Uranium Mining In Indian Country Equals Hate Crime

Indigenous peoples from the Western Hemisphere collectively announced here that mining for uranium on their lands is a hate crime.

 ACOMA PUEBLO, New Mexico — Indigenous peoples from the Western Hemisphere collectively announced here that mining for uranium on their lands is a hate crime.

“Leave it in the ground,” said the participants at the 7th Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum.

The Forum noted that up to 10 uranium mining companies have their eyes on prime uranium land on Mount Taylor, the site designated a Traditional Cultural Property by the state of New Mexico in 2009.

Uranium is used to after a costly refining process to create nuclear energy; its price has increased dramatically over the past five years.

The companies include Rio Grande Resources Corp., Strathmore Minerals Corporation, Urex Energy Corporation, Laramide, Ltd., Neutron Energy, Inc., Max Resources Corporation, Western Energy Development Corporation, Uranium Resources, Inc., Uranium Company of New Mexico, Energy Metals Corporation, and Quincy Energy Corporation.

The Forum was host to over 250 representatives of Pueblos, Navajos, and other indigenous peoples gathered at the Indigenous Uranium Forum Oct. 22–24.

Some 80,000 viewers reportedly saw the Forum through a live stream video broadcast.

The Forum gave the Native American representatives a chance to tell the stories of their family members who died from cancer, respiratory diseases, and brain tumors as a result of uranium mining on their native lands.