Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum Set for Oct. 22-24 at Acoma Pueblo

The 7th Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum will be held at Acoma Pueblo's Sky City Hotel and Casino located at I-40 Exit 102 on October 22, 23 and 24, 2009. The Forum will feature a myriad of speakers, workshops and other activities, including a keynote speech by activist Winona LaDuke, a performance by Santa Fe musicians Indigie Femme and a screening of the documentary film, "The Return of Navajo Boy."

According to the event's organizers:

"The Forum proposes to focus much needed public attention on the rape of Mount Taylor and to serve as a vehicle to launch a regional inter-tribal campaign to end this madness in the Grants Mineral Belt, Lakota Lands, and elsewhere in Indian Country from the Grand Canyon to White Mesa where deadly and runaway uranium technology threatens the lives of future of our water, land, people, and our winged, four legged and those that crawl relatives."

"The Forum we will focus on the recent onslaught of exploratory measures to mine and mill uranium in the Grants Mineral Belt. Due to recent price fluctuations of uranium on the world market and United States energy policy still emphasizing nuclear power as an answer to global warming and climate change, we will inform and educate participants of local, national and international nuclear issues impacting Indigenous peoples.

"The Forum will also prioritize presentations on health issues impacting both mining and non-mining populations living in contaminated communities. We will use the forum as an organizing and network initiative to help us better understand the work Indigenous people are doing to fight nuclear power in their communities and move toward alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar."

Event sponsors include the 7th Generation Fund, Lannan Foundation, Western Mining Action Network, Bioneers, Available Media, Inc., Beyond Nuclear and Phil Harrison, Navajo Nation Council Delegate (Cove & Red Valley).

Visit the Forum website for more information on the event, its history and how to register.