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Photo Copyright © Healing Global Wounds Activists Gather to Protest Failed Ratification of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Dump at the Nevada Test Site. The site is one hour north of Las Vegas on Hwy 95, south bound Mercury Exit, across from the entrance to NTS.

NEVADA - Activists from all over the United States and Native Nations will gather at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site for four days, October 8-11, 1999. The event is hosted by Healing Global Wounds, a multi-cultural Alliance of Native and other environmental groups. They are there to protest the failure of the Senate this week to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. They are also opposed to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) continued attempts to push through the Yucca Mt. High-Level Nuclear Waste Repository despite overwhelming evidence that it is a seriously flawed plan.

           Simultaneously, some members of HGW will be joining the U.S. Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, meeting in Ann Arbor Michigan to discuss the next steps in nuclear disarmament strategy. In France, Movement Pour La Paix (Movement for Peace) will be meeting and demonstrating over the weekend against the French nuclear Weapons testing facility in Bordeaux.

           Since the United States resumed nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site in 1997, other nations around the world have resumed or initiated their own nuclear weapons testing plans. The U.S. weapons testing program threatens world security by encouraging further development of nuclear weapons worldwide, rather than moving towards nuclear disarmament.

           On August 6th, The DOE released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Yucca Mountain Repository. A peer review by other scientists found the document to be highly flawed, misleading, indecisive, and illegal under many aspects of the National Environmental Protection Act.

           In addition, the Yucca Mountain plan proposes to withdraw a total of 230 square miles of Western Shoshone lands guaranteed under the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. Activists from around the world are part of a growing movement to support the Shoshone and other Native Nations in their fight for basic human, land and health rights. Federal policies have adversely and disproportionately targeted Native lands in every aspect of the nuclear chain, from uranium mining through the sitting of processing, research, weapons testing, and now dumping sites. Coalitions based on Native/activist alliances have successfully defeated proposed low-level dumps in Ward Valley, California, and Sierra Blanca, Texas.

           Each day will begin at dawn with a traditional Native Sunrise Ceremony on the Nevada Test Site itself, stolen from the Western Shoshone in 1948. Ceremonies will be led by Western Shoshone Spiritual Leader Corbin Harney, and will encourage prayer offerings by individuals of all faiths.

Friday Oct 8th: Planning for the Honor Your Mother 2000 gathering at NTS, May 11-14, 2000.

Saturday 9th: Workshop on Yucca Mt Waste Repository DEIS, with Judy Treichel and Steve Frishman of the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force. Open mike for updates from member organizations about their own sites and activities.

Sunday 10th: Nonviolence training and action planning for Monday

Monday 11th: Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Sunrise Ceremony and site inspection at Yucca Mt. itself.

Fall Healing Global Wounds Gathering Oct. 8-11, Nevada Nuclear Test Site gates. Workshops on Yucca Mt Waste Repository DEIS and sane alternatives. Celebrate Indigenous People's Day on Western Shoshone lands with Ceremony and site inspection of Yucca Mt. For a complete 16 page newsletter on many nuclear issues worldwide, send postal address.

HGW is a sponsor of MILLENNIUM 2000: WALKING THE WAYS OF PEACE Religious Action For Nuclear Disarmament A gathering for 30 Dec 1999 - 2 Jan 2000, Las Vegas and NTS For more information, please see: http://www.shundahai.org/nde

HGW is a proud member of Abolition 2000