Native Americans protest proposed Arizona copper mine

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Members of a Native American tribe in Arizona took to the roadways on Monday to protest against a proposal for a massive copper mine at a small town east of Phoenix, vowing to protect sacred lands.

A small group from the San Carlos Apache tribe began a scheduled cross-country caravan to Washington, D.C., to try to persuade the U.S. Congress to save an area known as the Oak Flat campground near Superior, Arizona.

The several dozen protesters hope to garner wide public support and get lawmakers to repeal a land exchange signed last year that paves the way for a $6 billion project by Resolution Copper Mining, a company jointly owned by Britain's Rio Tinto and Australia's BHP Billiton Ltd.

“This is sacred land to us and what they are doing is a betrayal,” tribal elder Sandra Rambler said in a telephone interview from the caravan. “It’s like someone ripping the guts out of you right when you’re standing there. We will not sit still and allow this to happen.”

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/native-americans-protest-proposed-arizona-copper-mine-232309861--finance.html

[hopemountain]

1. mcain snuck that authorization into a defense

spending bill last year.

my thoughts are with the people on their caravan to speak to the congress. may their words be strong & true to the heart of the matter and full of conviction to get back their sacred land.

[historylovr]

2. K & R

[BrotherIvan]

3. Foreign companies desecrating the sacred land of Native Americans

It will never end. So very sad.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Horrendous. No excuse for this scheme.

Thanks to hopemountain for the information on how this vicious thing got into motion.

Somehow it needs to be ended, for the people of Arizona.

[mtasselin]

5. shame

The two us senators that sold out this Native American tribe should feel shame, but they don't and it is up to good people of Arizona to bring the shame on them.