And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >From BIGMTLIST [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 11:34:40 -0800 (PST) From: tom goldtooth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RECA update >Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 09:37:46 -0700 >From: Lori Goodman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Organization: Dine' CARE. Dine' CARE is one of the founding organizations of the Indigenous Environmental >Network (IEN) and a current organization member of the IEN National Council. >Subject: RECA update (Radiation Exposure and Compensation Act - an amendment action) >Date: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 >PRESS RELEASE: Navajo Nation, Red Valley community meeting: >Contact: Lori Goodman, Dine' CARE, (970) 259-0199 > > ELECTION PARTY CENTERS ON RADIATION VICTIMS' ISSUES > >Red Valley, AZ, Jan 16: The swearing-in party for newly elected Navajo >Nation Council delegate JC Begay (representing Red Valley & Cove Navajo >Chapters) took on a serious tone Saturday, as constituents voiced their >concerns with the ongoing problem of radiation contamination in their >homeland. As Begay listened, audience members informed him of their >ongoing struggle to inform local citizens about the dangers of radiation >contamination from mines and mill sites. Councilman Begay committed to >the cause of bringing relief to radiation victims. > >In the audience were newly elected Navajo Nation Vice-President Dr. >Taylor McKenzie and Navajo Nation Council delegate Ervin Keeswood. In >Attendance also, were key Navajo and non-Navajo leadership of the larger >cross-cultural Western States RECA Reform Coalition: Navajo Nation RECA >Working Group Co-Chairs, Alexander Thorne and Melton Martinez; Paul >Hicks, President of NM Uranium Workers Council; Alyce Mae Yazzie, >Kayenta Chapter RECA Liaison; and Tommie Reed, Post 71 Uranium Workers. >They all informed VP McKenzie and Councilman Begay about the need to >educate Navajo citizens about the ongoing risk of radiation exposure and >to reform the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. "Nobody knows about >RECA," explained Mr. Reed to the newly elected leaders. "People don't >know who's eligible. Is it miners? Is it their children? > >"We have been working together, people from all around the Navajo Nation >and the entire Four Corners Area," said Melton Martinez, member of the >RECA Reform Working Group, a coalition of local Navajo activists working >to bring relief to radiation victims on the Navajo Nation and beyond. >Martinez told Councilman Begay that the Working Group wants the Navajo >Nation government to stick to its previous call for broad reforms of the >Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). (See "Keeping the bills >straight" below). > >After listening to concerns, Begay pledged that he would make reform of >RECA his "number one priority." Although the gathering was not an >official chapter meeting, Begay expressed his appreciation for the >information provided him, and encouraged the attendees to keep up the >work. The Navajo activists, all part of a larger Western States RECA >Reform Coalition, have been arguing for a much broader, more inclusive >reform of RECA, to include victims besides miners. > >Navajo Nation Vice President Dr. Taylor McKenzie, fielded concerns >about RECA reform. Dr. McKenzie, like Councilman Begay, pledged his >support. He told the people at Red Valley that President Kelsey Begay, >is "100 per cent" behind the Council's ten points for reform. "We would >like President Begay keep the pressure on RECA reform," said Ms. Yazzie, >of Kayenta. "We have seen a number of bills, and possible compromises. >We have nothing to compromise. No one is getting any relief. We need to >push for the most comprehensive RECA reform we can get." > >The Western States RECA Reform coalition are in agreement about having a >bill reintroduced in the House that mirrors Redmond's bill in the last >congress. They are also in agreement on asking Senator Bingaman to >reintroduce his bill, as his was the most comprehensive. Letters to JD >Hayworth (AZ) and Skeen (NM) have been written asking them to champion >the bill. Visits to Skeen's office are currently being planned by Mr. >Paul Hicks and Mr. Melton Martinez. > >Mr. Paul Hicks, President of NM Uranium Workers Council from Grants >visits Arizona and Colorado to attend RECA meetings in four days. Mr. & >Mrs. Hicks attended the Grand Junction, Colorado Uranium Workers Council >monthly meeting on Jan 14, where the consensus was also NO COMPROMISE >AND TO HAVE A REDMOND LIKE RECA BILL REINTRODUCED. > >Outcomes: >1) Community members from Red Valley and Cove wanted more > information on RECA and called for a duly called Chapter meeting on >RECA. >2) Tribal Council delegate JC Begay committed to making RECA reform > his #1 Priority. >3) Navajo Nation RECA Reform Working Group coordinators met with > Navajo Nation Vice-President Dr. Taylor McKenzie. >4) Coordinators clarified for Dr. McKenzie that RECA Reform Working > Group is providing information to people about RECA and the efforts >to amend RECA. >5) After update and discussion on RECA by the Western States RECA > Reform coalition, the people reaffirmed & supported the Navajo Tribal >Council's 10 points for RECA reform. >6) Dr. McKenzie committed to arrange a meeting with Navajo Nation > President Begay for Working Group coordinators soon. >7) Vice-President McKenzie said he is 100% in support of what the > people are saying, which is in support of Redmond like bill being >reintroduced. President Begay is going to DC and will be delivering >that message to DC. > > >[below is additional info sent to all on our list of RECA Reform Working >Groups.] >================================================================= > >Keeping the bills straight: > >The goals of the Western States RECA Reform Coalition include reforming >the government's process of compensating individuals who have been >exposed to harmful levels of radiation. Miners, millers, test subjects, >people living close to mines, families of workers, and people living in >the path of airborne fallout from above ground nuclear tests have all >been exposed to dangerous levels of radiation in a variety of ways. One >of the major piece of legislation to begin to address these problems is >the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which was signed into law in >1990. This Act made compensation payments available to underground >miners who are able to document that they have been exposed to dangerous >levels of radiation. > >There are many problems with the Act. For the miners, the very people >supposedly helped by the Act, the burden of proof is often too great. >They don't have the documentation to show they should be compensated. >And many miners, including those who worked in the mines after 1971, are >considered ineligible for compensation. The first attempts to reform >RECA were intended to change this situation, to make it easier for >miners to get what they deserved. > >More recently, a number of government studies have clearly shown that >miners are not the only ones who have been exposed to dangerous levels >of radiation. The people of the RECA Reform Working Group have thus >come together to call on Washington to truly reform the Radiation >Exposure Compensation Act by including millers, families of workers who >were exposed to radiation, "downwinders" (people living down wind from >nuclear tests), and families living near mines or tailings. Supporting >this position, the Navajo Nation Council produced in 1998 a resolution >outlining ten points of RECA reform. > >Former representative Bill Redmond (NM Republican) introduced a bill to >the U.S. House of Representatives in the 105th Congress. This bill was >listed as H.R. 3539. It called for health monitoring and compensation >for some of the victims of radiation poisoning. Meanwhile, in the >United States Senate, Jeff Bingaman (NM Democratic) introduced a bill >calling for even more comprehensive health studies and compensation for >some of the victims of radiation poisoning. It was listed as S. 2343. > >At the end of 1998, however, both pieces of legislation almost fell >victim to back room politics. Eager to produce some type of settlement >by the end of the year, and eager to keep the funds coming for lawyers >entitled to a 10% cut of all compensation payments, Washington >legislators proposed an amendment to RECA that did nothing more than >ease a few of the restrictions on miners. This last minute deal would >have completely ignored the express hopes of all people. > >The people of the Western States RECA Reform Coalition, representing >major organizations from the American Southwest, including Navajo, >Pueblo and non-Indian peoples, reject all RECA amendment legislation >that falls short of bringing true environmental justice to all people >who have suffered the effects of radiation poisoning. They have called >on their elected officials in the 106th Congress to enact legislation >that will bring justice to all people that have been poisoned by >radiation, and to help prevent the further spread of this toxic threat. > >On other developments: > >I would like feedback, suggestions on these developments. We will be >scheduling an aerial flight with reporters for the goal of eliciting >national media exposure. We are also scheduling a national radio >broadcasting on RECA. (Detail follows) > >Because of Dine' CARE's reputation and commitment of being advocates for >community initiated projects and/or/both the good press coverage in the >Four Corners from last weekend's meeting, we are getting offers of help. >With coverage in CO, NM, & AZ newspapers, TV and our 1/2 page ad in the >Navajo Times, my phone has been busy. We have received offers of >collaboration from Lighthawk, to do an aerial media flight; a national >radio broadcast for next week (I still need to get all info on this >deal) and the use of Honor the Earth's web site (which gets 100,000+ >hits/mo). > >In reaffirming our goals and commitments made at the Farmington meeting >in working in a collaborative and united front. We have offered our >off-Rez allies an opportunity made available to us. The Lighthawk that >schedules aerial flights for environmental issues, would like to do a >media flight with reporters to help us get national media exposure. They >have a Boston Globe reporter ready to help. (these are yet to be >confirmed). What we are suggesting as the way to get the most possibly >media exposure: play up the Indian/non-Indian coalition. Spotlight one >Indian community and one non-Indian community. Preferably radioactive >contaminated communities that have been grossly overlooked. This offer >was made to the CUWC Grand Junction meeting recently. They have accepted >and have picked Uravan as their town and Navajos haven't confirmed their >community. > >The story is in the grassroots organizing efforts, with multi-cultural, >multi states collaboration, and the issues are set in a rural setting. >Furthermore, a bill -- ten changes to RECA, crafted by the impacted >communities. Not your typical top down approach. > >-30- Indigenous Environmental Network - National Office P.O. Box 485 Bemidji, Minnesota 56619-0485 USA Phone: (218) 751-4967 Fax: (218) 751-0561 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web Site: http://www.alphacdc.com/ien "An environmental and economic justice alliance of Indigenous Peoples protecting the sacredness of Mother Earth and building sustainable communities." ******************************************** You are on the BIGMTLIST, a moderated mailing list of Big Mountain relocation resistance information (not discussion or debate). 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