SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians today commended the California Attorney General’s office for filing a lawsuit against the Padre Dam Municipal Water District to halt desecration of a Native American burial and ceremonial ground in San Diego County.

“unparalleled in the San Diego County region”

The site is on approximately 2.5 acres south of I-8 at Lake Jennings Park Road east of San Diego in the community of Lakeside.

The lawsuit against the water district was filed this morning in San Diego Superior Court after the District continued construction at the site despite a June 17 ruling by the California Native American Heritage Commission declaring the entire site a sanctified Native American cemetery and ceremonial ground, calling on the District to halt further desecration and work with the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians to find an alternative location for the project.

Viejas spokesman Robert Scheid said, "The Padre Dam Municipal Water District only agreed to postpone Friday's scheduled hearing in San Diego Superior Court because the District received a letter from the California Attorney General saying that the AG intended to file a lawsuit against the District to halt construction and protect this sacred Native American burial ground. And Viejas only consented to the postponement after the District agreed to stop all construction on the entire site, which is what Viejas was seeking at Friday's hearing. Up to this point, the District's actions have been counter-productive to all parties involved, and costly to their ratepayers. And now those actions have brought legal action from the California Attorney General's office, which creates even more unnecessary costs for their ratepayers. It's time for the District to finally do the right thing: negotiate in good faith with Viejas to find an alternative plan that allows the project to proceed while protecting and preserving this significant Native American burial and ceremonial ground."

In early June, a San Diego County Superior Court Judge granted a request from the Viejas Band for a temporary restraining order against the District, ordering them to halt destruction of the burial site. The same San Diego Superior Court Judge was scheduled to consider Viejas’ request to make the restraining order permanent at a hearing scheduled for Friday, June 25, but Viejas and the District agreed to postpone the hearing, which is now scheduled for July 24.

The discovery of very high densities of Native American human remains, pottery shards and other grave goods at the site was declared to be “unparalleled in the San Diego County region,” according to The Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s own experts.

About the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians

The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians is a sovereign Nation whose people have inhabited the San Diego County area for thousands of years. The 1,600 acre Viejas Indian Reservation is located near Alpine, California, approximately 35 miles east of San Diego. For more information on the history and current government of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians visit www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org.