wfn.org | NCCCUSA on New Mexico Petroglyph Native American Sacred Site

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.apc.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contact: Carol Fouke, NCC News, 212-870-2252
Internet: carolf@ncccusa.org

Note: The following press statement was prepared by 
Sammy Toineeta, Staff Associate for Racial Justice, 
National Council of Churches, and released Oct. 23.

Statement on Native American Sacred Site
Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico

For Release:  October 23, 1997

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCCC) wishes 
to express publicly its solidarity with the Pueblo people of New Mexico in 
their struggle to preserve their sacred lands against further encroachment
by the government.  Specifically, we oppose the desecration of the
Petroglyph escarpment through construction of a four to six lane highway.

The NCCC has long maintained that the government should not be allowed to 
condemn land that is sacred to Native Americans absent some compelling 
justification.  Even then, the government should pursue its interests in
the least restrictive, least burdensome manner possible.  And, while we 
recognize the state's important interest in highway construction, we are 
not convinced that the highway proposed by the City of Albuquerque is 
necessary.  At the very least, the city should be forced to consider 
alternatives that would not infringe upon the fundamental right of Native 
Americans to practice their religion. For that reason, we oppose Senate 
Bill 633, and call upon Senator Domenici to consider alternatives to this 
latest assault upon America's indigenous people.
 
After all, the land was occupied by the Pueblo people for centuries prior
to its designation as a national park.

We urge the Congress to resist what will amount to another painful chapter
in the long and sorrowful story of injustice towards America's native
people.

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