NAVAJO-HOPI LAND DISPUTE

WHEREAS, coal, mineral, and gas leasing companies have interests in the Navajo-Hopi reservation lands in Arizona and New Mexico and specifically in the Joint Use Area (JUA) where all Navajo living on the Hopi side of the JUA and all the Hopi living on the Navajo side of the JUA will be relocated by July 8, 1986, according to the mandates of the 1974 Land Settlement Act, Public Law 93-531; and

WHEREAS, Congress was misinformed about a Navajo-Hopi land dispute in 1974 because differences between the peoples were greatly exaggerated in order that there be no people living on leased lands containing coal, uranium, water, and gas; and

WHEREAS, the relocation of these peoples during the past 10 years has resulted in social and psychological disintegration and loss of self-reliance; and

WHEREAS, the relocation of these peoples has been at a cost to the taxpayers greater than proposed in  1974 with significantly more than one-half of the families scheduled for relocation still waiting for housing; and

WHEREAS, the removal of vast quantities of coal, uranium, gas, and water from this area may result in global weather and geological changes of unprecedented and unpredictable proportions beyond changes already measurable:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers support legislation that would repeal PL 93-531 and that would support the cessation of devastating disruptions to Indian self-reliance and to the environment.