Ian Zabarte: In Memoriam Ms. Renate Domnick

June 17, 2010

In Memoriam of Western Shoshone advocate Ms. Renate Domnick

By Ian Zabarte, Western Shoshone
Photo: Nevada Test Site

It is with sadness that I must write to inform you that Ms. Renate Domnick, a longtime and trusted advocate for the Western Shoshone people has recently passed away. There are few who gain trust and then live up to that trust by their actions. Ms. Domnick was one whose actions spoke consistently on behalf of the Western Shoshone on nuclear issues.

I first met Ms. Domnick at the Nevada Test Site in 1985 where together we protested the testing of US nuclear weapons by both the United States and the United Kingdom . While most protesters were unaware of the Western Shoshone, our lands and people Ms. Domnick was keenly aware and took up the cause to support our Western Shoshone leaders. Among them, Joe Sanchez, Jr., Bill Rossee, Sr., Mary Dann, and Corbin Harney who have passed; and many others who still continue to press for the end of nuclear weapons. Ms. Domnick joined with the Western Shoshone people educating a wide audience including the protesters, most of whom were American, about the heavily impacted and already vulnerable Western Shoshone Nation.

Ms. Domnick was appointed as the European Envoy for the Western Shoshone Nation under Chief Yowell and conducted many independent visits and presentations on behalf of the Western Shoshone with supporters and foreign government leaders then faithfully followed up by coordinating visits by Western Shoshone leaders including Chief Yowell, Carrie Dann, and myself. It is that trait of faithfulness…a fidelity to the message of the traditional Western Shoshone leadership that I have known and here honor of Ms. Domnick by writing.

The result of those years of generous support for the traditional Western Shoshone beliefs and values has been fostering a new generation of hope for the Western Shoshone Nation to continue to achieve the full status of nationhood among the nations of the International Community. Also, we have been afforded an opportunity to challenge directly the United States development of our lands for nuclear development before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety Licensing Board in the case of the Yucca Mountain high level nuclear waste repository designated by President George W. Bush--an act of environmental racism, a violation of the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley and a violation International Humanitarian Law.

Only more to be said would be to thank you on behalf of the countless future generations that will benefit from your effort.

Mr. Ian Zabarte, Principal Man
Western Shoshone Government
Mr. Ian Zabarte
e-mail: mrizabarte@gmail.com
http://www.digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp
http://www.trackhearing.com/