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Divine Strake Bunker Buster Test Cancelled
A message from the Shundahai Network, which has been working since 1994 to stop nuclear weapons development and testing in Nevada.
We received news yesterday that the Divine Strake bunker buster test planned for the Nevada Test Site has been CANCELED!
We enthusiastically echo our friends at the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah), who emphasize that this test has not been delayed, it has not been moved, it has been canceled.
As many of you are aware, after the test was announced last year, Shundahai Network was among the first to follow the lead of communities and individuals within the Western Shoshone Nation to raise the cry against this test.
Soon after the announcement of the test, our Executive Director joined in a lawsuit against the agencies behind Divine Strake, following the leadership of Western Shoshone and other Downwinders who continue to suffer from decades of nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site.
That lawsuit succeeded in postponing Divine Strake last spring and forced the Federal Government to look at other locations for the test. First, the Government considered a limestone quarry in Indiana, then the White Sands missile range in New Mexico. Dedicated "people power" stopped them in each location. Then they turned their sights back on the Nevada Test Site.
Thousands of people, many citizen groups and even state governments kept the pressure on to force complete cancellation. Ultimately we have succeeded. Congratulations are due to so many; it's impossible to count.
Particular recognition must go to the Indigenous people who immediately initiated and organized resistance to this test. The Western Shoshone were the first to bring public attention to Divine Strake, initiating the coalition process that originally activated over fifty organizations to stop the test in the first round. This was conducted in the courts, through public education, and through non-violent direct action last spring during the weekend when the test was first scheduled to be conducted.
Other indigenous groups were central to organizing and leading non-violent civil resistance over that weekend at the Test Site. These included the Western Shoshone Defense Project and Western Shoshone National Council, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Colorado AIM. Over thirty people were arrested at that time, including indigenous people and many allies who participated in a weekend peace camp at NTS
Again, so many people contributed this victory; it's impossible to count. For all this dedication you deserve the deepest gratitude.
We enthusiastically echo our friends at the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah), who emphasize that this test has not been delayed, it has not been moved, it has been canceled.
As many of you are aware, after the test was announced last year, Shundahai Network was among the first to follow the lead of communities and individuals within the Western Shoshone Nation to raise the cry against this test.
Soon after the announcement of the test, our Executive Director joined in a lawsuit against the agencies behind Divine Strake, following the leadership of Western Shoshone and other Downwinders who continue to suffer from decades of nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site.
That lawsuit succeeded in postponing Divine Strake last spring and forced the Federal Government to look at other locations for the test. First, the Government considered a limestone quarry in Indiana, then the White Sands missile range in New Mexico. Dedicated "people power" stopped them in each location. Then they turned their sights back on the Nevada Test Site.
Thousands of people, many citizen groups and even state governments kept the pressure on to force complete cancellation. Ultimately we have succeeded. Congratulations are due to so many; it's impossible to count.
Particular recognition must go to the Indigenous people who immediately initiated and organized resistance to this test. The Western Shoshone were the first to bring public attention to Divine Strake, initiating the coalition process that originally activated over fifty organizations to stop the test in the first round. This was conducted in the courts, through public education, and through non-violent direct action last spring during the weekend when the test was first scheduled to be conducted.
Other indigenous groups were central to organizing and leading non-violent civil resistance over that weekend at the Test Site. These included the Western Shoshone Defense Project and Western Shoshone National Council, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Colorado AIM. Over thirty people were arrested at that time, including indigenous people and many allies who participated in a weekend peace camp at NTS
Again, so many people contributed this victory; it's impossible to count. For all this dedication you deserve the deepest gratitude.
For more information:
http://www.shundahai.org/
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I was one of my activists that opposed Divine Strake in Utah. I had set up a MySpace account at http://www.myspace.com/stopdivinestrake to help inform people who otherwise did not even know it existed and am one of the first members of Citizens Against Divine Strake.
And so, I appreciate these words about the whole nightmare we fought against, but the nightmare is not quite over. I am doing an individual effort to make everywhere on the web that is publishing about this also know about the bigger picture.
We defeated Divine Strake. We won against Divine Strake. We SHOULD celebrate. At the same time, the war against Divine Strake isn't over yet. ACTD has not been canceled.
ACTD? What is that, you say?
Divine Strake was the large-scale event for the the Tunnel Target Defeat Advanced Concept and Technology Demonstration (ACTD), which DTRA did NOT cancel. ACTD is for the development low-yield nuclear earth penetrator weapons, mini-nukes to destroy underground bunkers. If such a weapon had hit a target in Baghdad, for example, 10,000 people would be estimated to die from the nuclear fallout.
Divine Strake was canceled. This is a victory. The end purpose of Divine Strake, however, has not been terminated. The DTRA made clear that large-scale explosion tests such as Divine Strake will not be conducted, but, however, alternatives will be pursued for the ACTD program.
We need to cancel the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD. Congress flatly refused (before the 2006 mid-term elections) that there will be any new nuclear weapons or development. ACTD flatly is against Congressional permission.
There were other tests in the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD before Divine Strake such as Discrete Gemini in Indiana with two 1.5 ton tests of ANFO. These two 3,000 lb ANFO tests occured with no one been awaring of it in southern Indiana.
DTRA backed down because of the sheer attention Divine Strake was receiving. They don't want attention brought to the bigger picture behind Divine Strake: ACTD.
If you want to help fight and be better informed about our efforts to stop ACTD (the program that Divine Strake is a part of), I ask you to join the Citizens Against Divine Strake group (regional and international chapters) @ http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/cads.html. (We might rename it Citizens Against Defense Stupidity.) More information period can be found at http://www.stopdivinestrake.com
And so, I appreciate these words about the whole nightmare we fought against, but the nightmare is not quite over. I am doing an individual effort to make everywhere on the web that is publishing about this also know about the bigger picture.
We defeated Divine Strake. We won against Divine Strake. We SHOULD celebrate. At the same time, the war against Divine Strake isn't over yet. ACTD has not been canceled.
ACTD? What is that, you say?
Divine Strake was the large-scale event for the the Tunnel Target Defeat Advanced Concept and Technology Demonstration (ACTD), which DTRA did NOT cancel. ACTD is for the development low-yield nuclear earth penetrator weapons, mini-nukes to destroy underground bunkers. If such a weapon had hit a target in Baghdad, for example, 10,000 people would be estimated to die from the nuclear fallout.
Divine Strake was canceled. This is a victory. The end purpose of Divine Strake, however, has not been terminated. The DTRA made clear that large-scale explosion tests such as Divine Strake will not be conducted, but, however, alternatives will be pursued for the ACTD program.
We need to cancel the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD. Congress flatly refused (before the 2006 mid-term elections) that there will be any new nuclear weapons or development. ACTD flatly is against Congressional permission.
There were other tests in the Tunnel Target Defeat ACTD before Divine Strake such as Discrete Gemini in Indiana with two 1.5 ton tests of ANFO. These two 3,000 lb ANFO tests occured with no one been awaring of it in southern Indiana.
DTRA backed down because of the sheer attention Divine Strake was receiving. They don't want attention brought to the bigger picture behind Divine Strake: ACTD.
If you want to help fight and be better informed about our efforts to stop ACTD (the program that Divine Strake is a part of), I ask you to join the Citizens Against Divine Strake group (regional and international chapters) @ http://www.stopdivinestrake.com/cads.html. (We might rename it Citizens Against Defense Stupidity.) More information period can be found at http://www.stopdivinestrake.com
For more information:
http://www.myspace.com/citizenpressrevolution
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