Desert Voices The Newsletter of • Volume 19, Number 2 • June 2006 ISSN 1539-9869 The People versus Infernal Strake Large Coalition Unites to Halt Above-ground Chemical Detonation at the

E\:LOO3DUULVK From May 27-28, they camped by the dozens. Nearly 200 people gathered outside of the Nevada Test Site, located in the occupied Western Shoshone Nation, for a weekend of workshops, ceremonies, rituals, a peace camp, and a rally and march to the Test Site main gate. The “Stop the Strake!” gathering, called for by Western Shoshone spiritual leader Corbin Harney, was originally conceived as a demonstration against the US federal govern- ment’s planned “Divine” Strake - a 700-ton simulation bombing of Shoshone land, using Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil. It turned into a victory celebration on the morning of the 27th, when the National Nuclear Security $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 116$ DQQRXQFHGWKDWWKHWHVWZDV³LQGH¿- nitely postponed.” Protesters march to the Test Site gates, holding the Western Shoshone Remarkably, the gathering was cobbled together by the ÀDJDVDSURFODPDWLRQRIWKHLUVWHZDUGVKLSULJKWVWRWKHODQG organizations involved—Shundahai Network, the Western )URPOHIWWRULJKW3HWHU%HUJHORI$PHULFDQ3HDFH7HVWDQG2UHJRQ3HDFH- Shoshone Defense Project, Citizen Alert, Nevada Desert ZRUNV-LP*ROGWRRWKRI,QGLJHQRXV(QYLURQPHQWDO1HWZRUN-LPER6LPPRQVRI Experience, and others—within perhaps less than a month. ,QWHUQDWLRQDO,QGLDQ7UHDW\&RXQFLODQG-RKQQLH%REERIWKH:HVWHUQ6KRVKRQH I personally only decided to make the trek out to Nevada, 1DWLRQDO&RXQFLODQGQHZ1'(ERDUGPHPEHU from my hometown of Santa Barbara, on Thursday, May 25. NDE members. I arrived at the Amtrak station the following day just minutes The gathering was an interesting mix of veteran Test before the departure of the train on which my trip depended. 6LWHRSSRQHQWVDQG¿UVWWLPHUV²,ZDVLQWKHODWWHUFDWHJRU\ A sense of rushed anxiety, which no doubt characterized the 1RWVXUSULVLQJO\HYHQWKHYDVWPDMRULW\RIWKH¿UVWWLPHUV event for many of those involved, was very much alive inside myself included, are already committed activists. I only of me for most of the trip. met a small handful of people the entire weekend who Upon arriving at the Peace Camp outside of the Test Site, aren’t already strongly involved in located about 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the anxi- or a related cause. The people hailed from all parts of the ety turned into a mixture of excitement, determination, and western United States, including Nevada, Utah, Arizona, joy—in short, a sense of community. Shortly after arriving, , Oregon, and New Mexico. I was given a pink “Lovarchy” (love and anarchy, or the There hasn’t been any kind of mass protest movement Rule of Love) t-shirt by Marcus Page, a member of the NDE at the Test Site since the late-’80s, though NDE, Shundahai ERDUGZKRVH³DI¿QLW\JURXS´,MRLQHGQRWLQSDUWEHFDXVH Network, and the Western Shoshone Defense Project main- it also included my good friend Chelsea Collonge and other tain consistent opposition on a smaller scale. Citizen Alert has been strongly involved in the effort to prevent the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository from being sited on INSIDE THIS ISSUE the Western Shoshone’s land. Corbin Harney in particular *RRGE\H5HÀHFWLRQIURP1'('LUHFWRU devoted many of his remarks at the gathering to reviewing 25th Anniversary Event Nurtures Dialogue...... 3 the impressive history of activism at the Test Site, including recalling his 1987 global speaking tour to bring awareness NDE Events Spring Roundup...... 4 7KH815XOHVIRU6KRVKRQH/DQG5LJKWV anti-Divine Strake protest - continued on page 7 The mission of Nevada Des- Allured into the Desert ert Experience (NDE) is to E\$P\6FKXOW] stop nuclear weapons test- That is why I will lure her into the desert and there I will speak to her heart. And I will ing through a campaign of make a covenant with the birds of heaven and the creeping things of the earth. I will prayer, education, dialogue and nonviolent direct ac- remove all weapons of war from WLRQ1'(PRELOL]HVSHRSOH the land, all swords and bows, and RIDOOIDLWKVWRZRUNWRZDUG will let my people live in peace and nuclear abolition and non- security. (Hosea 2:14, 18) YLROHQW VRFLDO FKDQJH :H Occasionally, it rains in the are committed to providing Nevada Mojave desert. When the support for communal and water and earth meet, the result is personal renewal in the des- a warm and dusty pungency. The HUWWUDGLWLRQ2XULPPHGLDWH creosote bushes exude an aroma attention focuses on ending that is now a part of me. sub-critical tests and other As I leave my position as an ZDUPDNLQJ SUHSDUDWLRQV at the Nevada Test Site and NDE employee, I am very aware preventing the return of full of all that I carry with me – what VFDOHQXFOHDUWHVWLQJ has become part of me. These last few years have been a gift, full of personal and organizational challenges and movements <><><><><><> of the Spirit. With these experiences, I carry all the relationships. From my interactions with the Nye County Sheriffs to my co-workers to the stones and cacti of the desert, I NEW have felt connection. The desert has spoken tenderly to me through her human hands and ADDRESS mouths. I have been fed, sheltered, educated, loved and blessed by these connections. I also carry with me a deeper conviction for a nuclear-free world and acknowledge that 1'(¶V/DV9HJDVRI¿FH without dialogue and reconciliation, there is no non-violence. UHPDLQVLQWKH6W)UDQFLV And I can utter no words to the desert, so sacred and desecrated, and to all of you, but House community, but we have closed our Bay Area thank you! Thank you for supporting me, walking by the line with me and believing in RI¿FH3OHDVHGLUHFWFDOOV the work that we do – work that has made a movement and transformed so many hearts. WRRXU/DV9HJDVRI¿FHDQG Thank you for striving for a land free of swords and bows, so that we all may live with mail to our new address peace and security.

$P\6FKXOW]KDVVHUYHGDV1'(¶VGLUHFWRUDQG\RXWKFRRUGLQDWRUIRUWKHODVWWKUHH Nevada Desert Experience 1420 West Bartlett Avenue \HDUV6KHDQGKHU¿DQFp3DWULFN)LQQZKRKDVDOVRZRUNHGIRU1'(WKLVSDVW\HDUZLOO Las Vegas, NV 89106-2226 PRYHWR)ORULGDDWWKHHQGRIWKHVXPPHU7KH\DUHPRYLQJWREHFORVHUWR$P\¶VIDPLO\ (702) 646-4814 DQGKRSHWRFRQWLQXHZRUNLQPLQLVWU\IRUVRFLDOMXVWLFH$QG\HVWKH\NQRZDOODERXWDO- OLJDWRUVHOHFWLRQVDQGKXUULFDQHV NEW EMAIL ADDRESS &KHOVHD&ROORQJHDQG6U0HJDQ5LFH6+&-ZLOOFRQWLQXHWRVHUYH1'(ZLWKKHOS You can use our new email IURP0DULR3,QWLQR-UDQG*DU\&DYDOLHU:HZLOOPLVV$P\DQG3DWULFNYHU\PXFK address: info@nevadade- VHUWH[SHULHQFHRUJWRUHDFK NDE Board Welcomes New Members, New Visions HLWKHURIRXURI¿FHV :HDUHOXFN\WRZHOFRPH'U During our April 27th board meeting we brainstormed gifts that each )LQDOO\SOHDVHFKHFNRXW Bonnie Bobb of the Cor- RIXVEULQJVWR1'(DVDQRUJDQL]DWLRQDORQJZLWKYLVLRQVIRU1'( the updates to our website, poration of Newe Sogobia, DVDPRYHPHQW0HJDQVXPPDUL]HGRXUGUHDPVIRU1'(¶VIXWXUH Johnnie Bobb of the Western LQWRD¿YHSRLQWHGVWDU including online donating and Shoshone National Council, 0RUHFROODERUDWLRQZLWKPRYHPHQWVIRFXVHGRQHOLPLQDWLQJQXFOH- SLFWXUHVIURPRXUHYHQWV,W Karin Holsinger, graduate arism and other forms of violence, sharing our gifts, experience and is a great tool for introducing RIWKH)UDQFLVFDQ6FKRRORI expertise others to NDE, so please 7KHRORJ\ZKRZRUNVIRUWKH * Bringing more people to the Test Site for education and nonviolent share far and wide! Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and action, both the “40,000” requested by Corbin Harney, Western Sho- 3HJJ\0D]H-RKQVRQRI&LWL- shone spiritual leader, and the small groups of student immersion www.nevadadesert ]HQ$OHUW:HDUHDOVRKDSS\ trips and local gatherings experience.org WRKDYHEDFN&KULV0RQWH- 0RUHFRPPXQLFDWLRQIRUH[DPSOHWKURXJKFUHDWLYHXVHRIWKH VDQRRIWKH&DWKROLF:RUNHU NDE website, legislative action or letter-writing, and bold, respectful )DUPLQ6KHHS5DQFK&$ interpersonal dialogue &RQWLQXLQJWRGHYHORSWKHVNLOOVRI1RQYLROHQW&RPPXQLFDWLRQDQG bringing that philosophy into our events 3DJH-XQH 0RUHVXVWDLQDELOLW\LQRXUUHVRXUFHVVRZHFDQH[SDQGRXUZRUN A New Page in our Commitment to Dialogue in the Nuclear Age WK$QQLYHUVDU\(YHQW)DFLOLWDWHG'HHS/LVWHQLQJ%HWZHHQ'LIIHUHQW([SHULHQFHVRI:HDSRQV7HVWLQJ E\&KHOVHD&ROORQJH From March 30 to April 2, 2006, we brought together peo- kind of encounter can be shared broadly. We will continue to ple whose lives and hearts have been affected by the nuclear think about and articulate the ways in which this healing work weapons establishment in very different ways in an event called is appropriate even before the achievement of nuclear abolition, “Speaking from the Heart: Testimony as a way of creating space for deeper and Healing in the Desert.” Partici- understanding of nuclearism and pow- pants of our inner circle included a erful unexpected partnerships. survivor of the Hiroshima atomic This Lenten Desert Experience bomb; a former Manager for Test event also marked NDE’s 25th an- and Operations at the Department niversary. Highlights of the weekend of Energy; a resident of St. George, included a party where we shared a Utah who lost her daughter and sister slideshow of 25 years of experiences to cancer from living “downwind” of in the desert and a new song by Peter the Nevada Test Site; a Jesuit priest Ediger (see below); a mass co-cel- and ploughshares activist; a former ebrated by Joyce Hollyday and Bill director of the Lawrence Livermore Wylie-Kellermann, long-time peace National Laboratory and US delegate activists, and Bob Nelson, former to the Strategic Arms Limitations DOE manager at the Test Site; and a Talks with the Soviet Union; a co- )U6WHYH.HOO\6-FHOHEUDWHVDQLQFOXVLYHPDVVDWWKH liturgy and action out at the Test Site. founder of Nevada Desert Experience; 7HVW6LWHWRFORVHRXUZHHNHQGRIH[SHULPHQWDWLRQLQ The co-celebrated mass was a beauti- and the daughter of a Test Site worker. QRQYLROHQWSHDFHPDNLQJ ful glimpse into the power of common Facilitated by Fred Sly and other Nonviolent Communica- faith to bring people together. And as Barb Guy wrote in the Salt tion trainers, these incredible human beings were given time Lake Tribune on May 8th, the Test Site liturgy highlighted the to share their stories and deeply listen to each other, while 50 wonderful diversity in our movment: members of the NDE community compassionately held the “Corbin and I stood together, holding hands, our heads space in the silent outer circle. bowed in prayer, or in respect for the prayers of others, as a re- Participants learned a great deal from the event, including ligious service was held in the nuclear dust. This Catholic mass “really listening to what others had to say and how they felt.” welcomed the Shoshone spiritual leader, a Jewish man wearing “You suddenly let go of your tension and saw the other per- a tallit and reading from the Torah, a Mennonite, an Episcopal son’s view, even if just for a moment– it was an intense, engag- priest, a Jesuit priest, a Zen priest, a Methodist minister, an ing, embracing moment, I doubt I’ll ever forget it.” “Learned HOGHUO\QXQLQPLFURÀHHFHSDQWVDQGVQHDNHUVDIRUPHU0DULQH so much about what NDE is all about.” “That all people are RI¿FHUDKLEDNXVKD -DSDQHVHVXUYLYRURIWKH+LURVKLPDDWRPLF important.” ERPE P\KXVEDQG&KULVDQGPH,WZDVD¿QH$PHULFDQH[HU- We are deeply grateful for all the participants in this event cise in people of many faiths coming together, talking through and the Spirit that graced this baby-step beginning with some difference, wishing for peace, and petitioning our government.” profound moments of transformation. We are committed to At the liturgy we also got to hear a letter from Fr. Louie Vi- continuing this work of dialogue by bringing the participants tale, OFM, who was at that time still in jail (he is now released back together in more private, informal settings, and hope- fully building toward another public event where this powerful Lenten Desert Experience XXV - continued on page 6

Holy is this Desert E\3HWHU(GLJHU They’ve been coming to this desert now for 25 long years Concerned about the blasting bombs They’ve been coming with their faith and hope, deep down in Mother Earth, been coming with their tears, Inspired by the Assisian Saint who knew life’s precious worth, They’ve been calling for conversion from Convinced about as the promise of new birth, our hatred and our fears, The truth goes marching on. Their truth goes marching on. In the dawning of the New Creation fears will be allayed, Holy, holy is this desert We will turn our guns and bombs into a garden and a spade, Holy, holy is this desert With our sisters and our brothers we will have a peace parade, Holy, holy is this desert The truth goes marching on. The truth goes marching on. 3DJH-XQH NDE EVENTS SPRING ROUNDUP Ash Wednesday This Lenten season NDE led many events, starting with Immersions an Ash Wednesday witness at the Test Site. Ten long-time NDE In January we led a small group of students participants conducted a reconciliation service, using ashes from IURP8&%HUNHOH\RQDQHGXFDWLRQDODQGH[SHULHQWLDO Corbin’s sunrise ceremony at the 2005 August Desert Witness and WULSWR/DV9HJDVDQGWKH7HVW6LWH7KLVLQWHQVLYH each contributing from their own faith tradition. “We begged pardon retreat gave us all a chance to deepen our faith and broaden our spirituality, increase our understanding of of the earth and universe for what has been happening to this sacred how nuclearism ties together with other issues, and re- land,” said Sr. Megan Rice, SHCJ. It had just rained in the desert, so LJQLWHRXUFRPPLWPHQWWRDFWLRQIRUSHDFHDQGMXVWLFH everyone rejoiced in the water as a sign of renewal and new life.  7KH,PPHUVLRQ3URJUDPLVDZHHNORQJRSSRU- WXQLW\WROHDUQDERXWWKHOLQNVDPRQJQXFOHDUZHDSRQV and indigenous sovereignty, environmental degrada- WLRQPLOLWDULVPDQGHFRQRPLFLQMXVWLFH&ROOHJHDJHG SDUWLFLSDQWVVSHQGDZHHNRIWKHLUZLQWHUVSULQJRU VXPPHUEUHDNVWRSUD\DQGOHDUQDWWKH1HYDGD7HVW 6LWHDQGLQWKHVXUURXQGLQJGHVHUW7KH\VWD\ZLWK Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone spiritual leader, DWKLVKHDOLQJFHQWHU3RRKDEDKDWWHQGDIXOOPRRQ FHUHPRQ\DWWKHJRRGHVVWHPSOHDQGVHUYHZLWKWKH &DWKROLF:RUNHUVRQWKHLUPRUQLQJVRXSOLQHDQGDWWHQG WKHLUZHHNO\SHDFHYLJLO3DUWLFLSDQWVDOVRYLVLWWKHQHZ $WRPLF7HVWLQJ0XVHXPWDNHWKHRI¿FLDO'2(WRXURI WKH7HVW6LWHDQGPHHWZLWK&LWL]HQ$OHUWWROHDUQDERXW WKHVWUXJJOHRYHU

Pacific Life Community Methodist Weekend E\0LQJVDQ 5LFKDUG /DL  7ZHQW\¿YHSHRSOHPRVWO\SDVWRUVDW0HWKRGLVW  7KH3DFL¿F/LIH&RPPXQLW\LVDJURXSRIDFWLYLVWV churches in Southern California, gathered for a short Lenten in the West who came together to bear witness to and protest Desert Experience in March. They heard a presentation about nuclear weapons and warmaking. Through the decades the the Test Site and NDE’s nonviolent witness on Friday night. energy for the group has waned but, on April 26th of this year, Saturday they held a liturgy at the Test Site, at the end of which people from Catholic Worker houses from along the West nearly twenty people “crossed the line.” They returned home Coast, Nevada Desert Experience, and members of Ground by bus on Saturday evening in order to deliver sermons on their Zero, met in Tacoma, Washington. They wanted to discern desert peace witness the following morning in church. the need for reincarnating the organization. I felt exhilarated “I had a very deep experience there,” said Joyce Geor- DQGHQHUJL]HGWREHDWWKHUHELUWKRIWKH3DFL¿F/LIH&RP- gieff, Santa Ana Methodist minister. “I only realized the next munity. Meeting the people, hearing their personal stories day, watching a video on Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, that it and witnessing the camaraderie contributed to my feelings of was the angry, indignant Christ I was feeling out there; stand- hopefulness and energy for activism. ing up to what we’re doing to God’s world. Before the week-  7KH3DFL¿F/LIH&RPPXQLW\KDVGHFLGHGWRPHHWDW end I’d gotten the message politically but not spiritually.” the Nevada Test Site on March 2-4, 2007 to strategize, plan and coordinate. For more information please see 3DJH-XQH ZZZSDFL¿FOLIHFRPPXQLW\ZRUGSUHVVFRP water: we told them we did, but we felt cared-for and protected Holy Week Peace Walk by their concern. An Island of Peace Space The Salt Lake Radical Cheerleaders E\/DXULH3ROODFN (Pom Poms! Not Bomb Bombs!) taught us This spring, I experienced two events cheers, we sang, and we discussed our grand- in which Nevada Desert Experience was children, jobs, and the treatment of women by involved. various faiths. I joined the peace walk on Wednes- I realized that I felt safe and even free. day. That night Anne, Priestess of the God- However our rights had been taken away. I dess Temple, led us and others in a Full wondered whether there were other less ob- Moon ritual on the theme of peace. vious situations in American life where we Thursday, we walked around 11 felt safe and even free: yet the Patriot Act, miles then had a Passover seder at our camp NSA, etc., were encroaching while we were in a desert similar to that experienced by the unaware? Jews as they left Egypt. 3URWHVWRUVKXJWKHHDUWKLQVLGHWKHOLQH The next day at the airport the TV 7KDWHYHQLQJDURXQGWKHFDPS¿UHZH 3KRWRE\0DULR3,QWLQR-U in the baggage claim room broadcast news discussed the next day’s action and agreed about massacres in Iraq. But I still felt hope- that those who felt called to do so, would lie down on the land ful: peace space will someday be more than and pray. a small island. Good Friday Corbin Harney led us in a sunrise ritual and we walked to the Test Site. Due to the rain the Stations of the &URVVZHUHKHOGLQVLGHDWXQQHO¿OOHGZLWKDQWLQXFOHDUJUDI¿WL Taking Heart in Tough Times Then we walked to the white line, where some remained A Retreat with Joanna Macy in solemn vigil while others meditatively walked across the line, E\/HVOLH.OXVPLUH while others, including myself, held hands and lay face down praying for peace and then got up, held hands again, and then I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend lay down again, this time on the other side of the line. WKH1'(UHWUHDWZLWK-RDQQD0DF\ZLWKP\LQVSLUDWLRQ- Guards gestured to us to follow them obediently as we DOGDXJKWHU0DULDK0DULDKKDVEHHQDVWURQJDFWLYLVW had in other years. This did not occur. IRUVRFLDOMXVWLFHIRU\HDUVDQGNQRZLQJKHUPDNHVPH After a while they asked each of us if we would get up IHHOPRUHKRSHIXODERXWWKHIXWXUHRIWKHZRUOG and follow them into the holding cell, and all except one man  0DULDKZULWHV³7KH-RDQQD0DF\JDWKHULQJ did: he continued his prayer witness until he was carried into ZDVYHU\LQIRUPDWLYHDQGHGXFDWLRQDO:KDW,EDVLFDOO\ the holding pen while explaining to the guards that the US oc- got out of the whole seminar was that even though all cupation of the land was illegal. these terrible things could happen, don’t dwell on that During our detention, two sheriffs came in and chatted EXWWKLQNDERXWKRZ\RXFRXOGVWRSLWIURPKDSSHQLQJ with us: perhaps a consequence of the reconciliation confer- QRZZLWK\RXUDFWLRQV/LYHOLIHULJKWQRZDQGGRQ¶WMXVW ence? WKLQNDERXWWKHSDVWDQGRUIXWXUHHYHQWKRXJK\RX The second event was the “Stop Divine Strake” action VKRXOGWKLQNDERXWLWRFFDVLRQDOO\GRQ¶WREVHVVRYHULW Memorial Weekend. and not do anything that might prevent terrible things We got word only that Thursday that the test had been IURPKDSSHQLQJ'2620(7+,1*7KDW¶VZKDW,JRW ³SRVWSRQHGLQGH¿QLWHO\´±EXWLWZDV127FDQFHOOHGDQGVHY- out of the whole conference, and I found it very help- eral hundred of the many concerned about the non-cancellation, IXO´ came.  ,DOVRVWDUWHG³GRLQJVRPHWKLQJ´LQKLJKVFKRRO 7KHZHHNHQGZDVDÀRZRIVKDUHGPHDOVHUHFWLQJWHQWV together, workshops, song, nonviolence and peacekeeper train- ,NQRZDERXWDFWLYLVWEXUQRXWHLWKHUIURPRYHUGRLQJRU ings, rituals, a three year old boy holding a sign saying “Please unconsciously expecting to be effective – to achieve don’t!”, Carrie Dann saying “Enough is Enough!”: an island of ³VXFFHVV´ZLWKHIIRUW-RDQQD¶VUHPLQGHUVWRFDUHIRU peace space. RXUVHOYHVDQGVWD\LQWRXFKZLWKRXURZQNQRZLQJ After the rally, we processed to the Test Site, where Sho- about evil and domination are important if we are to shone representatives told the guards that the US government FRQWLQXHZRUNLQJZLWKFOHDULQWHQWLRQV$QJHUDQGJULHI was trespassing, and then a river of people of all colors and ages DUHGLI¿FXOWHPRWLRQVIRUWKRVHRIXVZKRDUHKDUGFRUH crossed the line together. idealists, and I have been through the burnout, bit- I had done this before: but this felt different: there was a terness and sense of defeat that can result from not feeling of hope created by so many bodies, minds, hearts and DFNQRZOHGJLQJWKHP,ZDQWHG0DULDKWRKDYHWKLV spirits walking together to erase all the lines and boundaries. ZLVGRPDWWKHEHJLQQLQJRIKHUYRFDWLRQ I noted in the holding pen that among us were several Mariah Klusmire will join NDE as an intern this August. Shoshone women. I realized with sadness that they had been arrested for WALKING onto their OWN land: an act of very powerful civil disobedience bringing into view an unjust law. The men on the other side of the wall asked us if we had 3DJH-XQH Western Shoshone Victorious at United Nations E\7KH:HVWHUQ6KRVKRQH'HIHQVH3URMHFW ZZZZVGSRUJ

2Q0DUFKthLQ*HQHYD6ZLW]HUODQGDQ QRWLFHVDOUHDG\PDGH historic and strongly worded decision by the United Na- 7KH&RPPLWWHHJDYHWKH86D-XO\GHDG- tions Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination OLQHWRSURYLGHLWZLWKLQIRUPDWLRQRQWKHDFWLRQLWKDGWDNHQ &(5' XUJHGWKH86WR³IUHH]H´³GHVLVW´DQG³VWRS´DFWLRQV The decision issued today demonstrates a solid commitment EHLQJWDNHQRUWKUHDWHQHGWREHWDNHQDJDLQVWWKH:HVWHUQ E\WKH8QLWHG1DWLRQVKXPDQULJKWVV\VWHPWRPDNHWKH 6KRVKRQH3HRSOHVRIWKH:HVWHUQ6KRVKRQH1DWLRQ,QLWV :HVWHUQ6KRVKRQH¶VVWUXJJOHDSULRULW\ decision, CERD stressed the “nature and urgency” of the Said Joe Kennedy, Western Shoshone, “We have 6KRVKRQHVLWXDWLRQLQIRUPLQJWKH86WKDWLWJRHV³ZHOOEH- rights to protect our homelands and stop the destruction of yond” the normal reporting process and warrants immediate our land, water, and air by the abuses of the United States attention under the Committee’s Early Warning and Urgent JRYHUQPHQWDQGWKHPXOWLQDWLRQDOFRUSRUDWLRQV7KHVLWXDWLRQ $FWLRQ3URFHGXUH is outrageous and we’re glad the United Nations Committee This monumental action challenges the US govern- DJUHHVZLWKXV2XUSHRSOHKDYHVXIIHUHGPRUHQXFOHDUWHVW- ment’s assertion of federal ownership of nearly 90% of West- ing than anywhere else in the world and they’re continuing HUQ6KRVKRQHODQGV7KHODQGEDVHFRYHUVDSSUR[LPDWHO\ XQGHUJURXQGWHVWLQJGHVSLWHRXUSURWHVWV

Following anti-Divine Strake protest - continued from page 1 a powerful and spirited rally on to the Western Shoshone struggle. Sunday afternoon, There were a series of workshops throughout the week- the march to the end, including presentations by most of the indigenous Test Site gate was activists present, including Corbin Harney, Tom Goldtooth led by Western of the Indigenous Environmental Network, John Wells of the Shoshone and Western Shoshone National Council, Blue Thunder of the other indigenous Eastern Shoshone Nation, and multiple others. There was a activists, culmi- nonviolence training on Saturday night, which got excellent nated with mass reviews from virtually everyone who participated. The next civil disobedience morning featured a presentation by MacGregor Eddy on the and the arrest of Vandenberg Air Force Base and one on current US nuclear over 50 people on weapons programs by Andy Lichterman of Western States charges of trespass- Legal Foundation. ing. The protestors Despite persistent government denials that “Divine were detained and Strake” (or “Hellish Strake,” as many of us call it) would released after little have had anything to do with nuclear weapons, one of the more than an hour. Department of Defense’s own planning documents acknowl- While at the Test Site gate, John Wells and Tom Goldtooth edges that the test was designed to simulate the conditions of served notice to Test Site guards from the Nye County Sheriff a tactical nuclear weapons bunker-buster, as part of a program Department that they are in violation of the 1863 Treaty of WR³GHYHORSDSODQQLQJWRROWKDWZLOOLPSURYHWKHZDU¿JKWHU¶V Ruby Valley, obligating them under both Western Shoshone FRQ¿GHQFHLQVHOHFWLQJWKHVPDOOHVWSURSHUQXFOHDU\LHOG and United States law to evacuate the premises. necessary to destroy underground facilities while minimizing The demonstrators conveyed a near-universal sense that collateral damage.” the government is likely to attempt to revive the “Divine In the media coverage, there were few mentions of this Strake” plan soon after public opposition dies down. So connection, or of the fact that the Test Site has been the site while the protest marked a major victory against the US of over 900 nuclear tests since 1952, 100 of them above- nuclear weapons complex, most of us left feeling determined ground. Nevertheless, the local media of Nevada and Utah to remain vigilant and keep the pressure on. Moreover, the did some good reporting during the lead-up to the event and struggle for Western Shoshone liberation and closure to the regarding the event itself. Peggy Johnson of Citizen Alert Test Site, as part of the simultaneous struggle for nuclear remarked in the Las Vegas Sun on Monday, May 29 that “it abolition, goes on. isn’t often that we the people win against the behemoth called :LOO3DUULVKLV

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AUGUST DESERT WITNESS 2006 to remember the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

NEVADA NEW MEXICO (www.paxchristinewmexico.org) You are invited to 8/5: “Taking a Stand for Peace”: an evening in Santa Fe with Nobel 1'(·V$XJXVW'HVHUW Peace Prize Nominee, and long-time activist who led over 20 delegations :LWQHVVWRFRPPHPR- to Iraq, KATHY KELLY. The event will be at 7:30 p.m. at El Museo rate the 61VW$QQLYHUVDU\ Cultural (1615 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe) - RIWKHQXFOHDUERPE 0DVVIRUWKH)HDVWRIWKH7UDQV¿JXUDWLRQDW6DQWD0DULDGHOD3D] LQJVRI-DSDQ:HZLOO Church (11 College Ave in Santa Fe). Nonviolence Training will be EHKROGLQJDJDWKHULQJ offered from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Church. RXWDWWKH1HYDGD7HVW 8/6: Walk, Pray & Vigil For Peace in Los Alamos, NM at 1:00 p.m. 6LWHRQ$XJXVWthZLWK DQHPSKDVLVRQORFDO CALIFORNIA (www.trivalleycares.org) (www.wslfweb.org) RXWUHDFK:HZLOODOVR 8/6: March and Ritual at Livermore Nuclear Weapons Lab EHLQWHUDFWLQJZLWKVXU- YLYRUVIURP1DJDVDNL Speakers and music will be 8-9 a.m. A march to join an all-faiths ritual ZKRDUHYLVLWLQJ/DV will follow 10-11 a.m. (Atheists also welcome.) Also join us for the 9HJDVRQ$XJXVWth for Livermore Peace Camp August 5! WKHVWDUWRIWKH1DJDVDNL3HDFH0XVHXP·VH[KLELWDWWKH$WRPLF 8/9: Protect Mother Earth Nonviolent Action at Bechtel Headquarters! 7HVWLQJ0XVHXP3OHDVHMRLQ)U/RXLH9LWDOH2)0DQGRWK- [Bechtel, 50 Beale St, San Fancisco, near Embarcadero BART.] HUV3OHDVHHPDLOLQIR#QHYDGDGHVHUWH[SHULHQFHRUJWR5693 %HFKWHOLVRQHRIWKHWRSSUR¿WHHUVRIWKHZDULQ,UDTYLRODWRURILQGLJ- HQRXVULJKWVDQGQXFOHDUZHDSRQVSUR¿WHHU&HUHPRQ\ZLOOEHOHGE\ 3DJH-XQH Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone spiritual leader. 10 a.m.