Uranium Mining and Human Rights - Indigenous Activists Speak Out In Washington

Beyond Nuclear aims to educate and activate the public about the connections between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and the need to abandon both to safeguard our future. Beyond Nuclear advocates for an energy future that is sustainable, benign and democratic.

Beyond Nuclear is launching a new initiative to draw attention to the human rights violations caused by uranium mining. The targeting of indigenous communities with highly contaminating uranium mining has caused deadly health effects and the loss of critical resources. Beyond Nuclear urges a halt to the global push for more nuclear reactors - a direct contributor to the on-going discrimination against indigenous people.

Beyond Nuclear is bringing together members of many of these communities - along with a prominent nuclear engineer from France - for a speaking and media tour February 26, 27 and 28 in Washington, DC to raise the profile of these human rights abuses and in turn create pressure for positive change.


Indigenous advocates from American Indian, Australian Aboriginal and Touareg (Niger) communities - along with activists, scientists and the actor James Cromwell are in Washington, DC February 26-28 to argue for an end to uranium mining and the dangerous nuclear power industry it supplies.

Beginning at a press conference, then Hill visits and a briefing and the PowerShift 2009 youth conference, the indigenous leaders will describe the deadly health effects and destruction of the environment caused by uranium mining and its disproportionate targeting of indigenous peoples. The PowerShift conference provides the stage for a panel at 9am on Saturday, February 28 entitled "Human Righs, Uranium Mining and an Unfolding Genocide.

If you live in the area or are visiting during our events, please consider joining us at the Busboys and Poets event, :30pm-7:30pm on Friday, February 27^th which is free and open to the public. Busboys islocated at 2021 14th St. NW at V St, NW, Washington, DC.

And please come to hear our panelists at the PowerShift 2009 youth conference at the Washington, DC convention center. Our panel is on Saturday, February 28^th and is entitled: Human Rights, Uranium Mining and an Unfolding Genocide.

Details about the panel can be found on the PowerShift Conference Web site.

Uranium deposits worldwide are found under land that is 70% sovereign indigenous. Not only the contamination but also the severe depletion of often already scarce water supplies threatens to wipe out the lives and livelihoods of many indigenous peoples where uranium mining is carried out. For more, see our Atomic Discrimination page.

http://www.beyondnuclear.org