Members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe are fighting to preserve sacred sites in Arizona after lawmakers slipped a clause into the National Defense Authorization Act that would allow copper mining in the area. The land in question includes parts of Tonto National Forest, including Oak Flat, Devil’s Canyon, and could also impact nearby Apache Leap, an important historic site where a group of Apache who were being pursued by U.S. cavalry plunged off a cliff to their deaths rather than be captured. Resolution Copper Mining, a subsidiary of British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto, has long sought ownership of the land.
But the battle is not over. Earlier this month, a group called the Apache Stronghold began a caravan from Tucson, Arizona, to Washington, D.C., to call for this land to once again be protected.
Wendsler Nosie Sr. talking:
our message is, is that there is an American battle happening, because when this first issue began, it was an Apache issue between Resolution Copper. And if you look at the 13 times, the attempts that they make to get it on their own merit, they fail, until, as you said, the rider was done. And now you look at the different components. It affects every American, from the sacred sites of Apache people, Native people, with McCain doing what he did on this bill, now affects all Indian country. And then, on top of that, put it in a defense bill, which—you know, our veterans have defended this country for freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, and to stick it there and also to know that Native people were put on reservations and the social illness that we still have from that, and it’s a reminder of what America did to the Native American people.
And then, on top of that, Arizona itself, with the contamination that’s going to come from that, and the most important part is that there was no transparency. And no one knows in Arizona, as well as in America, the effects that are going to come from that. And being that mining is always short-term, rather than be 20 or 30 years, but what’s going to be left behind? So, and then, what America is learning is about the exemptions, that it’s not only happening in Indian country, but it’s happening in America. So here is an opportunity for American people to band together so that we can correct what Congress does in these late-night riders.
going back to Congress, you look at the 13 attempts that they made. So during that process, there was a lot of education to Congress across this country, because federal land, everyone has a say on federal land. And so, because there was no transparency, it didn’t pass. But now, when they slipped it in, you know, the way Congress operates, not allowing amendments, not allowing arguments, you know, so that’s how it got passed, and holding other congressional people on their bills not to be passed. So, Senator McCain played a very big impact on that.
when we were forced off and forced onto a reservation, it disconnected us. But if people can understand the way the federal government works and the laws that they had on Indian people, you know, we’re finally able to come back. And we’re the Apache Stronghold. Yes, we say “occupy,” but actually we’re coming home, because that is our indigenous home, where we had resided since the beginning of time, before we were forced off.
Oak Flat sits—well, it’s an original territory of the Apaches. The way a bird flies and the way the reservation ends, it’s about 11 miles. In Southeastern Arizona.
The impact of mining started with the first reservation that was established in Arizona, the size of it, and then, from there, by executive orders, you know, dwindling to what we have. And so, if you look at the mining coppers towns around us, you know, you see the abundance of contamination. You see how it affected the aquifers and the riverbeds, and then how groundwater has been affected. And then, on top of that, you know, you see how people have lived through mining because there’s a lot of ailments that come from that, that people are not aware of. And then, you could look at the cemeteries and look at all the massive graves that come from mining. And so, what really fears us is that it’s just an outline on a reservation with now Resolution Copper wanting to do this greater mine that would really destroy the reservation, because now it’s going to affect water flow. It’s going to affect what is airborne. And then, on top of that, like what Naelyn said about our sacred and holy site, that would be diminished and gone forever.
senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake’s interests. Senator McCain is politically funded by Jeff Flake from Resolution Copper. Senator Flake was a lobbyist for Resolution Copper, Rio Tinto. if Americans can just backtrack, then you’ll see the ties that they have with these two individuals.
what we’re asking people to do is that, again, coming back to federal land, is that every American, every congressperson, has a say on federal land. And when we first—when they first initiated this bill, what we found out was congresspeople were saying, “Well, it’s in Arizona. You know, we don’t have anything to do with it.” But then we reminded them that this was federal land and that the federal government has a responsibility to all Indian tribes. There’s a trust responsibility. And even when they were mentioning to us that we needed to talk to Resolution Copper, why are we going to talk to them when they’re a foreign company? The United States has a responsibility to the tribes of America and to us, and it’s called consultation. And none of that never took place between our senators of Arizona.
by putting it into the Defense Authorization Act, like any other major bill that America is watching, you know, so by slipping it through, they have the advantage, because every congressional person is going to be caught by their state saying, “Why didn’t you pass this?” So, with them closing any types of arguments and not allowing any kind of amendments, you know, gave them the leverage. And the land was stolen. I mean, basically, if you look—if we call ourself Americans, it was stolen, that basically that’s what it comes down to, because all of us here sitting around the table, we have to apply to the NEPA laws. You know, any kind of land exchange, any kind of purchase of land, so forth, American people have to apply, too. But how can Congress give this totally away to a foreign country? And then, with 75 percent of everything leaving this country, it just doesn’t make sense. And that’s why the Neil Young concert and the people understanding this and checking out our website, you know, you see that major support coming and them realizing that it’s an American battle now.
coming to Washington has been spiritual. You know, coming across the country and seeing everything that we’ve seen right now in Indian country is really heartfelt because of the conditions that we live in. And I just hope that the educational process of true history is now—hoping that it has become a process of the United States to the future, because we can’t forget the devastation that took place, because there are those of us that still live in that environment. And that’s one of the big things that we want to take into Washington, because the relationship has to change. You know, we are the rightful owners of this country, and we need to be treated with respect, because we can contribute to this country, you know, in tremendous areas of how to improve. And what I see that we are losing is family, family values. And the way God had given us our life is to have those values in place. And the last thing is it’s always been spiritual, you know, and that we hope that the spiritual movement that we’re bringing will bring that guiding spirit that needs to be placed on America, because you look at what our character is right now: It’s not doing good at all. And people need to realize, you know, someone like Senator McCain needs to adhere to these things that he’s done. We set the example by letting him go and letting him do what he’s doing, and he’s destroying the future of America and to our children. And that’s not right.
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Wendsler Nosie Sr., Peridot District Council member and former chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
— source democracynow.org