Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum
HisTory
The genesis of the Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum (SWIUF) began in the summer of 1987 when the Rural Tribal Enterprise Program of the University of New Mexico Gallup Campus held a series of conferences on the environmental and health impacts of uranium development in the Grants Mineral Belt in New Mexico. The coordinator of the conference series was Anna Rondon (Navajo), who is also coordinating the Seventh Indigenous Uranium Forum October 22-24, 2009 at Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. Presenters at the 1987 conferences included Diana Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo) and Esther Yazzie (Navajo) of the Tonantzin Land Institute; Chris Shuey, Paul Robinson, and Ray Morgan (Navajo) of the Southwest Research and Information Center, and Navajo-Ute researcher and writer John Redhouse.
In February 1988, the SWIUF organized a meeting with the Havasupai Tribal Government to host the Second Indigenous Uranium Forum at Red Butte a sacred site to the Havasupai on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which was being assaulted with uranium development proposals. Attending the meeting was Havasupai Tribal Vice President, Rex Tilousi, Tribal Council men Don Watahomige, and Roland Manakaja. Cal Seciwa of Zuni Pueblo facilitated the meeting which was also attended by former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah and his tribal press secretary Duane Beyal as well as Hopi Epicenter for International Outreach co-directors Marilyn Harris and Orlan Tewa.
In May 1988, the Havasupai Tribal Council passed a resolution to host and co-sponsor the Second Indigenous Uranium Forum at Red Butte, which was also called the First Grandmother Canyon Gathering and the Havasupai Tribe held three more gatherings from 1989 to 1991. In 1989, Tonantzin Land Institute Consultant, Anna Rondon, and volunteer, Keith Curley (Navajo), organized the third Indigenous Uranium Forum at Mount Taylor, which is sacred to the Navajo, Acoma, Laguna and Zuni Pueblos as well as the Hopi Tribe. Mount Taylor is situated in the heart of the Grants Mineral Belt and had to endure over 30 years of uranium mining and milling. The third gathering was also part of the Time for Healing Pilgrimage, which began at Red Butte and ended at the Petroglyphs near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In 1990, Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum coordinator, Anna Rondon, coordinated the Fourth Indigenous Uranium Forum at Cove, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. The legacy of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation has its roots in the Cove Chapter where some of the earliest mines were situated and in fact some of the ore mined from the area was used for the testing of the first atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan to end World War II. The Cove Chapter hosted the gathering, which was also co-sponsored by the Navajo Radiation Victims Committee an organization that oversees health impacts and human rights violations correlated with the legacy of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.
In 1993, the fifth Indigenous Uranium Forum was held at Paguate Village on the Laguna Pueblo and was co-sponsored by the Laguna Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment. Paguate is situated within 2,000 feet of the Jackpile Uranium Mine, which grew to be the largest open pit uranium mine in the world during its 30 years of operation. The sixth forum was held in 1997 in Church Rock and Crownpoint in the Eastern Navajo Agency of the Navajo Nation. Both of these communities have suffered from the legacy of uranium mining in 1979 at Church Rock, United Nuclear Corporation’s mill tailings dam holding wall broke emitting 94 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste into the Puerco River and is still considered the second worst nuclear accident in U. S. history. In Crownpoint, the community has been fighting Hydro Resources Incorporated, which is proposing an in-situ leach mine which would threaten pristine drinking water sources utilized by traditional Navajo people.
In 1999 and 2000, SWIUF co-produced a documentary with Desert Concerns, film maker Philippa Winkler entitled “Radioactive Mines to Radioactive Weapons.” The documentary was shown at the United Nations as an educational piece to ban the use of depleted uranium. Subsequently the ban was endorsed.
The Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum has existed for over 22 years. The mission and vision of SWIUF has always addressed the impacts of the nuclear fuel chain on Indigenous Peoples of the southwest. The staff of SWIUF consists of Indigenous Peoples from the southwest that serve as unpaid staff and volunteers to address the issues of the uranium mining and milling legacy and its impacts to all aspects of Mother Earth. We also work with tribal governments, the U.S. Congress, federal regulating agencies, state environmental regulating agencies, medical and health professionals, school systems in our communities, international, national and local environmental organizations to address nuclear fuel chain issues in our communities. Uranium mines and mills have operated on or near our communities for over 50 years. Located in the heart of the Grants Mineral Belt the experience of uranium mining and milling created devastating impacts to the environment, human health, which will last for generations to come. The history of uranium mining has also created social and economic change that has impacted our tradition, culture and spirituality.
As our history indicates SWIUF has always prioritized conducting our forums in impacted communities utilizing local grass roots community members as the foundation of the issues we address and as our community resource experts. We also utilize medical and health professionals, scientists, legal experts and our spiritual leaders to educate and empower communities impacted by all aspects of the nuclear fuel chain.
The 7th Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum we will focus on the recent onslaught of exploratory measures to mine and mill uranium in the Grants Mineral Belt. Due to recent price fluctuations of uranium on the world market and United States energy policy still emphasizing nuclear power as an answer to global warming and climate change we will inform and educate participants of local, national and international nuclear issues impacting Indigenous peoples. The forum will also prioritize presentations on health issues impacting both mining and non-mining populations living in contaminated communities. We will use the forum as an organizing and network initiative to help us better understand the work Indigenous people are doing to fight nuclear power in their communities and move toward alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar.
In February 1988, the SWIUF organized a meeting with the Havasupai Tribal Government to host the Second Indigenous Uranium Forum at Red Butte a sacred site to the Havasupai on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which was being assaulted with uranium development proposals. Attending the meeting was Havasupai Tribal Vice President, Rex Tilousi, Tribal Council men Don Watahomige, and Roland Manakaja. Cal Seciwa of Zuni Pueblo facilitated the meeting which was also attended by former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah and his tribal press secretary Duane Beyal as well as Hopi Epicenter for International Outreach co-directors Marilyn Harris and Orlan Tewa.
In May 1988, the Havasupai Tribal Council passed a resolution to host and co-sponsor the Second Indigenous Uranium Forum at Red Butte, which was also called the First Grandmother Canyon Gathering and the Havasupai Tribe held three more gatherings from 1989 to 1991. In 1989, Tonantzin Land Institute Consultant, Anna Rondon, and volunteer, Keith Curley (Navajo), organized the third Indigenous Uranium Forum at Mount Taylor, which is sacred to the Navajo, Acoma, Laguna and Zuni Pueblos as well as the Hopi Tribe. Mount Taylor is situated in the heart of the Grants Mineral Belt and had to endure over 30 years of uranium mining and milling. The third gathering was also part of the Time for Healing Pilgrimage, which began at Red Butte and ended at the Petroglyphs near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In 1990, Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum coordinator, Anna Rondon, coordinated the Fourth Indigenous Uranium Forum at Cove, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. The legacy of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation has its roots in the Cove Chapter where some of the earliest mines were situated and in fact some of the ore mined from the area was used for the testing of the first atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan to end World War II. The Cove Chapter hosted the gathering, which was also co-sponsored by the Navajo Radiation Victims Committee an organization that oversees health impacts and human rights violations correlated with the legacy of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.
In 1993, the fifth Indigenous Uranium Forum was held at Paguate Village on the Laguna Pueblo and was co-sponsored by the Laguna Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment. Paguate is situated within 2,000 feet of the Jackpile Uranium Mine, which grew to be the largest open pit uranium mine in the world during its 30 years of operation. The sixth forum was held in 1997 in Church Rock and Crownpoint in the Eastern Navajo Agency of the Navajo Nation. Both of these communities have suffered from the legacy of uranium mining in 1979 at Church Rock, United Nuclear Corporation’s mill tailings dam holding wall broke emitting 94 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste into the Puerco River and is still considered the second worst nuclear accident in U. S. history. In Crownpoint, the community has been fighting Hydro Resources Incorporated, which is proposing an in-situ leach mine which would threaten pristine drinking water sources utilized by traditional Navajo people.
In 1999 and 2000, SWIUF co-produced a documentary with Desert Concerns, film maker Philippa Winkler entitled “Radioactive Mines to Radioactive Weapons.” The documentary was shown at the United Nations as an educational piece to ban the use of depleted uranium. Subsequently the ban was endorsed.
The Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum has existed for over 22 years. The mission and vision of SWIUF has always addressed the impacts of the nuclear fuel chain on Indigenous Peoples of the southwest. The staff of SWIUF consists of Indigenous Peoples from the southwest that serve as unpaid staff and volunteers to address the issues of the uranium mining and milling legacy and its impacts to all aspects of Mother Earth. We also work with tribal governments, the U.S. Congress, federal regulating agencies, state environmental regulating agencies, medical and health professionals, school systems in our communities, international, national and local environmental organizations to address nuclear fuel chain issues in our communities. Uranium mines and mills have operated on or near our communities for over 50 years. Located in the heart of the Grants Mineral Belt the experience of uranium mining and milling created devastating impacts to the environment, human health, which will last for generations to come. The history of uranium mining has also created social and economic change that has impacted our tradition, culture and spirituality.
As our history indicates SWIUF has always prioritized conducting our forums in impacted communities utilizing local grass roots community members as the foundation of the issues we address and as our community resource experts. We also utilize medical and health professionals, scientists, legal experts and our spiritual leaders to educate and empower communities impacted by all aspects of the nuclear fuel chain.
The 7th Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum we will focus on the recent onslaught of exploratory measures to mine and mill uranium in the Grants Mineral Belt. Due to recent price fluctuations of uranium on the world market and United States energy policy still emphasizing nuclear power as an answer to global warming and climate change we will inform and educate participants of local, national and international nuclear issues impacting Indigenous peoples. The forum will also prioritize presentations on health issues impacting both mining and non-mining populations living in contaminated communities. We will use the forum as an organizing and network initiative to help us better understand the work Indigenous people are doing to fight nuclear power in their communities and move toward alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar.
