How the US poisoned Navajo Nation
How the US poisoned Navajo Nation
The biggest radioactive spill in US history.
As World War Two was ending, the growing nuclear arms race put the US in need of uranium. It turned to Navajo Nation, where the uranium mining industry thrived for four decades — but left disease, pollution and the biggest radioactive spill in US history.
That spill in Church Rock, New Mexico upended the lives of nearby residents, who had to grapple with toxic water, livestock and a lifetime of illnesses. Now, they are still waiting for it to be cleaned up.
Note: The headline for this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: The biggest radioactive spill in US history
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Learn more about the Church Rock spill and the impacts of uranium mining at the Southwest Research and Information Center: http://www.sric.org/uranium/rirf.php
Read the book by Doug Brugge, Timothy Benally, and Esther Yazzie-Lewis, The Navajo People and Uranium Mining: https://unmpress.com/books/navajo-people-and-uranium-mining/9780826337795
Read the book Yellow Dirt, by Judy Pasternak, on uranium mining in Navajo Nation: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Yellow-Dirt/Judy-Pasternak/9781416594833
Check out the documentary “The Return of Navajo Boy,” which looks at the uranium industry in Navajo Nation: http://navajoboy.com/watch/
Learn about the Red Water Pond Road Community Association and other local groups through the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment: https://swuraniumimpacts.org/red-water-pond-road-community-association
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For the past 18 to 20 months, we see and hear that BLACK LIVES MATTER! but it seems like no one stops and thinks, how about NATIVE LIVES?
How evil
I lived in New Mexico and no one ever talked about this
What a sin!We are so arragont and dollar driven!Shame on Us.
Inconseaveable.!
This should be taught as American history along dozens of heinous acts ‘Merica has bestowed upon thee indigenous. History class needs a lesson of truth on historical events, and let the youth decide for themselves who their ancestors really are.
And you wonder why we people of color are still learning about the government?
Yeap! That’s our government of america for ya! Come in and take what they want then leave when it’s all gone! Neglecting human life for a dollar. The dollar, the devils creation to make slaves of us is what this country is all about! Business and wealth equals greedy lying disrespectful human beings! The best part of it all is that they claim to be Christians and say they believe in God! Sick ain’t it! The way they do things are the ways of the devil, evil in the purest form!
I wish there were a GoFundMe, I would donate a lot to help these poor native americans
Thank you for bringing this story to light. I had no idea.
They should have gotten to keep their land and keep it the way they want it, if they wanted to mine then let them set up a mine if they don’t then they won’t, simple as that, all that money should have gone to the people of the Navajo nation but I’m sure only half a percent did it even that, so sad how we treat human beings
"A temporary evacuation."
They supported it.
We owe healing and restitution to these people and Gaia.
The result of unrestrained capitalism.
Why don’t you just leave that area if they know all this why stay there
This is what whxte people call “CRT” 🤦♂️ now I see why they don’t want there kids to hear something like this.
Totally unaware of this seismic event, another chapter in profit before people. The Navajo come from a brave and strong tribe, keep the fight going and you will eventually get what you need . It’s not just you who have been walked on in this way.
Money money money at the people’s expense and their lives. Corrupt people, corporations and government with no conscience or heart for fellow brings. My heart hurts for the Native Americans.
History is a true human devastation.
That woman was right, it is still genocide…
I only learned about this from Metal Gear Solid V
I am from Pinedale New Mexico. My Nalí (paternal grandfather) was on the chapter committee when they agreed to this. “One day they came by and covered the wells with cement. Said the water was no good.” It’s really sad this happen. These shots have my land in it. It’s unsettling they made a documentary for it because for so long my family has been forever tied to this land. They love it here. Good old PDC (Pine Dale City) hahaha. I hope I get to have a talk with the chaps who made this because I am making a 7page paper on something that “haunts” my community and this is literally my topic. You guys took all my work and made a video. Please if you can get back to this. I am a College student and this is my home.
Where’s are all those people who were protesting for equality
Thanks for sharing this. It’s our tragic history that has not ended to this present day. May all know we the people, Diné are last respected.
You want me to move?… okay but you buy me a new house, pay for the move, installments, food, water, light, sewer, etc for the rest of my life! 😁 not to mention my neighbors too. Or you can just clean it up and save your money haha
Why would they be Contaminating the land?
Who will get to use the land Thousands of years from now???
🙁
The fact that the US denounces nations like China and North Korea for human rights violations while they do this is disgusting.
Companies don’t need to be regulated, huh?
And what did they seek to do with this uranium? Look at what the US did previously; commit genocide on Japanese civilians, twice. These acts of terrorism are how these psycopathic US leaders wanted to use uranium, and other psycopaths sought to profit from it. And here we are today, with the same psycopaths, chanting the same imperialistic rhetoric, with their greedy hands around the necks of the rest of the world. Thank God the American empire is in decline, now it should focus on its own internal problems.
Every war that ever happened USA Is always there directly or indirectly involved. USA is Just like its school culture of and USA is the bully of class who feels he knows everything and just because he feels he’s the boss and can do anything he hits anyone, and no one stands against him just like USA supports bullying cause USA ITSELF IS THE BULLY COUNTRY in the whole world
The USA government is still poisoning and killing "Indians", it won’t stop until they’re all gone. It’s by design. All the Indian mining operations are part of it
Native Americans have made friends with their fellow Americans it is ok for them to leave the reservation.
As an 18 yo navajo this video is accurate
Tesla’s electric power from earth source would solve their clean power dilemma.
These companies pay local people to destroy their own land they did it here in Cuba nm copper city mine
Thanks for watching! For more of Missing Chapter’s reporting on indigenous rights, check out our video on the legacy of forced assimilation and adoptions in the US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGqWRyBCHhw -Ranjani
They want to live in a reserve, but want cell phones and electricity etc. White man inventions…. sounds like they are assimilated already but they refuse to confess it to themselves
I’m a Navajo and I live on the Navajo Reservation my dad died from uranium in 2002 United States Government will not do anything about it why bring it up now
racism
I garuntee that they sold their land at an expensive price.
If my area was radioactive I would leave, whether in Pennsylvanian or New Mexico
Every month something new pops up
The Australian government allowed the British to test nuclear weapons on aboriginal land. Not only without telling them, but also didn’t remove them. Look up Maralinga and Operation Buffalo.
No labour union no protection
I pray for all the colonized natives of this earth.
This is sad.. I wish happiness for those poor peoples.. Love you guys from Malaysia
"As a single parent"
Absolutely disgusting. I think that all native communities need to form an alliance that meets up often to get reperations for the things that have happened. I also think that the modern natives who make billions with casinos and stuff, have the moral obligation to form a strong native group that persecutes those responisble for these things, and to ensure that natives continue to thrive, not be taken advantage of and live in bad situation on the reservations.