle launched by the Sioux argued that the lower court Oglala Sioux Tribe (one of the Lakota rulings had deprived them of a mean Nations) of Pine Ridge, South Dak ingful remedy for an acknowledged ota, in their efforts to reclaim the deprivation of Constitutional rights. Black Hills, ended Monday January The supreme Court's failure to 18, when the u.s. Supreme Court re overturn those rulings will, according fused to hear their appeal. The to their legal brief, "shake the appeal was from lower court rulings permanence and enforceability to the limiting the Lakota (Sioux) Nations civil rights of all Americans". The to a cash settiement rather than the Supreme Court Justices made no comment land itself. The tribe's lawyer, on the decision. Russel Barsh, said that the focus of the continuing battle to reclaim the The American system of "checks and lands would now shift to the United balances" assigns court responsibility Nations where, since 1980, the Human for reviewing complaints that Congress Rights Commission has been invest has disregarded the Bill of Rights. igating a charge by the Lakota that The First and Fifth Amendments forbid the u.s. government's handling of congress to take private property for the Natien's claim violatas internat essentially private purposes, or ional law. where the taking substantially impairs religieus freedom. The The case was filed in July 1980, sev Oglala Sioux centend that the confis eral weeks after a Supreme Court cation of the Black Hills destroyed decision, stating that the Black Hills their church, and had no "public" had been wrongfully taken from the purpose. It gave a vast wind-fall Lakota Nations, awarded them $17 mil to fortune hunters who earlier enter plus interest for a total of $105 ad the area in violatien of federal million. Many Lakota people rejected law to stake mining claims -- including the payment, asking for an injunction George Hearst, founder of the Hearst to prevent the federal government dynasty, whose Homestake Mining from distributing the money. The La Company had taken $100 million out kota people want the land, their of the Hills by 1900 and $1 billion sacred "Paha Sapa", and asked that by 1980. the land now owned in that area by The Court's deelsion opens the way the federal government (about 80% of for huge strip mining projects for the Black Hills) be returned. The both coal and uranium, a massive other 20% of the land covered under physical assault opposed by regional the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty would environmentalists and ranchers as remain in the hands of the farmers well as the Native Americans. Direct and ranchers who now occupy it. beneficiaries of the decision include In addition to demanding the return Union Carbide, United Nuclear (a of the land, the July 1980 lawsuit division of Homestake), and the TVA sought $10 billion in compensation (Tennessee Valley Authority) , part for the removal of non-renewable icipantsin a plan to develop a chain resources as well as $1 billion in of uranium mills and nuclear reactors additional damages for "hunger, in the Hills. Exploratory operations malnutrition, disease and death". already have destroyed rock formations 3 and shrines sacred to the Sioux BIG MOUNTAIN ALERT people. In October last year the Bureau of The attorneys for the Oglala, Mario Indian Affairs notified more than 9000 Gonzalez and Russel Barsh, have made Dine (Navajo) residents of the Joint clear that the fight for the Hills Use Area of the Navajo and Hopi in the Courts - especially internat reservations that as of January 1982, ionally, will continue. ''The time only 249 of them would be permitted will come", warned Gonzalez, "that to continue grazing livestock. These Americans will receive the same Dine are presently living on one hostile reception abroad as White million acres of land which the govern South Africans. Perhaps that will ment bas designated as Hopi Partitioned jolt Congress into taking action to Lands (HPL) from which they are to be deal with this issue like a respons removed by 1986, according to the Navajo ible government anxious to keep the Hq>i Land Dispute Act of 1974. This law's respect of its dwindling number of amendments P.L. 96-305, requires that allies. We regret this case will stock reduction be completed by provide fuel for anti-American sent January of 1982. Several attempts to iments abroad, but that will be the repeal these laws have failed. inevitable consequence~. Louise Benally, who is facing federal "The Court's decision was flagrantly charges relating to obstruction of the political," co-counsel Barsh said, completion of a barbed wire fence "and the American people have a right partition in 1980, states that "the to know that it puts their own civil people will not allow the livestock liberties in peril." For the first to be impounded. If they impound the time in the natien's history, he sheep they will have to impound the explained, Congress may limit or ab people. The people will resist." olish civil liberties without fear The Big Mountain Dine Nation has of judicia! intervention. "The Sioux also written to WISE, asking us to are only the first. Tomorrow, Congress pass the following message on to may snatch away the rights of women, friends who wish to send financlal or blacks, or the poor in this country, support and letters of support: please and send them Treasury checks, say, get in contact with the Big Mountain $500 for the right to vote, or $200 Dine Nation itself, and not through for free speech. If the present the American Indian Envi~t Council. conservative Administration is tempted Apparently the messages do not come to subvert the Bill of Rights, now through via that channel. is their chance." Throughout these court procedings, Big Mountain Dine Nation the Hills have remained occupied by c/o Kee Shay the Crazy Horse and the Yellow Thunder Box 203 Orailir, AZ 86039 USA groups.