WINDOW ROCK—Hopi Tribal Chairman Ben Nuvamsa has taken issue with comments contained in an Independent story on Thursday regarding a possible threat of a takeover of the Hopi Tribal Office Complex on Wednesday.

The information contained in the story was received in a news release from Bertha Parker, spokeswoman for the Hopi Tribal Council and personal interviews.

“Bertha Parker is not the spokesman of the tribe. I am the chairman of the tribe, I am the spokesman of the tribe. I am the elected chairman of the Hopi tribe and therefore I am the spokesman of the tribe,” Nuvamsa said.

“The article that you printed, none of that is true. There was no evacuation. There were no protesters, nothing like that. No one was in danger. Pure fabrication. We’re going to issue a press release tomorrow and I would really appreciate that you get that printed in the Independent, and I would also appreciate that you would issue a retraction of that article.

“People, once they read it, they’re going to be really, really upset. We had three days of Council meetings. The Council voted on Monday to move to the Veterans Memorial Center because of the limited space. There was a number of issues, real highly critical issues including the Black Mesa Environmental Impact Statement that people are upset about because of the continued pumping of the N-aquifer and the suspension of the Appellate Court and so on. So these are not protesters, these are tribal members.”

When advised that the Navajo Times carried photos Thursday of protesters, Nuvamsa responded, “I have not seen the Navajo Times. They are not protesters, they are tribal members.” He said there were no outside non-Indians involved. “We’re going to write a press release that’s going to tell the truth.”

According to a statement from Hopi Vice Chairman Todd Honyaoma Sr., “Bertha (Torres) Parker is an employee of the Hopi Tribe working from the Office of the Vice Chairman. Ms. Parker was retained to provide press releases and public relations service for the Hopi Tribal Government. Included is having the responsibility to communicate with all media and responding to questions relating to the activities of the Hopi Tribal Council.

“Ms. Parker has been employed with the Hopi Tribe in the Office of the Vice Chairman since Nov. 21, 2008.”

Parker issued a statement Wednesday stating that “Tribal security personnel informed tribal officials working in the Hopi Tribal Council Complex that protesters at the Veterans Center had signaled their intent to invade and take over the Hopi Tribal Council and subsequent offices.

Security advised directors their health and safety were potentially at risk. Employees were advised of the situation and most opted to leave their offices.

“Hopi Tribal Council members awaiting the Chairman and a quorum opted to continue to wait in their tribal council seats.”

Apparently, the Council recessed after listening to approximately 75 protesters who on Monday pushed past security to gain entrance to the packed Hopi Tribal Council Chambers demanding the Tribal Council move their scheduled meeting to the Veterans Center in order to accommodate them. In an effort to hear the concerns of the protesters and to minimize the health and safety concerns the Tribal Council agreed to a one-day council session held Tuesday at the Veterans Center, Parker said.

After 9/11 there were monies available from Homeland Security, and the Hopi Tribe installed security cameras. Parker said the events were recorded by the security cameras, and that there will be no retraction of her previous statement. She said it had been reported to the vice chairman’s office that “there were a majority of Hopi, there were Navajos there, Sierra Club and other non-Hopis there.”

Andy Bessler of Sierra Club said Wednesday that he was at Hopi on Tuesday but that they had moved the Hopi Council meeting to the Veterans Center. “Ben texted me earlier (Wednesday) saying that First Mesa Council delegates left the Council meeting so there is no quorum. I don’t think the Council has met since 2 p.m., yesterday.

“Black Mesa Trust put a draft resolution together kind of having the position of the Hopi Tribe on the EIS. But basically the Hopi Tribe has never really taken a position on this huge project. We certainly talked to Hopis who oppose mining on Black Mesa and want to see Peabody out of there. But Todd has been supporting alternatives in the EIS that allows Peabody to have more mining.”

Bessler said commenting on the EIS is done and that the Office of Surface Mining has released the Final EIS on the Black Mesa Project. OSM is expected to issue a Record of Decision by Monday. Opponents of any decision issued will have the right to appeal.

Enei Begay of Black Mesa Water Coalition issued an urgent plea Wednesday requesting donations to send members of the Navajo and Hopi tribes to Denver on Monday, where they will gather in front of the OSM building in downtown Denver.

“The fact that this federal agency has rushed the EIS process over the summer has alarmed Black Mesa residents to take action. If OSM doesn’t want to come to our homes, answer our questions and hear our concerns, then we will go to their offices!

“Please, support Navajo and Hopi people as they travel to OSM’s regional headquarters in Denver, Colorado,” the release said. Donations received will go to help Navajo and Hopi elders and young people rent vans, pay for gas, lodging and food.

Information: www.blackmesawatercoalition.org