Live Blog Energy/ Environment conflict on the Rez

Wednesday, 27 January 2010 23:39

8:51 The audience claps,  The forum will continue informally.

8:50 The current way is not the right way, Masayesva said.

8:49 Mining needs to be done at the right time and the right way, Masayesva said.

8:46 "Everything has two faces. there are negative and positive forces at work," Masayesva said.  Masayesva wants to look at the positive side of alternatives to coal, not the evil side- the cost.

8:45 "Baring a person from your house is against an traditional law. When the council bared people, they violated a traditional law," Masayesva said.

8:40 (A response to an audience question that didn't come across the microphone.) Having the understanding of the tribe come across is most important, Johns said. The interactions with have with each other and the land.We try to work together.

8:36 Navajo projects are in the works, Skrelunas said, such as a Wind projects.

8:35 Best summary: yes

8:34 Bessler responded.

8:33 Audience question: Are there any tribal studies done on these issues?

8:30  Shebala speaks of a plea to  the tribal council in a respectful, high form of Navajo asking the council to care more about the people than the mine.

8:27 Self-sufficiency is more than the material goods; it's the exchange between the community, Shebala said.

8:24 Shebala remembers a time before the Peabody Mine. Reclamation of the land, where are the trees, she asks?

8:19 Wagner points out the short comings of each of the alternate power sources. For example, the efficiency of wind and solar power being substantially lower than burning coal.

8:18 Wagner is to play devil's advocate.

8:12 A Year and a half battle battle won to help the community go green, Johns said.  Many people still raise sheep and weave, but they are doing it in a green way, she said.  Navajo Green Economy Commission will be made up of 5 people.

8:11 "We need to exercise our right to control our resources," Masayesva said.

8:10 Masayesva agrees with Skrelunas and offers suggestion of solar power that fuels various parts of the state, such as Phoenix.

8:08 There are a lot of other resources, such as wind, Skrelunas said.

8:05 Where would the resources come from to provide clean energy? a hypothetical question posed by Thompson in defense of the tribal councils.  

8:04 Sierra Club will continue to assist in the conversion to clean energy sources, Bessler said.

7:59 "Everyone needs clean air and water," Bessler said, "but Peabody Mining is arguing with the tribes about the royalties of the mine."

7:58 Andy Bessler thanks everyone for come to the panel over listening to the state of the union address.

7:56 Wahleah Johns talks about sovereignty being practiced on the land, observing their traditions.The Tribal government is not the people, she said.

7:53 "The real threat to sovereignty is from the mining company. they have tied up all our resources with the blessing of the U.S. Government", Masayesva said.

7:51 If you don't help me take care of mother earth, the water will dry up, Masayesva said.

7:49 "Hopi means to be an environmentalist,"  Masayesva said.

7:47 "We don't have the right to print money or raise a standing army, but we have right to govern ourselves," Vernan Masayesva said.

7:45 Tony Skrelunas agrees about the outside influences on the tribes, but said there are different levels of sovereignty. He said the different degrees are a good thing.

7:42 Wagner argues that Native tribes are not truly sovereign.

7:39 Thompson asked about the issue of sovereignty. Dennis Wagner responses to some concerns of stereo types, brought up by Shebala.

7:37 The traditional government was replaced by a clone of the U.S. Governement, Shebala said. 

7:35 "Journalist step on to the reservation and loose all sense of journalism,"Marley Shebala said. "That's what happens in Indian country." "this is an issue of government," she said.

7:33 "I am where the water comes together, and I'm for the frog," said Marley Shebala, speaking on the Native Americans' connection to the land.

7:31 Tribal Council members from the Navajo and Hopi tribes were unable to make it.

7:30 The goal tonight is to unravel the real story behind the issues, said Johnathan Thompson, editor of HCN.

7:26 Panelists are asked to take the stage.

7:22 To get the discussion going, Clips from Power Paths are shown. Power Paths is a documentary on how tribes reacted to coal mines on the reservation.

7:18 Sharkey introduces Paul Larmer, the executive director and publisher of High Country News.

7:12 Begody introduced her self in Navijo and welcomed everyone to the event.

7:09 Jacqueline E. Sharkey welcomes everyone to the panel, And Invites Candace Begody, president of The UA Native American Journalists Association, to speak.

7:07 People are filling the seats. The panelists have yet to take the stage.  Andy Bessler, Tony Skrelunas, Wahleah Johnson, Dennis Wagner, Marley Shebala and  Masayesva have name tags on up on stage.

Tonight at 7:05 p.m., staff member William Anderson will be Live blogging from the High Country News and the University of Arizona School of Journalism panel to discuss  energy, the environment and the news. This discussion will be held at the South Ballroom in the Memorial Student Union on the UA campus. Click the refresh button to keep up-to-date.

"Featured panelists include award-winning journalists Marley Shebala of the Navajo Times and Dennis Wagner of The Arizona Republic; Tony Skrelunas, Grand Canyon Trust; Nada Talayumptewa, Hopi Tribal Council (invited); Andy Bessler, Sierra Club; Vernon Masayesva, Black Mesa Water Trust (invited); and Wahleah Johns, Black Mesa Water Coalition. Representatives from Peabody Energy also have been invited. High Country News Editor Jonathan Thompson will moderate. The event is free and open to the public," According to the school of journalism Web site.

Written by WJ Anderson You are reading Live Blog Energy/ Environment conflict on the Rez articles