Gabrielino/Tongva Tribal Council Sues to Save Burial Sites
A complaint alleging numerous legal violations
was filed Jan. 16 in Federal Court by Johntommy Rosas, Vice-Chair of the
Gabrielino/ Tongva Tribal Council.
The suit is against Playa Capital
Corporation, Catellus Development, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the State
Historic Preservation Officer, the EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau
of Indian Affairs, among others.
“This
Sacred Site and the Burial Areas are being desecrated and our tribe and culture
are being violated by the illegal actions of all the defendants,” said
Rosas. “It must be stopped immediately. This is what we are seeking in
Federal Court,” Rosas continued. “If these burial areas had crosses
and tombstones, this destruction would not be
happening.”
The suit charges
violations of the national Environmental Policy Act, National Historic
Preservation Act, American Indian Religious Freedom Act and Native American
Graves Repatriation and protection Act.
The
lawsuit claims $525 million in damages as the result of destruction of burial
areas and sacred sites currently under construction for Playa Vista and West
Bluffs developments.
Posted: Sun - February 1, 2004 at 06:16 PM