Dooda dissed in Vegas?
Diné Power: Nobody denied access to meeting, activist says she was intimidated

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Diné Power Authority officials deny a claim by Elouise Brown, president of Dooda Desert Rock, that her group was denied access to a joint meeting of Navajo Nation’s Resources and Economic Development committees last week.

The committees met in Las Vegas, as did most of the Nation’s committees. They are holding annual meetings and strategic workshops.

“When we got there, there was a woman sitting by the door — Sharone Watchman — and she wanted to know who we were and what we were doing there,” Brown said. “We told her we were concerned citizens.”

Watchman, who works for the legislative branch of tribal government, told them it was a confidential meeting and the public wasn’t allowed in, Brown said.

Dooda Desert Rock is a group of Navajo activists that was formed to prevent a new coal-fired power plant near Farmington. Sithe Global Power has proposed a 1,500-megawatt coal-burning power plant, called the Desert Rock Energy Project.

When Watchman finally agreed to see if the Dooda representatives would be allowed to attend the meeting, she stayed in the room for nearly a half hour, before emerging and again asking what the group wanted, Brown said.

“I told her they all know me in there, just tell them it’s Elouise Brown,” she added.

After about another 15 minutes, Watchman returned and said the group could come in.

The group took seats, and as she began taking notes, an attorney for Diné Power Authority, Christopher Clark Deschene, came and stood right behind her, Brown said.

“I felt uncomfortable because the guy was just standing right behind me, watching my every move,” Brown said.
Shortly after they were allowed in the room, the meeting was adjourned, Brown said.

“I want to know why it took 45 minutes to let us in the room,” Brown said.

Deschene vehemently denied allegations leveled by an anti-Desert Rock activist that she was kept from a meeting held in Las Vegas .

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Deschene said. “She was invited to the meeting.”

“She can’t say she wasn’t allowed to attend the meeting, that’s totally untrue,” DPA spokesman Albert Shirley said. “Miss Brown is not being truthful, I’m sad to say.”

Brown was late to the meeting by about 45 minutes, Deschene said. But if there was any delay in admitting her to the meeting it was brief, and not 45 minutes, he added. “It was a public meeting,” Deschene said.

It was a council standing committee meeting, said George Hardeen, spokesman for the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President.

“I have no info about it,” Hardeen said. “Why is this newsworthy?”

Dooda Desert Rock is a group of Navajo activists that was formed to prevent a new coal-fired power plant near Farmington. Sithe Global Power has proposed a 1,500-megawatt coal-burning power plant, the Desert Rock Energy Project.

Refreshments were on a table in the back of the room and a lot of people were standing in the back, Deschene explained.

“There was no intimidation,” he added.

Brown has been a vocal — and negative — voice on the Desert Rock issue, but she has not been barred from any public meetings, Shirley said.

“We’re wide open, we try to inform her of updates,” he said.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com