Ohlone supporters hold PRESS RELEASE at SF City Hall and put SF Planning on notice.

Today's Press Release was organized on the steps of City Hall by Jaron Brown who is a lead organizer in the Bayview Hunters Point and works for People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER). The podium and sound system was sponsored by Supervisor Chris Daly's office and we thank him for it.

Various Ohlone from all over the Bay Area and beyond were present and so were many Native Americans from Tribes all over this Nation. It was a pleasure to see the Muwekma Ohlone Tribal Chair, Rosemary Cambra present today. Rosemary Cambra made it very clear for all those present that the Muwekma Ohlone had jurisdiction over San Francisco and that she fully cognizant of the Rights of the Muwekma Ohlone over matter of cultural resources and land use.

Today's Press Release was to notify the San Francisco Planning Department that has failed to abide with California Senate Bill 18 and notify not only the Muwekma Ohlone but several other Tribes and entities on the list to be notified by protocol.

Today's Press Release showed a sense of UNITY in this matter - where the City and County of San Francisco thought not to respect the Ohlone and now know that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.

The San Francisco Planning Department has been put on notice and if better sense prevails - the SF City Planning Department will do what is possible to correct this blatant - injustice. Send an apology to the Muwekma Ohlone and to those that are on the list to be notified and were not notified.

The Draft, Environmental Impact Report (EIR) impacts over 1200 acres of land - directly and indirectly. The plan calls to bring in over 30,000 new constituents and has no sound Transportation document. This Draft, EIR has not adequately address Quality of Life issues.

However, what is most lacking and apparent is the lack of respect for the First People and especially the Muwekma Ohlone that has Patrimonial Jurisdiction over all of San Francisco.

We thank the other Ohlone, other Native American Tribes, our ardent supporters for standing with us together - to bring respect and justice to all First People. But, also in this case where some folks think they can get away with murder in broad daylight.

We thank the many speakers who were very articulate. The many First People leaders who took time off to come and speak and do justice to this great cause. The many organizations and their leaders who were present to show solidarity. Leaders from all walks of life and nationalities.

This Draft, EIR some 4,400 pages is rift with mistakes, maps with misinformation, as I mentioned earlier a poor Transportation Document. There are huge areas that are not characterized and the area being a Superfund Site that portion of Hunters Point Shipyard that is nine-five percent landfill must be reviewed in detail.

Of importance is that over six Shellmound - Sacred Burial Grounds are found in the immediate area that the ill conceived Draft, EIR covers.

15 more in the area less then a quarter mile radius - known Shellmounds and all connected. The Draft, EIR makes little of this very sensitive cultural concern - and this time around the SF Planning Department will have to answer the questions that will be posed to the SF Planning Department. For all practical purposes the Draft, EIR is illegal and does more injustice then justice.

The statement made today by the keepers of the Patrimonial Jurisdiction clearly mentioned that the time of silence is over - we can easily muster numbers and put a stop to any illegal project - deemed illegal to those that know better. Enough is enough.

The Ohlone have been here for over 10,000 years and San Francisco Planning Department, the SF Mayor's Office of Economic Development, the SF Redevelopment Agency better pay attention to protocol and more, respect those that this land belongs to. In this case the Muwekma Ohlone.

Here are some photographs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/franciscodacosta/sets/72157623074413551/show/


Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy


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