The protestors were calling on members of Congress to repeal a rider which transferred 2,500 of sacred Apache lands last November. The land is exchanged for 5,200 acres of land privately owned by Resolution Copper. The company plans a $6.2 billion mining project which Native Americans, opponents and others argue will decimate tribal sacred areas and deprive members of the San Carlos Apache tribe and the Yavapai-Apache nation from practicing their traditional practices, religion and ceremonial practices.
“We’ve been fighting this since I was born,” said protest organizer Wendsler Nosi, an Apache Stronghold Tribal councilmember, July 22. “What they’ve been doing is providing exemptions from federal laws on national environmental impact. What brings us here is this exemption from Resolution Copper. (Sen. John) McCain attached as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act at night in the dark at 11 p.m. That’s how sneaky and tricky he is. McCain stole our land from us. But we’re like a boxer. We may get knocked down but we’ll always get up.”
“We’re for a number of reasons. We support repeal, answer all questions. We’re here representing all tribes.”