Riaan 
INkantolo Ephakeme izolalela umbango omkhulu wamalungelo amanzi ovela e-Arizona ngoMsombuluko ukuze inqume ukuthi uhulumeni wobumbano uzephulile yini izethembiso zakhe esizweni samaNavajo iminyaka engaphezu kuka-150.
Cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yemizi yamaNavajo ayinawo amanzi futhi kufanele ithembele emanzini athunyelwa ngamaloli. Isizwe samaNavajo sisola uhulumeni wase-US ngokwephula umsebenzi wawo wokwethemba owafika nesivumelwano sango-1868 esamisa ukubhuka kwawo endaweni manje. enyakatho-mpumalanga ye-Arizona kanye nezingxenye ezincane eziseningizimu-mpumalanga ye-Utah nasenyakatho-mpumalanga yeNew Mexico.
Leso sivumelwano “sathembisa kokubili umhlaba namanzi anele ukuba amaNavajo abuyele ekhaya laphakade endaweni yokhokho bawo,” abameli beSizwe samaNavajo batshela inkantolo. “Izithembiso ezephuliwe. AboHlanga sisalinde amanzi abawadingayo.”
Icala livela phambi kwamajaji ngesikhathi sesomiso eNtshonalanga kanye neminyaka eyi-100 ngemuva kokusetshenziswa kwe-Colorado River Compact eyahlukanisa amanzi phakathi kwezifunda eziyisikhombisa ezihlanganisa i-California, i-Arizona ne-Nevada.
Okusekuxaka manje ukuthi ngabe iSizwe samaNavajo singaqhubekela phambili yini necala elifuna uhlelo lombuso lokuhlinzeka abahlali baso ngesidingo samanzi esingakafinyeleli.
Isizwe samaNavajo sazuza ukunqoba kokuqala eNkantolo Yezikhalo Yesifunda yesi-9 ngo-2021, eyathi inesimangalo sokwephulwa kokwethembeka, yaphawula ukuthi isivumelwano sango-1868 sasibhekise kwezolimo.
“Ilungelo leSizwe lokuthola izindawo ezibekelwe amapulazi … linikeza ilungelo elingashiwongo lamanzi adingekayo ukwenza lokho,” kusho inkantolo yokudlulisa amacala. Nokho, ayizange inqume ukuthi ingabe lokhu kuhlanganisa “amalungelo omfula iColorado noma eminye imithombo ethile yamanzi.”
Kodwa ekwindla, iNkantolo Ephakeme yavuma ukuzwa izikhalo ezivela kuwo womabili uMnyango Wezangaphakathi kanye ne-Arizona ezifuna ukuchitha isinqumo seSekethe yesi-9.
Ummeli waseMelika u-Gen. Elizabeth B. Prelogar uthe isivumelwano sika-1868 asishongo lutho ngamanzi futhi asizange senze imisebenzi ethile kahulumeni ehlobene namanzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iSizwe samaNavajo sinikezwe amalungelo amanzi avela emifuleni emibili yoMfula iColorado, okuhlanganisa nomfula iSan Juan e-Utah, kusho yena.
Abameli base-Arizona, abahlanganiswe yiMetropolitan Water District of Southern California, bathi izinqumo zenkantolo ephakeme zabele amanzi asuka eMfuleni iColorado, futhi sekwephuze kakhulu ngamacala afuna amalungelo amasha emanzini afanayo.
Amacala yi-Arizona vs. Navajo Nation kanye noMnyango Wezangaphakathi vs. Navajo Nation.
