From St. Paul’s Sacred Ground in Action Ministry (SGIA):
After so many cultural (among myriad other) assaults, t’s hard to imagine that even more harm can be done to Indigenous lands and communities. With the crafty confiscation of land for the purpose of copper extraction and subsequent destruction of sacred land, the Rio Tinto and BHP global mining companies are soon set to receive the land and break ground in the Apache Stronghold of Oak Flat in Arizona.
However, with Tuesday’s emergency injunction by the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals that temporarily blocks the Oak Flat takeover by Resolution Copper, there is still time to advocate for reason with compassion.
According to Dr. Wendsler Nosier of Apache Stronghold, “Oak Flat is not just an ecological jewel in the Arizona wilderness —it is the spiritual lifeblood of the Western Apache. It is where we have gathered to pray, connect with our ancestors, and carry out our most sacred ceremonies that cannot take place elsewhere. To destroy Oak Flat would erase our Native identity, our culture, and our connection to the Creator in ways that are permanent and irreversible…. Do we respect religious freedom? Will we safeguard our environment for our children and grandchildren? Or will we sacrifice it all for corporate greed? We’re grateful that we’ve been joined in our struggle by people of many faiths—Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, and more—and people of every political persuasion. That’s because this is not a partisan issue. It is a moral one.”
(Despite the date on the document, this resource is still helpful!)
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