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Mission
Statement:
Shundahai
Network is dedicated to breaking the nuclear chain by building alliances
with indigenous communities and environmental, peace and human rights
movements. We advocate abolishing all nuclear weapons, ending nuclear
weapons testing, phasing out nuclear energy and ending the transportation
and dumping of nuclear waste. All of our campaigns and events promote
the principles of Environmental Justice and incorporate the values of
community building, education, spiritual ceremonies and nonviolent direct
action.
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Alarming
and dangerous trends continue to develop with
U.S. nuclear policy
•
President
Bush has designated Yucca Mountain as the nation’s first
permanent high-level nuclear waste dump, and is committed
to the shipment of over 50,000 highly radioactive casks or
“Mobile Chernobyl's” to Nevada. |
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•
The
Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Private Fuel Storage are accelerating
their efforts to build a “temporary” high-level nuclear waste
dump on the Skull Valley Goshute Indian Reservation in Utah. Despite escalating
opposition from within the Goshute community, the State of Utah, other
indigenous organizations and thousands of citizens environmental organizations,
PFS reports that it expects to begin construction of the facility in 2005.
•
The
Bush administration is expanding plans to upgrade the nuclear weapons
stockpile and produce new plutonium “pits” that make up the
heart of nuclear weapons. The Nevada Test Site is one of the five options
for the future home of the plant. All of the prospective sites are in
low-income communities of color.
•
Despite
recent congressional action to cut spending for proposed nuclear weapons
programs, the Bush administration remains committed to developing a new
generation of low-yield tactical nuclear weapons or “mini-nukes”
and refurbishing the Nevada Test Site to speed up the possible resumption
of full scale nuclear weapons testing.
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To
address these critical issues Shundahai Network continues
three main programs:
Environmental
Justice Now
supports the work of Corbin Harney, and directly assists indigenous communities
affected by nuclear issues, ensuring their voices are heard on the national
level.
Action
for Nuclear Abolition works for complete nuclear weapons
disarmament and closure of the Nevada Test Site to all nuclear programs
except for containment and clean up. To this end we organize educational
gatherings and nonviolent direct actions increasing public awareness and
involvement.
Nuclear
Free Great Basin
fights the dumping and transportation of nuclear waste in the Great Basin
bio-region by linking communities, businesses and activists in a common
strategy to stop the construction of nuclear waste dumps.
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The
three main goals
we have set for 2005 are:
Expanding
our Nevada and Utah community education and resistance projects while
strengthening the movement in the rest of the Great Basin bio-region.
Ensuring
that nuclear weapons abolition remains a critical global issue by organizing
an international gathering and action at the Nevada Test Site.
Strengthening
indigenous leadership in opposing nuclear programs on traditional and
reservation lands. Specifically we intend to stop the construction of
the proposed Yucca Mountain and Private Fuel Storage Nuclear Waste dumps.
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In
2004 we have:
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Organized
a Mothers Day Action for Nuclear Abolition non-violent direct action camp
at the Nevada Test Site, May 8 – 10th. Over 60 activists enjoyed
ceremony, workshops, and celebrations. Twenty nine activists were arrested
resisting plans to restart nuclear weapons testing.
•
Held an October Nuclear
Free Great Basin Gathering at the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation near
Salt Lake City, planned site of the Private Fuel Storage nuclear waste
dump. Over 100 activists from around the country participated in the workshops,
press conference, and ceremonies. A core crew of committed activists emerged
from this gathering to continue resisting plans to dump nuclear waste
in the Great Basin.
•
Continued to direct financial support and professional
resources to Western Shoshone and Goshute organizations and activists
working for a Nuclear Free Great Basin.
•
Co-sponsored, planned and hosted a film and speaking event
with Amnesty International Utah Chapter, featuring leaders of the Western
Shoshone Nation discussing the current U.S. invasion of their lands and
destruction of their natural resources.
•
Contributed film footage of the 2003 U.S. invasion of
Western Shoshone lands and illegal confiscation of their livestock and
horses in retaliation for Shoshone opposition to gold mining and nuclear
projects on their land. This footage, recorded by Shundahai Network staff,
has been used by the Western Shoshone in their legal action as well as
in several documentary films.
•
Participated in the nonviolent demonstrations at the Republican
National Convention to protest Republican-driven nuclear weapons and energy
policies. Shundahai staff were featured on Utah major television and radio
stations as “street reporters”.
•
Provided unique logistical support for many indigenous
gatherings and events including the Western Shoshone National Council
Spring Gathering, International Indian Treaty Council Thirty Year Anniversary
Conference and two indigenous environmental defense gatherings at Rock
Creek, Nevada.
•
Attended several national organizing conferences aimed
at strengthening the environmental justice and anti- nuclear movements.
•
Engaged
in key roles to continue BASE - Building Action for Sustainable Environments,
an alliance of 17 environmental justice organizations nation-wide, serving
Indigenous and other minority and communities of color who campaign against
radioactive, military, and other toxic industrial facilities located in
our communities.
•
Delivered written and oral testimony at over four public
hearings concerning nuclear transport, dumping and Down-winder compensations.
•
Shared resources and organizing efforts with many other
regional and national organizations such as Citizen Alert, HEAL Utah,
DONT, NIRS, Public Citizen, in their ongoing work for a Nuclear Free Great
Basin and Environmental Justice. We have utilized our email alert list
with over 20 action alerts.
•
Directly
met with and supplied important up to date issue information to national
and state legislators.
•
Utilized our office by providing space for monthly events
with the primary emphasis on supporting local indigenous artists.
•
Been
featured in many newspaper, magazine and newsletter articles around the
globe. Corbin and staff participated in several radio talk shows on NPR,
Pacifica and several local stations. We held one successful press conference
and are helping to produce a documentary film on the Nuclear Free Great
Basin Gathering and plight of the Goshute Tribal members resisting the
nuclear waste dump.
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Financial
report
October
1, 2003 – October 31, 2004
Income:
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Memberships
and Donations |
$13,205 |
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Events |
$2,655 |
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Grants
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$103,250 |
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Total
Income |
$119,110 |
In-kind
materials and professional services donated (est.) $12,500
Expenses:
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Operations |
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$14,900 |
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Programs:
Environmental Justice Now |
$22,778 |
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Action for Nuclear Abolition |
$7,274
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Nuclear
Free Great Basin |
$6,304 |
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Total
Program |
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$36,356 |
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Personnel
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$33,977 |
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Total
Expenses |
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$85,234 |
Personnel
expenses breakdown: Operations 15%; Environmental Justice Now 38%; Action
for Nuclear Abolition 19%; Nuclear Free Great Basin 28%
End
of Year Balance $33,876
The
following foundations provided critical and generous support:
Funding Exchange, Grousebeck Family Foundation, Peace Development
Fund, Tides Foundation, Vanguard Charitable Trust
We
accomplish great things with just a little money!
By
supporting Shundahai Network you are making an effective investment in
the struggle to protect and defend our precious water, air, and Mother
Earth. |
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Shundahai
Network continues to serve under the fiscal sponsorship of the
Center for Energy Research, a 501 (c) 3 tax-deductible organization.
Checks can be made out to Shundahai Network and mailed directly to:
Shundahai Network, PO Box 1115, Salt Lake City, UT 84110
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Personnel
and Operations
2004 marks
the tenth year of Shundahai Network operations. Our ongoing program work
includes building alliances with affected communities, organizing and
supporting conferences, workshops, speeches, rallies, and direct actions.
We have, over the past year, experienced a process of personnel change,
operational restructuring, and capacity re-development.
Pete Litster,
a longtime activist, was approved as Executive Director in October 2003.
With this transition, Shundahai Network returned its headquarters from
Las Vegas, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah, where we established an office
in the downtown arts district. Elizabeth Payne began her service as Program
Manger in April 2004, during preparations for the Mothers Day gathering
at the Nevada Test Site. Michael Durham, Kadee Kotter and many others
provide logistical and program support for Shundahai events throughout
the year.
Our inexpensive
office space is located in an area that houses small, non-profit arts
and progressive community organizations. Our office routinely serves as
an activist resource center for community members and affiliated organizations.
This space and service is greatly needed in the Great Basin.
Shundahai
Network offers the only full-capacity non-governmental campaign organization
from this area that integrates the issues of nuclear weapons, nuclear
waste, indigenous land rights, peace and social justice work.
We continue
to maintain a significant camp and field logistics capacity, including
four large MASH-style army tents, a 350 gallon water tank, two donated
15 passenger one-ton vans for multiple uses, three flat-bed trailers for
freight hauling and field supply, field radios, kitchen and other gear
for the purpose of staging large-scale outdoor events in the service of
our mission and programs.
Shundahai
Network is unique in that we have not only the office capacity to coordinate
campaigns, but also the logistical field capacity to fully facilitate-
and document- peaceful, non-violent, direct mass engagements. These are
often at remote locations of concern in sometimes adverse weather conditions.
With this work we are able to strengthen often-marginalized communities,
empower existing alliances, and share vital resources.
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Environmental
Justice Now
All of Shundahai
Network’s projects promote the principles of Environmental Justice.
We follow the leadership of Elders within Indigenous communities of the
Great Basin. We have an Indigenous led Board of Directors, and work closely
with national and regional |
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Indigenous,
environmental, peace and justice organizations to assist indigenous communities
affected by nuclear issues in having their voices heard on the national
level.
Central to
this campaign is our coordination and support of Corbin Harney’s
speaking tours throughout the western U.S. Corbin, who is a recipient
of the 2003 International “Nuclear Free Future Solutions”
award, provides a unique and urgent perspective on environmental issues,
and has inspired and influenced thousands of people to join in action.
In addition, we support Corbin’s cultural health project, the Poo
Ha Bah Indigenous Healing Center in Tecopa, California.
We are very
excited about our third year as an active participant in the nation-wide
alliance, “Building Action for Sustainable Environments “
(BASE). Our work with this alliance is specially funded through the Peace
Development Fund. This network brings together 17 minority and indigenous
communities affected by military and Department of Energy toxic and radioactive
contamination. We have continued our leadership roles in the development
of BASE through three national planning meetings, frequent conference
calls and assigned committee work.
We maintain
active material and personnel support for two branches of Goshute resistance
to the PFS nuclear dump planned for the Skull Valley Reservation. Goshute
tribal members utilize our office and staff as they continue legal struggles,
while educating and organizing other tribal communities. We actively worked
with these members in the planning and hosting of the October Nuclear
Free Great basin Gathering held at the reservation over Indigenous Peoples
Day weekend.
Throughout
this past year we have provided critical logistical support by bringing
and setting up our own large tents, water trailer, communications and
other equipment at the Western Shoshone Defense Project Spring Gathering,
two Rock Creek defense gatherings and the thirty-year International Indian
Treaty Council conference near Mount Shasta.
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Action
for Nuclear Abolition
Shundahai Network
has been instrumental in bringing the voice of indigenous communities into
the international nuclear abolition movement. The 2004 Action for Nuclear
Abolition campaign has built on our decade of achievement.
Our Spring
campaign focus was on the daily tasks in organizing the sixth annual Mothers
Day Weekend Gathering, (May 7th-10th) at the Nevada Test Site. This is always
an emotional and empowering time as families and activists gather |
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to plan, train, and participate in ceremonies andnonviolent resistance actions.
This year we held an inspiring and determined event, which not only strongly
affirmed the conviction of veteran resistors, but also passionately activated
previously un-engaged people. We shared discussion, ceremony and training
with Western Shoshone elders and activists. Powerful oral testimony from
participants was delivered at NTS gates, and 29 participants were arrested
for nonviolent resistance to plans for resumption of full-scale nuclear
tests and continued dumping of nuclear waste on Western Shoshone lands.
We
have also helped create and contribute to the ongoing efforts of a local
Utah Coalition, DONT (Downwinders Opposed to Nuclear Testing). This coalition
was influential in getting the nuclear weapons testing budget cut from
the annual appropriations bill. As part of this work, Shundahai Network
staff met with and supplied nuclear weapons information to Congressional
members.
Our ongoing
campaign work remains centered around closing down NTS to all nuclear
projects except radiation containment and cleanup. This next year we plan
on strengthening our nuclear abolition work by supporting Nevada Desert
Experience’s week-long series of spring events including a protest
walk from Las Vegas to NTS. We will follow these events with a national
planning meeting to coordinate and solidify our Abolition support events
in August and an international event at NTS in October.
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Nuclear
Free Great Basin
Our
Nuclear Free Great Basin Campaign continues the important work of tying
together uranium mining, radioactive materials transportation and nuclear
waste dumping. Our focus has been on stopping the Yucca Mountain nuclear
dump in Nevada and the related Private Fuel Storage dump in Utah.
Throughout
the year we have kept these issues in the public eye through fax and literature
campaigns, participation in |
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many joint community events, press conferences neighborhood canvasses, information
sharing, participating in public hearings, the daily updating of our web
site and distribution of internet action alerts. The
culmination of our campaign this year was the Nuclear Free Great Basin
Gathering held at the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation, October 8-10,
to support the Goshute members who struggle daily to stop an unprecedented
high-level nuclear waste dump on this small reservation. This facility
is proposed as a “temporary” site to hold 40,000 metric tons
of reactor waste, and the nuclear industry would like to see construction
begin in 2005. Over 100 activists from around the Great Basin and Washington
DC, participated in workshops, a press conference, and ceremonies. A core
crew of committed activists emerged from this gathering to continue resisting
plans to dump nuclear waste in the Great Basin.
We will also
continue to develop our “Businesses Opposed to Nuclear Dumping”
(BOND) project in Utah and Nevada. This project is designed to engage
local businesses in the struggle to protect our communities, while generating
support for the programs and operations of Shundahai Network.
As our capacity
improves, we plan to support the White Mesa Ute tribe in their opposition
to the threatened resumption of uranium mining and enrichment activities,
and to the devastating dumping by International Uranium Corporation of
mill tailings on Ute land near the Colorado River.
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Shundahai:
A decade of resistance
Shundahai
Network was formed in October 1994, by a council of Western Shoshone and
allies at the Nevada Test Site, to address the issues of nuclear testing
and dumping on the Western Shoshone and other indigenous nations. We formed
around the concept that peace and disarmament movements must embrace human
rights and environmental justice in order to create long-term sustainable
change.
Over the
past decade we have creatively responded to the changing times, and major
issues confronting the world while remaining at the forefront of the resistance
to U.S. nuclear policies. We have had offices in Washington DC, Las Vegas
and Pahrump, Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Utah. We have lobbied, organized
educational workshops, events, and regional tours, hosted nonviolent direct
action camps twice a year, and we are daily involved with the alliance
of communities and movements we work with. The core group of volunteers,
who helped create Shundahai Network, remain active in its programs through
participating in the Board of Directors, planning events and consulting
with the current staff.
Shundahai
Network is actively engaged with many culturally diverse communities.
Our focus is to provide support for and to build alliances with Indigenous
communities within the Great Basin bio-region that are affected by the
nuclear chain - from mining, production, testing and dumping of radioactive
materials. Our three programs are aimed at Indigenous peoples empowerment
and leadership, nuclear weapons disarmament and the protection of people
and the environment from radioactive contamination.
Shundahai
Network follows the leadership of Elders within Indigenous communities
of the Great Basin. We have an Indigenous led Board of Directors, and
work diligently with national and regional Indigenous, environmental,
peace and justice organizations. Those who are active within our Network
are multi-cultural and are primarily of limited monetary income. Youth
play an important role in our community life, and all of our events since
1998 have included a Youth Program component.
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Corbin
Harney, Founder, Chairman of the Board
Corbin Harney,
is an elder, spiritual leader and internationally known indigenous rights
and anti-nuclear weapons activist from Newe Sogobia (The Peoples land).
The Newe, or Western Shoshone, are the indigenous people whose homeland
spans across five different states; Nevada, Utah, Idaho, California and
Montana. Wherever Corbin raises his voice in song, prayer, or speech,
whether it is in his desert homeland, at the UN, or in faraway Kazakhstan,
his message is informed with the calm authority that comes with his connection
to the earth. Corbin |
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founded
Shundahai Network in 1994.
Since
1985, Corbin and other Western Shoshone people have been fighting against
nuclear weapons testing in Nevada. Corbin works tirelessly to save the
land that his people have survived on for countless generations. This
land is where the United States Government has exploded over 1000 nuclear
bombs and dumped highly radioactive nuclear waste above the largest underground
aquifer in the Great Basin.
The Nevada
Test Site occupies land that the federal government seized from the tribe
in the 1940s to use for weapons testing. Corbin has totally dedicated
himself to healing people, healing the land, and--most importantly--sharing
his vision concerning the damage that nuclear pollution and other environmental
abuses are doing to the land, air, and water.
Corbin recently
completed his second book, “The Nature Way”, in which he shares
the traditional knowledge that his people, the Newe, have followed since
time immemorial. He is the founder of, and directs, Poo Ha Bah, a traditional
healing center in Tecopa, California. For his tireless efforts, Corbin
received the 2003 International “Nuclear Free Future Solutions”
award.
Corbin says,
“We need your help. Who ever you are, whatever color you are, wherever
you come from on this Mother Earth of ours. We’ve only got this
one Earth and we all have to take care of it. So I am asking all of you
people through out the world to unite your selves together. Give us a
helping hand so we can take care of all the living things.”
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Shundahai
Network Board of Directors
Corbin Harney, SN Founder
and Chairman of the Board- Newe Elder and Spiritual Leader, Director of
Poo Ha Bah Traditional Center for Indigenous Healing.
Sky
Pope,
SN Finance Committee, Inuit, co-director of Nanish Shontie Intertribal
Community
Mala
Spotted Eagle Pope,
SN Finance Committee- Western Shoshone, co-director of Nanish Shontie
Intertribal Community
Willie
Fragosa, SN Board Member- Indigenous descendant from Coastal
Californian tribes, Vietnam Veteran
Susi
Snyder,
SN Board Member- Secretary General, Women’s International League
of Peace and Freedom, Geneva Switzerland
John
Hadder,
SN Board Member- Northern Nevada Coordinator, Citizen Alert
Peter
Bergel,
SN Fiscal Sponsor Executive Director, Center for Energy Research
Michelle
Peixinho,
SN Board Member- Co-coordinator, Telulah Native Youth Camp, Chimayo, NM
Mateo
Ferrerra,
SN Board Member- Founding member, Co-coordinator, Telulah Native Youth
Camp, Chimayo, NM
Shundahai
Network is a proud member of:
BASE
- Building Action for Sustainable Environments, is a project composed
of 17 environmental justice organizations nation-wide, serving Indigenous
and other minority and communities of color who campaign against radioactive,
military, and other toxic industrial facilities located in our communities.
DONT
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Downwinders Opposed to Nuclear Testing, a Utah-based coalition fully engaged
to stop impending resumption of full-scale nuclear weapons testing at
the Nevada Test Site.
HEAL
Utah -
Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah- an alliance of citizens and organizations
united in an effort to protect the public from the risks of transporting,
storing and disposing of nuclear and toxic wastes in Utah’s west
Desert.
Alliance
for Nuclear Accountability -
a National organization composed of local, regional and national organizations
working together to promote education and action addressing issues pertaining
to the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and related facilities.
US
Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - works
to educate public opinion and mobilize persistent popular pressure to
move the United States government to take prompt and unequivocal actions
to eliminate nuclear weapons.
Abolition
2000 -
A Global Network for the elimination of Nuclear Weapons established at
the United Nations in 1995. Abolition 2000 demands that negotiations begin
immediately on a nuclear weapons convention for complete disarmament within
a time bound framework.
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Shundahai
Network would like to thank the following people for their generous donations
and countless hours of dedicated volunteer work: Adelie
Jyorovat, Margene Bullcreek, Sammy Blackbear, Carrie and Mary Dann, the
Western Shoshone Defense Project, Raymond Yowell, Darlene Graham, Chet
Stevens, Tom Goldtooth, Sarmeesha Reddy, Katherine Blossom, Tony Roehrig,
Tom King, Deanna Taylor, Reinard and Jenni Killpack – Knutsen, Scott
Fife, Ian Brandt, Kalynda Tilges, Gregor Gable, Julia Moonsparrow, Sherry
Bennally, Megan Bracken, Aaron Steil, Michael Vallario, Brett Muir, Chad
Nielson, Craig Stehr, Jesse Schultz, Allisun and Alex, Rafael Cordray,
Cynthia of the desert, Jason Halprin, Rudy Pedrone, Briant Langson, Santiago
Lazada, Gail Blattenberger, James Mouretson, Megan BrackenKara Bracken,
Marrissa Black, Robert Gittens, Rosemary Prem, Ted Thomas, Brian Done,
Peter Regen, Chad Nielsen, Sarah Stein, Ty Bullcreek, and so many others.
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