may 2013 051More than forty activists held signs, chanted, and shared information outside the US Forest Service office in ABQ today, voicing opposition to the proposed Canadian & Japanese Uranium mine near Mt. Taylor, east of Grants NM. Members from MASE, Native American Voter Alliance, Grants NM Idle No More, Laguna Pueblo, Free Leonard Peltier Campaign, Students for Justice in Palestine, UNM students, and many others joined (un)Occupy ABQ to pressure the Forest Service to reject the uranium mine.

Joe, an activist from the Laguna Pueblo said:

One of these mining companies is from Japan. Japanese people are thought to be deeply spiritual. I would like to ask them how they would feel if the US put a mine on their sacred Mt. Fuji?

may 2013 045Cooper, an activist with Grants NM Idle No More, shared with the crowd his experience of Mt. Taylor as a spiritual site for his people, especially the children, and how the mountain represents strength. Danya, a Palestinian American activist, expressed her solidarity with indigenous peoples fighting colonization and exploitation of resources, relating it to her family and communities’ common experience in Palestine.

The Forest Service has announced a 30 day extension to the public comment period on the mine, placing the deadline at Thursday June 13th. Details about the mine and how to file your comment are right here: indigenousaction.org/protect-holy-mt-taylor

The group decided to protest the local headquarters of the joint CA/JP mining company in Santa Fe on Tuesday June 25th, followed by a commemoration by the Free Leonard Peltier movement and a round dance with Idle No More Grants, NM at the Santa Fe plaza. Details to follow. Four press journalists covered the event, including the Navajo Times & New Mexico In Depth.

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3 Responses to “Use Your Cranium, No Uranium! – Strong Demonstration at Forest Svc.” Subscribe

  1. Camille Cunningham May 11, 2013 at 9:28 am #

    I was there on Friday. The Forst Service wants informed comments sent to their email address according to the folks at the front desk inside the Forest Service bldg. In other words, more than “I don’t want mining at Mt Taylor.”

    Today I have been researching uranium mining in NM so I can send the Forest Service good reasons not to approve mining at Mt Taylor. There’s a horrendous legacy of environmental contamination and racism because of uranimum mining. I could not find anything on Stratmore Mineral’s safety record. Sumitomo’s isn’t too good.

    Camille

  2. Sayrah May 13, 2013 at 9:46 pm #

    Camille—talking points on why we are against the mine can be found at: http://www.indigenousaction.org/tips-on-preparing-comments/

    We’ve posted this on our flyers, FB, emails,etc.
    Thanks for helping to stop this!

  3. rc May 28, 2013 at 10:36 pm #

    May 31

    5.31 NM Call out to STOP URANIUM MINING at Mt. Taylor
    https://www.facebook.com/events/129196377282793/
    <#OccupyNuclear #nonukes #antinuclear #radiation #indigenous
    < #RCDaily #radioactive #environment #health #toxics #eco #OcNuke