The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians slammed the developers of a controversial quarry mine for statements made about the tribe's history and its sacred sites.

At a hearing that ran nearly 11 hours, the developers of the Liberty Quarry mine said the project is not located on the tribe's creation site. An anthropologist hired by the company attempted to tell the Riverside County Planning Commission what is sacred and not sacred to the Pechanga people.

"It is despicable,'' Paul Macarro, the tribe's cultural resource coordinator, told the commission, in response. "Do not let them tell you our history, because they do not know it.''

The hearing was the fifth on the issue. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors will make the final decision on a permit for the mine, which will be located next to the reservation.

Get the Story:
Fifth Liberty Quarry hearing runs 11 hours (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 8/16)
Mining officials, Pechanga members argue over quarry (The Los Angeles Times 8/16)
Battles Continue Over Proposed Mine Site (The Lake Elsinore-Wildomar Patch 8/15)

Related Stories:
Pechanga Band pushes bill to stop quarry mine near sacred site (8/5)
Opinion: Pechanga Band helps build case against quarry mine (6/29)
Pechanga Band continues fight against proposed quarry mine (6/23)
Pechanga Band says quarry mine will destroy sacred site (4/27)