Statement of Bobby Castillo LPDC International Spokesperson for Leonard Peltier Defense Committee,
UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
TWENTY THIRD SESSION
JULY 31- AUG 4, 2006
Item 4
Review of developments pertaining to the promotion and protection of human
rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples
(b) Principle theme "Utilization of Indigenous Peoples' Lands by
Non-Indigenous Authorities, Groups or Individuals for Military Purpose"
Mr. Chairperson,
The last major campaigns by the U.S. Army against Indigenous People in North
America took place in the late 1800s. But the military is still dangerous
to Indigenous Peoples in the Western hemisphere today. A recent study
contends the dramatic expansion of U.S. military bases during the 20th
century was largely concentrated in the same remote, arid places where
Indian reservations were located. That means Indigenous People's could be
disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals and unexploded bombs, compared
to non- Indigenous People's , according to the report by Gregory Hooks of
Washington State University. Two world wars and the Cold War "pushed the
United States to produce, test and deploy weapons of unprecedented
toxicity," the study said. "Native Americans have been left exposed to the
dangers of this toxic legacy."
The Department of Defense has acknowledged the problems, quoting a 2001
department report that said Indian lands have "hazardous materials,
unexploded ordnance (UXO), abandoned equipment, unsafe buildings, and
debris." The government estimates that unexploded ordnance, which can
include mines, nerve gases and explosive shells, probably contaminates 20 to
50 million acres of land in the United States and would take centuries to
clean up at current rates.
By 1916, the U.S. Army owned about 1.5 million acres of land, and expanded
dramatically during World War I. By 1940, the Army owned about 2 million
acres of land. The huge build-up to World War II saw the Army acquire
another 8 million acres. Most of those lands were in the vicinity or
contiguous to Indian reservations. . Conventional weapons in World War II
were far more lethal than weapons from previous wars, and the United States
has led the world in the production of weapons of mass destruction,
including nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
Today there are plans for a Pentagon-led experiment that involves detonating
700 tons of explosives at the Nevada Test Site on Western Shoshone
traditional land which is part of an effort to design a weapon that can
penetrate solid rock formations in which a country might store nuclear
weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.
The test will involve nearly 40 times the amount of commercial ammonium
nitrate and fuel oil explosive set off in the largest open-air, non-nuclear
blast at the site to date. In 2002, 18 tons of explosives were set off at
the Nevada Test Site. The Western Shoshone sovereign nation has always
condemned the use of their traditional lands for bomb testing. They consider
such practices as a violation of their treaty rights.
The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee condemns also all military test on
Indigenous lands or elsewhere which are especially being designed to kill
our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon today. Indigenous
people traditional values consider that all life is sacred so we cannot
support State governments who are using military forces to bring death and
destruction.
To conclude, we fully support Professor Alfonso Martinez words on its
working paper on "Indigenous peoples and conflict resolution", stating "
This is a major source of conflict, which often results in either the forced
eviction of indigenous peoples, or life-threatening circumstances connected
with nearby warfare. The State's power to `extinguish` aboriginal titles to
lands on the basis of national security needs is often used to give license
to armed forces to launch national defense projects on indigenous lands
including the construction of military bases, testing grounds and territory
for war games."
No indigenous land should be used for military reason because this is
against our values and traditions.
Thank you Mr. Chairperson,
Bobby Castillo LPDC International Spokesperson
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
