'Stop Divine Strake Coalition' Calls For International Day Of Action
Submitted by Ursula Powers Sindlinger
The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) plans to detonate a 700-ton ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive on June 2, 2006 at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a federal facility 65 miles north of Las Vegas. They are calling this test “Divine Strake.”
While this test is not nuclear in composition, its purpose, according to DTRA documents, is to “simulate a low-yield nuclear weapon.” Given that previous nuclear tests have occurred only a few miles away from where Divine Strake will occur, this test raises the specter of kicking up previous radioactive contamination and sending it downwind. We have been told too many half-truths and outright lies to believe in the “safety” of this test. Furthermore, no full environmental impact statement has been done to verify that there is no radioactive contamination at the particular site.
It must be stressed that the presence of the United States military on Western Shoshone land is uninvited. In fact, the Western Shoshone have been fighting for sovereignty over their ancestral and treaty-recognized lands, and to shut down the NTS for years. Most recently, their efforts brought them to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) which found the United States in violation of recognized fundamental human rights standards and international law, and ordered the United States to “freeze”, “desist” and “stop” their activities on Western Shoshone land. All this while the DTRA was preparing for the “Divine Strake” test
As tensions increase with Iran, speculation has increased in the media and elsewhere that this test, in conjunction with other military projects, is building up to an imminent attack on the peoples of Iran, possibly in the form of nuclear bombardment. This test is seemingly a “war game” to initiate a U.S. led invasion of Iran. Many media articles about Divine Strake and its possible role in the escalation of tension with Iran may be found on www.shundahai.org/divine_strake.htm and http://www.disarmamentactivist.org/
Because our goal is to stop the test, and to not expose anyone to undue health risks from the actual blast, our focus will be an International Day of Action on Sunday May 28, 2006 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the Nevada Test Site Peace Camp, located across Highway 95 from the Test Site. We are looking for allied organizations to join our coalition, and either join us at the Nevada Test Site on the 28th, or stage actions in their own communities throughout the following week.
Shoshone National Council
Please contact us if you would like to join our coalition. We will then proceed with detailed plans based on the coalition’s collective abilities.
http://www.treatycouncil.org
www.wsdp.org wsdp@igc.org
www.ienearth.org rshimek@ienearth.org ien@igc.org
www.shundahai.org eileen_mccabe_olsen@yahoo.com
pete@shundahai.org
www.nevadadesertexperience.org
www.citizenalert.org pmjl@citizenalert.org
tonyg@citizenalert.org
Western Shoshones File Suit to Stop Military Blast
Associated Press, April 21st, 2006
Four members of the Winnemucca Indian Colony in Nevada have filed suit to stop the Pentagon's plan to blow up more than 700 tons of explosives at the Nevada Test Site.
The four members, along with two residents of Utah, say the blast will stir up radioactive fallout left from nuclear weapons tests conducted from 1951 to 1992.
"This is a worst nightmare come true for downwinders," attorney Robert Hager told the Associated Press.
The lawsuit claims the blast will harm Western Shoshone lands that were never ceded to the United States.
According to Hager, the two “downwinder” plaintiffs, Peter Lister and Stephen Erickson, are from Salt Lake City. Thomas and Sharon Wasson, two of the four members of the Winnemucca Indian Colony of Northern Nevada live in Susanville, California. Plaintiff Judy Rojo is from Winnemucca and Elverine Castro lives in Los Angeles.
Oglala Sioux Vet Runs For Congress
Submitted by Lee Breard
Campagn Manager for Bruce Whalen
Bruce Whalen is the Republican Candidate for South Dakota’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bruce is a supportive husband to Carol, his wife of 6 years, and father to Kyle, Jeremiah, and Elizabeth. He stands strong for South Dakota’s unique family values and is an active member of Gospel Fellowship Church in his home town of Pine Ridge.
Bruce was the coordinator of the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Judiciary Committee, committed to improving the justice system on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He was instrumental in the initial formation of the reservation’s first Department of Justice, pending the approval of the tribal council.
Bruce served in the Army National guard for nearly ten years. He worked as a Combat Systems Operator, Field Artillery Surveyor, and Combat Signaler. He was presented with numerous awards during his service and received an Honorable Discharge from the Department of Defense.
Bruce established the first organized Republican Party in Shannon County, and is its first Chairman. He also served as the Native American Outreach Coordinator for the South Dakota Republican Party during the 2004 election cycle. Through his leadership the Native American support of Republican Candidates increased nearly 10 percent. He also served on the party’s platform committee and helped to revise the Republican Vision for South Dakota.
Bruce previously served as a Drug and Alcohol Councilor for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and reservation based Christian Ministries. During this time he was also a gang prevention coordinator for the local boys and girls club.
Bruce graduated from Oglala Lakota College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services. He was awarded the Caroline M. Reyer award for earning the highest GPA and his service to the student body. Bruce focused on chemical dependency counseling throughout his education.
Bruce’s diverse educational and professional background is evident through his leadership and service to this great state. He is humble, grounded, and a man of the people. Bruce will be a true reflection of South Dakota’s culture in Washington.
TO SUBMIT an ARTICLE or OPINION PIECE to the Native Unity Digest, e-mail bobbieo@digitaldune.net.
NATIVE UNITY - A place for Native American Peoples to solidify their tribes to make a positive impact on the cultural, social, economic and political fabric of American society and a place for non-Natives to better understand the ways of the American Indian.
Visit Vietnam Vet. Larry Mitchell at http://www.potawatomivet.com and click on his blog at the site.
The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) plans to detonate a 700-ton ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive on June 2, 2006 at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), a federal facility 65 miles north of Las Vegas. They are calling this test “Divine Strake.”
While this test is not nuclear in composition, its purpose, according to DTRA documents, is to “simulate a low-yield nuclear weapon.” Given that previous nuclear tests have occurred only a few miles away from where Divine Strake will occur, this test raises the specter of kicking up previous radioactive contamination and sending it downwind. We have been told too many half-truths and outright lies to believe in the “safety” of this test. Furthermore, no full environmental impact statement has been done to verify that there is no radioactive contamination at the particular site.
It must be stressed that the presence of the United States military on Western Shoshone land is uninvited. In fact, the Western Shoshone have been fighting for sovereignty over their ancestral and treaty-recognized lands, and to shut down the NTS for years. Most recently, their efforts brought them to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) which found the United States in violation of recognized fundamental human rights standards and international law, and ordered the United States to “freeze”, “desist” and “stop” their activities on Western Shoshone land. All this while the DTRA was preparing for the “Divine Strake” test
As tensions increase with Iran, speculation has increased in the media and elsewhere that this test, in conjunction with other military projects, is building up to an imminent attack on the peoples of Iran, possibly in the form of nuclear bombardment. This test is seemingly a “war game” to initiate a U.S. led invasion of Iran. Many media articles about Divine Strake and its possible role in the escalation of tension with Iran may be found on www.shundahai.org/divine_strake.htm and http://www.disarmamentactivist.org/
Because our goal is to stop the test, and to not expose anyone to undue health risks from the actual blast, our focus will be an International Day of Action on Sunday May 28, 2006 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the Nevada Test Site Peace Camp, located across Highway 95 from the Test Site. We are looking for allied organizations to join our coalition, and either join us at the Nevada Test Site on the 28th, or stage actions in their own communities throughout the following week.
Shoshone National Council
Please contact us if you would like to join our coalition. We will then proceed with detailed plans based on the coalition’s collective abilities.
http://www.treatycouncil.org
www.wsdp.org wsdp@igc.org
www.ienearth.org rshimek@ienearth.org ien@igc.org
www.shundahai.org eileen_mccabe_olsen@yahoo.com
pete@shundahai.org
www.nevadadesertexperience.org
www.citizenalert.org pmjl@citizenalert.org
tonyg@citizenalert.org
Western Shoshones File Suit to Stop Military Blast
Associated Press, April 21st, 2006
Four members of the Winnemucca Indian Colony in Nevada have filed suit to stop the Pentagon's plan to blow up more than 700 tons of explosives at the Nevada Test Site.
The four members, along with two residents of Utah, say the blast will stir up radioactive fallout left from nuclear weapons tests conducted from 1951 to 1992.
"This is a worst nightmare come true for downwinders," attorney Robert Hager told the Associated Press.
The lawsuit claims the blast will harm Western Shoshone lands that were never ceded to the United States.
According to Hager, the two “downwinder” plaintiffs, Peter Lister and Stephen Erickson, are from Salt Lake City. Thomas and Sharon Wasson, two of the four members of the Winnemucca Indian Colony of Northern Nevada live in Susanville, California. Plaintiff Judy Rojo is from Winnemucca and Elverine Castro lives in Los Angeles.
Oglala Sioux Vet Runs For Congress
Submitted by Lee Breard
Campagn Manager for Bruce Whalen
Bruce Whalen is the Republican Candidate for South Dakota’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bruce is a supportive husband to Carol, his wife of 6 years, and father to Kyle, Jeremiah, and Elizabeth. He stands strong for South Dakota’s unique family values and is an active member of Gospel Fellowship Church in his home town of Pine Ridge.
Bruce was the coordinator of the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Judiciary Committee, committed to improving the justice system on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He was instrumental in the initial formation of the reservation’s first Department of Justice, pending the approval of the tribal council.
Bruce served in the Army National guard for nearly ten years. He worked as a Combat Systems Operator, Field Artillery Surveyor, and Combat Signaler. He was presented with numerous awards during his service and received an Honorable Discharge from the Department of Defense.
Bruce established the first organized Republican Party in Shannon County, and is its first Chairman. He also served as the Native American Outreach Coordinator for the South Dakota Republican Party during the 2004 election cycle. Through his leadership the Native American support of Republican Candidates increased nearly 10 percent. He also served on the party’s platform committee and helped to revise the Republican Vision for South Dakota.
Bruce previously served as a Drug and Alcohol Councilor for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and reservation based Christian Ministries. During this time he was also a gang prevention coordinator for the local boys and girls club.
Bruce graduated from Oglala Lakota College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services. He was awarded the Caroline M. Reyer award for earning the highest GPA and his service to the student body. Bruce focused on chemical dependency counseling throughout his education.
Bruce’s diverse educational and professional background is evident through his leadership and service to this great state. He is humble, grounded, and a man of the people. Bruce will be a true reflection of South Dakota’s culture in Washington.
TO SUBMIT an ARTICLE or OPINION PIECE to the Native Unity Digest, e-mail bobbieo@digitaldune.net.
NATIVE UNITY - A place for Native American Peoples to solidify their tribes to make a positive impact on the cultural, social, economic and political fabric of American society and a place for non-Natives to better understand the ways of the American Indian.
Visit Vietnam Vet. Larry Mitchell at http://www.potawatomivet.com and click on his blog at the site.
posted by Bobbie Hart O'Neill @ 12:43 PM
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