reprinted with permission from
Poison Fire, Sacred Earth,
TESTIMONIES, LECTURES, CONCLUSIONS,
THE WORLD URANIUM HEARING, SALZBURG 1992
pages 151-152
Gloria Lewis
Gloria Lewis, Laguna Nation, New Mexico, USA. Lives
close to one of the world's largest uranium mines.
Thank you. Good morning! My name is Gloria
Lewis. I'm here representing my family and my
grandparents, Turivia and Lucy Lewis of Acoma
Pueblo who are now with their Creator. They
taught me to love our people and our land, and I
hope to honour them today by speaking out on
the issues and concerns I have about the uranium
industry around our reservation in the United
States. Since being in Salzburg, I have learned
about the dangers of radiation emitted by the
uranium ore where I live in Paguate in New
Mexico. I also learned that at one time, our
homelands in New Mexico were once labeled as
a "sacrifice area" by the Department of Energy. A
sacrifice area where humans would not be able
to live.
I'm concerned because our tribal and
public health-officials never concern themselves
about the consequences we face living near an
open pit mine. Unfortunately, our tribal officials
have made unsound decisions in the past which
will affect our Acoma and Laguna people for
generations to come. The Acoma and Laguna
people and tribal officials were never warned
about the hazards and consequences of uranium
mining on Indian lands. Therefore, today our
people have suffered the loss of aboriginal
lands, religious shrines and some traditional
customs.
After 500 years, the U.S. government still
has a unique way of swapping public and Indian
lands and making them international parks. And
on these lands they take the natural resources out
with no regard for the health and safety, or the
religious significance they have to the people. This
type of industrial genocide must stop, and as
parents we have a responsibility to our children
to make sure that this historic error of uranium
development be taught in their schools. Because
our children are our future decision-makers and
leaders of our people. And I hope that the work
that we started today will be continued, and that
is the reason I brought my children, that they will
learn from us and carry on these hearings
and make the world safe.
Thank you.
Father John (Moderator)
Thank you very much. Our future depends mostly on our children. That's why we have our next speaker on the stage to tell us more.