AL Gore s speech in the Live Earth concerts about the awareness of global warming, carbon dioxide emissions and pollution brings us to write on behalf of the forgotten people of America. Some of the poorest Native American people, the Ogalala Lakota Siou

AL Gore's speech in the Live Earth concerts about the awareness of global warming, carbon dioxide emissions and pollution brings us to write on behalf of the forgotten people of America.

Some of the poorest Native American people, the Ogalala Lakota Sioux, live in their sacred lands, the Black Hills of Dakota - Pineridge reservation or POW camp 344 - in third world conditions with 90 per cent unemployment. Life expectancy for most on the reservation is 50 years.

Gold was discovered in the Black Hills and, in more recent times, oil, coal, and uranium are all being extracted from the area. Uranium is being mined in such a way that the radioactive waste is being left to contaminate the air and pollute the water courses in the whole of the area. All this will probably never be mentioned by any environmentalist other than the Native American people.

If you would like to know more about the plight of Native Americans at Pineridge, please look at bhdefenders@msn.com or pdispirit.com.

BOB and CAROLE SHIRE, Huntingdon Road, Upwood