Karuk's day of inaction against Pacific Power?

Pioneer Press

Fort Jones, CA

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

page 1 column 1

pioneerp@sisqtel.net

Fewer than 100 people marched and rallied outside PacifiCorp's headquarters in Portland last Thursday for the much-publicized "Day of Action" - which turned out to be more a day of inaction. Some media reported only 75 people showed up to protest the power utility's affect on the Klamath River -- and most of those were Indian.

The "Day of Action Against PacifiCorp" started off at 8:30 a.m. when supposedly "local" activists hung a banner proclaiming "Warren Buffett Kills Salmon, Jobs and Communities" over Interstate-84 in solidarity with the Tribes, particularly the Hoopa and Karuk.

Some reports read that about 200 people marched from Holiday Park in Portland at noon to converge in front of PacifiCorp for a press conference later in the day. But after the conference, that number dwindled to 70 people, who reportedly occupied the area in front of the headquarters and, according to protest organizers, effectively shutting down the front entrance to PacifiCorp as company staff locked doors. Police decked out in riot gear guarded the building, but no arrests were made. The dam removal advocates, including American Indian Movement activists, commercial fishermen and other local supporters, pounded on the doors of the building, disrupting business at the power company.

"We're getting a lot of lip service from PacifiCorp, but we're ready to sit down at the negotiating table," Craig Tucker with the Karuk Tribe told local media.

Georgianna Myers with the Klamath Justice Coalition said the dams are destroying tribes way of life.

"Each year, the algae gets worse, we can't fish or swim in the river, the fish have lesions and make us sick," she told media.In a statement, PacifiCorp said it's open to negotiations but remains committed to providing electricity at an affordable price to its customers.