Poisoned Navajo lands

Re “Blighted homeland,” a four-part series, Nov. 19-22

Judy Pasternak’s Nov. 19 article on radioactive residue in Navajo land illuminates the dark side of nuclear power.

Juxtaposed next to one about Iran’s nuclear threat, the article completes the picture of a technology that is disastrous by any definition. Whether intended to light our homes or destroy our enemies, nuclear energy kills. It should be abandoned immediately and its Native American victims adequately compensated.

LANNY KAUFER

Ojai

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Thank you for a heart-rending expose regarding the Navajo Indians’ plight whereby radioactive materials were left strewn across their reservation.

Your article first made me feel guilty for being a member of the citizenry that perpetrated this debacle and then made me angry at the federal government for not even posting warning signs that may have at least alerted the Navajos to the dangerous detritus that our government knew had been left unattended.

As you indicated, private companies operated the mines that produced uranium, but the U.S. government was the sole customer. I see a major liability for the government. The Navajos are owed their day in court so that they might at least win restitution for quietly living their lives on their own land. Who issued the mining rights to those private companies? I hope they have deep pockets.

MICHAEL J. REARDON

Chino Hills

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What is the name of the corporation(s) responsible for these toxic wastes? Why are these sites not being cleaned up or at least properly sealed off until they are cleaned? Litigation can take years to resolve these matters, especially when people want to evade their responsibility to save a few dollars.

If our government allowed the corporation(s) to walk away without properly securing these sites, shouldn’t our government along with the responsible corporation(s) be held accountable to pay for cleanup and the damages they caused and continue to inflict on these families?

NASTASJA DORANDI

Venice