From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: HEALING GROUND ZERO
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 08:15:10 GMT

/** gen.newsletter: 147.0 **/
** Topic: The ACTivist 8#10, October 1992 **
** Written  9:32 pm  Sep 24, 1992 by web:act in cdp:gen.newsletter **
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HEALING GROUND ZERO

As the commemoration of Columbus' initial invasion of the 
Americas -- October 12 -- draws close, arrests have already been 
made at the Nevada Test Site, the focus of many of this year's 
anti-Columbus events.

On Monday, September 14, four  Belgian activists, members of For 
Mother Earth,  chained themselves to Ground Zero of an upcoming 
nuclear test, codenamed 'Hunter's Trophy'. Caroline  Dossche, Wim 
Van de Vijver, Luk Meskens and Kris Sterckx pleaded not guilty to 
charges of trespass, as they obtained a written permit from the 
Western Shoshone National Council to gather on, enter and leave 
Western Shoshone territory. 

On September 18, the nuclear test bomb 'Hunter's Trophy' was 
exploded -- the fifth U.S. nuclear test this year. Eight activists 
chained themselves to the front gate of the Test Site and were 
arrested there; four more were arrested on the grounds of the Test 
Site while the bomb was going off.

The Nevada Test Site, located on the traditional lands of the 
Western Shoshone, is now the only place in the world where 
nuclear weapons are openly tested. Over 800 nuclear devices have 
been exploded on Western Shoshone land, making them the most 
bombed nation on earth.

Meanwhile, two solidarity walks are converging on the Nevada Test 
Site to commemorate 500 years of native resistance. The Walk for 
Mother Earth has been travelling from New York City to Nevada 
since January 31, expressing their solidarity with indigenous peoples 
and calling for an end to nuclear testing (those already arrested had 
been part of this walk). A smaller walk, the European Peace Pilgrimage, 
left the U.S. nuclear submarine base at St. Mary's, Georgia, on 
February 1. Both walks are expected to arrive at the Test Site on 
October 2.

This day will also mark the beginning of a series of events called 
'Healing Global Wounds' sponsored by the Global Anti-Nuclear Alliance 
and the Western Shoshone National Council. After a pow-wow and a 
series of workshops and seminars, participants will go to the U.S. 
Department of Energy and demand an apology for their destruction 
of native land through nuclear testing. They will then march to the 
Test Site itself, for more workshops and nonviolence trainings.

On October 10, there will be an all-day Global Healing Ceremony, 
under the direction of Corbin Harney, the spiritual leader of the 
Western Shoshone. Then on October 11, there will be a rally at the 
gates of the Test Site, and a nonviolent direct action to protest 
continued nuclear testing. On Monday, there will be a day of reflection 
by native elders.

For more information, contact the Western Shoshone National Council, 
PO Box 140115, Duckwater, Nevada, 89314, USA, or American Peace 
Test, PO Box 26725, Las Vegas, Nevada,  89126, USA (phone 
702-386-9834)



** End of text from cdp:gen.newsletter **

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