Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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LAGUNA, NM - As the hot New Mexico sun melts into the crimson western sky, a cloud of dust along the bumpy dirt road to Mount Taylor, sacred to the Navajo people, signals the continuing arrival of thousands of indigenous peoples from across the hemisphere. The occasion for the seemingly endless caravan is the 10th Annual Protecting Mother Earth conference, sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and hosted by Dine' Citizens Against Ruining the Environment (CARE).

For four days, June 10 through June 13, on the grounds of a native youth camp near the Acoma and Laguna pueblos, west of Albuquerque, indigenous peoples and their supporters will address the issues of continued uranium development and subsequent contamination of their people and lands.

"We want people to know that these issues are not isolated to this area. It is a global problem. Our tribal leaders must understand that consideration of the health impacts from radiation contamination have to be made a priority", proclaimed Dr. Manuel Pino of Laguna Pueblo.

Dr. Pino, is an IEN conference presenter and a prominent figure in the effort by Dine' CARE and other groups to push for just compensation legislation on behalf of uranium workers decimated by pulmonary diseases and cancer.

The site of the conference is located in one of the most heavily impacted uranium mining areas on Earth. In 1958 over 90,000 acres of tribal lands were leased for uranium exploration and development. Today there are over 1,000 abandoned and unreclaimed open-pit and underground uranium mines on Navajo land.

In 1979, in Churchrock, New Mexico, United Nuclear Corporation spilled 94 million tons of radioactive sludge into the Rio Puerco River that serves the Navajos. This was the largest accident of its kind in United States nuclear history.

Eastern Navajo Dine' Against Uranium Mining, or ENDAUM, is an organization of residents of Churchrock and nearby Crownpoint opposing further uranium mining development now under consideration.

ENDAUM members will be presenting information and exchanging strategies for dealing with such crucial issues, with other communities, some as far away as Australia, starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

IEN conference coordinator, Charlotte Caldwell, Ojibwe from Minnesota, estimated that as many as 1,500 to 2,500 people will converge on-site by Friday. "Our grassroots communities are pro-actively addressing many diverse issues", Caldwell stated.

"Some conference participants will be working on other issues important to indigenous communities like protection of sacred sites, global warming, sustainable economic development, border justice, and many, many more including international indigenous trade efforts", Caldwell continued.

A large delegation of indigenous representatives from southern Mexico is expected as well as several delegates from Central and South America. Because of the diversity of languages spoken by the numerous conference participants and scientific and technical supporters, translators of several languages will provide simultaneous interpretation during general assemblies each morning.

Youth caucuses and several youth workshops on issues such as youth education, team building and conflict resolution, survival skills, and traditional teachings and cultural learning will take place throughout the four days.

Other activities include hands-on educational demonstrations of adobe brick building, straw bale home construction, solar power, pueblo bread making and a solar oven baking demonstration.

Admission to the conference is free and the public is invited.