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THE
CASE MOUNT GRAHAM-
Sacred
Apache Mountain
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by Mike Austin
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Outline
of Apache History and Culture
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The
ancestors of contemporary Apaches came to the
Americas
approximately 10 000 years ago. Today modern Apaches live primarily in
the southwestern part of the
United
States
.
Together with the Dené (Navaho), the Chiricahua, Lipan, Mescalero and
Mimbreno, they are the southernmost speakers of the Athapasken language
group.
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Until
their first reservation internments at the end of the 19th
century the Apaches lived a half nomadic life in small family units. The
men hunted small and big game, and the women gathered nuts, fruits and
vegetables. Small corn plots and bean gardens were kept communally.
Altogether the Apaches used over 500 different plant and animal species.
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Just
as for other indigenous peoples in
America
,
for the Apaches too The Creator was not a concrete and all mighty god,
but a concept integrated into everyday life where the world around is
permeated with the Creator’s spirit. Even today the most important
mediator between The Creator and the people are the “Ga’an”, the
mountain spirits of the four sacred mountains of their traditional
territories.
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The
Apaches came into contact with the Europeans in the middle of the 16th
century. After the
United
States
had acquired the entire North American southwest from
Mexico
in 1836, extermination of the Apaches became a primary goal to make the
new territories free and safe for settlement. This led to the most
protracted and costliest military campaign against the Indian
populations. The last guerilla leader, the medicine man Geronimo, did
not capitulate until 1886. Before he put down his weapons, he had
visited the Ga’an on Dzil Nchaa Si An (
Mount
Graham
)
for a last time to seek their counsel.
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The
San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in the southeastern portion of
Arizona
was established in 1871 for the first time. A fellow resistance fighter
with Geronimo, Chief Cassadore traveled to
Washington
D.C.
when the establishment of
San
Carlos
was imminent, to meet with President Grant to ensure the inclusion of
their sacred mountain Dzil Nchaa Si An into the reservation territory.
Although the mountain was included in the reservation area at first,
soon the settlers put pressure on the territory government to take this
moutain area out again in the course of a first reduction of the San
Carlos Apache Reservation.
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Today
approximately 80 000 Apaches live primarily in five reservations in
Arizona
,
New
Mexico
and
Oklahoma
.
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Sacred
Mountain – Sacred Ecosystem
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Mount
Graham, Dzil Nchaa Si An in the Athapasken language meaning “Big
Seated Mountain”, is the sacred mountain of the Apaches and in
addition represents a unique ecosystem The oral traditions pass on the
information about the central position of this mountain for the Apache.
It was here where the ancestors of modern Apache received the “32
Songs of Life” from The Creator. They were brought by the Ga’an, the
spiritual keepers of
Big
Seated
Mountain
.
Even today this sacred place continues to have undimished significance
for training medicine people and spiritual leaders.
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The
mountain is the home of a unique and intact ecosystem. With 10 725 feet/3
270 meters Mount Graham is the highest elevation of the Pinaleno
Mountain Range in the southeast of Arizona. From the
Sonora
Desert
,
which surrounds the mountain, up to the 1 520 acres/615 hectares small
boreal coniferous forest ecosystem in the moutain top region (boreal
woods do not occur until much further north) five of seven vegetation
and climate zones of
North
America
are represented on this mountain. The ancient and untouched forest
ecosystem at the mountain top is the habitat of 18 rare plants and
animal species, which have evolved on this isolated “island” since
the retreat of the last glaciers. In addition to blackbears, mountain
lions, owls, falcons and hawks, the threatened Apache Trout and the
endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrel have survived here.
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Surrounded by
desert instead of ocean
Mount
Graham
is an unusual
mountain island, comparable with the islands of the Galapagos. It seems
like a mockery for the University of Arizona (UA) in
Tucson
to select this
place to be of service to science.
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Chronology
of an ongoing Invasion
At
the onset of construction of the Mount Graham International Observatory
complex (MGIO) in 1988 the UA had already secured suspension of all
pertinent environmental and cultural protection laws. A so-called “Rider”,
an additional provision “riding” on a law passed by U.S. Congress,
suspended the laws to protect Native American Freedom of Religion, the
Federal Environmental Protection Act, the Forestry Protection Act, and
the Federal Threatened Animals Protection Act. The University had
initiated this rider, but had failed to research it properly. It was not
until five years later when the necessary site studies were concluded
that it was realized the worst possible site in
Arizona
had been selected. In wake of this, the University began to move to
obtain another exemption regulation for the Large Binocular Telescope
(LBT), the largest and most expensive of the seven telescopes planned,
to be located outside of the specified site now defined by law. This was
not granted. The University’s own studies describe both sites as
“unacceptable” because of dense vegetation, unfavorable topography
and limited “sight nights”.
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Towards
the last of the year 1993 clearing of the new site was secretly and
illegally begun. Alerted by the Apache Survival Coalition (ASC), an
immediate halt of construction was imposed by the Federal Court in
San
Francisco
in order to conduct further investigations. The ASC, under the chair of
its founder Ola Cassadore Davis and her husband Mike Davis, was
officially authorized by a
unanimous Tribal Council resolution of the San Carlos Apache to
represent the tribe on the outside concerning the Mount Graham issue.
Ola Casssador Davis, a respected tribal elder, is the
great-granddaughter of the historic Chief Cassadore.
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During
the ten years while planning the project, the San Carlos Apaches were
never contacted or interviewed, although officials of the federal Plant
and Wildlife Agency knew, according to their own statements, that
Mount
Graham
is of central importance to Apache culture and religion.
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The
Tribal Council passed numerous documents that made their resistance
against the MGIO project public before the first tree was cut.
Afterwards (1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995) four additional resolutions were
passed that expressed continued resistance. Moreover, in 1992 no less
than 15 spiritual leaders of the San Carlos Apache signed a petition
against the telescope project.
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Research
at all costs?
Since
the beginning of construction of the MGIO more than 25 American partners
have abandoned the project because of own extensive studies, because of
financial problems and finally because of the continuing Apache protests.
The Max-Planck-Institute (
Bonn
,
Germany
),
the Arcetri Observatory (
Florence
,
Italy
)
and the
Vatican
are the only remaining partners and operate the two telescopes already
completed. Since 1997 Ohio State University (OU) in
Columbus
,
OH
has again become a partner in the LBT.
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In
1994 a long hoped for breakthrough by the Apaches for the preservation
of Dzil Nchaa Si An took place. The investigations ordered by the
Federal Judge in 1993 showed enough irregularities about the exemptions
granted to order a renewed construction halt for further environmental
studies. The judge further decreed that a continuation of construction
was only possible with binding consultations with the spiritual leaders
of the San Carlos Apaches.
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During
the same year a „summit meeting“ was held between President Clinton
and representatives of the tribes and nations acknowledged by the United
States in the White House. At first this seemed very encouraging.
Clinton
promised during this meeting to protect the cultures and religions of
the indigenous peoples. Also,
Clinton
told The San Carlos Apaches that he would use his veto to block any law
which consequentially would lead to the desecration of
Mount
Graham
.
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Soon
after the UA was again engaged to have all applicable laws suspended to
continue construction on the LBT. In 1995 the University tried once more
to bring a rider through the U.S. Congress, but they all actually failed
by
Clinton
’s
vetos. It was not until the Presidential election year of 1996 that the
UA succeeded in bringing through the one-line so-called “Mount Graham
Rider”. This clause once more freed the UA of all applicable
regulations. Furthermore, the illegal cuttings of 1993 at the
alternative site were legalized and therefore, in spite of the court
decree of 1994, construction of the LBT was granted.
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The
Apaches reacted to these developements with great disappointment and
bitterness. At a UA open forum in July 1996 Ola Cassadore Davis spoke
with utmost outrage: “We are shocked. It is time to respect the
rights of all Americans and to respect us Apaches. Many of us have died
for
America
in both World Wars, and it was an Apache who was the first killed in
action during
Operation
Desert
Storm. We have earned the right to be heard as all Americans are. With
your lies you and President Clinton have accomplished what generations
of killings and forcible deportations have not been able to manage. You
bury the Apaches forever. But I am telling you, we will defend ourselves.
The fight for Dzil Nchaa Si An is not over yet!
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About
the Power of Business and Squirrels
A
number of scientific studies confirmed anew that the LBT site was
unfavorably selected. It has been proved that many restricted sight
nights prevail because of an abundance of precipitation and the natural
air clouding by forest particles. Above that the bad quality of the
mounted mirrors and the resulting reparations work has driven proposed
costs noticably beyond expectations. Moreover, President Clinton’s
veto in November 1997 against a $10 million financing out of tax monies
for the LBT has intensified the desperate financial situation of the UA.
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A
new change came about in December 1997. Biologists in commission of the
Federal Government discovered that the estimated population of the
endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrel was possibly set too high – a
mistake that could prevent further expansion of construction work of the
MGIO project. The federal law of 1988, which had allowed the UA to
circumvent environmental and cultural protection laws, also demands that
after ten years the squirrel population is scutinized again.
Should
their population have suffered damage, it could also prevent
construction of the additional four telescopes planned; however, to
break even economically seven telescopes are necessary.
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In
the meantime it became substantiated to the U.S. Wildlife Agency, that
the population density of about 300 Red Squirrels claimed by the UA
could not be confirmed.
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In
an independent statement, President Clinton’s Advisory Board for
Culture Protection determined that the entire MGIO project stood in
contradiction to all federal culture protection laws because it highly
threatened the culture and religion of the Apache People.
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International
Dialogue and American Ignorance
In
February 1998 a meeting took place between the Special Rappateur of the
UNO Human Rights Commission for Religious Intolerance, Abdelfattah Amor,
the Elders and other leading personalities of the San Carlos Apache as a
fact finding mission in
North
America
.
Consequently, Mr. Amor called for a better protection of
Mount
Graham
in his report to the Human Rights Commission.
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In
May 1998 over 80 Italian members of parliament presented a new law
initiative during a press conference which would prevent Italian
participation in the telescope project because it would desecrate this
sacred Apache mountain. The Apaches are hoping that this initiative will
show influence on the
Vatican
.
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In
March 1999 the newly elected San Carlos Apache Tribal Council sent
letters to the Italian President Scalfaro and the German Chancellor
Schroder. In these writings both statesmen were urged to respect Apache
culture and to prohibit all further financing of the telescope project.
A month later Tribal Council Vice Chairperson Velasquez Sneezy published
“An open letter to the leaders of the free world”, in which he asked
Pope John Paul II especially, next to Scalfaro and Schroder, to
acknowledge Apache religion and traditions and to abstain from any
further participation in the MGIO.
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During
this same time, Ola Cassadore Davis was awarded the prestigious „Preservation
Award“ in the dining room of the White House in Washington D.C. in
recognition for her engaged work about Mount Graham. Afterwards she
traveled to
Geneva
,
Switzerland
to address and ask the 55th Assembly of the UNO Human Rights
Commission for a thorough investigation of the MGIO project in concern
of religious intolerance. At the same time and coordinated with Ola
Cassadore Davis, Wendsler Nosie, Sr., Representative of “Apaches for
Cultural Preservation”, traveled to Germany and Italy for meetings
with supporters, press and politicians to foster a greater understanding
for Apache concerns.
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In
a final step to solidify UA position in the
Mount
Graham
telescope project, a $12 million heavy-current powerline was built to
replace expensive diesel aggregates. The UA commented tersely that
electricity was environmentally much friendlier than diesel. In 2001, a
suit of the ASC and seven other Indian and environmental groups was
turned back by Federal Court and construction of the 23 miles/37
kilometers heavy-current powerline was permitted.
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June
2002 continuing efforts to protect Dzil Nchaa Si An showed an important
success when the Max-Planck-Institute (
Bonn
,
Germany
)
decided not to renew their contract with the UA and to withdraw from the
MGIO project. The reasons cited for this decision were increased
cloudiness and high humidity, which influences efficiency of the LBT
considerably.
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Only
months later and in spite of fierce protests of the Apaches, the UA was
able to convince the
University
of
Minnesota
(UM) to participate in the LBT. A speaker of the UM board cynically
commented that this decision should be judged as one of “good will”
toward the Apaches to mutually find a better cultural cooperation with
each other for a just utilization of the mountain.
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Since
2001 the MGIO project had come to a halt in a deadlock, which the UA and
its partners used primarily to attract additional investors to ensure
continued construction of the LBT. All five Apache governments in
addition to almost all human rights and environmental protection
organizations in
North
America
and
Europe
have shown their resistance with resolutions and petitions against the
MGIO project. Meanwhile, the San Carlos Apache Tribal Council has
conveyed over 35 writings of protest to the U.S. government The
spiritual leaders of the Apaches have spoken out against the desecration
of Dzil Nchaa Si An in a mutual petition. About 40 different lawsuits
have been conducted. Eight of these suits were brought into a federal
court.
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The
question remains why the MGIO obviously had to be realized at all costs,
even against massive international resistance and every ethical
reasoning. It has not been about good quality science for a long time
for the UA and its project partners, but rather it is only about power,
prestige and money.
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Because
of a variety of media reports of the last years, and most of all
different articles about military connections of the MGIO as reported by
the
Independent
Media
Center
at it has become very clear that the UA has gone to military and government
interests to prevail with their telescope project. Primarily, the U.S.
Air Force is interested in research on a new optics technology that
would compliment the effectivity of the Star Wars Defense System
considerably.
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Finally
the Large Binocular Telescope was put into operation on October 16th,
2004. It is the largest optical telescope in the world and its
capacity equals ten times the sharpness of the Hubble Telescope, and
therefore it can look into space 1.5 million miles/2.5 million
kilometers. The LBT will probably be the largest single telescope in the
world for only 10 to 15 years, since it is actually only considered a
transitional instrument to the great telescopes of the next generations.
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“It
is a sad day for everyone who would think that the University of Arizona
would put any importance into ethics, biology, cultural protection and
freedom of religion,” Dr. Robin Silver, Chairperson of the Center for
Biological Diversity, noted in a statement. Also, Wendsler Nosie, Sr.
commented, “It is ironic that
Mount
Graham
is the connection between the spiritual world and the world today.”
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The
MGIO project and most of all the largest telescope LBT are a partner
project of the
USA
,
Germany
and
Italy
.
The
Vatican
is the primary partner of one of the two other telescopes of this
project, the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Interests of participation of
the different partners is distributed 50-50 between the American and the
European partners. The American partners are the
University
of
Arizona
,
Ohio
State
University
,
and the Research Corporation, which represents the Universities of
Minnesota
,
Virginia
and Notre Dame. The Italian shares are held by the consortium INAF,
which is made up of 13 national observatories, also the Arcetri
Observatory in
Florence
.
German participation is made up of the Max-Planck-Institutes of
Astronomy in
Heidelberg
,
Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, and Radioastronomy in
Bonn
.
Additional partners in the LBT are the
Institute
of
Astrophysics
in
Potsdam
and the State Observatory of Heidelberg.
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