Friday, December 12, 2014

Had enough yet?

House Votes To Sell Apache Land To Foreign Corporation, The Tribe Is Furious

Author: Nathaniel Downes
December 9, 2014 4:02 pm
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For over 5 years, a measure to cede 2,400 acres sacred to the Apache tribe for use in copper mining has been pushed in Congress. Backed by various well-paid corporatist congress members such as Senator John McCain, this measure inevitably dies from the outrage of the native tribes who care for this land. So, this year the members backed by legalized bribes by foreign corporations have attached the measure to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act in a lame duck session of congress.
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The land in question is part of the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. The areas which would be destroyed by the mining operation include Devil's Canyon, a popular hiking trail, and Apache's Leap where 75 Apache men, women and children were massacred by US troops in 1871. The loss of either would be a cultural loss not only for the Apache nation, but for all of us.
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The attempt to hide this brazen attempt to sell off cultural heritage for mere coin tells us how these congress members feel about their duty to protect this nation. One must wonder how much of the estimated $61 billion in revenue is to be lining these congress members pockets if the bill passes intact. After all, members of congress regularly reap huge profits from bills they introduce.
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What has the tribe most upset is that the measure first requires a review of the deal, then orders that the deal go through anyways. The review is to be effectively ignored. San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler, has put out the call to stop the deal, putting a petition at Whitehouse.gov as well as lobbying congress directly to stop the measure once it hits the Senate.
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