Native elder from Texas fights against industrial development
Tribal elder Juan Mancias is battling industrial encroachments on ancient tribal lands in Texas in opposition to large fossil fuel projects.
Dylan Baddour reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Juan Mancias, chairman of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, confronts fossil fuel developments threatening ancient burial sites and village grounds in the Rio Grande Delta.
- The region faces significant industrialization threats from projects like Texas LNG, which plans to build on a site with deep historical significance.
- Despite the lack of federal recognition, Mancias advocates for the protection and recognition of his tribe's ancestral lands and their cultural heritage.
Key quote:
"They almost annihilated us and that genocide continues. To destroy the environment you have to destroy the people who protect it."
— Juan Mancias, chairman of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas
Why this matters:
The lands in question, steeped in centuries of history and tradition, are home to sacred sites and are rich in biodiversity, acting as crucial habitats for local wildlife. Mancias’s opposition is fueled by concerns that extend beyond sovereignty. The environmental repercussions of such projects—increased emissions, potential spills, and habitat destruction—pose a significant threat to the local ecosystems and to the broader health of the planet. This is particularly poignant in an era where the impacts of climate change are becoming more unpredictable and severe.
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- Colonialism, the climate crisis, and the need to center Indigenous voices.
- Why Indigenous women are risking arrest to fight Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline through Minnesota
