FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2005
For more information:
Julie Ann Fishel,
Western Shoshone Defense Project
775-468-0230 or 775-397-1371
Western Shoshone Travel to Newmont Mining Shareholder Meeting to Address Concerns
Crescent Valley, NV (Newe Sogobia) (April 25, 2005) A delegation of Western Shoshone will address the CEO and Board of Newmont Mining Corporation during Wednesday’s Annual General Meeting in Denver Colorado. During the Meeting, Newmont Mining Corporation – the world's largest gold company will respond to concerns by the Western Shoshone. Newmont currently operates gold mines across Western Shoshone territory in Nevada – equating to nearly 40% of its equity base. Western Shoshone are asking Newmont to change the way they have been doing business by respecting Western Shoshone human rights and by supporting their struggle to protect their homeland and the survival of their people. In the nearly 50 years that Newmont has operated on Western Shoshone lands, the Shoshone have seen no benefits come to their people and have had to stand by and watch the destruction of cultural and spiritual areas, hunting grounds and water. The Western Shoshone delegation will be meeting with Newmont Corporate leadership on Tuesday, prior to the Meeting to address these concerns in more depth.
Kristi Begay, Western Shoshone leader who will address the Newmont Meeting: “Our land is recognized by the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley and yet the government and the companies have been acting as if our people mean nothing – we are here to say that the Western Shoshone do mean something. We want to know if our poverty is somehow connected to Newmont’s wealth. Also, is the fact that the U.S. government denying our rights to our homeland somehow connected to Newmont’s interests in appropriating our lands as private property? We want Newmont and the other gold companies to do their business in a better way and not to try to get rid of us – which is what it looks like they’ve been trying to do for all these years. We’ve been here forever, our people will always be here and the companies know it.”
Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone grandmother who was scheduled to attend the pre-meeting with Corporate Executives but due to the death of her sister, Mary will be unable to travel this week, stated from her home in Crescent Valley: “U.S. law tells us we don’t have a right to say no to mining activities – that violates our human rights – culturally and spiritually. If Newmont allows its company to merely go by those discriminatory laws, then they are a party to those violations as well. We want Newmont to understand this and this is the first time that they are meeting with our people to begin talking about how to address these concerns. This is what me and my sister Mary always wanted, to sit across the table on an equal basis, eye to eye, and talk. Hopefully the Company will listen.” She added that in her absence, “I am proud that we have Western Shoshone of the younger generations to go and speak about these issues.”
Joseph Moon, Western Shoshone youth attending the meetings stated: “As a young native person I want to know more about these mining companies who are impacting our land and water. I want them to know that we, as young people, care about the survival of our people as Western Shoshone and we are part of this struggle. With elders passing on that just helps our bond get stronger and we realize more and more that we need to carry that torch as our elders did before us.”
April Reports
Last updated on April 28, 2005